Nanoligent and PLANeT Biotech are two of the ten most disruptive companies in Catalonia
ACCIÓ has recognised two companies located in the UAB Research Park with the Catalonia Exponential Leaders award, which identifies companies with the capacity for disruptive innovation and transformative impact.
Nanoligent and PLANeT Biotech have been recognised by ACCIÓ as two of the ten most disruptive companies in Catalonia in 2026. Both companies have received the Catalonia Exponential Leaders distinction as part of the eighth edition of the Exponential Day, the main open innovation event promoted by ACCIÓ, the business growth agency of the Department of Business and Labour.
The recognition identifies start-ups and established companies capable of transforming their sectors through innovation. In the selection process, the jury valued the ability to generate a positive impact on society beyond the business, the distinctive value proposition, the company culture, the potential for exponential growth, and the incorporation of advanced technologies such as artificial intelligence, big data or advanced biotechnology.
During the event, held at the World Trade Center in Barcelona, it was highlighted how disruptions generate opportunities thanks to changes in business models. Prevention and proactivity will be virtues that will allow Catalan companies to become agents of change.
In this regard, Nanoligent, a spin-off of the Autonomous University of Barcelona and the Research Institute of the Hospital of Santa Creu i Sant Pau, is developing targeted therapies for the treatment of aggressive and metastatic tumours. The company works with a biotechnological platform aimed at treating various highly aggressive and metastatic CXCR4+ tumour types, and applies protein engineering and nanobiotechnology to the development of new precision therapies.
On the other hand, PLANeT Biotech, a spin-off of the Centre for Research in Agrigenomics (CRAG), based on the UAB campus, specialises in innovative solutions for sustainable agriculture. The company has developed a new generation of bioactive molecules that increase crop resilience to drought and extreme heat, with the aim of improving agricultural yields with fewer resources.
The award highlights the knowledge transfer capacity of the UAB research environment and its impact on strategic sectors such as health, life sciences and agriculture. With this recognition, Nanoligent and PLANeT Biotech rank among the leading Catalan companies in disruptive innovation and in the development of solutions with social and economic impact.
The list of the ten companies recognised this year is completed by Arq Quantum Technologies, Evidenze Health, Fetalife Technologies, Fluidra, GasN2, Ignion, Novameat Tech and WIVI Vision. During the event, ACCIÓ also presented new data on the adoption of artificial intelligence in the Catalan business sector: 30.4% of Catalan companies with more than nine employees invested in AI-related technologies, including generative AI, in 2025, six percentage points more than the previous year.
More news
