The Crossroads of Medicine

As we look ahead to the year to come, I’m excited not only by how far Indiana’s life sciences sector has traveled, but even more so with the incredible potential that still lies ahead.  

Two years ago, BioCrossroads launched a 10-year strategy grounded in the shared belief that Indiana could become a global leader in life sciences by intentionally aligning our strengths in manufacturing, research, talent, and collaboration. Today, that strategy is no longer just words on paper. It is taking shape in measurable, meaningful ways across the state, structured around four key pillars: Advancing Innovation and Entrepreneurship; Expanding Manufacturing; Building Talent and Workforce Development Pathways; and Establishing Thought Leadership through Community and Collaboration. In all four areas, we’ve made significant progress.  

Indiana is a powerhouse in innovation, as evidenced by the patent productivity of our research community, both academic and industry, and peer-reviewed publications generated by Indiana-based researchers. However, the state lags in translating those discoveries and inventions into products and solutions that ultimately lead to patient and economic development impact. Bridging this gap requires a multi-dimensional approach that includes leadership, incentives, capital, and community.  

Leadership at Indiana’s universities have a greater appreciation, now more than ever, in the importance of converting research investments into real-world impact. Thus, university tenure structures are expanding from the conventional currency of grant funding and publications to intellectual property, industry collaborations, and companies started. This shift sends a strong signal to existing and prospective faculty of what phenotype Indiana’s universities seek to attract and retain.  

The launch of IU LAB is a great example of Indiana University’s heightened commitment to foster collaborations between IU’s formidable research engine with industry partners. Once built, IU LAB will serve as another attractive incubator of promising life science start-ups, founded by IU faculty, alumni, and beyond.  

The Indiana Biosciences Research Institute (IBRI) recently made an exciting step in its evolution with its formation of LIBRIS, a for-profit entity that will serve as a catalyst for the development and commercialization of promising assets coming from its talented researchers.  

A robust portfolio of accelerators and incubator programming and services have launched, including BioCrossroads’ AXIS mentoring program and IU LAB’s Lifetech Accelerator (with partner IU Health) powered by Gener8tor, Plug and Play, and BioCrossroads. These initiatives create a highly supportive community for life science innovators and dreamers.  

Finally, Indiana’s federal tech hub Heartland BioWorks’ non-dilutive BioCAN grants and the formation of Crossroads Health Ventures, with $22M in committed capital help provide critical funding to startups. These initiatives represent the DNA of an exciting innovation organism that will grow and flourish in Indiana.    

Indiana is the nation’s leading exporter of life sciences products. We continue to strengthen our position as a pharmaceutical manufacturing powerhouse, while accelerating growth in medical devices and advancing leadership in fast-growing areas of innovation. Lilly has committed over $13B in investments at the LEAP innovation district. Beyond Lilly, Autocam, West Pharmaceuticals, INCOG, Stevanato, and Simtra are just a few companies that have either broken ground on new faculties or expanded existing ones in Indiana over the past two years.  

Radiopharmaceuticals have emerged as a clear example of this strategy in action. In 2025, Indiana was recognized as the Radiopharmaceutical Capital of the World™, the result of coordinated ecosystem building led in part by BioCrossroads’ state-wide Radiopharmaceutical Working Group. And major investments have flowed in—Novartis opened its largest and most advanced radioligand therapy manufacturing facility globally in Indianapolis. Orano Med launched a first-of-its-kind alpha therapy lab in Brownsburg. And Eli Lilly and Company advanced partnerships totaling more than $1 billion in the radiopharmaceutical space. 

Again, these are not isolated wins. They represent Indiana’s intentional focus on highly specialized, capital-intensive, and fast-growing areas of medicine, which is exactly the type of focused efforts required to meet the 2033 benchmark. 

At the same time, BioCrossroads and its partners recognize that talent and workforce is a critical success factor for continued growth.  

Every metric, R&D excellence, manufacturing leadership, or company diversification, depends on talent. That reality is why workforce investment has been accelerated early in the 10-year plan. 

From the $51 million federally backed Heartland BioWorks BioTrain facility to the Indiana Career Apprenticeship Pathway (INCAP) and the Lilly Scholars at Purdue program, Indiana is building age demographic-specific pathways into high-value life sciences careers, both for hourly and professional occupations. Indiana’s exclusive license covering the Midwest region for world-class curriculum from the National Institute for Bioprocessing Research and Training (NIBRT) will position the state as a regional center of excellence for biopharma manufacturing training. These initiatives directly support the metrics by ensuring companies can scale, innovate, and stay rooted in Indiana. 

Two years into BioCrossroads’ strategic plan, progress is visible across the state. New ventures are emerging alongside global incumbents. Early-stage companies are gaining access to manufacturing, capital, and mentorship. Initiatives like READI are ensuring that communities across Indiana, not just the big cities, are prepared to support growth. 

And just this month, BioCrossroads has launched two resources to support and grow this company base. Startup Indiana is BioCrossroads’ new website designed to serve as a centralized front door for Indiana’s life sciences startup community. This site brings together funding pathways, mentorship, regulatory and clinical resources, startup visibility, and ecosystem connections in one place. To further support startups and access to funding, BioCrossroads’ Crossroads Health Ventures announced its launch and first close of a new early-stage venture fund created to accelerate the growth of Indiana’s life sciences startups and reinforce the state’s global leadership across human, animal, and plant health innovation. 

This progress is the result of coordination and commitment across industry, academia, government, and communities statewide. It reflects a deliberate shift from isolated successes to an integrated, resilient ecosystem—one designed to compete and win on a global stage over the next decade. 

Indiana stands at the crossroads of medicine, manufacturing, and innovation. The path forward is ambitious, and it’s one we’re building together.