Life Sciences News
Governor Carcieri and RIEDC Executive Director to Tour R.I's Emerging Information, Manufacturing and Green Energy Companies
March 3, 2010 - 14:32
Governor Donald L. Carcieri and the RIEDC today announced several planned tours of Rhode Island-based small businesses operating in the state’s emerging growth sectors: information technology, advanced manufacturing and green energy.
Senate Confirms RIEDC Executive Director Keith Stokes, New RIEDC Board Members
February 12, 2010 - 14:04
The Rhode Island Economic Development Corporation announced that Keith W. Stokes was unanimously confirmed as the agency’s executive director by the Senate. The Senate also confirmed Carcieri’s 12 nominees to RIEDC’s Board of Directors.
Rhode Island Economic Development Corporation Releases 2009 Economic Growth Plan Review and Report
October 6, 2009 - 14:46
The RIEDC has completed a comprehensive review of its activities since the initial release of its 2009 Economic Growth Plan. Central to this review are details surrounding the ongoing efforts of the plan and new initiatives to get Rhode Island Working Again.
RIEDC Celebrates REF Grant Recipients
September 3, 2009 - 23:15
The Renewable Energy Fund recently awarded 17 grants to Rhode Island communities, organizations and businesses that will fund renewable energy development projects or feasibility studies. To highlight the diverse array of renewable energy projects, the RIEDC has been hosting local events where community members, business owners, government affiliates and media have been in attendance.
Governor, RIDOT, RIEDC, and City of Providence Release I-195 Surplus Land Report
September 2, 2009 - 12:12
The Office of Governor Donald L. Carcieri, the Rhode Island Department of Transportation (RIDOT), the Rhode Island Economic Development Corporation (RIEDC), and the City of Providence have released the “Rhode Island Interstate 195 Relocation Surplus Land: Redevelopment and Marketing Analysis.”
CVS Caremark Partners with State and Local Agencies to Recruit and Train Pharmacy Techs for New Customer Care Center
July 16, 2009 - 10:41
CVS Caremark announced today that it is partnering with several state and local agencies in Rhode Island to recruit and train certified pharmacy technicians for jobs at its new Pharmacy Customer Care Center in Cumberland, RI.
Renewable Energy Fund Awards Grants to 17 Local Alternative Energy Projects
June 23, 2009 - 09:00
RIEDC's Renewable Energy Fund (REF) has awarded a total of $681,875 in grants to 17 local projects that will stimulate job growth in the green technology and green energy sectors of Rhode Island’s economy.
Rhode Island Innovation Network Holds Kick-Off Event
June 18, 2009 - 13:54
A half-day workshop was the kickoff event for the Rhode Island Innovation Network and Business Development Program.
STAC Appoints New Co-Chair, Members
June 17, 2009 - 12:04
Governor Donald L. Carcieri today announced the appointment of David M. Farmer, PhD, FRS, FRSC, Dean of the Graduate School of Oceanography at the University of Rhode Island, as co-chair of the Rhode Island Science and Technology Advisory Council.
Rhode Island Dubbed "Biotech Hub" in BioWorld Report
June 10, 2009 - 10:32
BioWorld's Summer 2009 Expansion and Relocation report has named Rhode Island one of the top six biotech hotspots in North America.
Providence-Based NABsys, Inc., Announces $4 Million Equity Financing
May 5, 2009 - 10:58
NABsys, Inc., the pioneer in electronic, solid-state DNA sequencing, announced that it has closed a $4 million Series A financing led by Point Judith Capital.
RI-CIE Launches in Providence as Resource for Entrepreneurs
April 28, 2009 - 09:59
The Rhode Island Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship will formally open its headquarters at One Davol Square on Tuesday, April 28, 2009. RI-CIE is a cooperative effort among Providence, the state, Brown University, and business and economic development officials.
