Asturias and North Carolina strengthen ties to boost biotechnological innovation and foreign investment

 

Asturias It positions itself as a strategic partner for one of the largest innovation hubs in United StatesRecently, the Sociedad de Promoción Exterior Principado de Asturias (Asturex), In collaboration with BioAsturias, received a delegation from the economic development ecosystem of Carolina del Norte to explore avenues for bilateral cooperation, with a special focus on the biotechnology and the attraction of investments.

 

This exploratory mission has allowed for a comparison of the priorities of both regional ecosystems, identifying Asturian companies with high potential for the North American market. During the sessions, the US delegation presented its support mechanisms, which include specialized training programs and services. soft-landing to facilitate the entry of foreign companies into its territory.

 

Institutional meeting and internationalization strategy

 

The headquarters of Asturex hosted a high-level meeting that was attended by Borja Sánchez, counselor of Science, Industry and Employment of the Principality of AsturiasAlso participating in this forum were David González (director of Sekuens), Bruno López (director of Asturex), Cristina Fanjul (director of the CEEI Asturias), as well as Mateo Tuñón y Pablo Fanjul, manager and president of BioAsturiasrespectively.

 

The main objective was to establish a working foundation that would allow for the development of a structured line of collaboration in the future. Key figures from the visiting delegation included: Carl Rees, director of Biopharma Crescent; Armando Priegue-Freire, Representative of Carolina del Norte all with Spain y Portugal from the Economic Development Partnership of North Carolina, and John Coronado, from the U.S. Commercial Service from the U.S. Embassy.

 

Technical agenda and potential of the US market

 

Following the official reception, bilateral meetings were held with leading companies in the regional biosanitary sector to explore business opportunities. Companies such as Microviable Therapeutics, Loutkar Robotics y Nanovex Biotechnologies They held technical meetings to analyze the scalability of their projects in the US ecosystem.

 

The delegation also visited leading technology centers such as the Fundación Idonial and Fundación para la Investigación e Innovación Biosanitaria del Principado de Asturias (FINBA), highlighting the scientific robustness of the region.

 

Sectoral Indicator	North Carolina data
Companies of Life Sciences	More than
Specialized jobs	Approximately 74.000
Main innovation axis	Research Triangle Park (RTP)
Specialization	Biomanufacturing, CROs, Medical Devices and Diagnostics

 

Participating Asturian companies

 

The interest in this market was reflected in the active participation of several Asturian companies focused on innovation and foreign trade:

• Loutkar Robotics
• Nanovex Biotechnologies
• Technical Office of Quality
• Micrux Technologies
• Upintelligence
• Neoalgae
• Ortoibérica
• Neurostech
• Microviable Therapeutics

 

Key points and frequently asked questions about the Asturias-North Carolina mission

How important is North Carolina to the biotechnology sector?

It is one of the nerve centers of biosciences in United States, housing the Research Triangle Park, the largest research park in North America, and employing 74.000 professionals in more than 730 companies in the sector.

What services does this region offer to companies in Asturias?

Through organizations such as the Economic Development Partnership of North CarolinaInvestment attraction programs, specialized training, and support are offered. soft-landing to facilitate the entry of foreign companies into the local market.

What was the main purpose of this institutional visit?

To establish initial contact to assess a long-term structured collaboration, identify areas of common interest in biomanufacturing and pharmaceuticals, and detect Asturian companies with the capacity to export their innovation to U.S.