A 150-year-old life science history. Collaborative networks supporting complex biological, organic and pharmacological research. Advanced manufacturing expertise in medical devices. A cadre of clinical and contract research organizations. Venture Capital availability. All make Southwest Michigan home to the nation’s hottest and fast-growing life science cluster.

Southwest Michigan First offers you access to all the pieces that a company needs to come together for success: a legacy of life science innovation that began when Dr. W. E. Upjohn invented the first pharmaceutical pill and now offers complex biological, organic, pharmacological and advanced manufacturing expertise; the $50 million Southwest Michigan First Life Science Fund believed to be the largest sum of community-based private capital ever to be raised and managed by an economic development organization.; an angel network committed to entrepreneurship; and the Southwest Michigan Innovation Center, a 69,000-square-foot life science accelerator … all committed to jobs creation and entrepreneurship in the Kalamazoo Region.

First Facts:

• Home to over 200 regional life science companies
• 33 successful life science start-ups since 2003
• $50 million Southwest Michigan First Life Science Fund, an early stage venture capital fund for life science opportunities in the Kalamazoo Region
• One of the nation’s strongest and most respected concentrations of contract research organizations
• Over 24,800 employed in the life sciences
• Over 3,400 life science jobs created in 2008
• Six Fortune 500 companies are headquartered or physically present, including Stryker, Kellogg, Pfizer, Abbott Laboratories, Medtronic and Thermo Fisher Scientific
• #1 Top 5 Medium MSA with the highest concentration of employment for Drugs and Pharmaceuticals (Business Facilities, August 2009)
• #2 Top 5 Medium MSA with the highest concentration of employment for Medical Device and Equipment (Business Facilities, August 2009)
• Ranks in Top 100 metro areas for device patents according to a report by the Taimerica Management Company (2007)
• Top life science employers include Alticor, Kellogg, MPI Research, Perrigo, Pfizer and Stryker
• One of the nation's most educated demographics: 1.82% of the population hold doctoral degrees (.96% is national average); 8.5% hold a masters' degree (5.92 % is national average); and 19.30% hold a bachelor's degree (15.76% is national average)
• Southwest Michigan Innovation Center, a 69,000-square-foot life science accelerator
• Over 45,000 college students

First Links:

First Publications:

Life Science in the Kalamazoo Region (Source: Southwest Michigan First, May 2008)

Life Sciences Development in Western Michigan:  Regaining Global Prominence (Source: Taimerica Management Group, June 2007)

Locational Opportunites - Life Science (Source: Southwest Michigan First, 2007)