With Chicago, Detroit and the beaches of Lake Michigan all nearby and a wide array of entertainment, activities and experiences, Kalamazoo is a great place to live and work. The Region boasts great schools, reputable universities, two nationally recognized healthcare systems and an extremely low cost of living for a city of its size and caliber. And, changing with every season, Southwest Michigan is a beautiful place to be year-round.

View Details at www.michiganadvantage.org

Peer through the microscope at a larger future for your life sciences company in Michigan. Michigan is home to a life sciences market space geared at emerging companies looking to commercialize anything from the latest diagnostic tool to creative advancements in the world of pharmaceuticals. With a strong history and an eye towards the future, young life science companies can get the edge and the Upper Hand in Michigan.

As a part of the Michigan economy since before the automobile, the state's life sciences companies have been profitably growing and making discoveries that benefit the state and the world. Michigan's life sciences industry focuses on the following areas:

• Pharmaceuticals
• Medical devices
• Instrumentation
• Diagnostics
• Biotechnology research and ancillary services

Life Sciences Strengths

With over $2 billion invested in R&D each year and nearly 120 new companies since 2000, Michigan leads the nation as one of the fastest growing life sciences states. Michigan's life sciences strengths also include:

• 542 companies
• 31,777 employees
• $4.8 billion in sales
• Growth of Michigan's life sciences industry has exceeded growth of the U.S average, growing 27% in employment, 32% in number of companies and 165% in sales
• Michigan has led the nation in percentage growth of new companies from 1999-2002
• #2 state for overall R&D expenditures
• #3 university in the nation for R&D
• 2nd most business friendly state in the nation, according to Site Selection magazine
• Michigan has invested $178 million over the past four years to foster growth in the state's life sciences sector
• 4th largest high tech workforce in the nation

Find out more about life sciences in West Michigan in our PDF download.