Before we hop into how biotechnology is shifting the way Americans work and live, let’s first define the oft-confused topic. Biotechnology is using biology and other sciences to make products that improve lives. Modern fields of science underneath the biotech umbrella include genomics, biomedical engineering and advanced immunology, a study largely in the limelight during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Biotechnology’s role in society has mostly been focused in research universities and hospitals. But, new regulations have made it easier for independent labs and corporations, in addition to accredited institutions, to research and innovate inside the biotech industry. These new changes have allowed for untapped innovation and talent to create new value and growth.

Marked by an increase in globalization and biotech companies’ stock, the private and public biotech industries continue to grow at a rapid pace. The United States east and west coasts have become hotbeds for medical innovation. With its access to a high-tech laborforce graduating from prestigious schools like Harvard, Boston College and Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Boston is leading the country and quite possible the world in biological transformation.

But, not far behind is the Unvalley and cities that don’t often get the spotlight that the Bay Area and Boston do for their biotechnological advancements.

As more growth is achieved, the largest biotech companies in the world together with small biotech companies in your neighborhood will continue to shape our society going forward.

And of course, top pharmaceutical companies – like Eli Lilly, Pfizer and others – also fit in with the world’s best biotech companies. During COVID-19, they rose to the occasion with extraordinary progress on vaccination in an unprecedented amount of time.

The list of the world’s top biotech companies continues to change everyday with each new innovation and discovery. But, what doesn’t change is their contribution to the human race and society. The top 100 biotech companies are speckled across the United States, predominantly in talent hotspots like the Bay Area and Boston, as mentioned above. The top companies include Amgen, Gilead Sciences and Celgene.

However, the Unvalley has made significant progress on attracting and retaining talent, specifically in the biotech industry and related fields. Namely, Chicago is a magnet for biotechnology and pharmaceutical innovation in recent years. With such prestigious schools like Northwestern and University of Chicago graduating science experts, the Windy City is poised for even more growth into the future.

Biotech has taken off in the Unvalley.

For example, Vanqua Bio is determined to solve neurodegeneration and Parkinson’s disease in the elder population. A relatively new startup to the biotech space, Vanqua raised $85 million in their Series B financing before launching their product to the public in the Summer of 2021. Want to work for a budding startup? There are plenty more where that came from.

In addition to Vanqua Bio, Abbvie is a leading biotechnology corporation based in Chicago. Abbvie is a biopharmaceutical company, combining the field of biology and pharmaceuticals. It’s a spinoff of another large corporation headquartered in Chicago, Abbott Laboratories.

Abbott is a multinational pharmaceutical company worth almost $40 billion. The makers of Pedialyte and similar health products, Abbott Labs was founded in Chicago over 140 years ago and has established itself as not only one of the American leaders in biotechnology but a global giant.

If you’re looking for a job or company in a smaller metropolitan area, Indianapolis may be your best choice. The Circle City, aka Indianapolis, is home to two well-known biotech and pharmaceutical companies in Roche and Eli Lilly.

Founded in 1896 in Basel, Switzerland, Roche is a multinational research-based healthcare company and the largest pharmaceutical company in the world with a presence in all different regions of the world. Roche is the leading distributor of cancer treatments across the globe. In the United States Roche has a large office of folks in Indianapolis, Indiana.

Eli Lilly, on the other hand, primarily deals in pharmaceuticals. They make and distribute life-saving drugs like out of their downtown Indianapolis global headquarters. Eli Lilly is also known for its community initiatives via the Lilly Endowment, a $10 billion fund devoted to economic growth and development of the city’s citizens, arts, education and religious programs. Interested in an employer that supports social responsibility?

A metropolis in the Unvalley that dominates conversation in the biotechnology and pharmaceuticals industry is Raleigh-Durham, North Carolina. Another beneficiary of a strong reputation for education and intelligence, the Research Triangle surrounding Raleigh-Durham is home to Duke University, University of North Carolina and North Carolina State University, three very high-achieving colleges that churn out successful scientists and biotechnicians. Raleigh-Durham residents Brii BioSciences and Indigo Ag each raised more than $250 million in 2018 while Precision BioSciences raised a $110 million Series B round, contributing to a wave of innovation and talent hiring over the next few years.

Whether Chicago, Indianapolis or Raleigh-Durham catches your eye, you can’t go wrong in the Unvalley. No matter your desires in an employer, the AI-powered Powderkeg talent matching service can find your dream job at a biotech company in your preferred area.

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