Thursday’s Innovation After Hours celebrated the 5th anniversary of the Larimer Bioscience Cluster. Kathy Kregel was on hand to provide the group’s history from its beginnings in 2004 to the end of her leadership in 2009. Notable points in the group’s history include June 2005 when the first strategic plan was completed. At the end of 2006 the cluster saw Kregel become its first employee (albeit part time), “dedicated to keeping the bioscience cluster moving forward.” 2007 saw the advent of the group’s website which was able to highlight the group’s direction along with providing a company directory, as well as the first survey of Northern Colorado’s bioscience executives. By the end of 2007, the group created a new strategic plan having “accomplished 85% of the goals” from the original plan. Accomplishments of the past year include working with RMI2 on the creation of the Northern Colorado Angel Network, and the addition of the bio interns program to the website.
John Collar, executive director of the Colorado Bioscience Association (CBSA) then offered the group a more statewide prospective on the past and future five years of the bioscience industry. CBSA’s goals include providing educational opportunities, promoting favorable legislation, and encouraging technology transfer from the universities. Collar went on to highlight some of facts and figures from the state’s bioscience industry report as well as CBSA’s five key strategic objectives for the next five years (a summary of this information is available here.) Collar also offered some notable points specific to Northern Colorado, noting that Fort Collins offers 8% of the state’s bioscience jobs and that he believes the region is “really making strides.” Some of this success Collar attributed to the Supercluster structure which CSU has employed to help commercialize university discoveries, highlighting that CSU invention disclosures have increased 75% in the past two years.
Kelly Peters concluded the presentations offering her perspective on the future of the Larimer Bioscience cluster after 60 days in office. Peters is impressed by the varied activity and broad accomplishments in the area from expert talks on termite controls to the presence of companies moving through the FDA approval process like St. Renatus, which recently completed Phase II trials. Peters noted expectations for improved access to lab space with the Research Innovation Center (RIC) and the planned RMI2 building. Expanding access to capital for young companies will remain an area of strategic development.
Innovation After Hours, occurring monthly on Wednesdays, is a premier monthly networking and education forum open to all members of the community that will be of special interest to those in scientific, technology and creative fields. It will showcase the best and brightest innovators, scientists and entrepreneurs in Northern Colorado and around the world. The event is sponsored by the Stonehouse Grille and Ehrhardt, Keefe, Steiner, and Hottman PC. The group’s next meeting will take place upstairs at the Stonehouse Grille in Fort Collins on April 9 and will feature Wirsol Solar. For more information please visit www.rmi2.org/ .
