“Having done this for three decades, I’ve seen other fits and starts in other places,” says Marino. “Florida and Texas have tried. And you’ll get a handful of companies that go there, but they tend to be more medical device, materials, or diagnostics companies than true biotech,” Marino said.

That’s because the process is nuanced. The right players need to be in place, like a highly learned talent pool and the right amount of space to put that talent in.

“They’ll use government incentives, discounted land, or other financial inducements to try to get someone to come there,” he said of various companies’ efforts. “However, this is an industry that likes to cluster and collaborate, and that takes critical research institutes, educational institutions, and existing players to [cooperate with] in order to germinate and grow.”

Perhaps Nashville, Tennessee, will be next. Music City saw a boom of 35,000 life science-related jobs between 2015 and 2020. Fueled by educational powerhouses such as Vanderbilt University Medical Center and the National Institutes of Health, life science has been increasing funding in the region, with Vanderbilt University and Vanderbilt University Medical Center reaching a $1 billion milestone in research funding this past April. 

“Vanderbilt researchers are among the most accomplished in the world, contributing in significant ways to solving the most complex scientific and medical challenges of today while also charting important new pathways of discovery for tomorrow,” Daniel Diermeier, chancellor of Vanderbilt University, says on the school’s website. “Reaching this funding benchmark affirms Vanderbilt’s place among the world’s foremost research institutions and inspires new levels of aspiration as we look ahead to the future.”

Boston could be another up-and-coming life science player. Boston Real Estate Times reported that Boston’s life science market topped 3 million square feet of leasing during Q2. 

Globest.com said Boston is just getting started when it comes to ruling biotech, with an additional 23.8 million square feet of upcoming projects underway in the city famous for its baked beans and Fenway Park. 

The city ranks sixth for life science educational attainment, thanks to its 840,000 residents over age 25 who hold at least a bachelor’s degree in science, engineering, or related fields.

Life Science Clusters Have Been Popping Up in Other Areas Across America

A 2022 Life Sciences Research Outlook Report by global commercial real estate services company JLL assessed metrics like funding and talent of potential future life science hot spots. It found that the greater Washington, D.C., area and Baltimore, Philadelphia, New Jersey, New York City, and Salt Lake City are heating up. 

While many clusters have seen great successes in preleasing, available space has also jumped from over 10 million square feet to nearly 25 million square feet, according to JLL. The company reports that leases have been up since the spring of this year. 

That’s music to Hughes Marino’s ears.

“Our firm has been representing life science tenants for our whole careers, for 30 years,” Marino says. “As we have grown, we think that’s a really important part of the economy and an important part of our practice. It’s a very specialized base of knowledge as well, as to what those companies and what that industry requires. It’s been a big focus of ours as we’ve expanded into, initially, San Francisco and then Seattle. We’re hiring some of the top office and industry professionals as well. They know what manufacturing and supply chain companies require and what corporate headquarters and traditional office tenants require.”

In keeping ahead of life science trends, Hughes Marino has positioned itself in the thick of it all. Apart from its headquarters in San Diego, Boston and Raleigh-Durham are the newest additions to its already flourishing fleet of offices throughout the United States.

“We’re truly a national company,” Marino says. “We have a footprint in multiple states with nine offices and more to come.”

San Diego Remains Life Science Hot Spot

In San Diego, Marino says biotechnology lab developers can’t build lab space fast enough.

“In the last three years, there’s been 5 million square feet of life science leases signed,” he says. “And so these folks can’t build it fast enough. Literally, they’re tearing down two- and three-story office buildings to build six-story lab buildings.”

Biotech company Excellos is coming to Genesis San Diego, which is a 203,000-square-foot, eight-story life science building. The transaction is downtown San Diego’s second-ever life science lab lease. 

Global real estate magnate Oxford Properties Group recently announced on its website the purchase and long-term leaseback of Ionis Pharmaceuticals’ 18.4-acre life science campus and corporate headquarters, growing Oxford’s San Diego life science impression to 900,000 square feet across 16 buildings. The press release adds that San Diego has established itself as one of the most important life science markets globally, which is another reason Oxford invested in the area. 

“Our purchase of the Ionis campus adds to Oxford’s significant presence in a top three global life science market that is characterized by high barriers to entry,” Tycho Suter, Oxford’s VP of investments, said in a press release. “We have long-term conviction in the San Diego life science market, which is supported by its strong [science, technology, engineering, and math] presence and a highly skilled labor force, as well as world-renowned research and academic institutions.”

Marino says he and the Hughes Marino team are excited for what’s to come for the life science sector. “It’s just going to be more of that [growth], and we have proven that we can scale our culture and technology.”
When it comes to securing life science space anywhere in the world, but especially in San Diego, Hughes Marino’s team says starting earlier is always better and it’s ideal to allow for at least six to 12 months before a life science company requires lab space occupancy. Tenant representation companies such as Hughes Marino specialize in making sure every detail is covered, especially when it comes to the complex task of procuring life science lab space.

Continue this story on ScienceTimes.

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Language barriers, lack of influence and the fear of risk stop the progress. By default, the status quo of what is broken remains. Innovation and implementation is delayed, again. Digital marketers feel frustrated, anxious, angry and close to apathy.

The Solution

Take refuge and tele-transport to an island where only the digitally sophisticated exist in a wireless land, lush with free wi-fi that grows on trees. Unrealistic, but I admit I’ve often fantasized of similar scenarios and have thought this utopian world may be an easier solution than being an agent of change leading others through the digital divide.

