As concerns about global warming intensify throughout the world, aviation is receiving a disproportionate level of scrutiny for its contribution to total global production of greenhouse gases.

Even though aviation emits only about one-ninth as much carbon dioxide (CO2) as do motor vehicles, its high-visibility nature as an activity, its rapid growth as an industry and the fact that aviation emits most of its CO2 and particulate emissions in the upper atmosphere has made it a particular target for environmentalists.

Elizabeth Barratt-Brown, a senior attorney with the National Resources Defense Council, told last week's Eco-Aviation Conference in Washington, D.C. that in the United States, unless the industry achieves enormous efficiency increases, "by 2050 aviation emissions are expected to almost equal the amount from automobiles" because of aviation's growth. The event, sponsored by Air Transport World magazine and Leeham Company, was the first aviation environmental forum to be held in the United States.

Luckily for Earth, perhaps, the soaring price of oil has made the search for sustainable, CO2-neutral alternatives an immediate economic imperative as well as an environmentally critical focus for many human commercial activities — with aviation foremost among them. Economic experts are now viewing high oil prices as a long-term fact of life rather than a short-term blip, and say aviation in its present form simply can't live with the possibility of the price of a barrel of oil leveling at $200.

Research into fossil-fuel alternatives is snowballing. Eventually, a clean fuel such as hydrogen may be the answer for aviation — but the technologies that will allow it to be used safely and economically to power large aircraft are generally regarded as being 40 or more years away.

For aviation, it increasingly appears that biofuels — jet fuels made from plants or algae using any one of a variety of processes — represent by far the best medium-to-long-term hope for the economic and environmental survival of the industry. One of the main advantages of biofuels is that the plants used to make the fuels need lots of CO2 to grow, potentially making it possible for the aviation industry to achieve true carbon-neutrality.

"Boeing Commercial Airplanes and its partners are actively accelerating development of second-generation biofuels because they present an economically viable opportunity to sustainably power the world's commercial aircraft fleet," said Boeing in a recent briefing document entitled 'What is the future of jet fuel?'

Aviation's 'proven track record'

Aviation's "proven track record" in reducing its "carbon footprint" on a per-passenger basis already is excellent, with a 70 percent improvement in fuel-efficiency and CO2 emissions per passenger mile in the last 50 years, said Rolls-Royce senior environmental analyst Nuno Taborda.

"Aviation spends relatively more than any other industry on CO2 reduction," he said. Others noted that during the last 30 years, the U.S. automobile industry did not improve the fuel-efficiency and CO2 emissions of its products at all.

But civil aviation is only just starting. "The IATA (International Air Transport Association) goal is for a 25 percent emissions reduction per passenger by 2020," from an average of 4 kilograms of CO2 per 100 passenger kilometers to 3 kilograms, said Billy Glover, Boeing Commercial Airplanes' managing director of environmental strategy. In the U.S., "the Air Transport Association goal is for 30 percent by 2025." These goals do not include any positive effects from using sustainable biofuels which might be available by then, Glover added.

Various partnerships have been established to foster the development of alternative fuels and other ways to improve aviation's environmental efficiency. It is one area on which Airbus and Boeing cooperate willingly. One leading forum is the Commercial Aviation Alternative Fuels Initiative (CAAFI), which includes partners from the aviation industry, fuel suppliers, universities, and various U.S. government agencies.

CAAFI has established a fuel-certification roadmap that envisages achieving certification of jet fuels made entirely from biomass-derived pure hydrogenated oils in 2013. CAAFI also has set several intermediate targets, beginning this year with the planned certification of a fuel made from a 50 percent blend of biomass-derived syngas and conventional jet fuel. (Syngas is a mixture of carbon monoxide and hydrogen and is created from feedstock by the Fischer-Tropsch process, which was discovered in 1923. Syngas can be processed into jet fuels.)

