Axios Live: Virginia looks to schools amid weak funding to sustain biotech growth
RICHMOND — Virginia's biotech growth is drawing schools, industry groups and local governments into a statewide effort to boost the industry's place in the region's economy, state and business leaders said at an Axios event. Why it matters: Education and workforce development efforts are investing in the biopharma talent pipeline earlier, even at the elementary school level, with the potential to connect more Virginians with jobs in the growing sector. Axios' Sabrina Moreno and Brock Turner spoke to Virginia deputy secretary for commerce and trade Kristen Dahlman, Virginia Economic Development Partnership chief of talent and workforce strategy Megan Healy, Virginia Bio CEO John Newby and Goochland County administrator Jeremy Raley. The Oct. 29 event was sponsored by PhRMA. What they're saying: Newby identified funding as a weakness for the region, compared to other biotech hubs like San Francisco and Boston . "So we're strong in all categories. The one category that Virginia in this region is weakest in, vis-à-vis the rest of the country, is funding," Newby said. Virginia Bio, the nonprofit life sciences trade group, is looking to address the funding gap by adding more investors to its board and attending national investment conferences. The intrigue: Raley discussed how
