ANN ARBOR, Mich.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--MichBio, the association for Michigan’s biosciences industry, has launched a statewide effort called the Michigan Bio-Industry Roadmap 2015. The roadmap is a five-year strategic plan for growing Michigan’s biosciences industry and is being conducted in partnership with Business Leaders for Michigan (BLM) and the University Research Corridor (URC).
“Michigan’s bio-industry is at a critical point given the rapidly changing dynamics in the healthcare delivery marketplace, regulatory landscape, and global economy,” remarked Stephen Rapundalo, MichBio’s President and CEO. “For the state’s bioscience research, development, and manufacturing enterprise to have future success, a shared and executable vision with performance measures is required.”
A number of bio-industry plans, assessments, and reports have been developed over the last 10-15 years at the local, regional, and state levels, but the last substantive statewide strategic plan dates back to 2004.
The Michigan Bio-Industry Roadmap 2015 is intended to be an operational “game plan” to enable growth over the next three to five years. The planning effort will identify key strategies with defined goals, expectations, actions, and metrics. Further, it will focus on functional areas such as, but not limited to: innovation, industry growth, business climate, capital access, and education and talent development. In addition, the roadmap will assess needs and opportunities across several bio-industry sectors and market areas where Michigan has a recognized strength and/or potential for growth.
“Growing Michigan’s strengths in the area of life sciences is key to growing a new Michigan economy. As the demand for life sciences solutions grow, Michigan will benefit from leveraging its bio-industry to its fullest potential. Developing such an industry pillar for Michigan’s economy will make us more competitive globally and increase opportunities for job growth,” explained Doug Rothwell, BLM President and CEO.
The road mapping effort is being overseen by an executive steering committee comprised of bio-industry experts from around Michigan:
- Linda Chamberlain, PhD: Venture Fellow, Michigan Accelerator Fund 1, Grand Rapids
- Rob DeWit, PhD: Director, Southwest Michigan Innovation Center, Kalamazoo
- Michael Hagen: Chair, Ash Stevens, Detroit
- Dean Knuth: Director, Jasper Clinic/MPI Research, Kalamazoo
- Jeffrey Mason: Director, University Research Corridor, East Lansing
- Ken Massey: Venture Director, Wayne State University Office of Technology Commercialization, Detroit
- Fred Molnar: Michigan Life Sciences Innovation Center, Plymouth
- Karen Studer-Rabeler: Technology Consultant, Michigan Small Business Development Center, Grass Lake
“It is important to note that the biosciences industry is one of a number of sectors where Michigan has truly world-class institutions that deliver discoveries and serve as the substrate for commercialization,” said Jeffrey Mason, URC Executive Director. “A roadmap that integrates stakeholders from across the state is critical to develop a R&D ecosystem that can compete globally.”
Data Consulting Group (DCG) in Detroit was chosen to facilitate and support the statewide roadmap initiative. Michael Kruczek, Life Sciences Practice Leader at DCG will serve as the project manager.
Outreach to bio-industry stakeholders is planned in the form of interviews, focus groups, and surveys. Data gathered will validate key strategic themes and areas, identify new unmet needs and growth opportunities, and help develop policy proposals for legislative action. New and existing MichBio workgroups will support the steering committee in developing the roadmap. The final report will include performance measures and responsible parties for delivering outcomes. Annual assessments on progress and impact are planned.
Anyone interested in being part of the Michigan Bio-Industry Roadmap 2015 effort should contact Stephen Rapundalo at srapundalo@michbio.org.
MichBio is the trade association committed to driving growth in Michigan's biosciences industry and its many sectors, including agri-biotech, food and nutrition, bio-based technologies and renewable chemicals, industrial and environmental biotech, medical devices and technologies, pharmaceuticals and consumer healthcare, diagnostics and research products, testing and research services, and clinical research. MichBio members include bioscience companies, academic and research institutions, bioscience service providers, and related organizations. For more information, visit www.michbio.org or follow us on Twitter @MichBio.
Business Leaders for Michigan, the state’s business roundtable, is dedicated to making Michigan a top ten state for jobs, personal income, and a healthy economy. The organization is composed exclusively of the chairpersons, chief executive officers, or most senior executives of Michigan's largest companies and universities. Their members drive over 25 percent of the state’s economy, provide over 325,000 direct and 820,000 indirect jobs in Michigan, generate over $1 trillion in annual revenue, and serve nearly one half of all Michigan public university students. Find out more at: www.businessleadersformichigan.com.
Michigan’s University Research Corridor—an alliance between Michigan State University, the University of Michigan, and Wayne State University—is the engine that drives innovation for Michigan and the Great Lakes region, increasing economic prosperity, and connecting Michigan to the world. Find out more at urcmich.org or follow them on Facebook or Twitter @urcmich.
Data Consulting Group (DCG) has a 24-year history of providing high quality, results-oriented professional services. Headquartered in Detroit, MI, DCG is a minority owned company and fully certified by the Minority Business Development Council (MMBDC) in Michigan. Their professional services include management consulting, staff augmentation, and outsourcing. With offices in Michigan and Virginia, DCG has served clients across multiple industries including: automotive, manufacturing, utilities, health care, life sciences, financial services, higher education, and the public sector. DCG is also an approved Federal Contractor working within Health and Human Services, Department of Defense, and Homeland Security. Learn more about DCG at: www.dcgroupinc.com.
