BIO 2015 Announces Innovation Zone

BIO International Convention, which will be held from June 15–18, 2015 in Philadelphia, PA, will feature a 5000-sq-ft Innovation Zone. First introduced at the 2014 conference, the Zone will be host to more than 75 companies, including 40 startups and small businesses developing innovative biomedical technologies and who are funded by the National Science Foundation’s (NSF) Directorate for Engineering. The Zone will also feature companies supported by the National Institutes of Health Small Business Innovation Research/Small Business Technology Transfer (SBIR/STTR) program and six universities funded under the NSF Partnerships for Innovation.

In addition to the companies featured in the Zone, the NSF SBIR/STTR program supports most exhibitors attending the conference. The NSF SBIR/STTR program is designed to support the commercialization of “high-risk technological innovations via research and development grants to small businesses and startups,” according to a press release.

"Biomedical innovations born out of the ingenuity of inventors, scientists, and engineers have the potential to benefit human health and boost the economy-if they make it to the marketplace. NSF seed funding provides the critical first step, while the Innovation Zone gathers potential investors, partners, and mentors all under one roof, at one time, to make connections for commercialization. There is no substitute for this kind of in-person opportunity,” said Pramod Khargonekar, assistant director for engineering, NSF, in a press release.

Source: BIO