More than 1,100 companies are engaged in Iowa’s biosciences industry, ranging from large international companies, to small start-ups. According to the Battelle Memorial Institute's Technology Partnership Practice Report, Iowa's strengths are in animal and plant sciences, bioeconomy, biomedical imaging, drug discovery, development piloting and production, advanced food products, biosecurity/biodefense, post-genomic medicine, and animal systems.
Renowned Universities
Iowa's three regent universities include the University of Iowa, Iowa State University and the University of Northern Iowa. The University of Iowa ranks 12th among public research universities for National Institute of Health (NIH) funding. The Iowa State University Research Foundation ranks third in licenses and options executed on intellectual property and fourth in licenses and options yielding income. The Biosciences Alliance of Iowa is helping to make proprietary research at Iowa’s universities readily available to companies engaged in the biosciences industry.
The University of Iowa (UI) is a major research university with exceptional strengths in human health and medicine, biocatalysis, pharmaceutical development, simulation, medical imaging, human factor, and biomedical engineering.
For the 17th year in a row, University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics ranks overall as one of “America’s Best Hospitals” with six of the hospital’s specialties ranked among the nation’s top programs: Otolaryngology (2), Ophthalmology (6), Orthopaedics and Rehabilitations (7), Urology (17), Gynecology (30) and Kidney Disease (41). The UI’s Holden Comprehensive Cancer Center is the state’s only cancer center with prestigious “comprehensive” status from the National Cancer Institute.
Access to World-Class Research Institutions
Iowa State University is home to two distinct “first in the nation” facilities: the Center for Biorenewable Chemicals and the BioCentury Research Farm. From an $18.5 million dollar grant from the National Science Foundation, the Center for Biorenewable Chemicals was founded at Iowa State University and is designed to integrate biological and chemical catalysis systems to produce biorenewable chemicals. Industrial partners will come from five key sectors: petrochemical producers, agricultural product processors, chemical catalyst providers, biocatalyst providers, and process licensors.
The BioCentury Research Farm was recently opened at ISU, which is the “first-in-the-nation” integrated research and demonstration facility dedicated to biomass production and processing. Biomass includes both lignocellulosic crops and grain. This facility presents a unique opportunity for industry collaboration.
Companies Already at Work in Iowa
Include ADM, Ajinomoto, Boehringer Ingelheim Vetmedica, Cargill, Fort Dodge Animal Health (Wyeth), Genencor (Danisco), Kemin Industries, Grain Processing Corporation, Monsanto, Penford, Pioneer Hi-Bred (DuPont), Roquette America, Proliant Biologicals, Syngenta, Wacker Chemical and Trans Ova Genetics, among others.
Bioscience Business Climate
Iowa makes a fundamental commitment to the success of bioscience companies through a number of incentive programs – including direct financial assistance, tax credits (including a doubling of the refundable 6.5% R&D tax credit) and infrastructure funding. Bioscience companies can access a number of programs that stimulate job creation, capital investment and future community impact. Also available is the Iowa Values Fund – the state’s signature $500 million economic development initiative that helps companies expand and locate in Iowa as well as helps fund university research and development, workforce training and more.
Another critical component for the continuing success of bioscience companies is access to angel and venture capital. Thanks to legislation encouraging equity investments, the establishment of several venture capital community funds and a growing network of local investors, capital is readily available for companies in the biosciences.
Iowa's leadership in Green and White Biotechnology
As the premier leader in the biofuel economy, Iowa has found the formula for success. For over two hundred years, Iowa has been an agricultural leader with corn and soybean production amount the highest in the nation. By adding an aggressive business climate and world-class research institutions to those agricultural building blocks, Iowa has generated enormous momentum and has become a world-impacting biofuel force. Iowa leads the nation in biofuels output, producing the most ethanol and the second most biodiesel in the United States.
