Connecticut sent a powerhouse economic development team to BIO 2008 in San Diego this year. The mission: to identify and open conversations with business executives considering options for relocating, expanding, or starting up a lifescience company.

For more than a decade Connecticut's economic development team has partnered to create a competitive presence at this three-day international convention.

This year more than 20,000 industry executives from all over the world met in San Diego for three days of meetings, seminars, and other activities. 

Representing the State of Connecticut over the course of the three-day event were:

• Commissioner Joan McDonald, head of Connecticut's Economic and Community Development organization

• Marie O'Brien, president, Connecticut Development Authority

• Peter Longo, president and executive director of Connecticut Innovations

• Paul Pescatello, president and CEO of CURE

Together this team met with dozens of business leaders outlining Connecticut incentives and capitalization programs designed to foster development and growth of the lifescience industry in the State. Connecticut programs include:

• Direct Financial assistance for equipment and capital

• Connecticut Innovation's Eli Whitney Fund, an early-stage investment program

• Turnkey lab solutions for building out web laboratory space

• Tax credits, tax credit exchanges, tax relief, and tax exemption programs designed to help research-intensive enterprises achieve profitability 

For more information on Connecticut's incentive and capital programs, see the fact sheets that were distributed at BIO.

Home base for the three-day event was the Connecticut Pavilion. Thousands saw the Connecticut messaging and stopped by to say hello. The very successful Innovation Pub reception was sponsored by CURE members Cell Design and Antares.

Exhibiting this year in the specially designed mini booth displays were lifescience companies CaraTherapeutics and HistoRx, the University of Connecticut and Yale University, the Connecticut Department of Public Health, the Connecticut Department of Economic and Community Development, the Connecticut Development Authority, Connecticut Innovations CURE, and the City of New Haven.

The San Diego location for BIO also offered a unique opportunity for Connecticut's economic development team to see some of the facilities and location amenities offered to California life science companies. 

CURE's former chairman Kevin Rakin hosted a tour of La Jolla. Pfizer State Government Affairs Senior Director Joseph Hammang hosted a tour of the Pfizer Vaccine Research facility in San Diego. These off-site meetings were designed to educate Connecticut's economic development team both on the special needs of the life science industry and to help them see the intensely competitive recruiting environment in the life sciences.

Several BIO breakout sessions this year featured Connecticut life science leaders. These coveted speaking opportunities included:

What's Ahead: State and Federal Stem Cell Policy and Funding Opportunities, moderated by Paul Pescatello, President and CEO of CURE

Industry and Academia: Love Story or Dangerous Liaison? moderated by Jon Soderstrom, Head of the Yale Office of Cooperative Research

BIO 08 will take place May 18 -21, 2009, in Atlanta, Georgia. Planning for the Connecticut Pavilion has already begun.