Finding the right biofuel feedstock

Key to the entire aviation biofuel issue is just what type of biomass is most suitable for fuel production. Several vital issues must be taken into account. First is the density and energy content of the fuel: It must take up a sufficiently small space that it can be carried in an aircraft and, similarly, a given volume of the fuel must produce enough energy so that an aircraft can carry enough in its tanks to complete its flight.

Second is the "carbon lifecycle" of the biofuel: that is, the net amount of CO2 produced during production and burning of the fuel, less the amount the biomass feedstock for the fuel absorbs while growing.

Third is the amount of sulfur and other particulates produced. Fourth is the hugely sensitive political issue of making sure the land and biomass used to make biofuel does not reduce the amount of food available to humanity and the Earth's fauna.

These considerations immediately rule out "first-generation biofuels" such as ethanol produced from corn and soybeans. Not only does ethanol not contain enough energy per unit volume to be suitable as an aviation fuel, but growing enough corn or soybeans to power all the world's airliners would require an area just about the size of the United States, according to Boeing. Nor does ethanol have suitable boiling and freezing points for aviation use.

Second-generation biofuels

Experts believe "second-generation biofuels" derived from the wood and nuts of plants such as Jatropha curcas (Barbados Nut) and babassu, which grow strongly in arid areas unsuitable as arable land and which (in jatropha's case) are poisonous anyway, represent a good interim solution.

These Latin American plants, as well as other flora such as switchgrass and salt-water-tolerant plants known as halocytes (among them marsh grasses found in parts of the Middle East), could be grown for fuel production in non-arable areas suited to their particular growth requirements. Different parts of the world would grow different biofuel-producing plants, depending on their local climatic and soil conditions.

However, there is a problem: Although their oils offer much higher energy content and much better boiling/freezing-temperature characteristics than ethanol, these plants wouldn't yield enough oil per hectare to be able to serve the aviation industry's fuel requirements unless, again, very large areas were given over to their cultivation.

Algae a likely long-term answer

There is broad consensus throughout the industry that, longer-term, algae represent the optimum solution to aviation's fuel needs. A number of basic problems need to be solved, such as ensuring enough light gets to every part of an algae tank to enable all the cells to grow properly; and drying algae cells sufficiently to enable the oil they contain to be extracted and cracked into jet fuel.

But Boeing and Airbus are confident these problems can be solved — and the benefits that algae offers as a "third-generation biofuel" are immense. Algae can produce an oil yield 15 times that of second-generation biofuel plants: The world's entire airliner fleet could be powered from a cultivated area just the size of West Virginia, or Belgium, says Boeing.

Additionally, because algae can be grown in tanks anywhere, biofuel-producing algae farms could be sited next to facilities producing jet fuel from coal or natural gas using the Fischer-Tropsch process. These "coal-to-liquid" or "gas-to-liquid" processes generate large amounts of CO2 from fossil fuels, making them unsuitable as sustainable fuel sources. However, if the CO2 they generate is piped off and used to grow algae in nearby farms, the two forms of fuel production together could create an efficient, carbon-neutral symbiosis for jet fuel production.

In the wake of BIO 2008, two important bioscience initiatives have appeared.

The first is in Georgia, where a group of communities and organizations around Atlanta announced their first regional branding initiative in the life sciences.

Brad posts about this below. 

The second is in California, where  the Southern California Biomedical Council (SoCalBio), BIOCOM and BayBio, which together represent life science firms and research organizations across California, announced an alliance to promote the state’s life science industry. You can read more here.

Initiative aims to promote metro biotech industry

By BILL HENDRICK

Published on: 06/24/08 

A group of communities and organizations Tuesday announced the launch of Georgia's first regional branding campaign for the state's life sciences corridor, which stretches from metro Atlanta to Athens.

The initiative is aimed at providing workforce training for the state's growing biotechnology industry.

The new brand, to be called Georgia's Innovation Crescent, will attempt to cluster the region's life sciences resources and "more effectively promote the region's assets, marketing them to new businesses," said Ed Graham, project manager for the Innovation Crescent Regional Partnership.

