Location

The Seattle region is a world-class center for Life Sciences and has been ranked as the 5th largest Life Sciences cluster in the United States in a recent Milken Institute study. This expanding cluster has a wealth of talented people and incredible institutions while being unique in its collaborative nature and ability to attract and keep world-class talent.

This region offers to Life Sciences companies a wealth of assets and attributes:

Research Institutions

  • The University of Washington (UW) is awarded approximately $1 B in externally funded, peer reviewed research every year, and it is second only to Harvard in total National Institutes of Health research funding and second only to Johns Hopkins in total Federal research funding.
  • Washington's Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, with 2,800 employees, 200 faculty and an annual research budget of over $250 M, is the nation's premier private research institution and receives more National Cancer Institute funding than any other private research institute.
  • A total of 15 research organizations, three research hospitals and one of the nation’s leading public research universities call Seattle home.

Talent

  • Three of the eight leaders of the Human Genome Project now work in Seattle.
  • The Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Institute led by Nobel laureate Dr. Lee Hartwell, gained its third Nobel laureate this last year with the award to Dr. Linda Buck. Six Nobel laureates in total call Seattle home.
  • UW's faculty currently includes 43 members of the National Academy of Sciences and 33 members of the National Institute of Medicine.
  • Over 62,000 people are employed by 190 Life Sciences companies within Washington State; 160 of these companies are in the greater Seattle area.

World Center for Global Health

  • PATH (Program for Appropriate Technologies for Health) is celebrating its 25th anniversary.
  • The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation has been transforming the world of global health and is headquartered in Seattle.
  • Seattle Biomedical Research Institute is the nation’s largest private non-profit research organization focused on infectious diseases.
  • Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Institute is the world center for coordinating HIV / AIDS vaccine trials.
  • UW is a world leader in infectious disease research and has created a Department of Global Health joining faculty from medicine and public health.

Access to Capital

  • Health and Life Sciences venture capital investments were $248.5 M in 2004.
  • Ten venture capitalist firms and Angel Networks that fund bioscience companies are located in the greater Seattle area.
  • The Washington State Life Sciences Discovery Fund has earmarked $350 M for grants in Life Sciences research and agriculture, which will generate at least $1 B in research investment through leveraging.
  • Washington State offers sales tax exemptions for facilities and tax credits on revenues the Biotechnology and Medical Device Industries.

Exceptional Quality of Life

  • Seattle offers lower housing costs than many other Biotech cluster regions, such as the Bay Area, San Diego and Boston.
  • Seattle was named the country's "Most Livable City" by the 2005 U.S. Conference of Mayors.
  • Seattle and King County are surrounded by the natural beauties of mountains, forests, water and islands that host a wealth of recreational options.
  • Seattle and King County are an international community and a world-class center for cultural arts, such as the symphony, opera, ballet, theater, and museums.
  • College and professional sports teams offer fans football, baseball, hockey, men's & women's basketball and more.
  • Seattle boasts world-famous live music venues, restaurants and night life.
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