RIEDC is now on Twitter
April 15, 2009 - 10:47
Stay on top of the latest economic development news and events. Follow RIEDC on Twitter:
Rhode Island to be Represented at 2009 BIO International Convention
April 15, 2009 - 03:00
The Tech Collective, Rhode Island’s Information Technology and Bioscience Industry Association, will be partnering with the New England Biotech Association (NEBA) to represent the state’s Bioscience industry at the 2009 BIO International Convention on May 17-21, 2009 in Atlanta, GA.
STAC Launches Comprehensive Searchable Database for Federal Funding Opportunities
April 6, 2009 - 13:23
The Rhode Island Science and Technology Advisory Council has expanded its website to assist science and technology researchers and enterprises in pursuing stimulus funding opportunities.
BusinessWeek Cites Providence as a “Best Small City” for Startups
April 1, 2009 - 12:49
Business Week magazine has selected Providence as one of the best small cities in the country for startup companies. The magazine credited the Rhode Island Economic Development Corporation’s small business support and funding that helps the state’s small businesses expand and grow.
Two RIEDC-backed initiatives awarded grants to boost state’s knowledge economy
April 1, 2009 - 12:31
The Rhode Island Economic Development Corporation today announced that two of its programs have received Knowledge Economy Grants Awards from the Greater Providence Chamber of Commerce and the City of Providence.
RIEDC Announces New Public/Private Partnership to Foster Entrepreneurial Activity in Ocean State
March 24, 2009 - 13:50
RIEDC and Brown University announced plans for a new center designed to train and develop Rhode Island's entrepreneurs who will help to strengthen the state's economy and create more high-wage jobs.
RIEDC 2009 Economic Growth Plan: Rhode Island, Working Again
March 24, 2009 - 10:28
RIEDC’s 2009 Economic Growth Plan proposes 10 concrete action items to accelerate the pace of job growth in our state.
Customized Training Funding Available From Workforce Partnership of Greater R.I. and Workforce Solutions
March 16, 2009 - 15:10
Rhode Island's two local workforce investment boards, the Workforce Partnership of Greater Rhode Island and Workforce Solutions of Providence/Cranston, are releasing up to $500,000 to Rhode Island businesses in order to finance customized training programs for new hires.
Rhode Island Business Owner Writes Letter of Support for RIEDC’s Innovation Tax Credit and Workforce Training Services
March 16, 2009 - 14:40
In a recent letter to the Providence Journal, Bernie Lambrese, CEO of Infusion Resource, called the Rhode Island Economic Development Corporation’s Innovation Tax Credit and workforce training grants critical to supporting and creating jobs.
STAC Releases 2009 Report and Recommendations, Urges Support for RI Research Alliance and Entrepreneurship Center
January 28, 2009 - 11:17
STAC presented Governor Donald L. Carcieri and the Rhode Island General Assembly with a set of recommendations calling for timely, targeted and transformative investments to support discovery and innovation and its transfer into the marketplace.
STAC Awards 23 Scientists, 10 Institutions Funding for Collaborative Projects
January 28, 2009 - 10:33
The Rhode Island Science and Technology Advisory Council (STAC) today announced the awardees of the 2009 Collaborative Research Award program. The awards will support seven projects, representing 23 scientists from 10 organizations throughout Rhode Island.
URI Opens Center for Biotechnology and Life Sciences
January 26, 2009 - 04:00
The University of Rhode Island officially opened the doors today to the Center for Biotechnology and Life Sciences, the largest classroom and research building project in its history, with a grand celebration attended by numerous public officials, industry executives, and hundreds of URI faculty, staff and students.
