Javier Cerro

BIOVAL Clúster BIO Comunidad Valenciana

BIOVAL, Valencian Bioregion, is a private association born as a business oriented initiative to help develop the biotechnology sector of the Valencian Region as an impulse in economic and social development. Since the end of last year, we have been included in the Innovative Business Group (Agrupación Empresarial Innovadora or AEI in Spanish), a title given by the Spanish Ministry of Industry, Tourism and Commerce. After establishing BIOVAL as the reference for the biotechnology sector in the Valencian Region, we put together a strategic plan for the development of the area as a Bioregion. This is the regional development model used throughout Europe and the USA for emerging technologies, which includes biotechnology. The 2009-2013 Strategic Plan makes a point to focus on becoming international leaders in specific market niches. At the end of July of 2010, we signed an agreement with the Valencian regional government with the objective of establishing strong collaborative ties with the regional administration to further implement BIOVAL's strategic goals for the development of the Valencian Bioregion. It is our intention at BIOVAL to keep working in the development of the biotechnology sector at the same level of other advanced economies and make it an integral piece of the Valencian Region's economy, while becoming an international leader in biotechnology.