The world biotechnology community converged in San Diego on June 3-6, 2024  for the BIO International Convention (BIO 2024). As of Monday morning over 18,500 people were registered to attend and over 60,000 partnering meetings had been scheduled. Arizona’s health innovation community was well represented.  Joan Koerber-Walker, president and CEO of AZBio, spoke with investors, companies, family offices, industry leaders, and international organizations  to share what’s happening in Arizona. In meeting after meeting and from conversation to conversation a theme emerged – what’s happening in Arizona  is amazing.

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“That’s Amazing” was heard in almost every meeting

  • Arizona ranks #2 in the nation for Life Sciences Job Growth based on the 10 year average (2012-2022) calculated by the Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute, part of the David Eccles School of Business at the University of Utah.  Only Massachusetts ranked higher.  (Report)
  • Arizona’s Life Science Sector is growing rapidly and reached more than 39,118 jobs spanning 3,350 business establishments in 2022. Bioscience industry jobs increased by 14.8% between 2020-22 compared to the U.S. average of 11.1% growth. The average Arizona wage for non-hospital bioscience jobs in 2022 was $99,658. (Data)
  • Arizona ranks #9 in the nation for clinical trials economic impact thanks to the leadership by world class clinical partners including the Arizona Alzheimer’s Consortium, Banner Health, Barrow Neurological Institute City of Hope, Dignity Health, HonorHealth, Norton Thoracic Institute, Phoenix Children’s Hospital, Translational Genomic Research Institute (TGen), University of Arizona’s 2 NCI designated Cancer Centers and more.
  • Arizona’s Life Science Sector Delivered $38.54 billion in Economic Impact in 2021.  That’s impressive.  What’s amazing is the community’s goal to double this impact to $77 billion by 2033.  Leaders across Arizona are putting on the pin to show their commitment to achieving this goal. In the video at right, AZBio CEO Joan Koerber-Walker shares how Arizonans, AZAdvances, and the Arizona Health Innovation Trust Fund will help this vision become reality to an audience of over 200 elected leaders and business leaders in December 2023. 
  • Arizona’s Bioscience Roadmap, stewarded by the Flinn Foundation, is the longest running, continuously managed strategic plan to create a leading bioscience sector in any U.S. state.  Launched in 2002, the plan was updated in 2014 and is currently in the process of being updated for its next decade of impact.  
  • Over $29 billion in investment from public and private sector funders has flowed into Arizona since 2002 to fuel the progress that is happening in Arizona’s health innovation sector based on data maintained by AZBio.
  • Arizona has over 6 million square feet of life science infrastructure in development to add to the significant infrastructure that is already in operation. Fueling this growth are Arizona advantages including
    • Reaching 65% of the U.S. Population by air within  2 hours and by land within 24 hours
    • Lower Costs of Operation than other leading life science markets 
    • No Natural Disasters to Disrupt Your Supply Chain
    • Business Friendly Policies and Support Infrastructure
    • 100 Years of  Water thanks to Proactive Management, Planning and Policies
    • Research 1 Universities and the largest Community College District in the U.S.
    • Respected Clinical Partners:  Banner Health, City of Hope, Dignity Health, HonorHealth, and Mayo Clinic
    • World Class Research Partners:  Arizona Arizona Alzheimer’s Consortium, Arizona Heart Hospital, ASU Biodesign, Barrow Neurological Institute, Norton Thoracic Institute, UArizona BIO5, Critical Path Institute, Phoenix Children’s Hospital, TGen, UArizona Health Sciences.
  • Arizona has made Medical Education a priority.  In 2002. Arizona had only 1 medical school and no vet school.  Today Arizona is home to 5 Medical Schools: Creighton University, Mayo Clinic Alix School of Medicine, Midwestern University, University of Arizona College of Medicine Phoenix, University of Arizona College of Medicine Tucson with 3 more medical schools in development and 2 Veterinary Schools: Midwestern University and University of Arizona
  • The White Hat Life Science Investor Conference was first held in 2014 and has been held every two years since during Arizona Bioscience Week.  A decade later, based on SEC data, companies that presented at White Hat have gone on to raise over $2.4 billion. Investors are invited to register to attend White Hat and the AZBio Awards at no cost.  Applications for companies wishing to present at White Hat close on June 20, 2024.
  • Arizona Bioscience Week includes over 7 events over a 5  day period and has exposed tens of thousands of people to what is happening in Arizona’s health innovation community since it was first held in 2016.  In 2024, the community will come together September 16-20, 2024.
  • The AZBio  Special Supplement in Az Business Magazine’s September/October issue  highlights the work being done in Arizona’s health innovation sector.  Delivered to over 25,000 readers  in print  and viewed by over 122,000 online, the publication chronicles the life changing work happening in Arizona and serves as a preview for AZBW. 
  • Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego led the city’s delegation at  BIO 2024 where attendees visited the City of Phoenix Pavilion to connect with Arizona Innovators and heard the mayor of the 5th largest city in the United States  lead a fireside chat where health innovators shared what they are working on.  The Commons podcast also broadcast the Mayor’s comments live from the pavilion.  You can hear them here.