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Home > About BNE > Press Room > 2008 Archive > September > Bio View From Here

BIO VIEW FROM HERE: An Economic Development Perspective

by Thomas A. Kucharski, CEO, Buffalo Niagara Enterprise and
Chairman of NY Loves Bio

Because of the significant economic potential of the life sciences industry in the United States, at least 42 states and regions have identified it as a targeted industry. Many of these communities are spending millions, and in some cases billions, of dollars on new infrastructure, recruitment of global talent, extensive research programs, commercialization and new investment funds. As economic developers, this industry presents great opportunities and challenges for those communities that are targeting companies, entrepreneurs and jobs in the biosciences.

When our regional university, economic development, and private sector organizations came together to develop a focused strategy to grow our biosciences sector in Buffalo, we began by looking at our asset base to determine where we could generate the most economic development success. Buffalo Niagara’s reputation as a leader in life sciences innovation and research was world recognized in many areas such as cancer, neurological disease, cardiovascular disease, and dental medicine. Innovations such as the implantable pacemaker, multiple sclerosis therapy, photodynamic therapy (PDT), and the PSA prostate cancer test, all originated in the region.

Our region is home to more than 130 companies in the medical device, biotech, pharmaceuticals and related sectors including established companies like Invitrogen, Greatbatch, Ivoclar Vivodent, APP Pharmaceuticals, and Accellent as well as many growth-stage companies. Regional life sciences companies employ approximately 6,800 people (not including healthcare). In addition, the Buffalo Niagara region’s prime location on the Canadian-American border lies at the heart of a strong biomedical industry cluster consisting of more than 650 companies, research and health care centers including $1 billion in life sciences research within this 90-mile region.

After determining our regional competitive advantages, BNE began its focus on this sector by identifying a few key strategies. As an economic development organization, our role is to attract, grow, and startup new life sciences companies in the region by assisting them in finding key resources, people, and assets they need to be successful. Therefore, our life science approach has focused on:

Leveraging research institutions

Marketing the region

One recent project "win" points towards how our strategy has worked well so far. AndroBioSys, a new startup company focused on prostate cancer therapy development and research services, recently launched its operations on the Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus. Two researchers from Roswell Park Cancer Institute had patented some new discoveries that have significant promise for cancer therapy, but needed an executive to lead the company, and required funding and a location. Through a contact we had made at the BIO Annual Meeting, we met a former Buffalonian with biotech management experience who was looking to come back to Buffalo. Our strategic network helped to link the entrepreneur to the researchers, find some lab space, and open the doors for new funding sources. By the end of the year, the company will have more than a dozen new employees.

The coming decades will no doubt be an incredibly exciting time for new discoveries and products that will vastly improve humanity. For regional communities, it will become an even more intense fight for resources, assets, funding, and private development and human capital. Is your community ready to face the challenge?


It’s one thing to have great assets, but if no one knows about them, it’s hard to leverage them. A primary focus of BNE has been to "get the word out" to many audiences—site selectors, targeted companies, venture capitalists, industry journals, and other national media outlets—about our strong life sciences assets. The result has been hundreds of new articles, meetings, visits, and greater visibility for our region’s "life sciences story" that explains how the assets can benefit a new company or entrepreneur.

Developing strategic networks
The life science industry is driven by networks, contacts, and partnerships among companies, investors, researchers, and other organizations. Therefore, our efforts at building these networks have been critical in gaining new visibility and credibility within the industry. Expanding our strategic networks is a constant activity and something that is vitally important for our region to amplify its asset base.


Clearly, to be competitive, region’s need to have a strong research base to attract and grow bioscience companies. New research discoveries and intellectual property are the life sciences equivalent to manufacturing assets such as buildings, equipment, and raw materials. Companies gravitate to where there is world-class research and where thought leaders are abundant. Universities are also a tremendous source of human capital and the next generation of knowledge workers. Therefore, leveraging these resources has been critical to building and attracting new companies in Buffalo.