|
2024 Catalyst Award Winners Announced; Election Update on Bay Area Tax Reform; #JPM25 Meeting Space Available; Become a Life Science Mentor; Community Events; and more.
|
Find the latest news and information impacting the Bay Area life science industry. If you have company news you’d like to share, please get in touch.
|
|
|
Welcome New Bay Area Members
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Meet the 2024 Catalyst Awards Winners
We are thrilled to announce the winners of our ninth annual Life Science Catalyst Awards. The awards celebrate rising and accomplished academics, entrepreneurs, investors, corporate leaders and business advisers who are making significant contributions to the life science industry in California before reaching their 40th birthday.
This year’s Catalyst Award winners are a group of ten individuals who are igniting innovation in California’s vibrant life science community. Join us in congratulating the Bay Area-based winners:
- Michael Henderson, CEO, Apogee Therapeutics
- Sophia Lugo, CEO, chairman and co-founder, Radar Therapeutics
- Kevin Parker, Ph.D., CEO and co-founder, Cartography Biosciences
- David Weinberg, Ph.D., co-founder and CEO, ParcelBio
- Nindhana Paranthaman, executive medical director of clinical development, Summit Therapeutics
Join us in honoring this year’s winners at our Annual Gala in San Diego on November 21. |
|
|
|
Election Update to Bay Area Tax Reform
In San Mateo County, all measures were passed by voters: Most life science companies in South San Francisco that were paying $226 in taxes per employee will now pay $275 per employee; Belmont will now tax $0.40 to $1.00 per $1,000 in gross receipts; Foster City’s business license tax will now vary between $0.75 and $3.00 per $1,000 of gross receipts based on business category; and Redwood City will require companies to adjust the per-employee tax rates anywhere from $10-$250 per employee based on the business category, with the highest fee on larger industries and businesses.
Measure M in San Francisco was passed by voters, impacting businesses making over $5 million by adjusting gross annual receipts tax rates. In Berkeley, Measure GG, which proposed a $2.96 tax per therm of natural gas, was rejected by voters. For a detailed overview of Bay Area election results impacting life science, subscribe to our Public Policy Newsletter.
Berkeley to Decide on Two Major Life Science Proposals
On November 12, Berkeley City Council will hear two important proposals that could benefit life science businesses in the city: Municipal Code Section 9.04.165 to exempt the taxation of business gross receipts relating to government research and development grants; and Keep Innovation in Berkeley, the last step in a multi-year effort where Biocom California has worked closely with city officials to help establish this package. Lending your support through email or testimony is crucial to their passage.
In Other News:
- Policymakers are struggling to build consensus on a plan to save BART.
- Port of SF and SF Bay Ferry receive $55 million from EPA Clean Ports Grant.
- Layoffs sharply decreased between the first and second halves of the year.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Biocom California’s Meeting Space: Your #JPM25 Retreat
Back again for the eighth year as an exclusive benefit for Biocom California members, we are offering free meeting space at Omni San Francisco Hotel during the J.P. Morgan Healthcare Conference. The space features meeting tables and light refreshments, offering our members a relaxed environment to network, hold one-on-one partnering discussions and regroup between activities.
If you are interested in using this space, click here to submit an interest form and we will follow up as we get closer to the event to provide priority access.
Upcoming C-Suite Events
November 14 | C-Suite Series: Anatomy of a Winning Investor Pitch | SSF
January 12 – 16 | JPM receptions and information | SF
|
|
|
|
Become a Mentor for Our Life Science Career Fellowship Program
Join Biocom California Institute in shaping the next generation of life science professionals through our six-month Life Science Career Fellowship. This program supports underrepresented job seekers, including first-generation college students and veterans. As a mentor, you’ll guide a fellow in navigating their career path and help them achieve their goals. Mentors must be employed at a life science company during the program (January through June). We value your commitment to advancing the industry and look forward to embarking on this journey together. Apply here.
Event Recap: HR Biotech Group Happy Hour
Thank you to everyone who joined us for the HRBG Happy Hour last month. Your enthusiasm and engagement made it a fantastic evening full of valuable insights and meaningful connections. Special thanks to our sponsor, NOVAworks, for their generous support in making the event a success. If you’re an HR professional interested in expanding your network and staying at the forefront of HR in biotech, we invite you to apply to join the HR Biotech Group community. You can find the online application here—we’d love to welcome more passionate professionals into our growing network.
Onsite Volunteer Opportunity
Looking for an enriching team-building event to close out the year? Make a difference for students in underserved and under-resourced communities by building hands-on science kits that will be delivered directly to schools in our region. This volunteer opportunity can be done at company events, both on and off-site. Your efforts can bring joy, creativity and educational opportunities to children who need them most. Contact Silvana DelPiccolo to learn more.
|
|
|
|
Increase Your Confidence When Sending Important Shipments
Whether you’re shipping or receiving samples, equipment, medical devices or other pricey and fragile items, it’s important that you can be confident that your package will arrive where it should be, when it should be. FedEx‘s complimentary picture proof of delivery increases confidence in the delivery process by providing enhanced transparency and increased control. Want to get started? Enrollment in the new program is quick and easy. Click here to set up a new FedEx account or enroll your existing FedEx account in the Biocom California savings program.
Step Inside the Mind of a SBIR/STTR Reviewer
OmniSync knows that while the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer Research (STTR) programs offer valuable funding opportunities for innovative small businesses, the competition can be fierce. In their article, “Inside the Mind of an SBIR/STTR Reviewer—What to Expect During the Review Process,” their expert contributor shares the most common reasons applications are denied, what reviewers look for and how companies can stand out. Read the article here.
|
|
|
|
Biocom California | Bay Area
Biocom California is the advocate for California’s life science sector. Our South San Francisco office aims to build the networks that are critical to growth in this thriving regional ecosystem. Our targeted programs and customized services are tailored to the specific needs of the Bay Area region. We work on behalf of more than {{{dynamic_content_1600}}} members to drive public policy, build an enviable network of industry leaders, create access to capital, introduce cutting-edge STEM education programs, and create robust value-driven purchasing programs.
|
|
|
