BIOSPAIN 2026

Europe has no shortage of ambitious strategies for biotechnology. The challenge now is implementation.
Delivering a competitive, resilient and sustainable European agri-food biotechnology ecosystem will require coordinated action across industry, startups, academia, investors, farmers, policymakers and innovation organisations. No single stakeholder can deliver this transformation alone.
This roundtable will build on the key insights and recommendations collected by the EU Agri-Food Biotech Alliance from representatives from across the entire value chain—including the European Commission, EFSA, industry leaders, startups, investors, research organisations, farmers, retailers and ecosystem partners—to identify the priorities and actions needed to accelerate biotechnology adoption in Europe.
The discussion will focus on how organisations can work together to reduce fragmentation, align around common priorities, launch collaborative initiatives and create greater impact through collective action. The session will conclude with a call for organisations across the value chain to join the effort and help shape a stronger, more connected European agri-food biotechnology ecosystem.

Fishing in the Atlantic Marine Biotech Innovation Ecosystem: A Comprehensive Examination of Emerging Scientific and Technological Potential, Pathways for Development and Commercialization, Policy and Governance Challenges, and the Tangible Societal Impacts on Coastal Economies, Public Health, Biodiversity Conservation, and Community Resilience This expanded formulation frames a broad, multi-dimensional exploration of the Atlantic marine biotechnology and fisheries landscape — tracing how basic research and nascent technologies move through translational development, entrepreneurship, and regulatory systems into real-world applications. It highlights interconnected topics such as sustainable resource management, value-chain innovation (from bioprospecting to bio-based products), equity and livelihoods for coastal communities, environmental and biodiversity considerations, and measurable benefits to public health, regional economies, and social well-being. The emphasis is on understanding not just the scientific potential but also the institutional, economic, and societal mechanisms that determine whether innovations deliver meaningful, equitable impact.

Representative of A4F

New Approach Methodologies (NAMs) are transforming the way drugs, medical products, and chemicals are evaluated by providing more predictive, human-relevant, and sustainable alternatives to traditional testing approaches. By integrating advanced in vitro models, computational tools, artificial intelligence, in silico toxicology, and innovative preclinical strategies, NAMs offer new opportunities to improve safety assessment, reduce development timelines, lower costs, and support regulatory decision-making.
This round table will bring together leading experts from industry and technology providers to explore the current state and future potential of NAMs across the life sciences sector. The discussion will examine how emerging methodologies are being implemented in research and development workflows, the scientific and regulatory challenges that remain, and the collaborative efforts needed to accelerate adoption.
Representatives from CMG MedDev, ProtoQSAR, Labcorp and IVT Becytes will share their perspectives on the role of digital technologies, predictive modeling, advanced biological systems, and regulatory science in shaping the next generation of safety and efficacy assessment.
The session will address key questions including:

• How can NAMs improve the predictivity and translational value of preclinical testing?
• What role do AI, computational toxicology, and in silico approaches play in modern risk assessment?
• How are regulators responding to the growing adoption of NAMs?
• What barriers are limiting broader implementation, and how can they be overcome?
• How can collaboration between biotechnology companies, technology developers, regulators, and investors accelerate the transition toward human-relevant innovation?

Attendees will gain practical insights into the opportunities and challenges associated with NAMs, as well as a forward-looking view of how these technologies are reshaping drug development, chemical safety assessment, and the broader bioeconomy.


Arosa I+D TBA
Kent Grindstaff, Consulting Director of Scientific Affairs (Kansas, USA), BeCytes Biotechnologies (BioIVT), TBC

Imagine a kitchen where tiny, tireless chefs—yeast, bacteria, or fungi—are taught new recipes at the molecular level. That is precision fermentation: a carefully controlled, biology-driven process that programs microorganisms to churn out specific food ingredients, from enzymes and flavor molecules to structurally complex proteins. Using modern genetic and metabolic engineering, these microbial artisans produce high-purity molecules that once came only from animals or cumbersome extraction processes, offering a platform that’s predictable, scalable, and potentially kinder to the planet.

One of the clearest and most evocative examples of this approach is the creation of recombinant caseins. Caseins—the alpha, beta and kappa family members that give milk its character—are the architect proteins that assemble into micelles, creating milk’s texture, emulsifying power, and its ability to be turned into curds for cheese.

That said, the path from fermenter to supermarket shelf has practical hurdles: regulatory approval pathways, production economics, downstream processing and quality control, supply-chain integration, and consumer acceptance all matter. Overcoming these requires engineering, rigorous testing, smart economics, and clear communication about safety and benefits.

Potential speakers

• LEVPROT: Sabemos que están trabajando en temas de proteínas dulces por fermentación de precisión
• NOVONESIS: Creemos que es una empresa muy potente que puede tener tirón.
• Cocoon
• AZTI??

The European Union has positioned the bioeconomy as a cornerstone of its competitiveness, sustainability, and strategic autonomy agenda. The recently launched Strategy for a Competitive and Sustainable EU Bioeconomy seeks to accelerate the transition from innovation to industrial deployment by removing regulatory barriers, scaling investment, creating lead markets for bio-based solutions, and strengthening sustainable biomass value chains.

This roundtable will explore how Europe's new policy framework can translate into growth opportunities for biotechnology companies, investors, industrial partners, and regional innovation ecosystems. Discussions will focus on the practical implications of the strategy's four pillars: accelerating innovation and scale-up, developing markets for bio-based products and technologies, securing sustainable feedstocks and circular value chains, and strengthening Europe's global leadership in the bioeconomy.

Bringing together representatives from industry, policymakers, investors, and innovation organizations, the session will examine the actions needed to move bio-based innovations from the laboratory to commercial deployment. Particular attention will be given to regulatory modernization, industrial financing, public procurement, advanced biomanufacturing, and the creation of demand for sustainable bio-based solutions.

As Europe seeks to build resilient value chains and reduce dependence on fossil-based resources, this discussion will highlight how biotechnology can become a key driver of industrial transformation, economic growth, and environmental sustainability across the continent.

Key discussion questions:

• How can Europe accelerate the scale-up and commercialization of bio-based innovations?
• What regulatory and financing mechanisms are needed to strengthen industrial biotechnology competitiveness?
• How can lead markets be created for bio-based materials, chemicals, food ingredients, and advanced biomanufacturing solutions?
• What role should public procurement and industrial partnerships play in driving demand?
• How can Europe strengthen its strategic autonomy while ensuring sustainable and circular biomass value chains?

This framing aligns much more closely with the European Commission's 2025 Bioeconomy Strategy and AseBio's advocacy around regulatory streamlining, industrial scale-up, investment mobilization, and market creation.

Ya he contactado con estos y estos pendiente de su contestación, excepto ASINCAR que ya ha dado el ok.

• Celignis, Irlanda, SME, Agrifood
• ASINCAR, España, RTO, Agrifood à CONFIRMADOS
• Decathlon, Francia, Industria, Textil
• Novamont, Italia, Industria, Bioplasticos
• Nido, España, Start-up, Materiales biobasados