One goal is to recognize the region that stretches from Cobb County to Gwinnett County as a "unique hub of life science talent."

The campaign incorporates the efforts of 18 communities and organizations that together formed the Innovation Crescent Regional Partnership.

It consists of regional leaders from local chambers of commerce and economic development organizations across the metro area plus Georgia Bio, the Atlanta Regional Commission and the Georgia Department of Economic Development.

"The ICRP's mission is to improve and expand the economic development marketing efforts for the life science industry within the Innovation Crescent," said Charles Craig, president of Georgia Bio, a trade group that promotes biotech growth.

"We wanted a distinct brand that would bridge the gap between local and statewide marketing efforts, supporting what we know to be the next step in strengthening our competitive edge."

The Innovation Crescent Work Ready Region will focus on establishing a stronger link between education and workforce development for life sciences companies, he said.

He added that the initiative is part of an effort to accelerate development of Georgia's bioscience workforce, with help from a $500,000 grant awarded by Gov. Sonny Perdue, Craig said.

The workforce development effort focuses on a 13-county region — the Innovation Crescent. It spreads from Cobb County east to Oglethorpe County and includes Atlanta and Fulton, DeKalb, Clayton, Gwinnett, Barrow, Jackson, Walton, Morgan, Oconee, Athens-Clarke and Madison counties.

"The major goals are to create an articulated life sciences career pathway from high school to technical colleges to universities, create training for the existing life sciences industry workforce, eliminate the skills gap... and increase high school graduation rates," he said.

"GaBio and its partners are working to help improve K-12 student achievement in science and ensure Georgia has the skilled workforce to support existing life sciences industry growth and help attract new companies to Georgia," Craig said. "These programs undertaken in the 13-county Innovation Crescent can serve as a model for counties throughout Georgia."

In addition to the Governor's Office of Workforce Development and GaBio, partners include Georgia Bioscience Technology Institute, a joint program of the Athens and Gwinnett Technical Colleges; the Biotechnology Institute of Arlington, Va.; the Georgia Research Alliance; the Georgia Department of Technical and Adult Education; the Georgia Department of Economic Development; the Atlanta Regional Commission; and the University of Georgia's Fanning Institute.

GaBio represents 330 pharmaceutical, biotech and medical device companies, universities, research institutes, government groups and other business organizations, Craig said. Georgia's biotech industry accounts for more than 15,000 jobs, a payroll close to $1 billion and boasts $7 billion in product sales.

Monday June 23, 2008 

Airbus and Boeing are taking steps to ensure green manufacturing and develop environmentally friendly aircraft dismantling processes while working alongside engine OEMs and airlines to pursue development of sustainable biofuels.

"We get it. We understand that there are environmental issues out there," Airbus North America VP and General Counsel Renee Martin-Nagle said Friday at the Eco-Aviation conference presented by Air Transport World and Leeham Co in Washington. "We are doing what we can as a manufacturer and as an industrial leader." Airbus has set manufacturing targets for 2020 that include a 30% reduction in energy consumption, a 50% reduction in waste and a 50% reduction in carbon dioxide emissions.

Both Martin-Nagle and Boeing MD-Environmental Strategy Billy Glover see a bright future for biofuels, although they differed somewhat on a timeline. "It's a long process," Martin-Nagle said. "We have to move through a testing phase and then it has to be proved. I'd say 8-10 years."

Glover, by contrast, told attendees, "I'm quite a bit more optimistic. Sooner than 2013, we think it's possible that low blends will be certified. . .I think we're going to see this in commercial service much sooner [than expected]. . . The progress in the last few years has been remarkable."

Airbus recently announced a partnership with JetBlue Airways, IAE, Honeywell and its subsidiary UOP to develop a sustainable second-generation biofuel (ATWOnline, May 16). On Friday Martin-Nagle said, "One of the things we're seriously considering is algae."

