NH Life Sciences coalition of industry leaders, developers and state officials aims to bring additional biotech, medtech and manufacturing investment to the state
NASHUA, NH– As the life sciences industry continues to expand beyond traditional hubs, leaders with NH Life Sciences (NHLS) are making the case that there has never been a better moment for New Hampshire to advance the sector. Through its newly established Economic Development Committee, NHLS is bringing together industry leaders, developers, and state officials to attract new biotech, medtech, and advanced manufacturing investment and build the infrastructure needed to support long-term growth.
“This is an exciting and quickly moving time for the life-sciences sector in New Hampshire,” said NHLS President Andrea Hechavarria, who is co-chair of the committee. “The opportunity in front of us is real — world-class innovation is growing right here, and we have the assets, talent, and momentum to capture it. Now is the time to act.”
Joining Hechavarria as co-chair is Devin Gleeson, vice president of life sciences at Timberline Construction, a founding member of NHLS.
Gleeson said the committee is building on a foundation that already exists across the state. The committee will define what a bio-ready town looks like so communities know exactly what the infrastructure needs are for Current Good Manufacturing Practice (cGMP) facilities that meet federal standards for biomedical products,and a roadmap for how to meet those needs. It will encourage investment in ready-to-work lab and manufacturing space.
“We’re looking for this committee to define and support the state in understanding what type of infrastructure is needed to bring in this innovation,” Gleeson said. “We are looking at what we consider bio-ready towns or life science-ready towns.”
NHLS saw a need for a more coordinated, state-wide strategy to show companies that New Hampshire is open for business and offers competitive advantages over other life sciences regions. The committee has an infrastructure and marketing focus.
The committee combines public- and private-sector leaders from government and industry, including the newly appointed Commissioner of the New Hampshire Department of Business and Economic Affairs, Lucy Lange, and Dr. Jennifer MacDonald, Chief Operating Officer at the Advanced Regenerative Manufacturing Institute (ARMI) in Manchester’s Millyard. Other members include James Key-Wallace of the New Hampshire Business Finance Authority, Rob Prunier of Harvey Construction Corp., Kevin Smith of Smith Horizon, Dan Dewing of JLL and Paul Brean of the Pease Development Authority—all whom carry significant expertise in real estate and economic development across the state and region.
“Our life sciences sector is booming, and the state sees immense value in its growth. By bringing public and private leaders to the table together, we can actively build the workforce, housing, and infrastructure required to keep New Hampshire a premier global hub for innovation,” State of New Hampshire Department of Business and Economic Affairs Commissioner Lucy Lange.
New Hampshire’s proximity to Boston is part of the appeal of the growing life sciences ecosystem here, but the benefits go beyond that.
New Hampshire offers a compelling combination of advantages that few states can match.
The “NH Advantage” — including a business-friendly climate, strategic location, high quality of life, and collaborative public-private partnerships — combines with one of the strongest manufacturing traditions in the country. From precision manufacturing and advanced technologies to a highly skilled workforce, New Hampshire already possesses many of the core capabilities life sciences companies require.
That combination creates a powerful opportunity.
“Our manufacturing capabilities are among the best in the nation,” said Hechavarria. “When you pair that with our proximity to the world-leading Boston life sciences cluster, companies’ increasing focus on domestic manufacturing, and the business advantages New Hampshire provides, you have a compelling value proposition that is difficult to replicate anywhere else.”
One of the committee’s core messages is that New Hampshire can complement — rather than compete against — the existing Massachusetts biotech ecosystem. Gleeson noted that geographically, there are similarities between operating between Massachusetts and New Hampshire as compared to the Research Triangle in North Carolina.
“From a technical standpoint, when you’re building life science facilities; the closer your manufacturing is to your research and development, the better off you are,” Gleeson said. “Timberline hears from a lot of companies with R&D in New England that fly down to North Carolina or out west because that’s where they’re manufacturing their products.”
They could be manufacturing those products in New Hampshire. The economic development committee is going to be shining a spotlight on that capability.
The committee met for the first time in late May, but NHLS leaders already see it represents a foundational next step for the organization. With the support of private industry leaders and state government officials, NHLS sees the economic development committee as a foundation to market the state nationally and internationally as a preeminent destination for life sciences talent and innovation, as well as help cultivate the infrastructure needed for those incoming companies.
