Genomics — the sequencing of the human genome and the identification of the genetic mechanisms of development and disease — is driving a restructuring of the global pharmaceutical industry. Many policy initiatives in biomedicine are based on the assumption that strength in genomics research will be translated into economic success, that is, that investments in genomics will be a way to catch up in the development of the bio-industries. There is therefore intense competition between nations and regions to establish a strong position in genomics, as shown in the growth of public expenditure on biomedical research in the last decade. This article addresses questions regarding the possibility of smaller countries catching up in the bio-based economy, given its present concentration within a few research-intensive networks and the historical advantage of established knowledge clusters, which exist primarily in the United States.