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In its new annual rankings report, Business Facilities reported: "Kansas and Florida broke into the top 10 ranking for overall biotechnology strength this year; these two states have made it clear they intend to be major players in biotech."
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The magazine noted Kansas' "special financing programs to support commercial bioscience facilities" and other state highlights:
-- Kansas was ranked number 4 in the nation for state bioscience investments.
-- Kansas was ranked number 5 for bioscience research funding.
-- Kansas was ranked number 10 for education climate.
-- Kansas was ranked number 13 for most educated workforce.
-- The Kansas City area was ranked number 10 among metropolitan areas for the highest concentration of employment in research, testing and medical laboratories.
These rankings follow Kansas' positive showing in other recent national reports that also brought attention to the state's areas of bioscience strength, increases in R&D funding, and growth in bioscience venture capital.
Gov. Kathleen Sebelius said the state's proactive approach to bioscience was paying off. "Momentum in bioscience and biotechnology is clearly building in Kansas, and that's not by accident," Sebelius said. "We're investing in research and industry in a very focused and strategic way through the Kansas Bioscience Authority, and we're aggressively promoting our state's areas of bioscience expertise."
Secretary of Commerce Dave Kerr said, "Our state's bioscience successes are getting the attention they deserve. In just the last year, Fort Dodge Animal Health and ThermoFisher Scientific announced major expansion plans; three bioscience eminent scholars chose to come home to Kansas; and the state was selected as a finalist for the National Bio and Agro-Defense Facility. Working together, we're creating an environment for success." Kansas Bioscience Authority president Tom Thornton said, "Kansas has a very strong foundation for bioscience growth. Now we're going to continue investing in bioscience researchers and businesses as their innovation builds our national leadership and allows Kansas to address national and global challenges."
About the KBA
The Kansas Bioscience Authority is a $581-million initiative created by the Kansas Economic Growth Act of 2004 to expand the state's world-class research capacity and bioscience clusters; support the growth of bioscience startups; and stimulate bioscience business expansion and attraction.
SOURCE Kansas Bioscience Authority
