South San Francisco city officials returned today from a successful business development trip to the Biotechnology Industry Organization (BIO) International Convention in San Diego. The four-day convention is the largest, most influential biotech meeting in the world and attracted over 15,000 of the most powerful biotech and pharmaceutical players from 65 nations engaged in innovative healthcare, agricultural, industrial and environmental technologies. South San Francisco is widely recognized as the center of the country’s largest biotech community and home to renowned biotech industry giants Amgen and Genentech, both of which also participated in the BIO Conference. Genentech sponsored the keynote luncheon with former Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton.
“The focus of the delegation was strengthening existing relationships and building new connections,” said South San Francisco Mayor Karyl Matsumoto, “and through meetings and presentations we succeeded.” The delegation connected with 61 companies, including a delegation from China introduced through the U.S. Department of Commerce and Janssen Labs, a life-sciences firm that recently announced plans to develop a 30,000-square foot incubator in South San Francisco. In addition to one-on-one meetings, Mayor Matsumoto also took part in a panel discussion addressing modern governance in the age of biotechnology. California State Assemblymember Kevin Mullin moderated the discussion, and representatives from the City of South San Francisco, City of Berkeley, City of Emeryville, and City of Oceanside discussed the importance of supporting biotechnology in today’s economic environment.
The delegation from South San Francisco included Mayor Karyl Matsumoto, Vice-Mayor Richard Garbarino and Councilmembers Mark Addiego and Pradeep Gupta. The City of South San Francisco looks to continue its efforts to attract new business to the City at next year’s BIO International Convention in Philadelphia.
“The future of biotech is bright,” says Mayor Matsumoto, “trust in us, and we will help grow your business.”