BioForward is reaching out to members to highlight their organizations through a new member profile feature to tell more of their stories. University Research Park agreed to be interviewed as a part of our efforts to heighten the awareness of our region and integrated health solutions approach.

About your organization:

Established in 1984, University Research Park, a University of Wisconsin-Madison affiliate, is an internationally recognized research and technology park that supports early-stage, growth-oriented businesses in a range of sectors, including engineering, computational and life sciences. URP2, an extension of URP, is a commercial and residential “New Urbanist” development that aims for environmentally friendly, walkable neighborhoods where people can live and work. University Research Park is creating a neighborhood of ideas, entrepreneurship, and opportunity with its cutting-edge facilities and strong ties to the ingenuity and entrepreneurial spirit of the University of Wisconsin-Madison, city of Madison, and state of Wisconsin.

What do you find valuable about being a member of BioForward Wisconsin?

We appreciate the opportunity to stay in touch with the health and life science community, monitor trends, and advocate for support for this vital sector of our economy.

What are the key areas of or achievements by your organization that are impacting the state of Wisconsin and the overall biohealth industry?

The University of Wisconsin-Madison is one of the largest and most productive research universities in the country, contributing dozens of important innovations every year. University Research Park is proud to support the commercialization of this research by creating innovation neighborhoods where startups, scaling companies, and established firms can thrive in a community of science, technology, and research-based enterprises.

What about the future of research, medical, technological innovation excites you the most?

We are especially heartened by the rapid advances in understanding, diagnosing, and treating diseases that have been unlocked. From gene and immunotherapies to liquid biopsy and advanced stem cell technologies, the future of life science research has never been brighter.

Why Wisconsin? What does Wisconsin (and/or Madison/Milwaukee) offer for your company and/or your/its families?

We are a nonprofit dedicated to supporting the University of Wisconsin-Madison, so the Badger State is in our DNA.

What would you recommend about or say to others about Wisconsin’s biohealth industry and research institutions?

In Madison, you can find “Midwestern nice” coupled with world-class minds in a vibrant city so sticky for talent nobody ever wants to move away.

What is one thing others may not know about your organization?

University Research Park is home to more than 125 companies and manages a growing portfolio of a million square feet, most of it containing lab-based companies or university-research initiatives.