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Bioscience & Healthcare

World-class innovation epicenter

Bioscience & healthcare

Cluster overview

It’s well known that Colorado is one of the healthiest states in the nation. But it goes deeper than just a healthy lifestyle. We have world-class bioscience and healthcare companies, researchers, doctors, and facilities that are all dedicated to the health and wellness of us all. They are pioneers, rooted in innovation, creating new technology and finding ways to advance their industries. This cluster covers companies focused on medical devices, diagnostics, pharmaceuticals, biotechnology, treatment centers, disease prevention, and more. The success of public and private sector leaders in the space is due in large part to the strong collaboration and connection between academia, research, and innovative companies. It also benefits from our highly educated workforce, especially focused in tech and science. We have 33 federal labs in Colorado, the largest concentration in the U.S. and more than 700 life sciences companies and organizations in the state.

Since 2015, Aurora companies have raised $178 million in venture funding. More than one-third went to healthcare technology systems, pharmaceuticals and biotechnology, and healthcare devices and supplies companies

World-renowned facilities and employment hubs focused on innovation

Aurora is the epicenter for Colorado’s bioscience and healthcare cluster with some of the most well-known and highly-rated facilities in the world.  These attract both top talent and patients from around the globe as a medical destination.  With incubators and accelerators for small companies and researchers, companies have the  opportunity to grow in Aurora.  

University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus

The campus is home to several hospitals, medical, dental, pharmacy, public health, physical therapy, and nursing schools, and plenty of research and lab space.  It is the largest academic health center in the Rocky Mountain region, and it leads the way in education, research, and patient care.  Nearly 30,000 employees work on the campus and 1.5 million patients visit annually.  Its economic impact is significant, with more than $2.6 billion in total campus direct expenditures.  Since 2002, 1,300 patent applications have been filed and 53 new companies have been formed through campus research efforts. 

Fitzsimons Innovation Community

The Fitzsimons Innovation Community (FIC) pushes boundaries in a unified pursuit of health breakthroughs.  It is adjacent to the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus and is the only organization in the Rocky Mountain West that offers specialized life sciences lab and office space with the opportunity to work alongside researchers and clinicians at a world-class medical destination.  From concept through commercialization, innovators benefit from the entrepreneurial environment, leading-edge facilities, and campus-wide support.  There are four buildings with a combined 335,000 square feet of office and meeting space plus 125 acres for additional facility development.  Its most recent building, Bioscience 3 offers custom labs and warehouse/manufacturing space for companies can expand as they grow.  More than 100 companies have started their operations from Fitzsimons Innovation Community and many have stayed in Aurora as they have grown.   Visionaries can discover, develop, and collaborate with direct access to the renowned clinicians and researchers at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus.  Learn more https://fitzsimonsinnovation.com/ 

HealthONE Medical Center of Aurora

The Medical Center of Aurora (TMCA) is an acute care hospital that is part of HealthONE, recognized as the #1 large healthcare system in the country by IBM Watson Health.  TMCA includes five campuses including Spalding Rehabilitation Hospital, The Behavioral Health and Wellness Center, Centennial Medical Plaza, and Saddle Rock ER.  It offers more than 60 medical specialties including advanced cardiovascular services, robotic surgery, the Sarah Cannon Cancer Institute, Chest Pain Center, Colorado Chiari Institute and more.  TMCA has been named as one of the top 100 hospitals in the country by IBM Watson Health in 2020 among numerous other accolades.  Learn more https://auroramed.com/ 

Our Metro area has seen 16 years of consecutive healthcare employment growth and five years of bioscience employment growth, both outpacing the nation.

Bioscience & healthcare

Talent and employment

Nearly 250,000 people are directly employed in the healthcare and wellness cluster plus another nearly 17,000 in the bioscience sector in the Metro area. Nearly half of the fastest growing job categories in Colorado are in healthcare. The University of Colorado School of Medicine in Aurora produces highly qualified healthcare professionals to meet this demand for talent.

720

Colorado life sciences companies and organizations

(CBSA)

32K+

Colorado direct and indirect life sciences employment

(CBSA)

3,310

Patents issued (2016-2019) to Colorado companies

(CBSA)

8th

largest Metro area medical device sector in the US

(CBSA)

Concentration

Employment by county

A significant amount of the Metro area’s bioscience and healthcare employment is concentrated in Adams and Arapahoe Counties in Aurora.