< Previous56 M I S S OU RI : M A K I NG . G R O W I NG . MO V I NG .great deal of time and resources in creating an innovation district unlike any other in the country in 39 North. ree major infrastructure projects will begin on the district this year including a biking and walking trail that runs through the entire district, a renovation of the districts’ main street that will widen landscaped paths for bikers and pedestrians, and a revamped 1960s-era cloverleaf that will make signi cant room for real estate development. “It’s a master plan and it’s really a neighborhood or district that we’re creating around the Monsanto headquarters, the Danforth Plant Science Center, BRDG Park, and the Helix Center, which is also an incubator. We already have these four assets co-located in Creve Coeur, which is a suburb of St. Louis, and its an area of town that is ripe for some upgrade of infrastructure and has a really strong residential and commercial components around it. We wanted to have a landing spot for this industry, so we chose Creve Coeur and the 600 acres around these four assets to focus on and create a really interesting community around this sector.”Benson Hill Biosystems, an agricultural biotechnology company, planted its roots in St. Louis in 2013when it became a tenant of BRDG Par k. e startup has since outgrown its space in the incubator and is looking to remain in St. Louis as it expands its operation. e company was attracted to the region for its proximity to the Danforth Plant Science Center as well as the region’s talent assets. “ ere’s an ag community around here that’s growing and there are quite a few companies that have that community perspective for the scientists to interact and learn from each other,” says Mohammed Oufattole, Vice President of Research and Development for Benson Hill Biosystems. “Washington University is obviously a big engine as well. It’s not ag, but when it comes to things that are agnostic like biochemistry and molecular biology and things that like that work across animal and plants, there’s quite a bit of talent coming from there as well.” In 2015, German plant-breeding company KWS SAAT AG decided to locate its North American research facility, the KWS Gateway Research Center, in St. Louis at 39 North. Derek Bartlam, KWS Head of Research USA and managing director of the KWS Gateway Research Center, says the company initially considered more than 20 other locations stateside before choosing St. Louis. e region ultimately made the cut because of its workforce, quality of life and the scienti c and business community’s collaborative spirit and eagerness to help new businesses nd their footing – even from one of its biggest competitors, Monsanto. Global GatewayWhile St. Louis is known as the Gateway to the West, it’s best to think of the region in more global terms. Between the e orts of GlobalSTL, another BioSTL initiative, and the World Trade Center St. Louis, the city’s assets are attracting international companies to the area. In 2017, Israeli tech company, Automation, chose to locate its US headquarters in St. Louis to be closer to its growing customer base and to work on a special pilot project with St. Louis-based electric company Ameren. Automation created some 20 jobs and has several other St. Louis-based clients including Dynaquip and the Danforth Plant Science Center. “Compared to other US regions, St. Louis has a hunger for innovation and an authentic will to implement new, practical technologies and processes,” said Guy Weitzman, founder of Automation. “ anks to GlobalSTL’s relationships and their business development expertise, we’ve been connected to St. Louis clients in the agriculture, industrial automation and energy sectors with crucial technology needs – and where there are needs, there is business potential.” This Investment Profi le was prepared under the auspices of BioSTL and the St. Louis Economic Development Partnership. For more information, contact Maggie Crane at 314-880-8870, mcrane@biostl.org or Jamey Edgerton at 314-615-3956, jedgerton@stlpartnership.com.This Investment Profi le was prepared under the I N NO V A T I ON C OM M U NI T I E SKirksvilleMissouri Rural Enterprise and Innovation Center: is center works with entrepreneurs across a broad range of industries to encourage new and established entrepreneurs in the region through its training programs and business incubator.Springfi eldJordan Valley Innovation Center: A 75,000-sq.-ft. facility that fosters engineering, biomedical and life science research and development in a collaborative environment operated by Missouri State University.JoplinJoseph Newman Innovation Center: e Innovation Center provides a ordable o ce space and assistance for entrepreneurs across industries.MaryvilleDean L. Hubbard Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship: is mixed-use business and technology incubator is located on Northwest Missouri State University’s campus.Kansas CityUMKC Innovation Center: is university-led incubator supports entrepreneurs focuses on technology commercialization, counseling, education and provides access to resources. 