By: Deborah Johnson Wood
In less than three years, a Grand Rapids-based biotech marketing and networking group has grown to over 120 members whose diversity in products, innovations and services are no longer limited to just the biotech industry.
That group, once called BioTech Connect, has changed its name to Connect2, but is still an integral part of Grand Valley State University’s West Michigan Science and Technology Initiative.
“We promote our members to the general business community and the life sciences community,” says Kim Bode, spokesperson. “We do a podcast with them, and they tell why they’re unique and what they can bring to other life sciences companies. The podcast is on our web site, which also has a database that can be searched by industry.”
New members get a free ad in the Connect2 newsletter, become part of the member directory and can attend networking events that typically draw 80 to 100 people from member companies.
DVS, a Grand Rapids media production company, is one of the non-biotech trades represented in Connect2.
“There are a lot of new biotech companies looking at coming to West Michigan, and we want to get our name recognized as somebody who’s involved with the biotech field,” says Dave Valko, spokesperson. “If they need to get a product demoed online we can do that, and we can be a resource for marketing, PR, for sales or for the promotion of companies.”
Valko says DVS has gained clients through Connect2 and is currently doing promotional work for DornerWorks Embedded Systems Engineering, another Connect2 member.
“Also,” Valko adds, “companies outside Connect2 recognize the name of the West Michigan Science and Technology Initiative, and that has opened doors for us.”
Source: Kim Bode, West Michigan Science and Technology Initiative; Dave Valko, DVS
Deborah Johnson Wood is development news editor for Rapid Growth Media. She can be contacted at [email protected].
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