Snohomish County Biotechnology and Biomedical Device Industries

Snohomish County is home to many premier biotechnology and medical device companies, developing methods for diagnosing and treating diseases and illnesses such as cancer, AIDS, cystic fibrosis and rheumatoid arthritis. Local biomedical device firms are also researching and creating new ultrasound imaging and heart defibrillation products.

Biotech
 
World-Class Research and Education Facilities
The region has a strong history as an incubator for advanced technologies and sciences.  These include the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center and the University of Washington, which receives nearly $1 billion annually in external research funding and is second nationally in National Institutes of Health research funding.
 
Innovative Partnership Zone: Bothell Biomedical Manufacturing Corridor 

The Bothell Biomedical Manufacturing Corridor and nearby medical, research and educational institutions provide our global companies with valuable suport, advancing new technologies and sciences for commercialization.

  • Snohomish County is home to nearly 22 percent of all Washington State biotech and biomedical companies and 24 percent of all life sciences employees.
  • Seattle metropolitan area’s biomedical device industry, which includes Snohomish County, contributes $2.5 billion in gross revenue and employs more than 5,800 workers with total projected wages of $488 million. 
  • More than 120 biomedical device companies engage in advanced research and production of biomedical device technologies in the state, with approximately 100 of these located in the central Puget Sound region.
  • The region's biomedical device employment opportunities grew at 8.2% per year between 2000-2008, with 2,500 new jobs added to the regional cluster since 2000.
    $143 million of Washington’s tax revenue was generated by global health activities.
  • The life-sciences industry generated an estimated $6.4 billion in revenues in 2008.


Tax Credits and Incentives

  • High technology B&O credit for R&D spending
  • High technology sales and use tax deferral/waiver
  • Biotechnology & medical device manufacturing sales & use tax deferral/waiver

Beakers

Resources