Tuesday, September 29, 2026

12:15 - 13:00

SPEAKERS' CORNER 1: DOROTEA BARNÉS

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Overview

Sponsor: Ayuntamiento de Salamanca

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Details

The biotechnology sector is entering a new era in which innovation is no longer driven by scientific discovery alone. The increasing convergence of artificial intelligence, advanced therapeutic approaches, and data-driven clinical decision-making is fundamentally transforming the way new healthcare solutions are conceived, developed, validated, and ultimately delivered to patients. As scientific and technological capabilities continue to evolve, collaboration across disciplines has become essential to accelerate innovation, reduce development timelines, and improve healthcare outcomes. From the earliest stages of target identification and drug discovery to the generation of clinical evidence that supports regulatory approval, market access, and patient care, biotechnology companies are embracing new technologies that are reshaping every step of the innovation pathway. Artificial intelligence is enabling researchers to analyse complex biological data with unprecedented speed and precision, novel therapeutic strategies are opening new possibilities for treating diseases previously considered undruggable, and real-world data is becoming an indispensable tool for demonstrating the value and effectiveness of healthcare innovations beyond the clinical trial setting. This session will bring together three innovative companies representing complementary areas of this evolving biotechnology ecosystem. Their experiences will illustrate how cutting-edge science, digital technologies, and clinical evidence generation can work together to create a more integrated, efficient, and patient-centred model of innovation. Through their different perspectives, the discussion will explore how multidisciplinary collaboration is becoming one of the key drivers of competitiveness within the global biotech industry. Beyond showcasing technological advances, the panel will also address some of the major challenges facing biotechnology companies today, including access to high-quality data, regulatory adaptation to emerging technologies, talent attraction, investment, and the importance of building collaborative innovation ecosystems capable of supporting companies from early-stage research through to market adoption. The discussion will also provide an opportunity to reflect on Europe's position within an increasingly competitive global landscape. As biotechnology becomes more digital, interconnected, and data-intensive, strengthening collaboration between startups, healthcare providers, research organisations, technology developers, investors, and public institutions will be critical to ensuring that innovation reaches patients faster and more effectively. This session is designed for biotech entrepreneurs, pharmaceutical and medtech companies, researchers, investors, healthcare professionals, and innovation policymakers interested in understanding how the next generation of biotechnology will be built through the integration of artificial intelligence, advanced therapeutic innovation, and clinical evidence.