Boeing is participating with Continental Airlines and GE Aviation to conduct a biofuels demonstration flight in the first half of 2009 using one of CO's 737NGs (ATWOnline, March 14). It also is involved in an upcoming demonstration by Air New Zealand and Rolls-Royce using a fuel made from the jatropha plant. Boeing took part with Virgin Atlantic Airways, GE Aviation and Imperium Renewables in the first airline biofuels test flight last February. 

Martin-Nagle said Airbus is continuing to look at airframe disassembly and recycling. The Pamela project, which took apart an A300B4 and recycled 84% of the material, "took a year, which is not economically viable." The company is paying special attention to composite recycling because residual chemicals may require special handling and disposal, she said.

by Sandra Arnoult

June 23 BIOFUEL REVIEW.

$100m ethanol enzyme production plant for Nebraska    

A new plant, to produce enzymes for existing corn-based ethanol and later enzymes for cellulosic ethanol production, is to be built by Novozymes in Blair, Nebraska. The facility will be located on a 30-acre property at the Biorefinery Campus in Blair and the company expects to break ground in late 2008 with operations beginning in late 2010. Novozyme's investment in the project is expected to be in the region $80–100 million.

 Commenting on today's (23rd June) announcement, Peder Holk Nielsen, Novozyme's Executive Vice President and head of Enzyme Business said; "We are very excited about expanding our enzyme manufacturing operations in the US. Initially the focus of the new plant will be to supply enzymes for corn-based ethanol and enzymes for cellulosic ethanol start-ups. The plant in Blair will be designed for later expansions to ensure Novozymes can meet demands for enzymes for cellulosic ethanol. We are undertaking an unprecedented effort to make these enzymes available by 2010.

"The US is an attractive and competitive market for us to invest in," he explained. "The new location will allow us to sustain our close cooperation with bioethanol customers across the Midwest and provide us access to a well-educated workforce and a good infrastructure."

The State of Nebraska is equally happy at the Danish company's move. "Nebraska is pleased that Novozymes has selected Blair for its world-class biotech facility," said Governor Dave Heineman. "Our Nebraska Advantage package has made our state globally competitive for high tech companies such as Novozymes to grow their business in Nebraska."

The next BIG Conference Call is set for Friday, June 27^th at 3 pm EDT. 

Dial in: 866-657-4143

Access: 2706532

Agenda

• Discussion of the planned BIG session at Workforce Innovations 08 in New Orleans
• Communications (getting the word out about WIRED Bioscience projects)
• ETA Competency Model
• Best Practices

Also, if you did not attend BIO, you can follow some of the action on the following blog:

http://bioontheroad.org/

A draft model of the competencies needed for success in the Biotechnology Industry has been posted for your consideration, with a new thread opened in the Forum Section of the Bioscienceregions workspace to provide feedback.  The draft model was developed by ETA from collecting and analyzing skill standards, occupational information and curricula related to biotechnology careers.

This model has been drafted as part of a larger ETA initiative to identify the knowledge, skills, and abilities needed by workers in High Growth industries.  After validation by industry experts, the model will serve as a resource to inform discussions around workforce development efforts by providing a common language for economic developers, employers, educators, and workforce professionals.

We would like to open a discussion around the development and validation of such a model and its value for informing workforce development efforts.  We welcome your comments which can be posted in a discussion thread.  In addition, we plan to continue discuss this model during the next WIRED BIG call scheduled for Friday, June 27 at 3pm EDT (Tel: 866-657-4143; #2706532), as well as during the Workforce Innovations 2008 pre-conference meeting scheduled for Tuesday, July 15, at 11am CDT, at the New Orleans Hilton Riverside, Grand Salon, Room 3.

Biotechnology Competency Framework Overview w graphic and model explanation_6.19.08.doc (798 KB)

Biotechnology Model Draft 6_19_08.doc (1.3 MB)

Biotech Review Questions.doc (25.5 KB)

Massachusetts Maintains Lead as Nation’s Top State in Technology and Science, According to Milken Institute

For Immediate Release
June 19, 2008

SAN DIEGO – Massachusetts, which just passed a $1-billion life sciences bill to invest in high-tech infrastructure and research and development over the next 10 years, is in the best position of any state to achieve high-quality economic growth thanks to its vast array of technology and science assets, a new Milken Institute study shows.

