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Biotech & Pharma in the Capital Region
The Washington, DC metro area is the perfect destination for biotech and pharma-related meetings and conventions. Overall, the concentration of resources and funding breed and attract top talent, ensuring biotech will thrive in the DC metro area. Read on to learn why DC has become a top destination for biotech and pharma. Connect with Destination DC staff, submit a meetings RFP or learn more about biotech and pharma meetings and conventions in our biotech and pharma white paper. A high percentage of venture capital funding in the region is invested in biotech. The area is home to grant-funding government agencies like the National Institutes of Health and the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency. The region ranked #4 nationwide in biotech investment in 2014. Late-stage biotech funding is trending higher in the region than the national average, signifying that many companies are generating significant revenue growth. Intellectual Capital The life science cluster known as “DNA Alley” is home to 170 biotech companies. DNA Alley consists of nearly 60,000 private sector and government employees. The DC metro area is the top paying region for biological scientists. R&D makes up the majority of life science employment in the metropolitan area. Pharma, medicine and vaccine manufacturing are rapidly growing industries in the metro area. Scientists in the region generate numerous medical equipment and instrument patents. The DC metro area is home to prestigious research-heavy universities and major labs, like the Institute for Bioscience and Biotechnology Research and the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. Local Support As part of its commitment to developing tech subsectors, the District of Columbia government offers incentives to local biotech startups. A public-private partnership, BioHealth Innovation (BHI) advances local technologies, assets and resources and includes leaders from the biotech space, such as MedImmune. Through events like the Maryland Regional BioTech Forum, BHI’s mission is to grow the metro area’s biotech ecosystem into one of the top three biotech hubs in the nation by 2023. Access Lawmakers meet with researchers and entrepreneurs who are keen on shaping policy. Proximity to regulatory agencies and officials in the DC metro area makes it possible to connect with decision-makers. Labeled by BioSpace.com as the “BioCapital Community Hotbed,” the DC metro area includes the FDA, BIO, NIST, PhRMA, Leidos Biomedical Research, AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals, among others. 11 of Scientific American’s “Top 100 visionaries who continue to reshape biotechnology – and the world” live in the DC metro area. Interested in learning more about Washington, DC as a leading destination for biotech and pharma meetings? Read the white paper and connect with Destination DC staff for more information.
Connected Capital Industry Press Coverage
Jay Newton-Small of TIME sites various statistics on DC as the #1 city for women in tech in her story. TIME.com, Feb. 27, 2018: Silicon Valley Is a Boys Club. But This City Is Surprisingly Good for Women in Tech Tara Miller, Senior Manager of International Sales at Destination DC, shares how DC is a leader in technology, social entrepreneurship and innovation. Union of International Associations, Feb. 6, 2018: Why Washington, DC? Matt Swenson of Connect features Washington, DC’s assets in the technology space as well as city developments and updates. Connect, Aug. 7, 2017: Washington, DC: An Innovation Capital Washington Business Journal reports on DC as one of the nation's top tech towns in venture capital, knowledge workers, tech workers, growth entrepreneurship and an educated workforce. Washington Business Journal, June 12, 2017: D.C. one of the nation’s top tech towns? You better believe it, one major real estate firm says. Washington, DC and its tech initiative were used as a case study in this report from Skift and Meetings Mean Business. Skift & Meetings Mean Business, April 2017: Defining Conventions As Urban Innovation and Economic Accelerators Meetings Today talked with Destination DC President and CEO Elliott Ferguson about efforts to attract more tech meetings. Meetings Today, April 2017: DC Makes Push for Tech Meetings Elliott Ferguson also conducted a Q&A with Smart Meetings that touches on recent developments in the District, as well as other features that make the city ideal for meetings and conventions. Smart Meetings, April 2017: First Person Q&A: Elliott Ferguson, president and CEO of Destination DC DC is highlighted as a “tech-savvy” meeting site in this piece from Smart Meetings. Smart Meetings, April 28, 2017: Creating Onsite Video Content Greg Oates of Skift highlights DC in a report on “Inclusive Innovation,” and references Destination DC’s white paper on Washington, DC’s status as a technology hub. Skift, March 22, 2017: Behind The Rise of Diversity in the Meetings Industry – Meetings Innovation Report Plan your meeting in Washington, DC and dfiscover why the nation's capital is an industry-leading knowledge hub.
Government Advocacy
Washington, DC’s role as the advocacy capital of the world drives success for business events. Add value for your attendees by tapping into DC’s network of federal policymakers, prospective industry sponsors or high-level speakers. Washington is an epicenter of think tanks, lobbying firms and both national and international associations. Book your next meeting in DC and take advantage of all the assets that can only be found in the nation's capital. Connect with Destination DC staff, submit a meetings RFP or learn more about advocacy-focused meetings and conventions in our government advocacy white paper. Advantages Approximately one out of every 10 jobs in the DC region is in the federal government (WTOP, 2018) Over 11,270 lobbyists in Washington, DC spent $2.59 billion in 2018. Top industries include pharmaceuticals/health products, insurance, electronics and business associations. (Center for Responsive Politics) Major trade groups and organizations such as the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, National Association of Realtors and Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America lead the list of top lobbying spenders in 2018. (Center for Responsive Politics) Approximately 400 think tanks located here include the Brookings Institution, the Council on Foreign Relations and the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. (TripSavvy, 2018) Fifty-four percent of the 364,000 people employed by the federal government in the region are headquartered in DC (District’s Office of Revenue Analysis, 2017) DC has the 5th largest dollar economy in America, equivalent in size to Sweden and Taiwan (City Lab, 2017) Access DC is the only place where groups can meet with congressional leaders, hold a legislative day on Capitol Hill or educate policymakers. Washington, DC has unparalleled access to high-level speakers, such as presidential cabinet secretaries or federal policymakers. The region is home to many influential media outlets that cover government relations including ABC, CBS, CNN, C-Span, Fox News, National Public Radio, NBC, POLITICO and The Washington Post. The city is a global hub for non-governmental organizations such as the American Red Cross International Services, Salvation Army World Service Office and United Way Worldwide. Most federal agencies are headquartered in the DC area, including the National Weather Service, the Department of Agriculture and the U.S. Geological Survey. Tap into 15 executive departments that are the main agencies of the federal government with more than 250 sub-agencies under the executive branch. Education Fifteen local universities have significant credentials in government, offering courses and connections to key policymakers and political institutes. Georgetown University is ranked the #1 science and government college in the U.S. (College Factual, 2018) George Washington University is ranked #1 in the U.S. for political science and government degrees. (Department of Education, 2016) DC is ranked #2 in the U.S. for the highest number of political science and government graduates per year. (Department of Education, 2016) Key Events International Gas Union leaders as the 27th World Gas Conference focused on educating policy makers on the importance of gas in an increasingly carbon constrained environment. Destination Capitol Hill in April is the U.S. Travel Association’s premier legislative fly-in to educate policymakers about the economic impact of travel. The annual American Israel Public Affairs Committee policy conference is the largest gathering of America's pro-Israel community. The annual Congressional Black Caucus Foundation conference works to advance the global black community by developing leaders, informing policy and educating the public. The American Association for Cancer and over 300 national organizations host the Rally for Medical Research Hill Day, calling on policymakers to make funding for National Institutes of Health a national priority. The Washington Auto Show’s MobilityTalks International conference gathers government policy makers to exchange ideas on best practices related to the development and regulation of connected and autonomous vehicles. Interested in learning more about Washington, DC as a leading destination for industry meetings? Connect with Destination DC staff or read our government advocacy white paper for more information.