BIO Selects Des Moines as Venue for the 2019 BIO World Congress on Industrial Biotechnology

February 26, 2018

WASHINGTON–(BUSINESS WIRE)–The Biotechnology Innovation Organization (BIO) today announced the
selection of Des Moines, Iowa, as the location for the 2019 BIO
World Congress on Industrial Biotechnology. The event will be held
July 8-11, 2019 and it will host industry executives, investors, policy
makers and academics from around the world and will feature the BIO
One-on-One Partnering™ system.

Brent Erickson, executive vice president of BIO’s Industrial &
Environmental Section, said, “BIO is extremely pleased to work with our
state affiliate IowaBio and the Iowa Economic Development Authority to
bring the annual BIO World Congress to Des Moines for the very first
time. Iowa is a natural leader in the growing biobased economy – with a
large number of biobased product manufacturers, as well as renewable
chemical and biofuel producers – making it a great location for the
world’s largest industrial biotechnology conference. The BIO World
Congress draws delegations from around the world every year. With robust
educational programming and partnering opportunities, this event
provides industry executives and investors opportunities to connect and
drive additional growth in the sector.”

“Given Iowa’s preeminent position in the industrial biotechnology
sector, there is no better venue to host this important forum than
Iowa,” said Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds. “This will provide us with an
excellent opportunity to showcase our state’s competitive advantages to
a globally respected audience and demonstrate that Iowa is indeed at the
epicenter of this important industry.”

Joe Hrdlicka, executive director of the Iowa
Biotechnology Association (IowaBio), added, “Iowa is home to a
strong biotechnology sector, world-class universities and an
unparalleled agriculture industry. We look forward to bringing business
leaders, diplomats and researchers from around the world together to
continue building the biobased economy.”

Key facts about Iowa’s biobased economy:

Iowa has 1,266 bioscience businesses, which employed nearly 25,000
people as of 2014.
Iowa ranks first among Midwestern states in academic bioscience R&D
expenditures per capita.
Iowa has the ability to harvest 14.4 million dry tons of biomass per
year (including total cellulosic and crop biomass).
Iowa has a significant number of companies engaged in manufacturing
renewable chemicals, and the state has implemented a Renewable
Chemicals Production Tax Credit that incentivizes production of 30
high-value chemicals derived from biomass.
Iowa has 43 operating ethanol biorefineries, collectively producing
over 26 percent of total U.S. ethanol output.
Iowa has 12 biodiesel refineries, collectively producing 17 percent of
total U.S. biodiesel output.

The 2018
BIO World Congress on Industrial Biotechnology will be held July
16-19, 2018, at the Pennsylvania Convention Center in Philadelphia.

All programs at the 2018 BIO World Congress on Industrial Biotechnology
are open to members of the media. Complimentary media
registration is available to editors and journalists working full
time for print, broadcast or web publications with valid press
credentials. Videos of the event may be available on BIO’s
YouTube channel, following the event.

For more information on the conference please visit https://www.bio.org/events/bio-world-congress.
For assistance, please contact [email protected].

About BIO

BIO is the world's largest trade association representing biotechnology
companies, academic institutions, state biotechnology centers and
related organizations across the United States and in more than 30 other
nations. BIO members are involved in the research and development of
innovative healthcare, agricultural, industrial and environmental
biotechnology products. BIO also produces the BIO
International Convention, the world’s largest gathering of the
biotechnology industry, along with industry-leading investor and
partnering meetings held around the world. BIOtechNOW
is BIO's blog chronicling “innovations transforming our world” and the
BIO Newsletter is the organization’s bi-weekly email newsletter. Subscribe
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