As Scene reported two weeks ago, there's another pivot coming for the floundering Global Center for Health and Innovation. BioEnterprise, a non-profit business incubator and accelerator headquartered in University Circle, will take over strategy, marketing, programming and tenant engagement activities at the county-funded building. The Cuyahoga County Facilities Development Corporation, a non-profit created by the county to oversee the Global Center and convention center, approved the transition in a vote today. SMG, a Philadelphia-based firm, had previously run those aspects of the Global Center and convention center. It will continue to run operations under the agreement.
The full press release, with quotes from County Executive Armond Budish, CCFDC Executive Director George Hillow, and BioEnterprise CEO Aram Nerpouni, is below.
CLEVELAND – October 16, 2017 – BioEnterprise, a leader in growing the Northeast Ohio biomedical industry, announced today that it has reached an agreement with the Cuyahoga County Convention Facilities Development Corporation (CCCFDC) to devise and implement the Global Center for Health Innovation’s (Global Center) strategic plan. BioEnterprise will also lead the Global Center’s marketing, programming and tenant engagement activities.
“BioEnterprise’s engagement with the Global Center is a natural extension of our mission to build and promote Northeast Ohio’s biomedical industry,” said Aram Nerpouni, BioEnterprise president and CEO. “BioEnterprise will convene a global network of corporations, investors and innovators already engaged with Northeast Ohio’s world-class healthcare assets and biomedical industry to create a more meaningful link between the Global Center and the region’s economic growth.”
The county-owned Global Center for Health Innovation, part of the Huntington Convention Center of Cleveland complex, will become a base for industry-building collaborations, including The Medical Capital initiative, which promotes regional biomedical successes through a dedicated website, programming (such as The Medical Capital Innovation Competition), social media, and other activities; and HIT in the CLE, an initiative that aims to grow and diversify the local pipeline and availability of highly skilled Health IT talent.
Cuyahoga County Executive Armond Budish said, “As the champion of our region’s biomedical sector for the past 15 years, BioEnterprise’s presence at the Global Center will help accelerate its transformation into an active center for health innovation. BioEnterprise is the ideal partner to connect tenants with each other, to attract new innovative companies as tenants, to support startups and early stage businesses, and to bring meetings and conferences into the building. This engagement will enhance the breadth of the community’s biomedical ecosystem and create an impressive passageway between our region and the global innovation community.”
“The CCCFDC board has carefully studied and evaluated the Global Center during the past 18 months, including usage of public spaces, suite occupancy, and retail opportunities. BioEnterprise has contributed to the Global Center since its inception and brings a wealth of healthcare industry expertise and experience to the Center. The CCCFDC board is pleased to approve BioEnterprise’s engagement with the Global Center," said George Hillow, CCCFDC Executive Director.
As part of the Global Center engagement, BioEnterprise will establish offices in the Global Center and retain its offices and incubator in University Circle. More than twenty employees, including business development, marketing, strategic initiatives and finance, will move into the Business Showcase portion of the Global Center.
“The Global Center is a spectacular, unique venue and a wonderful asset when connecting with national and global healthcare entrepreneurs, leaders, and companies,” said Nerpouni. “It is a powerful platform to catalyze and convene the biomedical community in new and exciting ways.”
“SMG is enthused about the additional resources and talents that BioEnterprise will bring to the Global Center. With the CCCFDC adding BioEnterprise’s medical industry marketing, promotional, and programming talents, coupled with the existing leasing expertise of Colliers International, SMG looks forward to continuing to provide outstanding management services for the Global Center,” said Gregg Caren, SMG Executive Vice President.
