Biotechnology is still an emergent industry in Spain with no business models well defined yet. However, in Canada, a leading country for this industry, three models can be already depicted, two of them clearly dominant. Our empirical fieldwork, based on practically the whole population of Dedicated Biotechnological Firms in Spain, is intended to figure out the significant disparities encountered in the Spanish biotechnology firms in comparison to their Canadian counterparts, in most of the indicators and variables shaping the business models. Our study concludes the Spanish biotechnological industry overwhelmingly compiles services-based companies with low to medium innovative levels. This profile diverges from the most commonly displayed by this industry in Canada.En el emergente sector de la biotecnología en España, los modelos de negocio todavía no están definidos. No obstante, en un país considerado un referente para el sector como es Canadá, despuntan ya con cierta claridad dos modelos dominantes. Nuestro trabajo empírico corroborará las significativas diferencias que separan el tejido empresarial biotecnológico español de su homónimo canadiense, en la gran mayoría de variables que definen los modelos de negocio más implantados. Nuestro trabajo concluye que el sector biotecnológico español avanza por un camino distinto y divergente del marcado en Canadá, uno de los países que se sitúan a la vanguardia en esta industria.Biotechnology is still an emergent industry in Spain with no business models well defined yet. However, in Canada, a leading country for this industry, three models can be already depicted, two of them clearly dominant. Our empirical fieldwork, based on practically the whole population of Dedicated Biotechnological Firms in Spain, is intended to figure out the significant disparities encountered in the Spanish biotechnology firms in comparison to their Canadian counterparts, in most of the indicators and variables shaping the business models. Our study concludes the Spanish biotechnological industry overwhelmingly compiles services-based companies with low to medium innovative levels. This profile diverges from the most commonly displayed by this industry in Canada.