Biofest Boosts San Antonio’s Economy and Transforms Global Health

Date: April 14, 2024

San Antonio Intrigues With Booming Biomedical Industry

In the bustling city of San Antonio, the health and bioscience sector is no stranger to innovation. One in every five workers in San Antonio is part of the healthcare and bioscience industry, contributing to the robust economic growth of the city. High anticipations are circling around the upcoming Biofest, an event aimed at showcasing the industry that currently employs close to 200,000 people in the community. The event, organized by Biomed SA, is set to be a promising platform for budding startups, potential investors, and resources in the biomedical industry.

Local Startups Making Global Impact

One of many success stories to stem from this platform is the innovative startup, Vascular Perfusion Solutions (VPS). VPS has not only managed to garner nearly $2 million in government grant money, but it is also making significant strides in the global biomedical terrain. “Our device is very simple. It keeps the heart viable with nutrients,” explains Rafael Veraza, CEO, and President of VPS.

A Key Contributor to The Economy

As reported by Heather Hanson, CEO of Biomed SA, “Healthcare and Bioscience is the largest economic sector in San Antonio.” To put the sheer scale of the sector into perspective, it contributes over $44 billion to the local economy annually. “It’s the economic side that are jobs, but it’s also the healthcare side where who knows …. but it’s great that it’s here in San Antonio,” Hanson explains.

Supportive Environment For Future Workforce

It’s not only about the money. VPS strives for a well-rounded contribution, offering an integral internship program that fosters the growth of students from UTSA, eventually hiring them full-time. “As a small company, we’re able to hire interns from UTSA, biomedical engineers. We have an internship program to grow them, and eventually, we hire them full time,” explains Veraza.

Creating Lifesaving Prototypes

San Antonio’s esteemed scientists and engineers behind these startups are ceaselessly creating, developing, and testing novel prototypes for organ preservation. A recent breakthrough of a heart-preserving prototype that extends preservation time for more than four hours outside of the human body is a testament to their hard work. “We’re a tiny company that’s developing technology that could ultimately be used around the world and save more lives through organ preservation,” Veraza enthuses.

Biofest also hosts a career recruitment event, allowing local talent to explore options within the thriving sector. For those interested in participating in the event and helping shape the future of biomedical science, further information on Biofest can be found online.