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MTI Blog

1/6/12 - Good Jobs and New Financing- Maine's R&D investments show results

As we turn the corner to this New Year, there are some terrific new examples to share that illustrate Maine's potential to grow good jobs, secure new investment, introduce new products and reach new markets. The successes come as a result of the talents and efforts of our innovators and entrepreneurs, combined with private and public investment in innovation. One of these examples is the expansion of the Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Sciences.

On December 16, the Bigelow Lab opened the doors to its brand new 7,000 sq. ft. Center for Blue Biotechnology in East Boothbay. This celebration marked a significant milestone for Maine and for Bigelow, as one of MTI's 35 Maine Technology Asset Fund projects. The Center for Blue Biotechnology will be one of three new research centers on the Bigelow Lab campus In East Boothbay that will, in time, include a Center for Ocean Biogeochemistry and Climate Change and a Center for Ocean Health.

The Maine Technology Asset Fund is the state bond-funded initiative that invested almost $53 million in Maine companies, universities and nonprofit research institutions to bring new products to market and to leverage significant non-state public and private investment to grow Maine's innovation economy. Bigelow Lab was awarded $4.45 million from the MTAF, matched it with $4.45 million and proceeded to leverage those investments to raise an additional $4.975 million from the National Science Foundation and $9.1 million from National Institute of Standards and Technology. These investments have built a strong foundation that is complementing a new founder's campaign and the Lab's considerable track record of grant funding - including an announcement just before the New Year of an additional grant from the National Science Foundation of $600K.

The Center for Blue Biotechnology now houses the world's first microbial single cell genomics facility, a state-of-the-art flow cytometry laboratory, a bioreactor facility, and the national Center for Culture of Marine Phytoplankton. The new lab sends live algae samples to other researchers around the world - it has been said that Bigelow Labs is to algae what Jackson Labs is to mice. The project has already supported 100 local construction jobs, and once the new campus is complete Bigelow will double its employment of permanent staff to 100. Then, of course, there is the already-evident ripple effect of business and services in the local and surrounding communities that will be supported by the lab and its growing employee base.

The Center for Blue Biotechnology is also leading Bigelow beyond its traditional research and education activities to partner with industry, working with Maine companies in ways that help them to expand into new markets and to create new jobs in their communities. Earlier in 2011, Biglow announced formal partnerships with Fluid Imaging in Yarmouth and with Kennebec River Biosciences in Richmond and is establishing a corporate program with companies outside of Maine that are bringing new technology and investment to Maine, expanding the reach of the Lab's research and exposing new companies and researchers to the talent and resources in Maine.

The MTAF investment in Bigelow has helped this talented and dedicated team to launch onto an extraordinary growth path over the last two years, highlighting Bigelow as a globally recognized marine research institution while simultaneously constructing a new campus and developing liaisons with industry that will serve them, their communities and Maine, for decades to come. All of us in Maine look forward to Bigelow's continued success!

Cheers,

Betsy Biemann 

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