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The Seattle metropolitan area and Washington State are well known as the home of Microsoft and Amazon.com, but currently the area is gaining recognition as one of the
premier biotechnology and medical technology centers in the world and one of the fastest
growing research centers in the United States. This industry thrives due to its
foundation on world-class research institutions, a pervasive entrepreneurial spirit,
the region's rapidly growing financial wealth, and an unsurpassed quality of life that makes
it one of the most desirable places to work, live, and play.
Biotechnology and medical technology companies in Washington are
developing revolutionary methods for the diagnosis and treatment of cancer, AIDS, cystic
fibrosis, multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis and other serious conditions. Medical
device firms are leaders in the research and development of ultrasound imaging, and heart
defibrillation products. In agriculture, companies are developing improved foods and
processes that enhance product yield, safety, and quality. Environmental firms in the
state are developing innovative products and processes for waste management and
bioremediation.
The technology foundation of Washington's industry is the cutting edge research
conducted at the University of Washington,
Washington State University, the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Pacific Northwest Diabetes Research Institute, and Pacific Northwest National Laboratory. Since 1980,
these research universities and non-profit organizations have attracted over $32 billion into
Washington State -- mostly federal research and training money focused on health science.
Importantly, nearly one-third of the more than 250 private and publicly traded biotechnology and
medical device firms in the state are founded on technologies developed at these institutions.
Also important are the collaborative research, faculty consulting and clinical study relationships
these and other Washington institutions have with numerous companies, both in-state and
out-of-state.
In addition to these institutions, Seattle is home to the Allen Institute for Brain Science, Infectious Disease
Research Institute, PATH (Program for Appropriate Technology in Health), Seattle Biomedical Research Institute and
others. These non-profit organizations, already important research centers, along with several other smaller
research centers, are having increasingly significant impacts locally, as well as globally.
As we enter the 21st century, we are witnessing the convergence of biotechnology and
medical technology with informatics, genomics, and telemedicine, areas in which companies
and research institutions in Washington State excel. This convergence, combined with the
state's existing strengths in electrical engineering, software development, and
semiconductor design and fabrication, will position Washington State at the forefront of
new technology research development well into the 21st century, nationally, as well as
globally.
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