Slater Technology Fund Partners with R.I. EPSCoR Program to Offer Fellowships for Student Entrepreneurs
December 15, 2008 - 12:45
Joint Slater-NSF Program to Encourage Entrepreneurship in Life Sciences
Report Names Rhode Island Top Performer in the 2008 State New Economy Index
November 18, 2008 - 11:42
Rhode Island was cited as a top performer in the 2008 State New Economy Index, a report published by the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation and the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation (ITIF). Released today, the 2008 Index ranked Rhode Island 11th in the nation in a state-by-state analysis of how state economies are transitioning to economic development strategies that focus on the creation and retention of high-wage jobs in growth industries. Rhode Island has moved up four places from its 2007 Index position, and has moved up from 29th when the Index was first issued in 1999.
RIEDC Partners with Alternative Lenders and Growth Capital Experts to Help Rhode Island Businesses Find New Sources of Capital
November 10, 2008 - 12:14
RIEDC will host two financing educational seminars this month targeting the state’s small business community: “Navigating the Credit Crunch: Alternative Lending Sources” on Wednesday, November 19 at noon and “Financing Fast Growth” on Tuesday, November 25 at 10 a.m.
RIEDC Designates CVS Caremark Expansion a Critical Economic Project
October 30, 2008 - 09:01
A $30-million expansion project proposed by CVS Caremark Corporation that would add more than 200 new jobs over the next two years has been assigned expedited permitting status by the Rhode Island Economic Development Corporation (RIEDC) board of directors.
Slater Technology Fund Invests in P&H Therapeutics
October 29, 2008 - 10:34
The Slater Technology Fund today announced that it has committed $500,000 to P&H Therapeutics, Inc., a Providence-based company developing next-generation drugs to treat hypertension and dyslipidemia.
Collaborative Innovation Summit Draws Sold-Out Crowd to Providence
October 21, 2008 - 11:39
On October 15-16, 2008 at Trinity Rep in Providence, Rhode Island, the Business Innovation Factory's BIF-4 Collaborative Innovation Summit brought together many of today's most compelling innovators, business model renegades and true transformers to reveal the secrets of innovation success through personal storytelling.
Neurotech Announces the Opening of Its GMP Manufacturing Facility in Cumberland, Rhode Island
October 21, 2008 - 08:55
Neurotech Pharmaceuticals, a privately-held biotechnology company focused on the development of sight-saving therapeutics for chronic retinal diseases, announced today the opening of its new 27,000-square-foot GMP manufacturing facility in Cumberland, Rhode Island.
URI Commission for Research and Innovation Recommends Major Moves to Strengthen URI, Make Research a Top Priority
October 7, 2008 - 08:54
Justice Robert G. Flanders, Jr., Chair of the University of Rhode Island Commission for Innovation and Research, today presented state leadership with a report and set of recommendations detailing steps URI must take to become a nationally competitive research institution. The report and recommendations were presented at the quarterly meeting of the Rhode Island Science and Technology Advisory Council (STAC), which championed the creation of the Commission.
Governor Carcieri, RIEDC, Rhode Island Commodores Partner to Bolster Economic Development Effort
September 30, 2008 - 13:32
RIEDC attraction campaign kicks off next phase with series of regional dinners for industry executives in target sectors; seven Massachusetts companies participate in first of a regional dinner series.
Rhode Island Research Alliance Grant Program to Invest Additional $1.4 Million in Collaborative Research
September 29, 2008 - 09:36
The Rhode Island Science and Technology Advisory Council’s (STAC) Rhode Island Research Alliance program today announced that it will invest an additional $1.4 million in research that promotes collaboration across the state's academic and commercial institutions. The program will continue to support catalytic, collaborative research that 1) represents discoveries likely to deliver value to Rhode Island’s citizens 2) has strong technology development and/or commercialization potential and 3) is well-positioned to attract follow-on funding from federal agencies, corporations and/or foundations.
Concordia Opens New Warwick Facility
September 12, 2008 - 09:50
State officials including Rhode Island Governor Donald L. Carcieri, Rhode Island Economic Development Corporation (RIEDC) Executive Director, Saul Kaplan and Slater Technology Fund Managing Senior Managing Director Richard Horan were on hand September 10 to celebrate the opening of Concordia Medical’s new medical manufacturing facility in Warwick.
