Biomedical & Life Sciences
Learn all about why Virginia Beach is best for your Bio business at vabeachbio.com.
Many of Virginia’s more than 600 biomedical and life science companies are located in the Virginia Beach MSA. More than 20,000 people are currently employed in the health care field in Virginia Beach. The biomedical/life sciences cluster is driven by direct and easy access to such resources as Eastern Virginia Medical School, Sentara Health, Bon Secours Health System, Children's Hospital of the Kings’ Daughters, LifeNet Health and its Center for Regenerative Medicine, and the global headquarters of Operation Smile.
The industry is supported by research and academic institutions, including: NASA Langley Research Center, Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility, Old Dominion University, Hampton University, and Tidewater Community College.
The bioscience industry is one of the most important industries powering economic growth in the United States. It is responsible for the creation of more than 5,000 new jobs and $1.9 billion in biomedical and life science-related capital investment in Virginia in the past decade. Companies and entrepreneurs have access to a variety of state and local incentive programs as well as private capital.
Key Focus Areas
VaBeachBio identified four specific areas of focus for the City’s bioscience efforts: Diabetes, Neuroscience, Heart Disease, and Brain Injury.
Major Biomedical and Healthcare Companies in Virginia Beach
| Company | Employees |
|---|
| Sentara Healthcare | 5,189 |
| LifeNet Health | 704 |
| SeniorCorp | 300 |
| Urology of Virginia | 281 |
| Operation Smile | 100 |
Key Positions - Average Annual Salaries
| Position | Virginia Beach MSA | United States |
|---|
| Healthcare Practitioners | $76,170 | $79,160 |
| Biological Scientists | $79,300 | $80,060 |
| Athletic Trainers | $48,070 | $47,880 |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, MSA, USA May 2016 Data Business Spotlight
LifeNet Health, headquartered in Virginia Beach’s Princess Anne Commons business district, is a leader in the fields of tissue and organ research and regenerative medicine. It also is a global leader in allograft bio-implant technology, and a leading provider of organ donation and tissue banking services. Notable accomplishments include its development and patenting of MATRACELL technology. As the distributor of more than 300,000 bio-implants every year, LifeNet has been credited with saving more than 6,000 lives and healing more than 2 million people.