Organizers

The Bio-Research & Development Growth (BRDG) Park

The Bio-Research & Development Growth (BRDG) Park at the Danforth Plant Science Center helps life sciences and clean-tech companies bridge research, resources and relationships to achieve commercial success. World-class wet labs and office space, plus a prominent incubator and on-site workforce training at BRDG Park are just the beginning. BRDG Park takes maximum advantage of its location on the campus of the Danforth Center and the robust scientific capital found in the St. Louis region.
BRDG Park offers emerging scientific enterprises just the right combination – interactions between top scientists and access to state-of-the-art core facilities such as technologically advanced greenhouses, growth chambers, microscopy, proteomics, and tissue transformation facilities, as well as other vital resources. Located in suburban St. Louis County, Missouri, the multi-building BRDG Park campus is being developed by Wexford Science+Technology, a privately held real estate development and investment company that has developed six major research parks nationwide.

GAIN

The Global Agtech Investors Network (GAIN), a 501(c)(3) not for profit corporation, was formed to create a mechanism to strengthen and facilitate the capital formation efforts of investors and agtech companies, expose industry to innovative technologies and to serve as a central repository for innovation information. GAIN’s membership is international in scope and be comprised of venture capital funds, corporations, institutions, associations, government agencies and service providers.

The Missouri Biotechnology Association

The Missouri Biotechnology Association is focused on maintaining the growth of the biotechnology industry generated by the research and development communities of Missouri. While we have made great strides in keeping our local talent, Missourians have not done enough to attract both national and international interests to be included in our burgeoning biotechnology community. Thus, the members of MOBIO firmly believe that it is up to Missourians to grow our biotechnology industry through research, scholastics, new laws and government.

Missouri Technology Corporation (MTC)

The Missouri Technology Corporation is a public-private partnership created by the Missouri General Assembly to promote entrepreneurship and foster the growth of new and emerging high-tech companies. MTC focuses on 21st Century bioscience industries that build on Missouri’s rich history in agriculture. It is governed by a 15-member board of directors appointed by Missouri’s Governor, Speaker of the House, and President Pro Tem of the Senate. The President of the University of Missouri System and the Director of the Department of Economic Development are ex officio members of the board.

Donald Danforth Plant Science Center

Founded in 1998, the Donald Danforth Plant Science Center has quickly grown to become the world’s largest not-for-profit independent research institute dedicated to plant science. Scientists at the Center are engaged in research that strives to enhance the nutritional content of plants, increase agricultural production to create a sustainable food supply, reduce the use of pesticides and fertilizer, develop new and sustainable biofuels, and generate scientific ideas and technologies that will contribute to the economic growth of the St. Louis region. The research projects of the Center are funded through competitive grants and contract revenue from many sources, including the National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Energy, National Science Foundation, U.S. Department of Agriculture, U.S. Agency for International Development and the Bill & Melinda Gates and Howard G. Buffett Foundations.

The St. Louis Regional Chamber and Growth Association (RCGA)

As home to more than 400 agtech companies and some of the nation’s leading plant science research institutions, St. Louis is an ideal location for agtech innovation and investment. Coupled with an extensive bioscience network, and an infrastructure that supports the cutting edge research and development, the St. Louis region continues to be a hub for leading agtech organizations. The agtech industry is an integral part of our local economy and the St. Louis RCGA is committed to its growth, sustainability, and continued development.

Larta Institute

Larta Institute is a leading “innovation hub” based in the U.S. Our network and influence is seen across the world. We represent a new breed of companies, referred to as “networked organizations,” which are central to the movement of ideas and technologies in an interconnected world. Our mission is to vastly improve the transition of scientific and technological breakthroughs from the laboratory to the marketplace, where they can solve problems, enhance economic opportunities and better people's lives.

As a professional services firm, we design and manage commercialization programs on behalf of clients. These range from federal agencies in the U.S. to national governments and regional authorities across the globe, from public-private partnerships to universities. We increase the market- and investor-readiness of emerging entrepreneurs supported by these institutions.

St. Louis County Economic Council

St. Louis County Economic Council serves as the county’s economic development agency, driving job growth and prosperity in the most economically important county in Missouri. The Economic Council supports all sectors and emerging industries through its broad range of services and divisions: business development, business finance, economic development collaborative, real estate and community development, St. Louis Enterprise Centers, and World Trade Center Saint Louis. It is the only Accredited Economic Development Organization in the State of Missouri.