RIEDC, Providence Business News Honor 2008 Innovation Award Winners
September 11, 2008 - 14:55
The Rhode Island Economic Development Corporation (RIEDC) and the Providence Business News (PBN) honored the winners of this year’s 2008 Rhode Island Innovation Awards at a gala event on September 18 at the Kirkbrae Country Club. Launched in 2006, the Innovation Awards celebrate Rhode Island companies, organizations and individuals that have made innovation central to their work.
STAC Named 2008 Rhode Island Innovation Champion
September 11, 2008 - 09:25
The Providence Business News has named the Rhode Island Science and Technology Advisory Council the 2008 Rhode Island Innovation Champion, as part of the PBN/Rhode Island Economic Development Corporation Innovation Awards.
RIEDC's Saul Kaplan Discusses R.I.'s Economy with WADK's Robert Bailey
August 13, 2008 - 11:14
Rhode Island Economic Development Corporation Executive Director Saul Kaplan talks with WADK's Robert Bailey about Rhode Island's "secret sauce:" its size, on the station's Marketing and Money segment.
RIEDC, Cox Communications, Raytheon, Rite-Solutions and Teknor Apex Launch Summer Teacher Training Initiative
August 12, 2008 - 10:57
In an effort to encourage yearlong teacher professional learning opportunities in the areas of science, technology, engineering and math (STEM), the Rhode Island Economic Development Corporation (RIEDC) announced the creation of Leadership Initiatives for Teaching and Technology (LIFT2) - Rhode Island, a statewide pilot program that allows teachers to work for a summer at a company where they explore real world industry applications of STEM.
Time is Running Out to Apply for the 2008 Rhode Island Innovation Awards
August 6, 2008 - 13:48
The Innovation Awards, presented by the Providence Business News in partnership with the Rhode Island Economic Development Corporation and Tech Collective, and sponsored by Cox Business, are designed to honor Rhode Island-based companies, organizations and individuals that constantly replace existing methods, models and products with better ones.
A short application form is due by August 20. Apply Now!Rhode Island Receives Top Marks in Two Economic Development Studies
August 1, 2008 - 12:40
Two reports, measuring business cost and economic development climate, gave Rhode Island and Providence high marks in categories such as research and development, education climate and environmental efforts.
CVS Caremark Announces Expansion of its Rhode Island Operations
July 17, 2008 - 14:16
CVS Caremark Corporation, the largest provider of prescriptions in the United States, today announced expansion plans for its Rhode Island operations over the next two years. The company plans to build two new 150,000-square-foot office facilities in the Highland Corporate Park in Cumberland, R.I. The new facilities are designed to support the company’s continuing growth and current hiring expectation of more than 200 new positions on its corporate campus.
Saul Kaplan: Budget Discipline is Good for R.I. Economy
July 7, 2008 - 13:34
The budget passed by the Rhode Island General Assembly and signed into law by Governor Carcieri is good for the state’s economy. Our 2008 Economic Growth Plan made clear that the state has to get control over its spending without raising broad-based taxes. The fiscal 2009 budget does exactly that. Do not underestimate how important this is to improving our business climate and stimulating job creation.
A note from RIEDC Executive Director Saul Kaplan
June 27, 2008 - 11:50
Last week, the Milken Institute’s State Technology and Science Index confirmed that Rhode Island has made progress in its effort to become a regional and national hub for science, technology and innovation. Milken’s Index uses a variety of indicators to measure how well each state is performing in today’s global knowledge-based economy.
Rhode Island Breaks Into Top 10 of Science and Technology Report
June 20, 2008 - 10:10
Rhode Island has moved up to 10th place in the 2008 State Science and Technology Index, released by California-based Milken Institute. The report uses a host of indicators to paint a comprehensive picture of how well states are performing in today’s highly competitive knowledge-based economy.