Massachusetts ranks first in the Milken Institute’s 2008 State Technology and Science Index, followed by Maryland, Colorado and California.

According to the report, regional competition for technology industries has increased since the last release of the Index in 2004. Not only are states vying with each other for human capital and resources, but countries like China and India are increasing the competition on a global level.

At the same time, the post-9/11 decrease in international graduate students and flat or decreased federal funding for research and development are applying negative pressure to states that are not making serious investments to build and retain these 21st century industries.

“States that have a vision and a plan for building and retaining high-wage jobs and viable industries are finding ways to invest in their science and technology assets,” said Ross DeVol, director of Regional Economics at the Milken Institute, and lead author of the study. “The changes in this year’s Index give a good measure of who is ahead in the increasing competition for scarce human capital and other resources needed for a successful industry.”

The states in the best position to succeed in the technology-led information age are (with 2004 rankings):

1) Massachusetts (1)
2) Maryland (4)
3) Colorado (3)
4) California (2)
5) Washington (6)
6) Virginia (5)
7) Connecticut (10)
8) Utah (9)
9) New Hampshire (12)
10) Rhode Island (11)

Massachusetts’s dominance in the rankings is related to its established strength in world-class research institutions, cutting-edge firms and its ability to leverage these assets in attracting and retaining a skilled work force. Massachusetts scores well ahead of the competition in these areas.

“This report is great news for Massachusetts and reflects our continuing commitment to the best science and technology,” said Gov. Deval Patrick. “We know that to compete and win in a global economy we need a work force skilled in these areas.”

Maryland moved up from fourth in this year’s ranking, thanks to strong positions across the many indicators used by the Institute. In particular, the report cited an improvement in the ability to attract business into the state and new projects that link research institutions with industry to produce the most advanced products.

“With strong partnerships between the public and private sectors, and collaborative research with universities, federal and commercial partners, we have been able to create a strong technology industry in Maryland,” said Gov. Martin O’Malley. “The results of the Milken Institute study are further evidence that Maryland is highly and increasingly competitive in drawing, retaining, and growing technology-based businesses.”

Colorado held its position in third place, just under Maryland’s score. California, however, slipped from second place to fourth and, according to the report, shows signs of faltering in its efforts to capture federal funding and build its future work force. In particular, the report said the decline in “standardized test scores and a low proportion of its population with bachelor’s degrees” could significantly hamper the ability to provide a skilled work force to take advantage of its financial and industrial strength.

Several states made dramatic improvements in the update of the Index. North Dakota showed the greatest gains, moving up 14 positions to 31st. This rise is due in large part to a state initiative to develop “Centers of Excellence,” which was implemented in 2004. The state provides matching funds to universities and colleges that join the program and commit to regional development in science and technology.

Other big movers in the Index are Hawaii, up 11 spots to 28th, and Alabama, which moved up seven positions. On the other hand, Mississippi has the dubious position of being ranked 50th again and West Virginia slid from 46th to 49th place.

Because states can no longer succeed with a low-skill, low-cost economic development formula, they must compete globally on the basis of new ideas, new products and new markets, along with superior productivity growth, the report states. The future will belong to those regions that can develop a thriving technology industry in a wide variety of fast-growing fields including biotech, clean technology, nanotechnology, communications and next-generation computer applications. The Index takes an objective measure of just how prepared each state is to take advantage of these opportunities.

The 2008 State Technology and Science Index looks at 77 unique indicators that are categorized into five major components: Research and Development Inputs, Risk Capital and Entrepreneurial Infrastructure, Human Capital Investment, Technology and Science Work Force, and Technology Concentration and Dynamism. It is one of the most comprehensive examinations of state technology and science assets ever compiled. A companion report that offers an in-depth look at California’s technology and science industry is also available. The study was made possible in part through the generous support of Goodwin Procter LLP.

