Calling all businesses in Manatee County’s health economy

From medical equipment manufacturing to pharmaceutical research, health care innovations to nutraceutical breakthroughs, businesses related to life sciences are finding a home in Manatee County.

A climate and lifestyle that attracts top talent, and a lower cost of doing business compared to traditional life sciences hubs in the United States, creates an attractive combination for enterprises focused on leading-edge life sciences research, technologies and product development.

It’s a desirable industry for our community, too, with wages averaging $70,000 per year.

Recognizing that the Manatee-Sarasota region is poised to capitalize on the health economy’s growth potential, local economic development organizations are promoting the area’s “Health Economy Network.” As one of the network’s partners, the Bradenton Area Economic Development Corp. (EDC) is looking for businesses that want to join in this collaborative conversation to share insights, resources and challenges.

On Oct. 11, Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine (LECOM) in Lakewood Ranch will host a roundtable discussion for the network.

“This is a chance for everyone with a stake in the region’s health economy to have a voice,” said Tim Novak, director of LECOM’s master’s in health service administration program. “Let us know what resources you have, what you provide and what you need to grow. Share what you’re doing, understand what others are doing, and learn how we can work together.”

At the Bradenton Area EDC, we’ve learned from other industry roundtables – in manufacturing and sports performance, for example – that business owners benefit from discussing common challenges and sharing solutions. Topics may include recruiting and retaining talent, pursuing research and development, or expanding sales to wider markets.

During these conversations, we learn about challenges and opportunities that the EDC can work on, applying our extensive network of contacts and resources to solve problems for Manatee County businesses. We aim to do the same for businesses in the health economy.

Already, life sciences businesses in the Manatee-Sarasota region are coming together around the idea of the network, and they see potential benefits for others to join in.

“Being part of the network can strengthen your ability to attract top talent,” said Scott Sensenbrenner, chief executive officer at Enzymedica, which develops natural products to help people with digestive concerns. “If you’re doing it in isolation, you’re missing a tremendous resource that’s being established by this network. Working together, learning from each other will benefit your business on many levels.”

Executives at medAppraise agree. The startup company has developed technology for helping employers analyze and monitor the musculoskeletal fitness of employees whose tasks can lead to repetitive stress injuries.

“The networking that is taking place through the Health Economy Network has already reaped potential reward for us,” said Sandra Chororos, chief commercial officer at medAppraise. “The EDC introduced us to BioFlorida (a statewide resource for the life sciences industry), where we learned about a resource in Tampa for further development of our product. It’s an incredible opportunity to network with one another and mutually assist companies in the field.”

Businesses related to health and life sciences, and others that offer resources for those businesses, are invited to participate in the Health Economy Network roundtable from 3-5 p.m. on Oct. 11 at LECOM. For details or to register, contact Mary Chilton at maryc@bradentonareaedc.com.

This story was originally published July 23, 2017 at 8:35 AM with the headline "Calling all businesses in Manatee County’s health economy."