"Change is the law of life and those who only look to the past and present are certain to miss the future" – John F Kennedy
Biotech gave me one of my big career breaks, I made the switch from medical devices and proceeded to learn about compounds I could not even pronounce – let alone understand – no science qualifications and I ended up on a 3 week countrywide tour presenting the company technology to medical practitioners! It taught me a valuable lesson and if I had not made that move I would almost certainly not be helping others now advance their careers in the medical sector through personal branding and their own unique attributes and skills. So I tend to have a stronger affinity with what goes on in that industry. I have been very heartened recently by the developments locally in biotech.
Last week I attended the Golden Horseshoe Venture Forum and heard from two very exciting and promising biotech developments and then this week was the announcement that McMaster University had purchased a recently closed down appliance factory and planned to make it in to a biotech/ research park with the potential to employ 1500 people – great for the local economy.
Unfortunately a few weeks ago another biotech success had announced plans to open their first full scale biodiesel plant in Hamilton and employ 300 people – jobs badly needed – and they have met with strong resident resistance and it appears some council reluctance – biodiesel, whilst great for the environment in many ways, is not as 'sexy' as labs and drugs, a very short sighted viewpoint.