Complete rankings (including interactive tables and maps) for all fifty states are available here.

The full reports are available here.

There is a log-in registration required to gain access to the PDF copy of the report.

PHILADELPHIA BUSINESS JOURNAL

June 20

Group lands $2.4 million for life sciences job training

The Delaware Valley Innovation Network has launched a new work-force development fund to expand the talent pool for life sciences companies in southeastern Pennsylvania, South Jersey and northern Delaware.

The network's innovation investment fund will provide more than $2.4 million in federal grants over the next three years to support training and "capacity building" programs aimed at increasing the supply of qualified workers for health-care, pharmaceutical, biotechnology and medical-device businesses.

"The goal of the fund is to train 5,000 new workers over the next three years and provide these workers with those skills that are most needed by the life sciences companies in the DVIN region," said Kelly Lee, Delaware Valley Innovation Network executive committee chair and the executive vice president of Innovation Philadelphia.

The 14 counties in the DVIN region are Berks, Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Lancaster, Montgomery and Philadelphia in Pennsylvania; Burlington, Camden, Cumberland, Gloucester, Mercer and Salem in New Jersey; and New Castle in Delaware.

Battelle and BIO Release State Profiles on Bioscience Employment and Growth Trends

18 June 2008

San Diego, CA—The Nation’s bioscience industry continues to grow as states and regions vie to attract high-wage jobs, according to a study released today by Battelle and the Biotechnology Industry Organization (BIO).
 
The study, “Technology, Talent and Capital:  State Bioscience Initiatives 2008,” presents data on national, state, and metropolitan bioscience employment and growth trends during 2001 to 2006.

The study also examines a series of additional key performance metrics and describes state policies and programs designed to accelerate the growth of the biosciences.  The report has been produced from the most current and comparable annual data available.

Total U.S. employment in the biosciences reached 1.3 million in 2006, up from 1.2 million in 2004, led by strong growth in the research, testing, and medical lab subsector, which experienced a 17.8 percent increase in employment and a 32.7 percent increase in establishments between 2001 and 2006.  Indirect and induced employment from the bioscience industry totals an additional 6.2 million jobs spread throughout the remainder of the economy.  Together, these direct, indirect, and induced jobs account for a total employment impact of 7.5 million jobs.

“The bioscience sector is truly coming of age with new discoveries finding their way into new applications and products leading to new medical treatments, new sources of energy, and new industrial products made out of bio-based materials,” said Jim Greenwood, President and CEO of BIO.  “This has led to the growth of clusters of bioscience firms focused on specialized niches throughout the 50 states and Puerto Rico.”

The study and individual profiles of the 50 states and Puerto Rico are available on the BIO website at http://www.bio.org/local/battelle2008http://www.bio.org/local/battelle2008.

Among the findings:

• The bioscience sector is a source of high-wage jobs.  The average bioscience job paid $71,000 in 2006, $29,000 more than the average private sector job.
• Each bioscience job generates an additional 5.8 jobs in the national economy.
• Thirty-five states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico have an employment specialization (20 percent or more concentrated than the nation) in at least one of the four bioscience subsectors (drugs and pharmaceuticals, medical devices and equipment, research, testing and medical laboratories, and agricultural feedstock and chemicals).
• Twelve states – California, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Jersey, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, and Texas – have both a large (more than 5 percent of total U.S. employment) and specialized bioscience base in at least one of the bioscience subsectors.
• Of the nation’s 361 Metropolitan Statistical Areas, 202 have an employment specialization in at least one of the four bioscience subsectors, up from 193 in 2004.

In addition to employment, the report examines other indicators of the robustness of a state’s bioscience industry including the level of bioscience R&D funding, venture capital investment, and patents.

