Biotechnology and Medical Technology

Among larger metro areas, the Milwaukee area ranks as having among the highest employment specializations in two of four bioscience categories: medical devices & equipment, and chemicals & agricultural feedstock.

The Milwaukee Region is home to several internationally recognized medical technology and biotech firms. GE Healthcare Technologies, a global leader in medical imaging and information technologies, patient monitoring systems and healthcare services, is based in Waukesha and employs 5,000 people at multiple facilities in the region.

The worldwide headquarters of Abbott Laboratories is located just south of the region in northern Illinois. Already the largest employer of Kenosha County, WI residents, Abbott plans to build a 120-acre campus in the county.

Hospira, a subsidiary of Abbott that was spun off as an independent company in 2004, is a leader in the development, manufacture and marketing of medication delivery systems, specialty injectable pharmaceuticals and critical care devices. Headquartered in northern Illinois, Hospira employs 14,000 people worldwide, including 500 at an office and warehouse facility in Kenosha County.

The Milwaukee Region also is home to the U.S. headquarters of Schwarz Pharma Inc., a global pharmaceutical firm that specializes in therapies for the central nervous system, as well as gastrointestinal and cardiovascular diseases.

The Medical College of Wisconsin in Milwaukee ranks as one of the top 100 academic research institutions in the United States with more than $158 million in research and development expenditures in 2007.

Technology Initiatives

The Milwaukee Region has developed an extensive support network to facilitate the growth of biotech firms. The Center for Advanced Technology and Innovation (CATI) and other community initiatives bring together educators, scientists and the business community to transform research discoveries into marketable products. Several colleges have also adopted their own technology transfer programs, including the Medical College of Wisconsin Research Foundation. The Technology Innovation Center, one of the largest high-tech incubators in the country, is specifically designed to provide laboratory and office space, networking opportunities and other critical services for biotech and information technology start-ups. It currently serves more than 40 tenant companies with 320 employees.

The Milwaukee Region’s commitment to biotechnology has not gone unnoticed. In 2007, the region hosted the BIO Mid-America Venture Forum, which brought together close to 400 venture capitalists and early-stage biotech firms from throughout the Midwest.

BIOTECHNOLOGY AND MEDICAL TECHNOLOGY FIRMS