Global momentum: BIO 2025 spotlights the new power players in biotech innovation

A new biotech map is being drawn from Austin to Saudi Arabia—far from traditional power centres.

By Gil Bashe, Health Tech World Correspondent, Medika Life Editor-in-Chief and FINN Partners Chair Global Health and Purpose – Onsite at BIO2025

Biotech is having a moment—one that’s global, inclusive, and increasingly untethered from the historic and expected powerhouses of health innovation—San Francisco Bay Area, Cambridge, and Metro New York.

At BIO 2025, the world’s largest biotechnology gathering, the focus isn’t solely on Cambridge, San Diego or Basel.

Instead, the spotlight is shifting to rising regions—where investment, talent, and clinical urgency are actively redrawing the global innovation map.

BIO 2025 is welcoming some new muscle to the biotech arena—regions that are making waves here at this 20,000-person gathering, including Austin, Italy, Northern Ireland, Oklahoma, and Saudi Arabia.

These aren’t fringe players—surprisingly, they’re seeking to shape the future of global health innovation.

Silicon Hills to Science Hub: Austin Powers into Biotech

Austin is transforming its tech roots into a next-generation life sciences ecosystem.

With more than 300 biotech firms and a 74 per cent jump in sector jobs since 2019, Austin blends medtech, AI, and biomanufacturing into a potent innovation pipeline.

Supported by UT Austin, BillionToOne, and Opportunity Austin, the city is becoming a destination for translational science and venture-backed diagnostics.

One of the voices championing this upswing in investment and innovation is Ed Latson, CEO of Opportunity Austin, who shares:

“We are investing heavily in biotech and life sciences infrastructure, with more than 4.4 million square feet of science innovation space existing today and another 1.1 million square feet under construction, as companies like Silicon Valley-based BillionToOne expand to the region.

“Our tech talent, VC community, and institutions such as UT Austin are driving an uptick in innovations, with more than 350 life sciences patents issued to Austin companies in the past five years.”

From Fashion to Pharma: Italy’s Quiet Biotech Boom

Italy is scaling from scientific legacy to industrial leadership.

With the highest Contract Development and Manufacturing Organization output in Europe and a 112 per cent surge in biotech exports to the U.S., it is home to organ-on-chip, AI diagnostics, and gene therapies.

Long known for cuisine, tourism, and fashion, Italy is now placing biotech at the centre of its economic growth agenda.

According to Director General of the Italian Ministry for Foreign Affairs Mauro Battocchi: “Italy is an export powerhouse, constantly among the top 10 exporters globally, but not many are aware that Pharma is among those top exports.

“That result would be unthinkable without strong scientific, R&D and manufacturing bases.

“The Global Biotech Montalcini Tour also aims to bring a new and more updated narrative about Italy, particularly in Life Science.”

The support of the Italian Trade Agency and the Montalcini Global Biotech Tour has positioned the country for global biotech partnership and investment.

Suddenly, a must-watch sector from this pivotal EU nation.

Northern Ireland’s Bold Bid to Lead in Life Sciences

Mark Reid, Head of Trade, Invest Northern Ireland, shares: “Northern Ireland’s Life and Health Sciences sector has grown 75 percent in three years, with 250+ companies generating $2.5 billion annually and exporting to over 145 countries.

“With company strengths in Precision Medicine and advanced pharmaceuticals, the region offers an extensive network of Contract Research Organizations that drive drug development from early discovery through clinical stages to production and post-market support.”

With strong academic anchors like Queen’s University and Ulster University, the region is building a talent pipeline that powers translational research and fuels biotech startups.

Global players like Almac Group and Celerion continue expanding their regional footprint.

Invest Northern Ireland is making its BIO2025 presence known with 13 organisations onsite looking for partnerships across the life sciences pipeline, from development and testing to validation and commercialisation.

No longer willing to be the tail-end of biopharma manufacturing, Northern Ireland is now looking to influence the supply chain of health innovation.

From Oil to Opportunity: Oklahoma Rethinks Its Economic Engine

Once defined by oil rigs, Oklahoma’s new story is one of biotech-driven renewal.

Biomanufacturing and inclusive innovation are positioning Oklahoma as a surprising biotech contender.

Through initiatives like the Oklahoma Center for the Advancement of Science and Technology (OCAST) and OKBioStart, supported by the University of Oklahoma, the state is home to biomanufacturing pioneers like Wheeler Bio and sustainability startups like Utopia Plastix.

Its focus on workforce development and inclusive growth is turning heads across the industry.

Vision 2030 Meets Bio 2025: Saudi Arabia’s Science Strategy

Saudi Arabia’s presence at BIO 2025 is strategic and a statement of global biotech ambition.

Global partnerships and regulatory modernisation aim to make the Kingdom a biotech nexus.

Led by the Saudi Food and Drug Authority (SFDA) and Dr. Hisham Aljadhey, the Kingdom is creating a prominent presence at BIO and sharing its comprehensive biotech roadmap—clinical research expansion, regulatory modernisation, and international collaboration.

With support from Harvard, BIO, and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the Kingdom aims to become a regional hub for biotech regulation, R&D and supply chain resilience.

BIO 2025 is more than a showcase of breakthrough technologies—it’s a global signal of where biotech innovation is thriving and where it’s headed next.

It is raising a flag wherever biotech innovation thrives.

From digital diagnostics to sustainable manufacturing, regulatory reform to academic partnerships, the biotech future is no longer tethered to geography.

It’s rooted in vision, infrastructure, and collaboration—and it’s unfolding everywhere.

Header Image Credit: HTW Correspondent Gil Bashe

Left to right: Texas leaders championing biotechnology – Danielle Morrissey, Senior Director of Economic Development, Round Rock Chamber of Commerce; Stacy Schmitt, Senior Vice President of Communications & External Affairs, Opportunity Austin; Callie Taylor, Vice President of Economic Development, Opportunity Austin; Scott Smith, Assistant Director of Economic Development, City of Cedar Park; Philip Rocha, III, Economic Development & Tourism, Office of the Texas Governor