The Journey Begins

We are embarking on an exciting new journey here in the heart of the Kansas City Animal Health Corridor that will significantly impact the discovery and commercialization of technology to promote animal health and food safety and security. More than 120 animal health and nutrition companies are located in the Kansas City region and make up the Kansas City Animal Health Corridor.

In a visionary move, the City of Olathe and Johnson County have joined with Kansas State University and the Kansas Bioscience Authority (KBA) to develop the Kansas Bioscience Park. This public and private sector initiative promotes bioscience education and the discovery, development and commercialization of technology focused on animal health, food safety and security, plant science and biofuels.

The initial land grant of 92 acres will be home to the 38-acre K-State Olathe Innovation Campus as well as KBA-sponsored biotechnology incubators and space for start-up and established biotech industries.

Kansas State University is not only a leader in food safety and security, but embraces this as their No. 1 priority. K-State's Olathe Innovation Campus will anchor the Kansas Bioscience Park, bringing a research and educational facility to meet the area's needs in the biological sciences.

The new facility will attract people from across the globe interested in protecting the world's food supply. The expertise of hundreds of K-State scientists combines with the strength of others in the region working in animal health and nutrition.

K-State's Olathe Innovation Campus brings K-State's expertise to Johnson County to focus on discovery, applied research and development of commercially viable technology in animal health, food safety and security, plant science, and biofuels.

K-State's Olathe Innovation Campus will partner with existing educational institutions at every level: the Olathe school district, area colleges, community colleges and others in the Kansas City Animal Health Corridor. Emphasis will be on engaging students throughout their educational process to encourage interest in the biosciences. The result will be a sustainable, sought-after, world class workforce. Initial offerings at the campus will be graduate/post graduate level programs as well as certificates and professional development courses, both for credit as well as non-credit.

The economic impact will be substantial and sustainable with hundreds of millions of dollars to be invested in the project over the next five to 10 years. Just one building on K-State's Olathe Innovation Campus is projected to generate more than 60 new jobs, a workforce that will grow, and a $3.6 million new annual payroll in Johnson County. This project is built on collaboration between the university and the private sector within the Kansas City Animal Health Corridor. This concentration of world class companies provides unlimited business opportunities to partner together and grow the region in the biosciences.

Now with the bioscience initiatives in Kansas, I can't think of a more exciting venture than to be involved with the development of this unique campus and bioscience park. I look forward to the opportunity to give back to the state which has not only provided me with the educational foundation for my career, but has the foresight to place significant resources towards developing the bioscience initiatives in the state.

I truly believe, based on the unique collaboration between government, education and industry, that Kansas will be a renowned leader in the biosciences. I especially feel this is true in the areas of animal health, plant sciences, food safety and security, and biofuels. The K-State Olathe Innovation Campus will clearly provide a positive impact on the future of Kansas as we develop workforce and promote the educational opportunities to our best and brightest.

- Dan Richardson

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