Highlights of additional key indicators include:

• Academic bioscience R&D expenditures total $29 billion in FY 2006.
• U.S. higher education institutions awarded more than 143,000 bioscience-related degrees in the 2006 academic year.
• Venture capital investments in bioscience companies reached $11.6 billion in 2007.
• More than 82,000 bioscience-related patents were issued to U.S. inventors between 2002 and 2007.

“Recognizing that the biosciences are a key driver of economic progress, states and regions across the country are building business climates that support the specific needs of bioscience companies at all stages of development,” said Walter H. Plosila, Senior Advisor to the Battelle Technology Partnership Practice.  “These efforts focus on technology, talent, and capital, the key ingredients needed to grow a bioscience-based economy.”

States are:

• Addressing talent needs by offering new bioscience-related programs and degrees at all education levels from K-12 through graduate and post-graduate, programs that combine business with biosciences, and developing bioscience career pathways.  About half the states have conducted an inventory or workforce needs in the biosciences sector.
• Becoming more active in supporting the application of the biosciences to agriculture, energy, and industrial products.  About half the states have committed funds for bioscience energy research and facilities.
• Changing state tax and regulatory programs to address the needs of bioscience companies.  Thirty-six states offer R&D tax credits, 31 exempt R&D equipment , including equipment purchased for biomanufacturing from sales taxes, and 39 states allow carry forward of Net Operating Losses.
• Establishing bioscience legislative caucuses and committees.  Twelve states have legislative caucuses and California, Illinois, and Minnesota have dedicated bioscience committees.
• Advancing bold initiatives in the biosciences, including investments in stem cell research.  Nine states have pledged to spend more than $4 billion on stem cell research over the next 10 years.
• Addressing the shortage of early-stage risk capital.  Thirty-three states reported programs that provide pre-seed and seed stage investments in bioscience companies.

If you are not attending BIO, you can still get timely reportage from a new non-traditional source, a blog called "BIO On The Road."  Give it a look.

http://bioontheroad.org/

Biotechnology for Economic Success

» Online registration

Date: Thursday, July 17
Time: 2:00 - 3:30 pm EST
Cost: $85 for IEDC members, $125 for Non-members
Registration deadline: Tuesday, July 15
Login instructions: Emailed to participants on Wednesday, July 16

Content contact: Dana Rothstein, drothstein@iedconline.org
Registration contact: Earnestine Jones, ejones@iedconline.org

Across the country, communities are looking to the promise of the biotech industry - especially life science start-ups - to reinvigorate their economy. Communities with strong healthcare and bioscience clusters were found to be among the top economic performers for job creation, according to recent Milken Institute research. The biotechnology industry continues to expand into new areas including agriculture and manufacturing. How do communities identify and tap into the opportunities presented by the biotechnology industry?

Join IEDC as two leading industry experts, Baiju R. Shah, President and CEO of BioEnterprise and Perry Wong, Senior Managing Economist at the Milken Institute, examine:

  emerging industry trends

  characteristics of competitive biotechnology regions

  strategies to support biotech start-ups and transfer technologies with local partner including universities and hospitals

  methods to gather community resources to support biotechnology development strategies

  recommendations on how to grow and support bioscience firms.

Perry Wong will identify emerging trends and competitive traits of successful biotech regions to help you better understand how to grasp the economic development opportunities of this economically dynamic industry.

Baiju Shah will then discuss how Cleveland was able to leverage the resources of hospitals and universities to commercialize bioscience technologies and incubate life science companies—and in the process, build the base of a new economic future for this older industrial region. Cleveland now ranks 5th in the nation for its cluster of health-related venture capital firms, due in part to the strategic efforts of BioEnterprise and others to invest in this industry sector.

Register today! Space is limited so don’t delay.

Speakers

Baiju R. Shah
President and CEO
BioEnterprise

Baiju R. Shah is President and CEO and also a Founder of BioEnterprise. BioEnterprise--a partnership of Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland Clinic, Summa Health System, and University Hospitals--is a business formation, recruitment and acceleration initiative to support the growth of bioscience companies. Since starting four years ago, the BioEnterprise Initiative has helped create, recruit, or accelerate more than 70 companies that have collectively attracted more than $650 million in new funding, primarily from venture capital and private equity sources.

