From a microeconomic view, however, biotech executives deciding this year where to launch, expand, or relocate their companies face an embarrassment of riches. As our report on state-level economic development opportunities shows, otherwise tight state budgets have allocated many millions of dollars in grants, tax breaks, and other financial incentives to help grow fledgling life science clusters or sustain well-established ones.

We've organized the report into five regional areas of the United States — Northeast, Mid-Atlantic/Southeast, Midwest/South, Northwest, and Southwest — each region featuring in-depth coverage of three to four key states. There's a wealth of solid information in print, as well as online, covering the life science programs and infrastructure of more than 20 states. While we made every effort to cover all states with significant life science activity, some — such as Illinois, Kansas, and Nebraska — weren't able to provide us with information in time to be included in this report. Don't overlook these important states as you research your options.

But you'll have to read between the lines and weigh the classic trade-off between higher business and living costs in areas like the Northeast and West Coast, and the risk of potentially shallower talent and money pools in lower-cost areas like the Midwest and South. We hope this report will help you find just the right location for your company.

Tony Strattner
Special Projects Editor