There’s More to Kansas Than Beef, Wheat and Sunflowers
Kansas appears on the verge of outgrowing its agricultural roots – at least as its primary economic mainstay. While each Kansas farmer and livestock producer continues to feed about 144 Americans every day, the state has literally burst from nowhere to a ranking of fifth nationally for its biotechnology strength and bioscience innovation, investment and development.
This latest ranking issued in July, 2010, by Business Facilities magazine, the leading site selection publication in the country, puts Kansas in the company of such biotech powerhouses as Massachusetts, Illinois, North Carolina, Texas and California.
“Biotechnology strength is one of our most important and fiercely competitive rankings categories, said Jack Rogers, editor-in-chief of Business Facilities. His editorial board also ranked Kansas in the Top Ten of eight of its 20 categories: Economic Growth Potential (#10); Biotechnology Strength (#5); Biofuels Manufacturing Research (#10); Alternative Energy Industry (#10); Wind Energy Manufacturing (#3); Quality of Life (#3); Employment Leaders (#5); Best Education Climate (#3).
But you don’t have to take Business Facilities’ word for it– five other business journals rated the state high or singled it out for its favorable business environment. Southern Business & Development had Kansas at number three in its “Top Deals and Hot Markets” class. Pollina Corporate ranked Kansas the seventh most “business friendly” state, while CNBC placed it eleventh among “America’s Top States for Business.” Area Development magazine named Kansas the winner of its Silver Shovel Award for job creation and capital investment. Site Selection magazine also cited the state as one of the nation’s ten most competitive states for capital investment and facility development.
Spearheading Kansas’s emergence as a leader in biotechnology is the Kansas Bioscience Authority founded by the state in 2004. In its short existence, the KBA has invested $600 million in the dynamic bioscience industry to nurture the growth of startups, create new jobs, attract private venture capital and increase research and business investments in the state. Through June of this year, these investments have resulted in 1,184 new jobs, $151.7 million in capital expenditures, $75.2 million in research funding and $34.4 million in equity investments.
Investors from the coasts flying over the state no longer wonder what those big circles on the ground are. They know they’re center pivot irrigation systems. What they want to know now is how quickly they can land on Kansas soil and get down to business.
Kansas appears on the verge of outgrowing its agricultural roots – at least as its primary economic mainstay. While each Kansas farmer and livestock producer continues to feed about 144 Americans every day, the state has literally burst from nowhere to a ranking of fifth nationally for its biotechnology strength and bioscience innovation, investment and development.
This latest ranking issued in July, 2010, by Business Facilities magazine, the leading site selection publication in the country, puts Kansas in the company of such biotech powerhouses as Massachusetts, Illinois, North Carolina, Texas and California.
“Biotechnology strength is one of our most important and fiercely competitive rankings categories, said Jack Rogers, editor-in-chief of Business Facilities. His editorial board also ranked Kansas in the Top Ten of eight of its 20 categories: Economic Growth Potential (#10); Biotechnology Strength (#5); Biofuels Manufacturing Research (#10); Alternative Energy Industry (#10); Wind Energy Manufacturing (#3); Quality of Life (#3); Employment Leaders (#5); Best Education Climate (#3).
But you don’t have to take Business Facilities’ word for it– five other business journals rated the state high or singled it out for its favorable business environment. Southern Business & Development had Kansas at number three in its “Top Deals and Hot Markets” class. Pollina Corporate ranked Kansas the seventh most “business friendly” state, while CNBC placed it eleventh among “America’s Top States for Business.” Area Development magazine named Kansas the winner of its Silver Shovel Award for job creation and capital investment. Site Selection magazine also cited the state as one of the nation’s ten most competitive states for capital investment and facility development.
Spearheading Kansas’s emergence as a leader in biotechnology is the Kansas Bioscience Authority founded by the state in 2004. In its short existence, the KBA has invested $600 million in the dynamic bioscience industry to nurture the growth of startups, create new jobs, attract private venture capital and increase research and business investments in the state. Through June of this year, these investments have resulted in 1,184 new jobs, $151.7 million in capital expenditures, $75.2 million in research funding and $34.4 million in equity investments.
Investors from the coasts flying over the state no longer wonder what those big circles on the ground are. They know they’re center pivot irrigation systems. What they want to know now is how quickly they can land on Kansas soil and get down to business.
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