Similar to biofuel development, Iowa is not only in the forefront of technologies which impact the next generation of energy, but is also a leader regarding the biotech development of feedstocks, manufacturing, transportation, textiles, food supply security, coomunication, housing, recreation, health and hygiene.
To read all about Iowa's role in Green and White Biotechnology, click here.
Renowned Universities
Iowa's three regent universities include the University of Iowa, Iowa State University and the University of Northern Iowa. The University of Iowa ranks 12th among public research universities for National Institute of Health (NIH) funding. The Iowa State University Research Foundation ranks third in licenses and options executed on intellectual property and fourth in licenses and options yielding income. The Biosciences Alliance of Iowa is helping to make proprietary research at Iowa’s universities readily available to companies engaged in the biosciences industry.
The University of Iowa (UI) is a major research university with exceptional strengths in human health and medicine, biocatalysis, pharmaceutical development, simulation, medical imaging, human factor, and biomedical engineering.
For the 17th year in a row, University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics ranks overall as one of “America’s Best Hospitals” with six of the hospital’s specialties ranked among the nation’s top programs: Otolaryngology (2), Ophthalmology (6), Orthopaedics and Rehabilitations (7), Urology (17), Gynecology (30) and Kidney Disease (41). The UI’s Holden Comprehensive Cancer Center is the state’s only cancer center with prestigious “comprehensive” status from the National Cancer Institute.
Access to World-Class Research Institutions
Iowa State University is home to two distinct “first in the nation” facilities: the Center for Biorenewable Chemicals and the BioCentury Research Farm. From an $18.5 million dollar grant from the National Science Foundation, the Center for Biorenewable Chemicals was founded at Iowa State University and is designed to integrate biological and chemical catalysis systems to produce biorenewable chemicals. Industrial partners will come from five key sectors: petrochemical producers, agricultural product processors, chemical catalyst providers, biocatalyst providers, and process licensors.
The BioCentury Research Farm was recently opened at ISU, which is the “first-in-the-nation” integrated research and demonstration facility dedicated to biomass production and processing. Biomass includes both lignocellulosic crops and grain. This facility presents a unique opportunity for industry collaboration.
Companies Already at Work in Iowa
Include ADM, Ajinomoto, Boehringer Ingelheim Vetmedica, Cargill, Fort Dodge Animal Health (Wyeth), Genencor (Danisco), Kemin Industries, Grain Processing Corporation, Monsanto, Penford, Pioneer Hi-Bred (DuPont), Roquette America, Proliant Biologicals, Syngenta, Wacker Chemical and Trans Ova Genetics, among others.
Bioscience Business Climate
Iowa makes a fundamental commitment to the success of bioscience companies through a number of incentive programs – including direct financial assistance, tax credits (including a doubling of the refundable 6.5% R&D tax credit) and infrastructure funding. Bioscience companies can access a number of programs that stimulate job creation, capital investment and future community impact. Also available is the Iowa Values Fund – the state’s signature $500 million economic development initiative that helps companies expand and locate in Iowa as well as helps fund university research and development, workforce training and more.
Another critical component for the continuing success of bioscience companies is access to angel and venture capital. Thanks to legislation encouraging equity investments, the establishment of several venture capital community funds and a growing network of local investors, capital is readily available for companies in the biosciences.
Iowa's leadership in Green and White Biotechnology
As the premier leader in the biofuel economy, Iowa has found the formula for success. For over two hundred years, Iowa has been an agricultural leader with corn and soybean production amount the highest in the nation. By adding an aggressive business climate and world-class research institutions to those agricultural building blocks, Iowa has generated enormous momentum and has become a world-impacting biofuel force. Iowa leads the nation in biofuels output, producing the most ethanol and the second most biodiesel in the United States.
Similar to biofuel development, Iowa is not only in the forefront of technologies which impact the next generation of energy, but is also a leader regarding the biotech development of feedstocks, manufacturing, transportation, textiles, food supply security, coomunication, housing, recreation, health and hygiene.
To read all about Iowa's role in Green and White Biotechnology, click here.