More than 400 people attended the fourth edition of the Biotech Uruguay Forum, held on September 17 in the Auditorium of the LATU Innovation Park. The event was organized by the School of Engineering at the National Polytechnic Institute of Uruguay ( Universidad ORT Uruguay) through the Biotechnology Research and Innovation Center (CBI+I), in collaboration with LATU, Latitud – LATU Foundation, the Pando Science and Technology Park, and the U.S. Embassy in Uruguay.
The meeting brought to the table one of the sector’s main challenges: how to leverage the country’s scientific capabilities to create new products, companies, and development opportunities.
During the opening ceremony, Fernanda Cardona, Minister of Industry, Energy, and Mining, highlighted the sector’s strategic role. “Biotechnology has the potential to transform our country’s economy,” she said. She also noted its importance in adding value to production, diversifying the economic structure, creating quality jobs, and extending development opportunities throughout the country.
For his part, Eduardo Mangarelli, dean of the School of Engineering, highlighted the collaborative effort behind the forum and the cooperation among the various stakeholders in the ecosystem. He emphasized the value of listening to others’ experiences, exchanging knowledge, and building connections that could lead to future projects.
Lucila Arboleya, president of LATU, noted that Uruguay has has more than 60 biotechnology companies, of which approximately six out of ten are startups. She also highlighted the technical and infrastructure capabilities available to support these ventures and emphasized the need to ensure that scientific developments reach scale and can compete in the market.
Artificial Intelligence, Investment, and Developments in Uruguay
The event addressed public policies and tools that drive the biotechnology ecosystem, opportunities for international expansion, and the financing needs of startups.
One of the sessions focused on the convergence of biotechnology, data, and artificial intelligence. Moderated by Mangarelli, the panel brought together Guillermo Varela of Marvik; Felipe Trajtenberg of LocBio; and Joaquín Ortiz of LucAI. The participants shared their experiences using computational tools to accelerate research and the development of new solutions.
Financing was also a key topic. Representatives from public agencies, investment funds, and organizations involved in entrepreneurship discussed the challenges biotech startups face in raising capital, developing their technologies, and entering new markets.
During the panel on financing, Sara Goldberg discussed the risks faced by biotechnology startups and the unique aspects of investing in them. During the discussion, it was explained that venture capital does not function like a loan that must be repaid: investors share in the uncertainty of the project, while entrepreneurs commit time, effort, and resources to a process that can take years to reach a stable footing.
The forum also provided an opportunity to learn about the experiences of four Uruguayan companies. Antarka presented its work with enzymes derived from Antarctic microorganisms; Nanogrow shared its developments based on nanoantibodies; B4-RNA presented its RNA analysis technology aimed at disease detection; and Aviv Therapeutics presented its project to produce CAR-T cell therapies in Uruguay.
The presentations highlighted various stages of the process, ranging from scientific research to validation, fundraising, and product development.
Twelve Startups Join Red Biotech Uruguay
One of the announcements at this year's event was the launch of Red Biotech Uruguay, a partnership comprising 12 domestic startups that aims to strengthen the ecosystem through collaboration.
The initiative has supported by ATGen Bio and the National Development Agency (ANDE), and is organized around three priorities: sharing knowledge, capabilities, and infrastructure; strengthening the development and validation of new technologies; and facilitating international connections with institutions, partners, and investors.
The network brings together startups working in areas such as innovative therapies, disease diagnosis, genetic information, bioprocesses, biodegradable materials, and animal health.
Its launch provided a concrete response to one of the recurring themes of the forum: the need to collaborate so that scientific developments can grow and reach new markets.
From the Lab to a Startup
The final panel discussion featured Pilar Moreno and Gonzalo Moratorio, researchers and co-founders of Guska, in a conversation moderated by Carlos Sanguinetti, academic coordinator of Biotechnology and Bioinformatics.
The scientists shared the journey of their startup, which is researching the use of modified viruses to attack tumor cells, and explained the challenges of turning years of research into a business.
Moreno emphasized that this process required drawing on knowledge and professional skills that went beyond his scientific training. Speaking to an auditorium filled with students, he conveyed a message about the importance of having the courage to take on new ventures without compromising scientific rigor:
Work hard, be thorough in what you do, and at some point, make the decision to do what you want to do.
An ecosystem that aims to continue growing
The day concluded with a wrap-up presented by Gustavo Domínguez of Latitud – Fundación LATU; Gastón Acosta of the National Institute of Technology ( Universidad ORT Uruguay); and Laura Vera of the Pando Science and Technology Park.
Vera highlighted Uruguay’s progress in research, the emergence of startups seeking to solve specific problems, and the existence of support mechanisms for the sector. However, she noted that it is still necessary to strengthen validation and scaling capabilities, expand business participation, and facilitate the link between science and industry.
Acosta highlighted the collaborative efforts of the institutions, exhibitors, and volunteers who made the event possible, as well as the public’s participation throughout the day.
Domínguez, for his part, focused on the presence of young people and the opportunities that biotechnology opens up in areas such as health, food, and the environment. His remarks summed up the spirit of the meeting and the challenges that lie ahead:
We're wrapping up the forum, and it seems like this is just the beginning.
The Biotech 2026 Forum also served as the starting point for the Biotech 2026 Hackathon, a call for proposals that combine biotechnology and artificial intelligence to address challenges related to human and animal health, food, and the environment. Registration is open until October 7, and selected teams will have access to workshops, feedback from specialists, and mentoring to help them pursue funding opportunities.
Learn more and sign up for the Biotech Hackathon 2026.