By Rebecca Robinson, Managing Director, Regional Marketing
Average reading time: 3 minutes
Each year, the DRC’s presence at the BIO International Convention continues to grow as part of our focus on life sciences development, and 2025 was no exception. As the world’s largest biotechnology event, BIO brings together more than 20,000 participants from across the U.S. and more than 30 countries. This marked our third consecutive year representing Dallas-Fort Worth with a dual presence: a dedicated “DFW Corner” within the Texas Pavilion and our own DRC-branded booth. Texas had a strong, unified showing in Boston this year, highlighting the state’s leadership in biotech, research, and innovation on a global stage.
Showcasing Texas’ signature collaborative spirit
The Texas Pavilion was supported by the Texas Healthcare and Bioscience Institute and included other state partners, such as the Texas Governor’s Office, the Cancer and Prevention Research Institute of Texas (CPRIT), and TxEDC. In addition to the DRC, the DFW Corner of the Pavilion featured regional partners, including BioNTX, BioLabs, and BridgeLabs at Pegasus Park.
The DRC’s booth showcased our economic development partners from across the DFW region, including the Arlington Economic Development Corporation, City of Dallas, City of Denton, City of Plano, and the DeSoto Economic Development Corporation. Their presence highlighted the strength of our regional collaboration and gave them the opportunity to share how we’re joining forces—and winning—together.
Buzz about DFW set the scene
With hundreds of individual interactions through the DRC and its partners, the message was received: Life science is converging in DFW. The convention was non-stop, and there was a distinct buzz of interest surrounding Texas and DFW.
Since BIO 2024, the year has been packed with life science announcements, including:
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- Nature’s Toolbox Inc. pledged to invest $31 million and expand in Plano, strengthening our life science ecosystem with its cutting-edge gene expression technology.
- Koya Medical, a medtech innovator, selected the Dallas Region for its new operations, bringing advanced lymphedema treatment solutions closer to patients.
- Abbott broke ground on a major expansion project in the region, reinforcing its long-term commitment to North Texas and advancing healthcare innovation.
- UT Arlington and Texas A&M will launch a new biomanufacturing hub at Pegasus Park’s Bridge Labs in Dallas this fall. The National Center for Therapeutics Manufacturing Satellite Campus will train the next generation of biotech talent and help accelerate the development of therapies, vaccines, and biologics.
- DeSoto ISD introduced a new high school program focused on biomedical science and healthcare pathways, preparing students for careers in North Texas’ growing life sciences sector.
- DFW is named the #1 metro in Texas for Carnegie-designated R1 and R2 research universities—and Texas now leads the nation in this metric, further solidifying our competitive advantage in innovation and talent development.
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DFW connections strong even away from home
The DRC was proud to host our inaugural DFW Alumni Breakfast, generously sponsored by JLL. This vibrant morning event brought together DFW-area college alumni now living in—or connected to—Boston’s life science community. The breakfast provided a valuable opportunity to reconnect, exchange ideas, and grow our dynamic alumni network in the life sciences sector.
From convention floor to the national stage
While in Boston for BIO International, Kelly Cloud, the DRC’s Vice President of Economic Development, Life Sciences, had the opportunity to step away from the convention floor to represent the Dallas Region on a national stage—supporting Caris Life Sciences as they rang the Nasdaq opening bell. This moment was a powerful example of the kind of visibility and influence our region brings to the global biotech conversation, and it underscored the strength of our growing life sciences ecosystem.
The momentum sparked at BIO 2025 has only continued to build, with major investments, new programs, and national recognition reinforcing that DFW is quickly becoming a powerhouse for life sciences. From global biotech and pharma companies planting roots to groundbreaking education and research initiatives, DFW is proving it’s not just part of the conversation—it’s helping lead it. The buzz around our region is real, and we’re just getting started.
To learn more about the DRC’s life sciences and biotech work, visit our Life Sciences website.