Vision
The Madison Region is recognized as one of the top five biotech centers in the nation by 2020.
Process and Structure
After surveys, interviews, SWOTs, and feedback sessions with the Madison Region's biotechnology leaders, Thrive developed a set of priorities based on the stated needs of the biotechnology sector. From there, Thrive assessed where they could add value without duplicating efforts based on their strategies and resources. The result is an action plan for the regional biotechnology sector.
Grounded in a broad vision for the sector, these action plans are made up of long-term initiatives and short-term, scalable projects within those initiatives.
Grounded in a broad vision for the sector, these action plans are made up of long-term initiatives and short-term, scalable projects within those initiatives.
Highlight: Badger Career Network Alerts Project
Sector industry partners in biotechnology told Thrive that talent recruitment was a top, pressing issue for their businesses. Employers in the Madison Region's biotech sector are grappling with unfilled vacancies and searching for top talent. The UW exports top talent every year - talent that might want to return to the region. WAA survey research indicates that a full 61% of people who have 'experienced the university' would come back to Madison Region if the opportunity presented itself.
With those facts in mind, Thrive and the Wisconsin Alumni Association is bringing together employers in biotechnology to design a system for making targeted connections between top talent and business in the region.
Participating employers include: Covance, Danisco, Dean Health System, Epic Systems, Mentor Corporation, Meriter Hospital, Monroe Clinic, Promega Corporation, SSM of Wisconsin, St. Mary's Hospital, UW Hospital & Clinics, UW Medical Foundation, and Virent Energy. (This is a joint project with healthcare.)
Thrive is measuring its success in this scalable project through the number of positions filled via the alerts system.
For more information on this and other Thrive biotechnology projects, please contact Cheryl Gain at cgain@thrivehere.org.
"Business calculations have always been, will always be driven by competition. Today's competition is more and more about recruiting skilled people. Cities and regions are increasingly intent on attracting the best and the brightest because they know companies want to operate where they can recruit and hold high quality human talent."
--Scott Polikov, Citiwire.net
--Scott Polikov, Citiwire.net
Additional Initiatives and Projects
In addition to the Talent Initiative (scalable project: Badger Boomerang), Thrive continues to work with regional partners on additional initiatives, including the Visibility Initiative, the Capital Access Initiative, the Policy Initiative, and the Commercialization Initiative. For specific projects within those initiatives, click the link below.
"Thrive has been invaluable in efforts to improve the investment climate for biotech and other high potential companies in the Madison region. Thrive brought together a group of organizations, including the Wisconsin Biotechnology and Medical Device Association, motivated to improve Wisconsin's growth capital policies. It takes this broad-based support to achieve real change."
--Jim Leonhart, Executive Director, Wisconsin Biotechnology and Medical Device Association
--Jim Leonhart, Executive Director, Wisconsin Biotechnology and Medical Device Association
BIO 2008
Thrive recently partnered with the cities of Middleton, Madison and Fitchburg to host a display in the Wisconsin Pavilion at the BIO International Convention in San Diego this June.
The BIO International Convention is the largest biosciences convention in the world. This year's convention is hosting over 20,000 attendees from 48 states and more than 70 countries worldwide. Wisconsin has hosted a pavilion at the BIO Convention since 2001.
Wisconsin's 378 biotech firms contribute over $8 billion to the state's economy and account for more than 30,000 jobs in Wisconsin, with over 150 companies in the Madison Region alone.
This project was part of Thrive's Biotechnology Visibility Initiative.
The BIO International Convention is the largest biosciences convention in the world. This year's convention is hosting over 20,000 attendees from 48 states and more than 70 countries worldwide. Wisconsin has hosted a pavilion at the BIO Convention since 2001.
Wisconsin's 378 biotech firms contribute over $8 billion to the state's economy and account for more than 30,000 jobs in Wisconsin, with over 150 companies in the Madison Region alone.
This project was part of Thrive's Biotechnology Visibility Initiative.
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Regional Presence at BIO 2008
Testimonial
"As a large and growing employer in Wisconsin, access to top talent is critical to our success. We are pleased that Thrive recognizes this as a priority and is working to help Covance and other local biotechnology companies attract talent to our region. Initiatives that Thrive is coordinating, like the Badger Career Network Alerts project, provide real benefit to the biotechnology companies in the region."
--Susan LaBelle, VP of Global Marketing, Covance
--Susan LaBelle, VP of Global Marketing, Covance