BioEnterprise provides management advice, business development, and access to capital to medical device, biopharmaceutical, and health care services ventures in the Cleveland area. In addition, BioEnterprise works with a range of partners to catalyze the development of the region’s entrepreneurial system: new investment funds, entrepreneurial resources and training, investment conferences, talent development, and public policy. The initiative’s success has drawn significant attention and interest from regions around the U.S. that are seeking to grow their bioscience and technology clusters.

Prior to BioEnterprise, Shah was with McKinsey & Company, where he played a leading role in the Growth and Business Building practice and helped develop two new service lines: developing corporate new venture units and monetizing intellectual property.

In the community, Shah serves on the Governor’s Workforce Policy Board and Strategic Development Advisory Board, and the Boards of the Great Lakes Science Center, The Saint Luke’s Foundation, NorTech, Yale Alumni Association, and Summer on the Cuyahoga, of which he is also Founder and Chairman. Shah, a Cleveland native, received a J.D. from Harvard Law School and his B.A. from Yale University.

Perry Wong
Senior Managing Economist
Milken Institute

Perry Wong is a Senior Managing Economist in Regional Economics at the Milken Institute. Wong is an expert on regional economics, development and econometric forecasting and specializes in analyzing the structure, industry mix, development and public policies of a regional economy. He designs, manages and performs research on labor and workforce issues, the relationship between technology and economic development, and trade and industry, with a focus on policy development and implementation of economic policy in both leading and disadvantaged regions. Wong is actively involved in projects aimed at increasing access to technology and regional economic development in California and the American Midwest.

Wong began his career in regional industry analysis, spatial economics, industry development economics which he applies to his work at the Institute in studies such as The Economic Contributions of Health Care to New England and Manufacturing Matters: California’s Performance and Prospects.

Prior to joining the Institute, Wong was a senior economist and director of regional forecasting at Global Insight, Inc. (formerly Wharton Econometric Forecasting. He also co-authored the DC Economic Recovery Act Impact Study presented to the U.S. Congress and worked on an API-sponsored study on the effects of carbon and particulate emission containment on the regional economy.

Wong earned his master's degree in economics at Temple University in 1990 and completed all course requirements for his Ph.D.

Instructions and Technology

Instructions and dial-in information will be sent up to one week prior and a minimum of three times. If you do not receive an email from IEDC or Genesys Conferencing 24 hours prior to the start of the web seminar, it is your responsibility to contact Dana Rothstein at drothstein@iedconline.org. No refunds or credits will be given for not receiving the dial-in information for the web seminar.

Audio

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Cancellation, Refund and No-Show Policy

• Refunds are available with cancellation until July 3. There are no refunds for cancellations received after July 3, 2008.

• All cancellations must be received in writing by email, fax or mail to Earnestine Jones (e-mail: ejones@iedconline.org / fax (202) 223-4745). Cancellations by phone are not accepted.

• All cancellations and requests for a refund after July 3 need to be submitted in writing to Earnestine Jones and will be considered on a case by case basis. There is no guarantees to a refund or credit after July 3 and will be given consideration under unforeseen circumstances.

Attend Web Seminars and Earn Recertification Credits from the Comfort of Your Office

We understand that CEcDs have a constant yearning to grow and improve their knowledge and expertise in economic development. Therefore, the IEDC web seminars have been approved as professional development programs for recertification. The web seminars provide a convenient and cost-effective online environment for economic developers to learn about cutting-edge research, techniques, and tools that are prevalent in the field.

CEcDs participating in a minimum of three (3) web seminars during a three-year recertification cycle can now earn recertification credits. If you have questions or would like more information, please contact Kobi Enwemnwa at kenwemnwa@iedconline.org.