Booming Biotech
(Xencor research associate, Monrovia, CA)
There is no denying that the City of Angels is home to the entertainment and technology industries. Ask anyone who’s either lived or visited the Southern California area and they will say that the city’s professional landscape is best-known for “Hollywood” or “big tech.” And most recently, an uptick on social media influencing has relatively changed the way audiences have received their daily dose of world and regional news. A good all-year-round climate coupled with an entrepreneurial spirit and a zest for life all contribute to Los Angeles being the home for creatives and it doesn’t look like there’ll be a slowdown any time soon.
(Johnson & Johnson)
As of September 2021, Los Angeles added approximately 97,000 more jobs in the biotech industry, second to San Francisco in terms of employment opportunities. According to the Los Angeles Business Journal, LA County is number one in the state of California for attracting funding from the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
The Milken Institute reported that the University of California, Los Angeles, was among the top 225 universities when it came to creating startups. Proof that Los Angeles is growing in stature among startup communities. The city ranks 3rd among startup hubs in the U.S. after San Francisco and New York. Thanks to its lower startup costs and cost of living, along with quality-of-life perks, entrepreneurs increasingly see the Southern California city as an optimal place to set up their business.
There are nearly 4,000 life science companies in California, with over 1,900 firms active in the biotechnology and pharmaceutical sector. The most in-demand employment opportunities in Biotechnology include Medical Sciences, Clinical Engineering, Biomedical Engineering, Microbiology, Medical Engineering, Process Development Science, and Clinical Research.
(Johnson & Johnson)
And because of the attention over the last two years during the global pandemic, generation of life-saving drugs, vaccines, and therapeutics, this hot new industry will continue to grow and grow and usher in a new way of thinking about the new workplace.
At Worksmart, we are looking forward to being part of the booming biotech story in Southern California. As our work with Armata Pharmaceuticals ramps up as the company moves to Playa Vista, we can’t help but think about how we have all become accustomed to approaching design from a health and human-focused perspective.
(Future home of Armata Pharmaceuticals, Playa Vista, CA)