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BioSTL is a registered 501(c)(3) non-profit based in St. Louis, Missouri. Founded as the St. Louis Coalition for Plant and Life Sciences in 2001, the organization was renamed BioSTL in 2011. This renaming came with a $30 million commitment from Washington University in St. Louis, BJC HealthCare, and the St. Louis Life Sciences Project to create a bioscience ecosystem in St. Louis by capitalizing on university and research strengths to develop new businesses and commercialize new products.

Overview
BioSTL is considered part of St. Louis’ innovation economy. This economy includes a comprehensive set of programs in startup creation and investment, a plan for strategic business cultivation, a well-established physical environment, entrepreneur support, seed and venture capital, a diverse and inclusive workforce, and a contribution to both public policy and civic life. In 2017 JPMorgan Chase & Co. and the Initiative for a Competitive Inner City, founded by Michael Porter, named BioSTL a model for building a regional innovation cluster.

Leadership
Donn Rubin has served as President & CEO of BioSTL since its establishment in 2011. Under the leadership of Founding Chairman Dr. William H. Danforth III and Chairman of the Board John McDonnell, BioSTL convenes a coalition of academic, civic, philanthropic, and scientific leaders. All coalition members bring local, national, and international experience; their input guides research and entrepreneurship, as well as decisions surrounding economic development and commercial success in a collaborative environment.

Activities
BioSTL and its initiatives provide grants, investments, and training, summarized below.

BioGenerator
The investment arm of BioSTL creates, grows, and invests in new companies and entrepreneurs. BioGenerator works to derisk commercially viable innovations; recruits and advises leadership teams; makes staged investments grounded in due diligence; and provides free access to wet lab space and research equipment. BioGenerator helps companies navigate the unique challenges of early-stage bioscience company development, and its approach been named a “best practice” by the Organization of American States.

As of 2018, 115 companies have received investments or grants from BioGenerator, which has attracted more than $730 million in additional capital, or a 31:1 leverage. Nearly 300 individuals use the BioGenerator Labs.

GlobalSTL
BioSTL’s international initiative recruits high-growth-potential companies that expand St. Louis’ innovation economy and bring competitive advantage to local corporations and health systems. GlobalSTL seeks companies that match St. Louis’ strengths in food/agriculture technology and healthcare, as well as cyber security, financial, and industrial technologies. GlobalSTL serves as a navigator to St. Louis’ corporate and innovation ecosystem and introduces overseas innovators to large customers and strategic partners, in order to drive business growth in North America.

The annual GlobalSTL Health Innovation Summit brings international digital health care companies to St. Louis to connect with new customers in the industries of health care systems, payers, and pharmacy benefit management (PBM). Since the initiative began in 2014, 15 international companies have established a business location in St. Louis. In May 2017, the Brookings Institution identified GlobalSTL as a "path to success for an American Middleweight in the global economy."

Inclusion
BioSTL’s Inclusion Initiative seeks to identify high-potential women and minority entrepreneurs and provide a systematic pathway for them to create viable, high-growth ventures. The initiative also aligns partner organizations to build systems of race and gender equity within St. Louis’ tech-based entrepreneurship ecosystem. With funding from the Ewing Marion Kauffmann Foundation, BioSTL’s Inclusion Initiative serves as a blueprint for other communities.

BioSTL’s Inclusion Initiative has been profiled by the Institute for Women's Policy Research as an example of successful programs to increase gender diversity in patenting, innovation, and entrepreneurship.


 * Entrepreneur Development: BioSTL’s programming for entrepreneurs provides one-on-one business learning experience, including entrepreneurial coaching and resources for company founders from both academic and industrial communities. There is no cost for participants. In these programs, entrepreneurs learn to create a viable business and financial model; recognize, recruit and retain talent for a company; incorporate and register a business; and compete for national non-dilutive grants. As of 2018, more than 400 individuals have been coached, and more than 225 commercial opportunities have been evaluated.


 * Capital Attraction: BioSTL grows seed and venture capital accessible to startups in the St. Louis region. The organization catalyzes the creation of new local funds and recruits new investor groups both nationally and internationally. BioSTL also connects startups to potential investors and coaches entrepreneurs to be fundraisers. Coaching includes honing these skills through grant writing and mock panel presentation training to help develop competitive applications for federal commercialization grants and other funding.


 * Public Policy: BioSTL creates and supports public policies that encourage a friendly environment for science, innovation, and entrepreneurship on the local, state and federal levels. BioSTL co-founded the Innovation Advocacy Council, which is chaired by BioSTL Vice President of Programs Ben Johnson.

History
In 2001 William H. Danforth III, who served as Chancellor of Washington University in St. Louis from 1971 through 1995, founded the Coalition for Plant and Life Sciences, which became known as BioSTL in 2011. Danforth assembled leaders within academia, business, and philanthropy, with the goal of building upon the St. Louis region’s assets in research and technology (particularly within the medical and plant biosciences). Danforth defined an “innovation economy” as an ecosystem with a multi-faceted, holistic approach, including commercialization, startup creation, investment capital, trained entrepreneurs, physical infrastructure, and strong public policy.

BioGenerator, BioSTL’s investment arm, transforms ideas into investable bioscience startups and is one of the nation’s most active early-stage biotech investors. In 2010, BioGenerator Labs opened a shared wet research lab space for bioscience innovators proving and developing their concepts.

In 2002, a new urban innovation district, the Cortex Innovation Community (CIC), was born. This occurred after Danforth convened the leaders of the CIC’s anchor institutions – Washington University in St. Louis, Saint Louis University, University of Missouri - St. Louis, and BJC HealthCare – to establish a shared vision and assemble resources to launch this important locus of innovation activity.

Later, BioSTL added initiatives in Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, as well as global connectedness. Its GlobalSTL arm seeks to bring competitive advantage to St. Louis companies, especially those in the fields of health care, agriculture, financial tech, and cyber security.

In 2011, John F. McDonnell, who led the establishment and growth of BioGenerator from its beginning, succeeded Danforth as Chairman of BioSTL and the BioSTL Coalition of regional leaders.