New tendencies in biotechnology, the cores of BioArgentina 2016 in Santa Fe
In its third edition, the public and private sector met to connect innovative projects on biotechnology.
“BioArgentina 2016” is a conference devoted to the communication between researchers, innovative companies, entrepreneurs and the public sector. The meeting was attended by research groups under the scope of the National Scientific and Technical Research Council (CONICET) has in Santa Fe, Rosario, Córdoba and Buenos Aires, and local universities. There were interviews between companies who belong to the Cámara Argentina de Biotecnología (CAB), the researchers who participated, and the members of the Technology Transfer Office (DVT in Spanish) of the Council and the Technology Transfer Office of CCT CONICET Santa Fe.
Juan Soria, director of DVT CONICET, spoke about the conference: “These meetings are very important for us because they bring together industry and science. At CONICET, we work with the productive structure to make it more competitive and provide technological solutions to people’s problems. On this occasion, the CAB added something different: Biotechnological Base entrepreneurship, a fact that allows us to think about the way in which young researchers with doctorates can transform their studies into an EBT (Technology Based Company) to provide solutions to current problems. To create an EBT and launch a product into the market would be a new instance in our job, as we have already done it with Nanotechnology and Micro Nanotechnology.”
He added: “In Santa Fe, inside the premises of our CCT we have the Parque Tecnológico del Litoral Centro, where some companies are being developed there. At a national level, in the last few years, we have created around twenty EBTs plus 25 projects in companies, in which some of the initiatives have been boosted since 2011 with the Empretecno of MINCyT (Science Ministry) Call.”
The meeting was attended by two American models of the entrepreneurship system: Gabriela Cezar and Ryan Bethencourt. Cezar spoke about “Innovación sin fronteras.” The talks, which were held in a humorous and sensible way, informed the audience about the technological advances in genetics and its implications in health and food.
The opening of the conference was attended by Hugo Sigman, president of CAB, the Science minister of Santa Fe, Eduardo Matozo, and José Corral, mayor of the city of Santa Fe. Besides, the meeting was also attended by research institutes of Santa Fe, CONICET-UNL and CONICET-UTN, researchers and professionals related to PTLC companies, entrepreneurs, students of technological courses of studies and representatives of investment funds.
It is worth mentioning the attendance and the dynamic of the meeting, where several talks between companies –who looked for solutions and innovation-, and scientists and entrepreneurs who offered different ideas for technological developments that can result in R+D projects, patents, and star-ups with strategic partners, among others.