Posted: 05.12.2010

A new $4.5 million grant from the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Economic Development Administration (EDA) completes a major milestone of Wisconsin’s BioAg Gateway, a center for cutting-edge, sustainable plant science research and commercialization, with the construction of the Midwest BioLink Commercialization and Business Center.

In Madison on Tuesday, U.S. Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Economic Development John Fernandez said,  “The Midwest BioLink Commercialization and Business Center will provide bio and ag entrepreneurs the catalyst to take their technology to the next level and beyond, and exemplifies President Obama’s commitment to advancing high-growth industries like biotechnology to benefit the America economy and workers.”

The BioAg Gateway will lead to a significant impact on the area’s economy. It’s planned to include space and equipment on the forefront of crop science research and commercialization—a great benefit in attracting new businesses to the city, region and state. Construction on BioLink is set to create 50 jobs, and as further development leads to additional growth, it will create an estimated 100 more positions indirectly within the first three to five years.

“BioLink will give researchers the perfect storm of resources—from its physical space to the business services and financial assistance to the area’s superior intellectual capital focused on biology, agronomy and plant science that companies can tap,” said Madison Development Corporation President Frank Staniszewski. “Construction will really serve as the tipping point for the BioAg Gateway, propelling the Madison area to status as a top choice for this type of industry.”

“BioAg Gateway is a catalyst to help diversify Wisconsin’s agricultural economy into new realms of bioag development,” said Rod Nilsestuen, Secretary of the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection. “This exciting project fits with the work we have been doing under Governor Doyle to strengthen our agricultural economy by making it more modern, innovative and diverse.”

Guiding the development of the Wisconsin BioAg Gateway campus in Southeast Madison, as well as forging relationships with prospective tenants, is the Board of Advisors, a 17-member committee consisting of local and state officials, business leaders and University of Wisconsin directors. Advisors include:

Todd Abraham, VP Global Research, Strategy & Nutrition, Kraft Foods

John Biondi, President, C5-6 Technologies

John Blaska, President, Landmark Services Cooperative

Mark Bugher, Director, University Research Park

G. Steven Burrill, CEO, Burrill & Co.

Doug Cameron, Managing Director & Chief Science Advisor, Piper Jaffray

Dave Cieslewicz, Mayor, City of Madison

Carl Gulbrandsen, Managing Director, Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation

Eric Hohol, Global Manager of Purchasing-Culture Division, Danisco

Mickey Judkins, Division Administrator Investment & Export, Wisconsin Department of Commerce

Susan LeVan-Green, Program Manager Technology Marketing, Forest Products Laboratory

Tom Lyon, CEO (Ret.), Cooperative Resources International

Rod Nilsestuen, Secretary, Wisconsin Dept. of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection

Bryan Renk, Managing Director, BioForward

Troy Runge, Director, Wisconsin Bioenergy Initiative

John Wiley, Interim Director, Wisconsin Institute for Discovery

Phyllis Wilhelm, Director of Economic Development, MG&E

Local architecture and engineering firm Strang will lead the project.

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