New Report: Wisconsin Biohealth Industry Outpaces National Growth, Generates $38.1 Billion Economic Impact
BioForward Wisconsin report highlights high-wage job growth, major investment and a connected statewide ecosystem positioned for continued expansion
Wisconsin’s biohealth industry is growing at nearly twice the national rate, generating $38.1 billion in total economic activity and supporting nearly 139,000 jobs statewide, according to the newly released 2026 Wisconsin Biohealth Industry Landscape and Economic Impact Report from BioForward Wisconsin.
The biennial report, prepared by TEConomy Partners, LLC, was made possible through a joint investment by BioForward Wisconsin and the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC). The report finds that Wisconsin’s biohealth industry directly employed 59,519 people across 2,667 establishments in 2025. Industry employment grew 12.9% from 2021 to 2025, compared with 6.9% nationally, with four of Wisconsin’s five major biohealth subsectors expanding during that period.
“Wisconsin’s strength comes from the way our biohealth ecosystem works together,” said Lisa Johnson, CEO of BioForward Wisconsin. “Companies, research institutions, healthcare systems, manufacturers, entrepreneurs and workforce partners are creating an environment where innovation can move from discovery to commercialization and ultimately to patients. That collaboration is translating into high-value jobs, major investment and a stronger platform for growth. Wisconsin has the assets and connections to help biohealth companies start here, scale here and stay here—and to attract companies looking for a place where they can grow.”
Key Findings of the Report
• Economic Impact: Wisconsin’s biohealth industry generated $22.3 billion in direct economic activity in 2025 and $38.1 billion in total economic impact from direct, indirect and induced activity. The industry supported 138,739 jobs statewide, $12.3 billion in wages and benefits, and $1.4 billion in state and local tax revenue.
• Employment Growth: Biohealth employment increased 12.9% between 2021 and 2025, nearly twice the 6.9% national growth rate. The industry now directly employs more than 59,500 people across 2,667 establishments.
• High-Value Jobs and Productivity: Average annual wages reached $116,452 in 2025—76% above the statewide all-industry average. Productivity, measured as gross state product per worker, reached $273,360, nearly twice the average across all Wisconsin industries.
• Broad-Based Industry Strength: Biomedical research and testing, digital health and biohealth-related distribution each grew employment by roughly 20% or more since 2021, while drugs and pharmaceuticals grew nearly 10%. Wisconsin also maintains a strong national specialization in medical devices and equipment.
• Continued Investment: Major recent investments include Eli Lilly and Company’s planned $4 billion investment in Pleasant Prairie, Arrowhead Pharmaceuticals’ approximately 300,000-square-foot research and manufacturing campus in Verona, Catalent’s $45 million Madison expansion, and continued investment by GE HealthCare across its Wisconsin operations. The state’s research infrastructure is expanding as well, including the Medical College of Wisconsin’s $150 million-plus, 161,000-square-foot Center for Cancer Discovery in Milwaukee, which opened in August 2025.
The report shows that Wisconsin’s competitive position extends beyond individual companies or subsectors. The state combines established strengths in medical devices, imaging and diagnostics with growing capabilities in pharmaceuticals and biomanufacturing, digital health, biomedical research, personalized medicine, and emerging areas such as probiotics and microbial biotechnology.
That connectivity is also central to the Wisconsin Biohealth Tech Hub, led by BioForward Wisconsin. With more than $80 million in combined federal, state, consortium and industry commitments, the Tech Hub is moving into implementation around personalized medicine, linking health data and research with commercialization, workforce development, precision manufacturing, clinical adoption and access to care.
The report also identifies areas requiring continued attention, including access to risk capital, commercialization support, research infrastructure and the biohealth talent pipeline. Together, the findings reinforce Wisconsin’s opportunity to retain and grow existing biohealth companies, attract new investment and advance innovations that improve patient outcomes.
The 2026 Wisconsin Biohealth Industry Landscape and Economic Impact Report will be officially released at the 2026 Wisconsin Biohealth Summit, October 21–22 at the Baird Center in Milwaukee. The Summit brings together leaders from across Wisconsin’s biohealth ecosystem to explore the science, partnerships and opportunities shaping the industry’s continued growth.
The full 2026 Wisconsin Biohealth Industry Landscape and Economic Impact Report is available at https://www.bioforward.org/economic-impact.
About BioForward Wisconsin
BioForward Wisconsin represents more than 260 member organizations across an integrated network of biohealth leaders, including research institutions, biotechnology and biopharmaceutical companies, digital health organizations, healthcare systems, medical device and diagnostics companies, manufacturers and service providers. BioForward works to strengthen Wisconsin’s biohealth industry by fostering collaboration, advancing innovation and building the connections needed to support industry growth and improved health outcomes.
Media Contact
Rissa Guffey (she/her)
Senior Director of Marketing & Communications
BioForward Wisconsin
rguffey@bioforward.org
(608) 236-4693
