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Writer's pictureLarissa Mogano

University of Vermont and BioLabs to Launch Startup Incubator

Updated: Sep 5




Burlington VT & Cambridge, Mass (USA) — 27 August 2024 – The University of Vermont (UVM), Vermont ‘s flagship, land-grant university and Cambridge based BioLabs an internationally known innovation laboratory platform with a network of shared lab and office workspaces, will launch a dedicated incubator at UVM’s Colchester facility.


The BioLabs Innovation Center at UVM will support entrepreneurs and start-up companies specializing in all areas of life sciences research and development with fully equipped combination office and laboratory space to test and scale their research. Through this strategic partnership, UVM will oversee the new facility and provide technology, equipment, and direct collaboration with faculty at The Robert Larner, M.D. College of Medicine at the University of Vermont. The college includes nearly 200 research faculty and over 700 clinical faculty who practice in the UVM Health Network. BioLabs will support UVM with facility operations, access to industry partners, and networking and programming events.


Currently, BioLabs partners with an elite group of universities, pharma companies, and other engaged stakeholders worldwide. The UVM-BioLabs partnership reinforces the university’s steadfast commitment to research, education, and innovation. Additionally, UVM is the first rural university to join the BioLabs ecosystem.


The Center will offer select tenants nearly 7,000 sq. ft. of shared wet labs, common areas, and flexible office space, which will allow approximately 10-20 early-stage companies to tailor their laboratories according to their needs. The location, located a short drive from UVM’s main campus in Burlington, provides convenient access to UVM and the Robert Larner M.D. College of Medicine’s core facilities, public transit options through Green Mountain Transit and The Patrick Leahy Burlington International Airport, as well as numerous local amenities.


 “Admission to the BioLabs Innovation Center at UVM will be a highly competitive process,” Kirk Dombrowski, Vice President for Research and Economic Development at UVM, said. “And with access to the full research enterprise at UVM, these startups will join the more than 500 companies BioLabs has supported since its launch, ultimately creating jobs and furthering our regional economic development.”


Although the Center is expected to open in early 2025, the BioLabs Innovation Center at UVM will begin accepting applications and hosting tours in the coming months.


 “I am excited for the University of Vermont and the Larner College of Medicine to work with Vice President Dombrowski in this important partnership, which will provide critical incubator space for scientists both at UVM and in our community. This will provide a kick-start to advancing local scientific discovery to clinical investigation and supporting patient care,” said Richard L. Page, M.D., dean of the Larner College of Medicine.


“Working with the team at UVM is an extraordinary opportunity, and we are proud to be part of expanding access to state-of-the-art facilities for the scientists and entrepreneurs in Vermont and in the UVM ecosystem. Like all our facilities, this site is designed to stimulate creative interaction and collaboration with a bonus of offering access to the wide resources of UVM’s world class facilities and teams,” said BioLabs founder and CEO Johannes Fruehauf, M.D., Ph.D.


About UVM

Founded in 1791, UVM is the leading public research university where discovery, creativity, community, and action coalesce to secure a thriving future for people and planet. Vermont’s state flagship and land-grant university attracts $250 million annually in groundbreaking research and enrolls approximately 14,000 students from 50 states and 75 countries. At UVM, students, faculty, and staff work together in pursuit of a healthier, greener future. Learn more at uvm.edu.


About the Robert Larner, M.D. College of Medicine at the University of Vermont

Founded in 1822, the Robert Larner, M.D. College of Medicine at the University of Vermont is dedicated to developing exceptional physicians and scientists by offering innovative curriculum designs, state-of-the-art research facilities, and clinical partnerships with leading health care institutions. The College’s commitment to excellence has earned national recognition, attracting talented students, trainees, physicians, and researchers from across the country. With a focus on diversity, equity, and inclusion, the Larner College of Medicine prides itself on cultivating an environment that uplifts and supports its local community, faculty, and student populations while advancing medical education, research, and patient care throughout Vermont and beyond. Learn more at med.uvm.edu


About BioLabs

A membership-based innovation platform and network of shared laboratory, BioLabs offers beautifully designed coworking environments that pair fully equipped and supported lab, office, and event spaces with relevant programming and unparalleled access to capital and industry partners. These fertile, supportive ecosystems allow young companies to shift their focus from startup operations to experimentation and innovation so they can reach their scientific potential quickly and achieve business success. Companies can start with a single lab bench and scale up as they grow. The expanding BioLabs network currently operates labs in the US: California; Connecticut; Massachusetts; New Jersey; North Carolina; New York City; Pennsylvania; Texas; Vermont; in Europe, Paris and Saclay, France, Heidelberg and Berlin, Germany, and in Kawasaki, Japan. Learn more at https://www.biolabs.io/



Contacts:


For UVM:

Stephanie Knific Executive Director for Strategic Communications and MarketingLarner College of Medicine | Office of Medical CommunicationsStephanie.Knific@med.uvm.edu


Joshua Defibaugh

Research Communications CoordinatorUniversity of Vermont | Office of the Vice President for ResearchJoshua.Defibaugh@uvm.edu


For BioLabs:

Danielle Bogdanowicz

Vice President, Operations

BioLabs


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