Statewide Research Alliance Bolstered by Support from Brown, URI
May 1, 2008 - 09:04
The Rhode Island Science and Technology Advisory Council (STAC) today presented its plans for expanding the Rhode Island Research Alliance and announced that Brown University and the University of Rhode Island (URI) both will contribute $25,000 to support the next phase of Research Alliance activity.
RIEDC’s Saul Kaplan Discusses Rhode Island’s Growth Plan with BioRegion News
March 19, 2008 - 15:53
RIEDC Executive Director Saul Kaplan recently sat down for a Q&A session with a reporter from BioRegion News to discuss Rhode Island’s economic growth plan and the state’s bid to grow a high wage innovation economy.
RIEDC, Rhode Island Commodores Partner to Launch Attraction Campaign in High-wage Sector
February 26, 2008 - 15:51
The Rhode Island Economic Development Corporation (RIEDC) today announced the launch of Opportunity: Rhode Island, a regional attraction campaign aimed at identifying expansion and relocation opportunities initially focused in the Financial Services, Information Technology and Digital Media, and Health and Life Sciences sectors. The campaign, funded in part by the Rhode Island Commodores, will use direct marketing, industry events and peer outreach to generate new business development leads.
Boston’s Xconomy Commends R.I. Innovation Tax Credit
January 16, 2008 - 16:29
Boston/Cambridge-based “Xconomy” applauded the Rhode Island Science and Technology Advisory Council and the state for utilizing the Innovation Tax Credit, a targeted tax credit of up to $100,000, to stimulate investment in high-wage sectors.
Neurotech Pharmaceuticals Announces Rhode Island Expansion Plan
January 16, 2008 - 14:34
Biotechnology company focused on sight-saving technologies is aided by state in developing new office and manufacturing facility
R.I. Company Receives Two of the Eight 'Revolutionary Genome Sequencing Technologies' Awards from the National Human Genome Rese
August 2, 2007 - 03:00
NABsys, Inc. announced that two NABsys-affiliated scientists, Dr. John Oliver, Vice President of Research and Development, and Dr. Xinsheng Sean Ling, NABsys founder and principal academic collaborator and Associate Professor of Physics at Brown University, have received two of the eight "Revolutionary Genome Sequencing Technologies – The $1,000 Genome" awards from the National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI), an institute of the National Institutes of Health (NIH). NABsys was the only company, rather than academic lab, to receive an award.
Grand Opening for New Biomanufacturing Facility in Smithfield, R.I.
June 21, 2007 - 12:57
On Thursday, June 21, Alexion Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ: ALXN) held its grand opening for its new biomanufacturing facility in Smithfield, Rhode Island. On hand to celebrate this milestone event were 100 new employees of this facility, Governor Donald L. Carcieri, David Keiser, Alexion's President and Chief Operating Officer, Saul Kaplan, the RIEDC's Executive Director, Senator John J. Tassoni, and Stephen G. Tocco, Smithfield Town Council President.
Rhode Island Coalition Strong at BIO Convention, Governor Carcieri Leads New England Forum on Biotechnology
May 7, 2007 - 03:00
Rhode Island was well represented at the 2007 BIO convention, held this week in Boston. For the first time in the convention's 14-year-history, Rhode Island participated in the event, hosting an exhibit with 23 of the state's leading health and life sciences companies, research organizations, academic institutions and government agencies.
Rhode Island to Participate in BIO International Convention for the First Time
March 14, 2007 - 03:00
The state's biotech industry will get to strut its stuff at the 14th annual Biotechnology Industry Organization (BIO) International Convention, held this May in Boston. Thanks to the Rhode Island Economic Development Corporation and Tech Collective, which rented space at the event for many of the state's biotech industry leaders, more than 20 companies and institutions from across the state, including Amgen, Rhode Island Hospital, Concordia, EpiVax and the Science Technology and Advisory Council, will share a 20-by-30-foot pavilion at BIO 2007.