58 M I S S OU RI : M A K I NG . G R O W I NG . MO V I NG .InnovatioCentral by S AVAN NAH K I N GM I S S OU RI : M A K I NG . G R O W I NG . MO V I NG .59M I S S OU RI : M A K I NG . G R O W I NG . MO V I NG .59ColumbiaMissouri Innovation Center: MIC o ers life science and tech startups with resources through its Mid-Mo Tech Incubator, business mentoring and lab space.Across the state, innovators are bringing their ideas to market and creating opportunities around the globe. Missouri’s nearly two-dozen innovation communities are located around the state and work to develop the latest innovations for the state’s core industries. With its central location and low business costs, it’s no wonder Missouri is leading the charge for innovation. RollaMissouri Enterprise: is organizations works with innovative Missouri manufacturers and provides a range of business, technical and manufacturing optimization services.St Louis (see next page)Cape GirardeauSoutheast Innovation Center: Located on Southeast Missouri State University’s campus, the center provides entrepreneurship education and opportunities. e university’s Economic and Business Development Center facilities businesses and entrepreneurs with personal enrichment, professional development as well as workforce development.Innovation districts across the state are inspiring the next generation of new ideas and technologies.Photo courtesy of Cortex Innovation CommunitySt. Louis • BRDG Park: Pronounced “bridge,” this bioscience research park is located in the Danforth Plant Science Center and hosts plant, life science and clean-tech companies.• Center for Emerging Technologies: CET is the largest and oldest innovation center in the state and works with early-stage, high-growth IT, bioscience, consumer products and manufacturing companies. • Cortex Innovation Community: A 200-acre innovation hub and technology district that works with bioscience and technology research, development and commercialization. • Helix Center Biotech Incubator: Located near the Danforth Plant Science Center and BRDG Park, this incubator provides resources for bioscience, agricultural technology and plant science startups.• 39 North: A 600-acre innovation hub in Creve Coeur designed to foster innovation and opportunities for plant science research and commercialization of products. • STL VentureWorks (Grand Center, South County, Wellston, West County): ese incubators located across the St. Louis region, provide a ordable o ce, warehouse and production space for startups, early-stage and small- to mid-sized businesses. • T-REX: A coworking space and technology incubator provides entrepreneurs with business support and is home to more than 200 companies, 180 of which are startups.60 M I S S OU RI : M A K I NG . G R O W I NG . MO V I NG .M I S S OU RI : M A K I NG . G R O W I NG . MO V I NG . 61hen you are the host city to the state’s flagship university, employers tend to pay close attention to your labor pool.Such is the case in Columbia, Missouri, home to the University of Missouri and a plethora of expanding companies. Columbia is a city of 120,000 people in a county of 175,000 residents in Central Missouri.We recently caught up with Bernie Andrews, executive vice president of Regional Economic Development Inc. Columbia (REDI) and the 2017 Missouri Professional Economic Developer of the Year, and asked him a few questions. What were your biggest project wins of 2017?BERNIE ANDREWS: Aurora Organic Dairy out of Boulder, Colorado, a leading processor of store-brand organic milk, announced in early 2017 that they would build a $100-million, 90-job plant in Columbia. Phase two will have $50 million in investment and a total of 150 jobs. They are a new manufacturer that took a Missouri certified site of 103 acres owned by the city.Second is American Outdoor Brands Corp., which used to be Smith & Wesson Holding Co. They announced a national distribution center in Boone County just east of the city limits. Phase one is a 500,000-sq.-ft. distribution center, totaling $55 million in investment and 150 jobs that will be created over the next several years. This was a retention project as well as an expansion project. They looked at 85 cities.Third is a retention project for Dana Light Axle Corp. They have been here since the 1980s. They landed a new product line. This is a $39-million investment that retains 89 jobs at the plant. Another 135 new jobs will be added. What is your region’s best-kept secret?ANDREWS: We have a new business and technology park of more than 400 acres. It has ready-to-build lots of 5 acres to 105 acres. Two shell buildings — one of 55,000 sq. ft. and one of 22,500 sq. ft. — have been put up by a local developer. It has a lake and a walking trail. This has come online in the last few months. We are looking forward to getting the word out. Cartwright Business and Technology Park is its name. It is very well planned in terms of work-life balance. It is right by the airport and in a prime spot to be a future employment center. by R O N S TA R N E RTOWN & GOWN FUELS COLUMBIA’S MISSIONPhoto courtesy of Missouri PartnershipC OL U M B I A RE G I ON P R OF I L EW62 M I S S OU RI : M A K I NG . G R O W I NG . MO V I NG .C APE G I R AR D E A U PR O F I L Eape Girardeau came to be known as The City of Roses when a popular 9-mile stretch of road through town was once lined with dozens of rose bushes.That’s still an apt analogy for what’s happening in economic development in Southeast Missouri, a region where high-tech companies are expanding their talent pools.