The St. Louis County Economic Council is opening the doors to its new biotech incubator on Monday afternoon and the agency says it will serve as a launching pad for biotech businesses.
Officials say The Helix Center Biotech Incubator is a 17,000 square foot facility loaded with lab and office space with a prime location next to the Danforth Plant Center.
Entrepreneurial efforts are nothing new to the council, which runs four other incubators in the region.
The council is billing the facility as a collaborative space for business savvy scientists and Spokeswoman Katy Jamboretz says the trick is getting people talking to one another.
“Did you run into this, how did you solve that problem? Hey, do you know an accountant; do you know an IP attorney? It’s going to bring everything together,” Jamboretz says.
Jamboretz adds that there will be funding opportunities available, as well.
“Well, the nice thing about Helix Cetner is that we do have some capital. We have Helix Fund, which is funded by the St. Louis County Port Authority.” Jamboretz says. “So, we do have a fund that is specifically slated for biosciences.”
It cost $7.5 million to build the facility, with $4.9 million of that coming from the county.
