For years behind the scenes, a $13.4 billion technology industry has grown alongside the theme parks, palm trees and golf courses of Central Florida. A fast-emerging life science and biotechnology sector has sprung from a renowned regional healthcare system, comprising some of the top hospitals in the country, and has been further enhanced by research facilities, business incubators, research parks and educational programs. Metro Orlando has also become a hub for specialty pharmaceutical compounding and distribution.

Picking up the pace, this region’s life science sector gained great attention when the University of Central Florida, ranked the 5th largest university in the nation, gained approval to build a new College of Medicine - this coming on the heels of announcing its Burnett School of Biomedical Sciences. Together the Burnett School and College of Medicine will create a research intensive institution where cutting edge research will span the entire spectrum from the lab to the bedside of patients, while providing a great training environment for physicians and biomedical researchers.

As major research institutions and hospital systems looked to Orlando as their possible home it became clear to the business community that the life science and biotechnology sector had gained tremendous momentum. The call for a unified group to accelerate life science in Central Florida became even louder following the announcement that the Burnham Institute for Medical Research had selected Orlando’s Lake Nona as its east coast expansion site.

In early 2007, the Metro Orlando Economic Development Commission (EDC) accepted the task of forming a life science council. On behalf of the community, our goal was to harness efforts to build this cluster under one umbrella. The EDC engaged North Highland consulting group and additional stakeholders to identify what would be necessary to develop the life science industry in Central Florida. Over a period of 180 days, focus groups, personal interviews, extensive research, and travel to 12 life science regions in North America occurred. The result of this collaborative work was the launch of bioOrlando in July of 2007.

bioOrlando gives real form - with structure and processes - to our collaborative spirit.