“We have the location and the access that technology and logistics employers covet,” says John Mehner, President and CEO of the Cape Girardeau Area Chamber of Commerce. “We are in the middle of the country, on a river and interstate, with an airport that flies to O’Hare. We have logistics covered.”Equipped with five port facilities, seven major highways, Class I rail and a regional airport, Southeast Missouri is a petri dish of growth when it comes to advanced manufacturing, agtech, and financial and professional services.A labor shed of 170,000 workers enabled the Cape Girardeau Area last year to land a 100-job expansion by AT&T, a 50-job expansion by Codefi, and an 85-job expansion by Schaefer’s Electrical Enclosures.Cby R O N S TA R N E RCOMING UP ROSES IN SOUTHEAST MISSOURIPhoto courtesy of Missouri PartnershipM I S S OU RI : M A K I NG . G R O W I NG . MO V I NG . 63“As the largest city between St. Louis and Memphis, we are a regional hub for retail, government, medical and entertainment,” says Mehner. “We are the smallest metro area in the state, but we pride ourselves on our economic diversity. We’re not too heavily weighted in any one area of employment. And our entrepreneurial spirit is big. We produced the Drury family of the Drury Inns, Rush Limbaugh, and Rich Kinder of Kinder Morgan.”Workforce development is a priority, adds Mehner. “We’re the home of Southeast Missouri State University, and we focus on workforce at every level: K-12, certification, community college and university. Mineral Area and Three Rivers combined with Southeast to create The Cape College Center. Most training is offered through Mineral Area Community College.” DID YOU KNOW? THE HISTORY OF CAPE GIRARDEAU AND THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER ON ITS EASTERN BORDER GAVE RISE TO THE AREA BEING KNOWN AS THE PLACE “WHERE THE RIVER TURNS A THOUSAND TALES.”64 M I S S OU RI : M A K I NG . G R O W I NG . MO V I NG .HAN N I B AL / K I R K S V I L L E PR O F I L Ehey don’t call Kirksville the “Smartest City in Rural America” without reason. Where else in the country can you find a town of 17,519 people where you can receive a high-quality education from preschool through doctoral degree?Kirksville, in Upstate Missouri along the Mississippi River, offers best-in-class educational resources and more. From award-winning grade schools to Truman University, the premier liberal arts and sciences university in Missouri, Kirksville is known nationwide as the place where talented students go to get even smarter.“We have a dental school and medical school here,” says Carolyn Chrisman, executive director of Kirksville Regional Economic Development Inc. “We focus on identifying where our workers are at and if they are underemployed and need more training.”Recently, the Kraft Heinz plant in town expanded from 180,000 sq. ft. to 450,000 sq. ft. and saw its workforce go from 500 to 900 as part of a $250-million capital investment. Supplying the workforce to the sole producer of bologna in North America is a critical job for REDI and the various educational and training institutions in town, notes Chrisman.“We’ve seen retail, hospitality and the commercial sectors boom,” she adds. “Hobby Lobby, Menard’s, Marshall’s and Arby’s are opening here, and we have a very steady by R O N S TA R N E RTHANNIBAL: AMERICA’S HOMETOWN KIRKSVILLE: SMARTEST CITY IN RURAL AMERICAPhotos courtesy of Missouri PartnershipM I S S OU RI : M A K I NG . G R O W I NG . MO V I NG . 65manufacturing sector that is constantly adding jobs. Western’s Smokehouse, which produces 250,000 meat sticks a day, recently added 25,000 sq. ft. and grew its workforce from 30 to 100.”The greater Hannibal/Kirksville region will soon see the addition of a 400-megawatt wind farm, which will create a need for more wind energy technicians in the northern part of Adair County, says Chrisman. “They will start construction later this year.”The other principal city in this region of Missouri is Hannibal, a community of 17,808 people along the Mississippi River about 100 miles northwest of St. Louis. Nicknamed “America’s Hometown” and incorporated in 1845, Hannibal is famous for being the boyhood home of renowned American author Samuel Langhorne Clemens (aka Mark Twain).The Mark Twain Boyhood Home & Museum celebrated its 100th anniversary in 2012 and continues to welcome visitors from around the world each year. But tourism is not the only strong suit of Hannibal. The community offers a robust, diversified economy that includes manufacturing, health care and I.T. Notable employers in Hannibal are BASF Chemical Corp., General Mills, Watlow Electric Manufacturing Co. and Swiss Colony.Low taxes, proximity to Interstate 72 and other major highways, and an abundance of local resources make Hannibal an attractive destination for many businesses. “Our best-kept secret is our quality of life,” says Chrisman. “Missouri State Park is a mile from town and has some of the best fishing, camping, kayaking and trails in the state.” “Our best-kept secret is our quality of life. Missouri State Park is a mile from town and has some of the best fishing, camping, kayaking and trails in the state.”— Carolyn Chrisman, Executive Director, Kirksville REDINext >