Collaborative life sciences initiatives blaze trails to new businesses, jobs

By: Deborah Johnson Wood

Collaboration between business competitors is unheard of in most parts of the country. But in West Michigan, it's becoming the norm. Especially in the life sciences industry.

One example is the West Michigan Science and Technology Initiative (WMSTI), which was established by the State of Michigan in 2002 as a life sciences incubator to help entrepreneurs and innovators get their products and discoveries to market.

"We've got competitors working together for the greater good of the community, and that's what West Michigan is built on," says Kim Bode, marketing director. "That sets us apart."

Bode cites a number of joint efforts across the region that are primed to spur economic development throughout the gamut of life sciences technologies:

• The Right Place, Inc. and Southwest Michigan First are working together to attract and retain businesses.
• ClinXus, a clinical research alliance, is attracting pharmaceutical companies to do clinical research.
• The Core Technology Alliance connects core efficiencies between companies to drive drug development through the pipeline faster.
• West Michigan Medical Device Consortium is a group of manufacturers working together to leverage core competencies and create awareness of the region's manufacturing expertise.
• Biotech Commercialization Project sets up innovation committees to get healthcare workers' biotech inventions to market.

"This list doesn't even include what's going on on the lakeshore with Lakeshore Advantage, the Pfizer building in Holland, and Muskegon's MAREC," Bode says.

With over $1 billion in construction on Michigan Street Hill, and recent expansions to Holland Hospital, Muskegon's Mercy General, St. Mary's Health Care and others, Bode believes the jobs and economic growth are on their way.

"This effort is from the ground up," she says, "and it's all due to collaboration."

Source: Kim Bode, West Michigan Science and Technology Initiative

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Deborah Johnson Wood is development news editor for Rapid Growth Media. She can be contacted at [email protected].