research space for researchers at the University of Puerto
Rico Mayagüez in addition to bioprocessing facilities for
early stage companies, as well as space for training pharma manufacturing employees.
“We’re very excited about all of these projects, which
will serve as part of our larger Knowledge Corridor,”
Mirandes says. “We foresee continuing to attract investments and industries to the island, particularly in the life
sciences sector.” The biotechnology, pharmaceutical and
medical device industries represent 29. 3 percent of the
gross domestic product of Puerto Rico, generating 38,500
direct jobs and nearly 100,000 indirect jobs on the island.
Because of Puerto Rico’s commonwealth status with the
United States, the island offers investors U.S. regulatory standards and protections, while providing offshore tax benefits.
If Puerto Rico is finding success building upon its 50-
year history of manufacturing, then Kansas hopes to do
the same by focusing on its history in animal science and
animal health. “We’re looking at our strengths and building from there,” says Chad Bettes, director of marketing
and communications, Kansas Bioscience Authority.
As part of the Kansas Economic Growth Act, passed by
the Legislature in 2004, the Kansas Bioscience Authority
was established and given $581 million to use during the
next 10 years to 15 years to pursue additional bioscience
research and industry.
COLORADO
Located 80 miles from Denver Metro
Area and Denver International Airport
Pro-Business Attitude
•
Enterprise Zone Tax Area
•
Rail and Interstate Access
Throughout the County
•
Skilled Workforce-Community
College Training Incentives
•
Affordable Buildings and Sites
•
3 Industrial Parks
•
Great Quality of Life
231 Ensign Room B-102 • Fort Morgan, CO 80701
970-542-3527 • 800-522-4333 • Fax: 970-542-3528
www.morgancountyinfo.com
mcedc@morgancountyinfo.com
“We provide a wide range of
investments that cover the entire
bioscience business cycle, from
early stage research and development, to commercializing products
that come out of that, to attracting
and expanding established companies,” Bettes says. “We have programs in place to effectively invest
our funds along that business spectrum, and we are market driven
rather than government driven. We
have a business mind set.”
The Kansas Bioscience Park is an
example of the KBA collaborating
with academia, business and government to support biosciences
growth and success. The city of
Olathe donated 92 acres of prime
real estate for the development,
which is managed by the KBA. The
city and the KBA are working with
Kansas State University to create a
park where company recruitment
and investment, as well as leading-edge research in the biosciences
industry can occur in one location.
Kansas State University is building
the K-State Olathe Innovation
Campus on the site in order to
expand its biosciences research capabilities. Fort Dodge Animal Health, a
corporate leader in animal health, is
expanding at the park, with KBA
assistance, creating a $40 million
research and development facility that
will employ more than 200 people.
Olathe officials estimate the
entire park, which is expected to
have all space fully committed by
the end of this year, will generate
about $2.4 million in annual tax
revenue, $150 million in capital
investment, and 3,000 new jobs
with an average salary of $57,000.
Other areas of the biosciences
that Kansas is building upon include
drug development and delivery, and
