The R.I. Life Science Hub was created by the General Assembly in 2023 as a quasi-public agency funded with an initial investment of $45 million to act as the central coordinating entity for life sciences in the state.
The hub board began meeting in January 2024 in pursuit of several primary objectives. These are:
• Establish and staff the organization, including the CEO search, which is currently underway.
• Establish and fund incubator lab space for early-stage life science companies, for which proposals are already being considered.
• Create a fund to provide grants and/or equity investments in promising, growing companies, the details of which are currently being analyzed.
• Build and grow a more robust and diverse life science workforce development ecosystem that supports job growth in this promising sector at a wide range of skill levels, including lab techs and doctorate and medical degree researchers.
• Growing, retaining and attracting companies that create equitable opportunity in good-paying jobs.
• Finally, and perhaps most importantly – improving health outcomes by providing patients with treatments and cures.
In my many years in Rhode Island, we have seen major industries from decades ago, such as textiles and jewelry, fade from our economy. While we have many successful and varied companies, we have never replaced those two industries as a cornerstone of our economy. But today, we have an opportunity to make our mark again – whether it is offshore wind energy, ocean tech, cybersecurity or life sciences, we need to be working hard and smart to cultivate new sectors that will create good-paying jobs of the future at every level.
The hub in May held an inaugural summit where 500 people came together to discuss and collaborate on the future. Now, we need to leverage the significant talent and enthusiasm in the life science sector in Rhode Island.
I have had the chance to meet many people new to the state with biotech backgrounds and experience, eager to play a role and contribute to growing the sector. Many brilliant and creative researchers at our universities [e.g., Brown University and the University of Rhode Island] are developing and commercializing potential new products, treatments and devices – and they want to stay in Rhode Island while they bring their innovations to market.
It is critical that we develop the workforce to cultivate the talent that will make that a reality. In addition, there are companies that can grow and perhaps move here if we have the workforce and the talent they need.
Growing this workforce starts right at the beginning, in a K-12 education system with science, technology, engineering and math capabilities and career and technical education programs. The Juanita Sanchez Educational Complex, William M. Davies Jr. Career and Technical High School and Middletown High School are good examples of these. We need robust internship and apprentice programs partnering with industry [e.g., Amgen Rhode Island].
This workforce development network will pull together and coordinate various programs, along with RI BIO, the highly effective trade group for the region’s life science industry. These efforts can also be enhanced and expanded through training programs with other partners (e.g., the R.I. Department of Labor and Training, Skills for Rhode Island’s Future, the Community College of Rhode Island, Rhode Island College, URI, etc.).
The hub’s short-term, targeted investments and long-term commitments to the life sciences sector in Rhode Island hold enormous promise for scientific exploration and economic development.
Creating a diverse, inclusive, well-paid workforce is not only a goal but a critical driver of economic success for Rhode Island. While we’ve had a strong start, the hub will remain laser-focused on achieving these goals in the coming months and years.
Neil D. Steinberg is chair of the R.I. Life Science Hub.
