Why do so many life sciences companies call North Carolina home?

North Carolina accelerates success in the life sciences. Top talent, infrastructure and a business-friendly climate are among the reasons why companies are choosing the Tar Heel state.

Our talent pool of 75,000 highly skilled workers are employed by our 830 life sciences companies. An additional 2,500 companies support the life sciences sector.

Our top-tier research universities, training and scientific infrastructure, and low cost of doing business, make North Carolina the right place for growing companies.

Strong, diverse life sciences cluster

Core strengths in pharma and biopharma manufacturing, gene and cell therapy, contract research, and agricultural technology
Ranked the nation’s fourth leading hub for biotechnology activity per Fierce Biotech
Named the 2022 State of the Year per Business Facilities
Named the 2023 Top State for Business per CNBC

Training Infrastructure

58

community colleges

25,657

life sciences degrees conferred 2016-2021

16

UNC campuses

36

private colleges

Scientific Infrastructure

5

medical schools

4

pharmacy schools

3

comprehensive cancer centers

2

land grant universities

1

veterinary school

International Connections

96

international companies

23

countries

2

international airports

100 million

people in a 500-mile radius

Contact NCBiotech to learn more!

Life Sciences Industry News

April 15, 2024

Atlantic Fish Co develops cultivated black sea bass

Raleigh sustainable food startup Atlantic Fish Co has developed and tested a cultivated black sea bass prototype, the company’s latest milestone in the production of sustainable seafood made from harvested fish cells.

In an announcement this week with the North Carolina Food Innovation Lab (NCFIL) in Kannapolis, Atlantic Fish said development of the sea bass represents a breakthrough in cellular agriculture. The company produces seafood by harvesting fish cells, feeding them nutrients and giving them a structure to grow on.

March 28, 2024

NC Plant Sciences Initiative Startup Program helps ideas become viable products, services

Turning ideas into impactful solutions can be a hit-or-miss proposition. To get more agricultural technology hits, the new North Carolina Plant Sciences Initiative (N.C. PSI) Startup Program helps researchers, alumni and others translate their ideas and discoveries into viable products and services that benefit agriculture.

March 20, 2024

Biotalys collaborates with Novonesis on new biofungicide

Biotalys, a Belgian agricultural technology company with a small U.S. subsidiary in Raleigh, has formed a collaboration with Novonesis (formerly Novozymes) to commercialize a biofungicide for fruit and vegetable crops worldwide.

2022 TEConomy Report

The "2022 Evidence and Opportunity: Impact of Life Sciences in North Carolina" report from TEConomy Partners analyzes the impact and transformation of life sciences in North Carolina.

View Report

North Carolina's infrastructure supports life sciences companies all across the state. Some of our major advantages include:

An ideal mid-Atlantic location
Four international airports, including Raleigh-Durham and Charlotte Douglas airports
Daily freight and passenger trains with 3,200 miles of railroad
Two coastal ports, including 3 million cubic feet of cold storage space
90,000+ miles of highway connecting NC to all corners of the U.S.