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Westchester is a hotbed for economists and biotechnology innovators looking to take part in local life science innovations.
For aspiring and longtime innovators and scientists, Westchester County is more of a hotspot than ever. Labs and research centers abound throughout the county, and one-of-a-kind businesses seem to pop up around the 914 on the daily. And, to share this on a larger scale, the county recently welcomed a number of professionals to see just how much is taking place in the southernmost Hudson Valley county.
On Thursday, April 27, the Westchester County Office of Economic Development (OED) showed how the county has become a top life sciences epicenter in New York State. A bus tour brought economists and biotechnology innovators from Grand Central Station to areas like Hawthorne, Mount Pleasant, and Tarrytown to hear speakers from some of the life sciences powerhouses in the area, including BioInc@NYMC, Burke Neurological Institute, Clarapath, Leviant, Retia Medical, Sapience Therapeutics, and Regeneron.
Highlighted in these presentations and walkthroughs were BioInc’s incubator program, which helps aspiring scientist-entrepreneurs develop business savvy, Clarapath’s robotic approach to disease pathology, Leviant’s UV-light technology, Sapience’s breakthroughs in oncology therapeutics, Retia’s use of AI in cardiac treatment, and Regeneron’s campus expansion and gene-sequencing technology.
“Westchester is home to a thriving life science sector from globally leading organizations to noted innovators and ground-breaking start-ups,” says Westchester County Executive George Latimer. “There is a reason why so many leaders are looking at Westchester and trust that this is where they will be able to thrive and change the world through their science and research.”
Latimer and others believe the county’s advancements should not be “an industry secret,” but rather a reason for more innovation to find its way toward the area. The county is home to about one-fifth of the state’s jobs in the life sciences field.
“Westchester’s life sciences community enjoys access to the nation’s largest talent pool, a collaborative business environment and can offer its employees an outstanding quality of life,” Westchester County Director of Economic Development Bridget Gibbons notes. “We were delighted to welcome our peers and colleagues to see what makes Westchester a premiere destination for life sciences companies.”
The multi-campus tour was capped off with a reception at Kanopi at the Opus Hotel in White Plains, where guests were able to meet and network with other members of the growing and innovative biotech community.
If the recent life sciences successes in Westchester are any indication, this is only the start of innovation in the 914.
Related: These Wunderkinds Lead Westchester’s Business Scene in 2023
