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CATALUNYA HAS 247,500 STUDENTS IN UNIVERSITIES, and boasts two top business schools. Barcelona's IESE Business School ranked No 9, and ESADE Business School No 33, worldwide in 2012. By comparison, Oxford University's Said Business School ranked No 7, and Cambridge University's Judge Business School ranked No 8 worldwide in the sane year. These sources of bright young talent have significantly contributed to the entrepreneurial spirit in the Catalan region. View in LinkedIn

CATALUNYA GENERATES ONE FIFTH OF SPAIN's GDP (Catalan Government 2012). This includes 18.4% os Spain's SMEs, which are entrepreneurial in nature, and about the same percent of Spanish companies headquartered in Catalunya. This has been achieved with a population a little smaller than Israel (7.5 M) or only 15% of Spain's population. With a world-class university system, top rated hospitals, and an infrastructure of tech parks, it is no surprise it is a hotbed of entrepreneurial spirit. Come to Barcelona on business first, leisure second! View in LinkedIn

ISRAEL, THE START UP NATION with a tiny population of 8 M, is number 1 in device patents, and reportedly has a staggering 29,000 medical trials in progress in stem cells according to this article. These statistics prove what can be done with a smart and motivated population, that punches far beyond its weight. http://www.nzweek.com/world/israeli-bio-tech-and-medical-devices-industries-one-of-worlds-most-innovative-52712/ View in LinkedIn

PUBLIC GOOD GOOD TRUMPS PRIVACY ISSUES for large scale epidemiological studies such as UK's BioBank and Affymetrics' prospective study of genotypes. There are some European countries whose legislation prevents even identification-redacted patient samples being used in research, and this is plain backward. The public health benefits from large studies must come first. http://lnkd.in/A8uU_h View in LinkedIn

JAPAN'S INCJ IS A 21 BN USD VC FUND, surely one of the largest in the history of VC funds, constructed a few years ago by public-private money to revive the Japanese economy. This immense fund covers all area, and is designed to overcome 'Not Invented Here' paralysis that has been common in Japan recently. This very bold initiative again proves that Japan can respond to a big crisis in very forceful and creative ways. View in LinkedIn

ENTREPRENEURS WHO MASTER SOCIAL MEDIA DO BETTER. This has been pointed out before but bears repeating. It offers social connections to investors, employees, partners, advisors and experts. In my view, this is vital today. View in LinkedIn

APRIL 25: SOCIAL ENTREPRENEURS TO VISIT BARCELONA, sponsored by ACCIÓ. Great projects fostered by this group that do good in the world. A must-see event! http://lnkd.in/yhTnjy View in LinkedIn

THE US EARLY-STAGE BIOTECH VC WORLD MAY HAVE COMPLETED ITS SHAKEOUT, resulting in just a handful of of real companies still active. This concentration of a smaller pot of capital among fewer firms will make all the earlier predictions true: competition for capital will increase. Further, there is the possibility that these remaining funds may be more creative and less arrogant than their predecessors. http://lnkd.in/_8k26V View in LinkedIn

NICE SUMMARY OF SOME STEM CELL COMPANIES. http://lnkd.in/YBBSGu View in LinkedIn

COMPLEXITY THINKING: A FABULOUS READ. http://lnkd.in/wsJAwT View in LinkedIn