Rhode Island to Participate in BIO International Convention for the First Time
March 14, 2007 | Print this page | Share This | Email this page
The state's biotech industry will get to strut its stuff at the 14th annual Biotechnology Industry Organization (BIO) International Convention, held this May in Boston. Thanks to the Rhode Island Economic Development Corporation and Tech Collective, which rented space at the event for many of the state's biotech industry leaders, more than 20 companies and institutions from across the state, including Amgen, Rhode Island Hospital, Concordia, EpiVax and the Science Technology and Advisory Council, will share a 20-by-30-foot pavilion at BIO 2007.
This year's convention marks the first time all six New England states, a region well-known as a biotech hub, will participate. In fact, this is the first year the Ocean State is participating. The state's life sciences sector has experienced a flurry of activity and growth in the past few years that RIEDC and more than 20 biotech organizations throughout the state will show off at the convention.
More than 19,000 attendees and 1,700 companies and institutions in the biotech sector from across the globe are expected at BIO 2007, the largest gathering of biotechnology exhibitors, representing all aspects of the biotech industry including industrial and environmental biotech, food and agriculture, bioethics, finance, devices and diagnostics, bioprocessing and business development.
"The whole state is excited about the international convention being in New England, and we are rallying all the stakeholders in the life science space to attend," says Saul Kaplan, executive director of the RIEDC.
BIO's location at the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center makes it an ideal spot for Rhode Island's biotech organizations, both large and small, to show their products and prototypes as well as attend some of BIO 2007 various educational sessions.
Rhode Island's pavilion will feature the best and brightest life sciences organizations, no matter what the size or budget of the organization. "Rhode Island has many smaller biotech companies with limited budgets," says RIEDC Life Sciences Sector Lead Dianne Ritter. "Our pavilion will allow those smaller organizations to participate in the best life sciences convention in the world and to get the recognition they deserve."
