ST. LOUIS, Mo. (First Alert 4) – A 200-acre innovation district in Midtown St. Louis is drawing entrepreneurs and investors from around the world, as the region builds on its strengths in life sciences, agriculture and biotechnology.
Cortex Innovation District has grown over the past 25 years into what organizers describe as one of the top startup hubs in the world, with more than 400 companies, 5,400 employees and more than $1.3 billion in investment.
Breath-based diagnostics company grows inside Cortex
One of those companies is Varro Life Sciences, co-founded by Tom Cirrito, which is developing breath-based devices for pathogen testing.
“This is a device where you can go into your local pharmacy, Walmart or big box store, because it’s so easy to operate,” Cirrito said. “You can get your diagnosis right there on the spot before you leave the store, which means you can get medicine immediately.”
Cirrito said the company has developed with the help of Washington University researchers and a network of science and tech entrepreneurs based in the district.
“If we have another health crisis like we did with COVID, everyone in the world is going to be using these devices,” Cirrito said.
New development and global visitors signal growth
Cortex President and CEO Sam Fiorello said the district broke ground this month on a new mixed-use residential development. He said the organization regularly fields inquiries from international visitors.
“Cortex is now a world-renowned innovation district,” Fiorello said. “We have visitors from all around the world saying, ‘how can we replicate this?’”
Fiorello said the district’s diversity is central to its identity.
“Cortex is a diversity of people and businesses and ideas,” he said. “That diversity makes us stronger and more resilient.”
International entrepreneurs explore St. Louis expansion
BioSTL, an organization that supports startups and innovation in the region, hosted an annual summit at the Danforth Plant Science Center, where several international entrepreneurs were considering St. Louis for expansion.
Justin Raymundo of BioSTL said the region has significant assets but faces an awareness challenge.
“We have some of the largest facilities and biodevelopment facilities in the Western Hemisphere,” Raymundo said. “I think the biggest challenge is making sure site selectors put us on the list. But once people are here we’re good at sharing our story.”
Max Rünzel, a German entrepreneur and founder of HiveTracks — a software platform for beekeepers — said he is considering expanding his North Carolina-based company into the Midwest after attending the summit.
“The moment you get here and you get to the innovation district, you see how compelling a place it is,” Rünzel said. “It’s about having the right people in the room at the same time.”
Dr. Nikki Harrison, who leads Startlife, a network of agricultural innovators based in the Netherlands, said she sees potential for collaboration with St. Louis.
“We see a lot of opportunity to collaborate here in St. Louis with your ecosystem,” Harrison said. “What we’re doing is supporting startups to create a sustainable food system. Our startups often have technologies that would be equally applicable in the US.”
Harrison said St. Louis had limited visibility on the global stage before she attended the summit for the first time last year.
“Prior to that I didn’t have much visibility, so that’s why this is crucial, to make this much more visible to the global platform we operate in,” she said.
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