Maria Terrades: “Scientific knowledge, cutting-edge research and entrepreneurial vision converge at the PCB, facilitating collaboration and knowledge transfer”.

Maria Terrades holds a degree in Economics and Business Administration from the University of Barcelona and has completed several management development programmes at IESE and the Instituto de Empresa. She has been CEO of the Parc Científic de Barcelona (Barcelona Science Park) since 2018, where she had already served as managing director between 2010 and 2014. During her tenure, the PCB has experienced its greatest period of growth, reaching, from 2022, full occupancy of space. Before joining the PCB, Terrades began her career at Price Waterhouse Coopers, and later worked at Sarriopapel, Celulosa and the multinational services group AGBAR, where she was director of treasury and finance and worked for 17 years in various positions of responsibility. She was also an entrepreneur for a time, founding her own company. This background has given her extensive knowledge of the public and private sector.

In 2024, the Parc Científic de Barcelona (PCB) reached full occupancy of its facilities and is preparing for a forthcoming expansion with two key projects: the refurbishment of the CUB building, which will add 2,700 m², and the construction of the new MIES-UB building. The latter initiative, promoted by the University of Barcelona, envisages a 10,000 m² building that will house, among others, the headquarters of IBEC and the Fraunhofer Institute.

You have developed an outstanding career in the management of various organisations, bearing in mind that female leadership is still a challenge. What have been the main challenges you have faced on your way to top management? Have you felt that you have had to overcome additional barriers because you are a woman?

I think the main challenge for any professional to become a good manager is first to develop a good technical base, in parallel to be able to acquire global vision and management skills, and finally, but equally or more importantly, to be recognised by the people who make selection and promotion decisions.  Women of my generation have had this last point more complicated, and I think that, although the situation has improved in recent years, in many sectors this disadvantage still exists.

What are the advantages for the ecosystem of innovation in life sciences of the convergence in the same space of public research centres, companies in the sector, UB units and organisations?

The great advantage of this coexistence in the same space is that it generates a very lively ecosystem, where innovation flows naturally. For us it is an unbeatable model, because it combines different profiles of entities that feed off each other, seek each other out and collaborate. Here, academic knowledge, cutting-edge research and entrepreneurial vision intersect on a daily basis. This proximity facilitates collaboration, knowledge transfer and the development of joint projects. Moreover, having access to specialised infrastructures and services accelerates innovation processes. Undoubtedly, those who benefit most are the researchers and entrepreneurs who are part of the Parc. Being in an environment where things are always happening, where ideas are shared and evolve, from the most basic to clinical science, generates a creative energy that is difficult to find elsewhere. If we also have the unique infrastructure offered by the UB’s scientific and technological services, such as its state-of-the-art microscopy equipment or its very high-field nuclear magnetic resonance equipment, it squares the circle perfectly.

How has the business model of the PCB evolved in recent years and what growth forecasts do you have in terms of occupancy, new companies or expansion of space?

At the Parc Científic de Barcelona we are committed to a model that combines public entities and research centres with private enterprise. It is our hallmark, we believe it is a successful model and it will not change. Financially, we had difficulties in the past due to the unique nature of the centre, the large investment it required and the economic crisis that hit our country, but today we are a fully self-sustainable organisation that offers services and spaces to one of the most powerful sectors in our country. In recent years, we have worked to consolidate it and in 2024 we reached full occupancy of the available spaces. This milestone is positive, but it also presents us with a challenge, as we must continue to grow in order to respond to the high demand, especially from laboratories. In this regard, the refurbishment of the CUB building, now in disuse, is planned. Once the work is completed, we will gain 2,700 m²of space, with customers expected to arrive in January 2028. We will also grow with the construction of the MIES-UB building, an initiative of the University of Barcelona to build a new 10,000m2 building next to the PCB that will house the headquarters of IBEC, Fraunhofer and several of the University’s research groups, with activity expected to start in early 2029 and space for more than 500 researchers. It should also be noted that a fundamental part of our model is to accompany startups and spinoffs in their growth. The aim is for them to mature, develop their products and, when the time is right, make the leap outside the Parc. It is a natural part of the cycle. A good example of this is Qiagen, a multinational that is building its own innovation centre in Esplugues de Llobregat and will leave the PCB in 2026.

What could the future location of the Eix Diagonal Salut, including the Campus Clínic, on the UB sports grounds on the Diagonal mean for the PCB?

This is undoubtedly great news for the PCB. It will further strengthen our ecosystem and bring enormous added value to the entire Catalan sector. Having a reference hospital so close to us and a project of this magnitude, linked to the University of Barcelona, with which we work closely, will multiply the opportunities for collaboration, both in research and in innovation applied to the field of health. It will also help us to consolidate Catalonia as one of the most important clusters of innovation in life sciences and health in Europe. It is a natural step towards greater integration of knowledge, training, research, transfer, innovation and healthcare. It will be very beneficial because it is in line with what we are looking for at the PCB, to be a meeting point between science, business and society.

The PCB is very involved in the promotion of STEM careers among boys/girls in primary, secondary and high school (TR on the PCB, workshops, etc.) What role do you think public research centres and institutions have to play in promoting research and innovation among the new generations?

It is essential that centres of our nature collaborate in the dissemination and education of science. It is not only about research and innovation, but also about sharing this knowledge and awakening scientific vocations from an early age. As a foundation linked to the University of Barcelona, this is part of our DNA, but the truth is that, over the years, our programme Recerca en Societat (RESSÒ) has gained its own identity. Every year, more than 5,000 students from all over Catalonia come to our scientific workshops, and the BATX2LAB programme, in which high school students can do their research work in our laboratories, receives more and more applications, more than 180 in the last edition. The best thing about all this is that we don’t do it alone. We have the direct involvement of researchers from the UB’s research centres and units, groups and services that are housed in the PCB. This not only enriches the experience for the students, but also reinforces the collaboration between institutions from a very rewarding social and educational approach.