Johnson & Johnson (NYSE:JNJ) said today it launched JLABS life science incubator in Houston, designed to provide shared lab space, offices and laboratory suites and equipment for up to 50 startups.
The 34,000 square foot facility will open with 21 companies that Johnson and Johnson said “represent a range of disciplines and geographies,” including winners of JLABS Quick Fire Challenge, which is providing 4 companies with residency in the new facility.
“We’re thrilled to expand our JLABS initiative into Houston. The city’s rich research, academic, and investment communities provide a robust ecosystem of early stage innovation, and present a unique opportunity to collaborate with Texas startups to deliver much-needed therapeutics, medical devices, and consumer health solutions to patients and consumers more quickly,” J&J chief scientific officer Dr. Paul Stoffels said in a press release.
The JLABS in Houston is the 5th JLAB facility in the U.S., the company said, and is the 1st to open with a medical device prototype lab, which includes a 3D printer, used to design specialized medical tools and build smart health technologies.
The newly opened JLABS facility is housed in the Texas Medical Center, adjacent to its TMCx life sciences accelerator.
“We have been eagerly awaiting this day when JLABS @ TMC opens its doors and immediately enhances our already robust ecosystem of talented entrepreneurs who are solving the greatest unmet healthcare needs of our generation. TMC has spent decades making healthcare history, and now these business accelerators housed at TMC will take innovation to new heights,” Texas Medical Center CEO Dr. Robert Robbins said in a prepared statement.
Johnson and Johnson said it will add its 1st international JLABS location in Toronto, Canada this spring. In total, the company’s JLABS locations house more than 100 early stage companies in the bio/pharmaceutical, medical device, consumer and digital health fields.
“Houston is already a very active life sciences hub, and we’ve recently seen a drive to further embrace the industry, establish clear leadership in biotech innovation and close the gap between research and commercialization. JLABS is ideally suited to catalyze this result, not only through supporting the development of new healthcare solutions for patients, but also by providing startups with access to the broader JLABS network and its family of incubators,” JLABS head Melinda Richter said in prepared remarks.
The post Johnson & Johnson launches JLAB incubator in Houston appeared first on MassDevice.
from MassDevice http://ift.tt/1oZ5tZ8
Cap comentari:
Publica un comentari a l'entrada