Many of us can see the big picture, drive the latest technologies and connect the dots throughout our own communities. Unfortunately, mainstream does not reflect the mindset represented by the 200+ attendees at Explore in Nashville last week. Therefore, we all must return to the real world where we are faced with daily challenges from the digital divide. I gathered a handful of takeaways from Friday’s event to help you as you navigate on your journey, beyond the digital divide.

Explore Nashville Takeaways

Don’t Hoard Data

To direct and drive through the digital divide, Amber Naslund reminds us that data is not the ultimate goal. Of course, data is important and as marketers, we should be sharing it with others. It’s time for us to go from social media, and get to social business.

Evolve

Marketers must be the catalyst to translate, empower, teach and collaborate in order to be effective. Also, our social media mindset needs to evolve into a social business, not limited to the external publicity side of client’s needs, but also internally, impacting the culture from within.

Do Not Serve Steamrolls

Want change? Don’t serve steamrolls. No one likes to be steamrolled. Change only happens at a global level when you get buy-in. Zena Weist recommends the three P’s: patience, proactive and parallel when it comes to reaching the champions and creating change.

Be the Brand

They’re watching you, everything you do online. John Morgan reminds us that our visibility is more important than our ability. Be the brand all the time.

Speak the Language

As Nicole Kelly says, “Keep it stoopid easy.” Don’t talk about Twitter. Speak in your CEO’s language. Goal. Cost. Revenue.

Go Mobile

With 90% of Americans within three feet of their mobile phones at all times, Tim Hayden gives us mobile advice for mobile marketing. Mobile marketing must be intimate, direct, personalized, relevant and actionable.

Don’t Forget 2P

We talk a lot about B2B and B2C. Mark Schaefer reminds us that businesses are more than other businesses and consumers. Before you can move forward on the journey, don’t forget 2P, people to people (P2P.)

Be Unboring, Grow Facial Hair

When tasked to do something extraordinary with a boring product or service, you may feel like Scott Gulbransen. Scott can’t grow facial hair, but his mustache received national attention proving the impossible can be possible with a creative campaign like The Stache Act.

Be Spreadable

Instead of thinking about your campaign infecting your market like a virus, Sam Ford puts the emphasis on the value of the ooey-gooey spreadable factors. With so much ability for the audience to publish, distribute and circulate content, marketers must let go of the control and aim for media that has a high spreadable value.

Leave the Office

Dave Delaney urges digital marketers to leave the office to really get social and network. Relationships online are good, but “they’re not solidified unless you give a handshake or a hug.”

Wear Pants

Some wear their hearts on their sleeves. Eric Boggs? He wears his brand on his pants. Eric sports argyle in his attire while representing his company, Argyle. His patterned pants made an impression, proved that bold is beautiful, differentiation wins, consistency in a brand image brings credibility, humor spreads buzz and a simple smile can engage.

Be Sexy

So, you aren’t sexy? You need to rethink sexy. When in doubt, dance like Ike Pigott who stripped down to his undershirt, changed the lyrics and sang to “I’m too sexy for this blog…” His storytelling presentation was crazy-hot sexy and he got his points to stick in our minds forever making an impression. He gave a lot of tips, the tips that best personified his presentation? Be unique, be human and laugh.

Go Loco for Local

For national brands, staying big isn’t the answer. Brands that added a local approach for restaurant businesses increased fan engagement 1125% and retail business pages spiked 700%. For some, going local may seem challenging, but you would be loco NOT to go local. Kevin Magee from Expion has answers for the glocalization challenge. Don’t expect Foursquare to deliver results as only 5% of Americans online are using these types of location app.

Be Speedy

Courtney Seiter commented that the rapid rate of change allows a social media plan to be good for about three minutes. Technology and trends are changing our plans.

Hear the Tweets

Tom Webster shared an interesting statistic from Edison Research. Despite the statistic only 10% of Americans have a Twitter account, Twitter still has influence. 44% of Americans say they hear about “tweets” through mainstream media almost every day.

Expand it

What do you do when you have five panelists on a brand case study panel discussion that are brilliantly awesome, have so much rich content and represent diverse industries like a market research agency, a nationwide news publisher, restaurant hospitality, healthcare and insurance? Answer? You expand the next conference into two days, and we all win. Yes, the next Explore event will be a two-day conference in August.

Shift to Smart

In 2009, only 10% of cell phone users owned a smartphone, compared to today with 44% smart phone owners. This major shift will impact behaviors in the way information is consumed. Brands and marketers must realize this shift when creating and distributing content.

The One Who Can Persuade WINS

Jason Falls presented the closing keynote and advised the room of brain-full attendees on the number one key to success. Jason reminded us that our jobs rely on the power of persuasion. We must aim to persuade people to act in order for any success to take place.

Test It

Jason also provided a litmus test for us to take back to the office on Monday. He calls it, “The HOLY Sh*# Rule.” It’s based on this question: Does this action make people respond with, “Holy Sh*#, that’s ___!”

To move forward, change minds, influence others and achieve greatness, we must work together in real life. We cannot remain behind a screen, rely on Wi-Fi and URLs to solve our world’s IRL problems. I hope these takeaways pass The Holy Sh*# Rule and you find them helpful as you seek success beyond the screen and venture onward beyond the digital divide.

Someday the world and the workplace will not be so divided digitally and marcom professionals can find peace and harmony, wirelessly and happily ever after. Until then, I’ll look forward to gathering more takeaways from Explore in Minneapolis, August 16-17th. Tickets are already on sale!

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