Colorado is the life science center for the Rocky Mountain region, with support from leading research institutions, scientific talent, and bioscience companies. Companies in the bioscience industry include pharmaceuticals and biotechnology, medical devices and diagnostics, agricultural-bioscience, medical laboratories, research institutions, and those businesses that provide critical services and products to bioscience companies. While the majority of the state’s bioscience firms are concentrated along the Front Range, a number of companies have established their presence across the state. Colorado is home to more than 29,730 bioscience workers and a $3.1 billion annual payroll. The industry posted its fifth-consecutive year of employment growth at 4.6 percent in 2015.
Colorado’s bioscience industry is anchored by the 578-acre Fitzsimons campus, which includes the adjacent Anschutz Medical Campus and the Fitzsimons Innovation Campus. The $5.2 billion project is one of the largest bioscience developments in the nation and encompasses more than six million square feet of corporate and bioresearch space. The 184-acre Fitzsimons Innovation Campus is home to nearly 50 bioscience companies, offering pre-built laboratories, furnished office space, or build-to-suit space. The Bioscience Park Center includes the BioBusiness Incubator and Accelerator facilities, and the Bioscience East facility. Important bioscience assets are also concentrated in northern and southern Colorado. Colorado State University in Fort Collins is home to the College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences and the Research Innovation Center. Colorado Springs is a thriving medical innovation and technology hub with support from the Colorado Springs Technology Incubator and programs at the University of Colorado Colorado Springs.
Several additions to the state’s bioscience infrastructure opened in 2015. The Fitzsimons Redevelopment Authority and the University of Colorado’s bioengineering program opened the new Bioscience 2 building, which includes the bioengineering program and commercial space for established bioscience firms. Further, the Gates Center for Regenerative Medicine at the Anschutz Medical Campus opened the Gates Biomanufacturing Facility to develop and manufacture biologic products and cell therapies. The Center is the only site within a 500-mile radius that complies with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s manufacturing regulations, a key asset for researchers.
Colorado’s bioscience companies received significant awards for innovative research and numerous programs support new bioscience product development. The state’s bioscience companies conducted nearly 270 bioscience studies in recruiting through completion phases, and developed more than 850 approved pharmaceuticals and medical devices in 2014. Since 2010, venture capital investments in Colorado bioscience companies totaled $1.6 billion. Additionally, the Bioscience Discovery Evaluation Grant Program and Advanced Accelerator Programs administered through the Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade provided 285 grants totaling $36.7 million distributed to research institutions and early-stage bioscience companies since 2006. The economic impact of these programs has been significant, creating 46 new companies, 426 direct jobs, and $469.1 million in additional investment, leveraging the state’s investment 12.78 times the initial amount.
Colorado is home to a thriving bioscience industry, with access to a highly educated workforce, entrepreneurial spirit, supportive business climate, and renowned research institutions. The state’s critical mass of bioscience organizations and companies provide future growth and sustainability in this industry.
