More than a hundred leaders from various sectors, including business, academia, research, and healthcare, gathered at the Arkansas Regional Innovation Hub in North Little Rock on Oct. 5 to mark the establishment of BIOArkansas.
This professional association is committed to nurturing and expanding the biohealth, biotechnology, and agricultural biotechnology community across Arkansas. It is the state affiliate of the global BIO.org group.
Throughout the Kick-Off Conference’s proceedings, a prominent theme emerged: the vital role of a robust commercialization ecosystem in supporting early-stage research and product development.
BIOArkansas has pledged its support for entrepreneurial ventures, workforce education, industry advocacy, and targeted business recruitment in the biotechnology domain.
The group plans to convene multiple times throughout the year. The goal is to connect Arkansans dedicated to driving growth and collaboration in the biotech space. Individuals or organizations interested in joining BIOArkansas should complete the membership application.
Notably, the inaugural event drew the participation of businesses, researchers, healthcare leaders, and resource providers from all corners of the state.
BIOArkansas organizers actively facilitated interactions among attendees during the day, seeking input on how the organization can best address the needs of professionals in the represented industries.
The event featured several Arkansas-based founders. Many are clients of the Arkansas Small Business and Technology Development Center. They shared their experiences, highlighting both their achievements and challenges. Many of them expressed gratitude to resource provider organizations present, such as ASBTDC, for the invaluable assistance that played a significant role in bringing their research-driven innovations to market.
The presenters included Dr. Joseph Batta-Mpouma of CelluDot, Noah Asher of Vascugenix, Spencer Jones of Lapovations, Matt Francis of Ozark Integrated Circuits, and Sharon Ballard of NuShores Biosciences, all of whom have benefitted from ASBTDC early-stage technology consulting.
ASBTDC technology innovation staff offered support for the event and spoke with attendees about the comprehensive range of services the center offers to technology-based startups. These services include assistance with SBIR/STTR proposal development, training events, market research, and commercialization consulting.
Visit the BIOArkansas website or follow the organization’s LinkedIn page for more information on the group.
