YOU HANDLE THE RESEARCH, WE HANDLE THE REST!
TEXAS RESEARCH FUNNEL INITIATIVE 2025
The Plan
Given its business-friendly climate, geographic positioning, and previous success in cancer research investment, Texas is poised to become a leading global hub for biotechnology. We want to do this quickly, effectively, and responsibly. This is an overview of the goals we hope to establish and accomplish for the next legislative session in 2025.
One Pager
Our ambitions are sweeping. The benefits of accelerating research into all forms of disease doesn't require explanation. For Texas to emerge as a therapy and cure research superpower, it must face the reality of bold economic development investments. These will benefit workers of all skill levels, not only providing jobs but providing platforms for saving lives. Among many highlights, we want to build trust through remodeled compliance programs, build opportunity in underserved regions of the state, and build our profile as a partner for every stakeholder...(That's all of us)!
Bonus Points for Extra Info!
We have strict deliverables in mind. These will take time and money, but it can be done.
Furthermore, we wanted to highlight recent success stories from around our state...just in case you have hesitation about our industry's dedication to growing our bioeconomy!
Building a Livable Future
One goal of FYX and this legislative initiative is to help build a sustainably livable future for underserved regions in Texas. Not only is the FYX business model remote, but we plan to hire in underserved communities as we grow.
But the legislation proposed is planting seeds for a rebirth of trust and growth between biotechnology and communities at large, who may feel ignored by some of the more burdensome aspects of biotechnology.
To that extent, we present a loose framework for plans to develop manufacturing hubs in underemployed regions of Texas, including west Texas, the Rio Grande Valley, the panhandle, and southern Texas.
Additionally, we hope to redesign biotechnology operations training to offer programs to people who do not have the same education opportunities as everyone else, but who would like to gain employment in our industry.
Field Work
In between work and a busy personal life, our CEO Jonny Riggs spent 13 days speaking with staffers, state senators, state representatives, and local coffee and barbecue aficionados about the sweeping benefits of biotechnology investment.
A Briefcase and A List
Although we arrived too late to write comprehensive legislation for the current session, we were able to hand off the ideas to every legislative office on the list, 31 senators and 150 representatives. Without knowing if anyone feels strongly enough to pursue this now, we hoped to plant seeds for the next session!
Our Friends' Success
Our friends and colleagues at Texas Health and Bioscience Institute, under the unrivaled leadership of CEO Victoria Ford, accomplished a huge first step helping introduce legislation to start Texas' SBIR/STTR grant matching program. (HB2466 and SB1478).
These bipartisan measures would be a huge accomplishment in jump-starting the Texas bioeconomy!
The Final Day
Punctuated with excessive coffee and a busted collar on Jonny's shirt, our legislative efforts came to a close on March 3, 2023.
We have much bigger goals for next session. We will continue to build.
It's the dream of FYX Lab Operations to rebuild public trust in biotechnology through honesty, integrity, and clear communication. We believe the Texas bioeconomy will help in those efforts. Onward to 2025!