An annual event aims to connect emerging companies with potential investors, as well as grow and strengthen Iowa?s biotechnology industry.
The 2018 Partnering for Growth: Biotech Innovation Showcase & Forum, hosted by the Iowa Biotechnology Association, will be held March 20 – 21 at the Iowa FFA Enrichment Center in Ankeny. Iowa Biotechnology Association executive director Joe Hrdlicka encourages those looking for the latest and greatest innovations to stop by the event.
?If you?re interested in the latest application of new technology in the ag space, particularly as it pertains to plant science, you?re going to look at these companies and say, ?Wow, there?s some advanced innovation happening here.? If you?re one of those producers who wants to be on top of that, then this is a wonderful event for you to attend,? Hrdlicka said. ?If you?re doing business in the biotechnology sector, particularly in Iowa, this is a great event for you to make that next partnership or networking contact.?
The showcase portion features 12 emerging companies. Each company will present their innovations to potential investors from throughout the country. Hrdlicka says this year?s showcase lineup features early stage ag-tech and med-tech firms from across the U.S.
?(There?s) an unbelievable range of companies from not only Iowa, but all over the country. It?s really exciting,? Hrdlicka said. ?When you look down the roster of all the different companies – there?s different artificial intelligence applications, nutrient sensory applications and pollination technology. The number of Iowa companies and the things they?re doing in this field is really exciting.?
The twelve emerging companies include:
- 3Bar Biologics Inc. (Columbus, OH),
- Aker Technologies Inc. (Winnebago, MN)
- Hurd Health Group (Roland, IA)
- N-Sense LLC (Ames, IA)
- Nebullam, L.L.C (Ames, IA)
- Ohana Vaccines, LLC (Iowa City, Iowa)
- Plastomics Inc. (St. Louis, MO)
- PowerPollen (Ankeny, IA)
- SciBac, Inc. (Milpitas, CA)
- Stover Ventures, LLC (Mason City, IA)
- SynderBio, Inc. (Coralville, IA)
- TeselaGen Biotechnology, Inc. (San Francisco, CA).
Hrdlicka adds this year?s lineup says a lot about Iowa and it?s biotechnology industry.
?You take a company like TeselaGen – they?ve made a lot of waves in (the) biotech industry recently, but they?re an emerging company. What it says about Iowa – because TeselaGen applied to be a part of this – is we have a great life science, bioscience ecosystem here,? Hrdlicka said. ?These companies are coming not only because they can network with investors, but there are resources here that are germain to them being more successful in their business.?
The forum portion will feature several keynote presenters. The keynote presenters are as follows: Jeff Broin (POET), Fabian Kausche (Boehringer Ingelheim Vetmedica), Bayan Takazawa (CONTINUUS Pharmaceuticals), and John Swart (Exemplar Genetics).
For more information about the 2018 Partnering for Growth: Biotech Innovation Showcase and Forum, visit www.iowabio.org.
