More than 3,600 participants from around the world open new opportunities for Slovenia’s breakthrough pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries
Basel, 5th of May 2026 – This year, Slovenia is making its first organised appearance at one of the world’s leading biotechnology events, the Swiss Biotech Day 2026, with a business delegation bringing together 14 companies and more than 30 participants. The event hosts more than 3,600 representatives of companies, research organisations and investors from around the world.
The joint Slovenian presentation is organised by SPIRIT Slovenia, Slovenia Biotech Hills, and the Embassy of the Republic of Slovenia in Switzerland, with a clear objective: to strengthen the international visibility of Slovenia in this highly demanding and fast-growing industry.
This marks an important milestone, as Slovenia’s first unified national appearance at the event reflects both the maturity and ambition of the domestic ecosystem, as well as its clear orientation toward internationalisation and strategic positioning in key global markets.
The President of the Council of Slovenia Biotech Hills, Boštjan Čeh, emphasised:
“Slovenia has the knowledge, research excellence and industrial tradition needed to build a competitive biotechnology ecosystem. Through the Slovenia Biotech Hills platform, our goal is to further connect and internationalise this strength and position Slovenia among Europe’s key innovation hubs.”
SPIRIT Slovenia also highlighted that:
“Organised national presentations at events such as the Swiss Biotech Day are essential for increasing the visibility of Slovenian knowledge and industry. They provide companies with direct access to global partners, investors and new markets, while strengthening their competitiveness in the international environment.”
Diplomacy also plays an important role in opening doors for the Slovenian economy.
The Ambassador of the Republic of Slovenia to Switzerland, Iztok Grmek, MSc, pointed out that: “Switzerland is one of the global leaders in pharmaceuticals and biotechnology, making events such as this an exceptional opportunity for Slovenian companies. Slovenia’s first joint national appearance at the Swiss Biotech Day clearly demonstrates the long-term orientation of the Slovenian economy toward this strategically important sector and confirms the value of cooperation between our two friendly countries. Through this presentation, Slovenia also sends a message that it remains one of the three most important markets for the Swiss pharmaceutical industry.”
An important role in connecting Slovenian companies with the Swiss market is also played by Luka Ilić from Connect2, an expert in internationalisation, who facilitated the establishment of key connections between companies in the delegation and the Swiss business environment.
Companies United: Joint Presentation Brings Numerous Benefits
The companies participating in the delegation particularly emphasised the value of direct contact with the global market and the advantages of a joint national presentation.
Marta Lorenčič, Head of Partnerships and Strategic Marketing at Cleangrad d.o.o., said: “As a provider of cleanroom solutions for the pharmaceutical industry, we see events such as the Swiss Biotech Day in Basel as an important opportunity for knowledge exchange and building partnerships.”
Barbara Hubad, Director of Operations at Jafral d.o.o., added: “Participation at the Swiss Biotech Day 2026 represents an important opportunity to strengthen international visibility and establish new partnerships, while further highlighting Slovenia’s role as an innovative partner in the global bioindustry.”
Vanja Tomažič from Metronik d.o.o. emphasised: “By bringing together knowledge and partnerships under the umbrella of the Slovenian delegation, we are accelerating the development of advanced, compliant and sustainable production environments.”
Blaž Jakopin, Director of Priot d.o.o., stated: “Participation as part of the Slovenian delegation gives us access to partners we would otherwise not yet be able to reach independently.”
Martin Kavšček from Acies Bio d.o.o. highlighted: “Joint participation significantly strengthens awareness that Slovenia is an attractive environment for development and manufacturing projects.”
Maja Brelih Lotrič, Director of LOTRIČ Metrology, added: “Today, companies are no longer looking only for suppliers, but for partners who understand the responsibility and complexity of a regulated environment — and open dialogue and personal contact often lead to the highest-quality long-term collaborations.”
At Medis, a leading partner in the commercialisation of innovative therapies in Central and Eastern Europe, they are proud to be part of the Slovenian delegation at the Swiss Biotech Day 2026, emphasised Špela Vidmar, Business Development Specialist. “The event represents an exceptional opportunity to establish new partnerships and develop advanced ideas. We are pleased to present Slovenian knowledge and expertise in an international environment and actively contribute to connecting innovation with global markets.”
Also participating in the delegation is Labena CRO, which provides laboratory services for the global pharmaceutical and biotechnology industry, ranging from early research and development of innovative biologics, biosimilars and generic medicines to gene therapies. “For us, participation at the Swiss Biotech Day represents one of the key gatherings of the global biotechnology and pharmaceutical industry and an opportunity to connect with partners from around the world — both existing collaborators and new contacts that represent breakthrough business opportunities,” said Borut Čeh, Director of Labena d.o.o.
Matevž Pance, Deputy Head of Sales at Brinox d.o.o., a key supplier of process equipment for the pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical industry, stressed that the Swiss Biotech Day is: “An important opportunity to strengthen our presence in the Swiss and global markets. The event represents an excellent platform for networking, strengthening partnerships and developing new business opportunities in the global environment.”
Tara and Grega Žust from Žust-Al d.o.o., a company specialising in metal machining, welding and the production of precision components for the pharmaceutical and scientific industries, highlighted that they attended the Swiss Biotech Day primarily to connect with existing partners, meet new ones and explore opportunities for future cooperation.
They added that the joint participation within the Slovenian delegation is also a strong indication that Slovenia is an attractive and competitive environment for various industrial projects.
According to representatives of the participating companies, Slovenia’s first joint national appearance at the Swiss Biotech Day 2026 — concluding on Wednesday with separate visits to the pharmaceutical companies Lonza and Roche — further strengthens Slovenia’s position as a highly recognised and competent partner within the global biotechnology and pharmaceutical landscape.
Presentation brochure of the business delegation: https://www.sloveniabusiness.eu/assets/media/files/Events%202026/slovenian-companies-swiss-biotech-days-2026.pdf