In Austin, VC is booming for biotechs

Further evidence of Texas' growing power in the biotech industry: the Austin Business Journal reports that in recent months, central Texas-based life science outfits have attracted about $500 million in VC. "The 'we can't do bio in Austin' attitude is no longer true," said Isaac Barchas, director of the University of Texas' IC2 Institute. "Taken together, it feels like this is the moment when things are happening in bio. I think in two years we'd point to this moment and say, 'that was when things started to happen.'" Texas' biotech efforts--particularly its $3 billion bond program for cancer research--propelled it to first place on FierceBiotech's annual list of the top five regions attracting biotech business.

- see the Austin Business Journal piece
- read FierceBiotech's special report on Texas. Report