ISU Research Park location a strategic choice that is fueling biotech innovation and collaboration

Ames is gaining traction as a magnet for biotech startups, thanks in large part to the CYVAX initiative, a pilot-scale space housed in the Iowa State University Research Park that helps young vaccine and biotech companies scale production, train workforce, and accelerate time to market.

The vision going forward is to capitalize on that momentum.

“We’ve had two or three international companies visit, and several more would come if we had space,” says Mike Roof, Iowa State University Chief Technology Officer for Vaccines and Immunotherapeutics. “CYVAX is an easy entry point, and Ames is where they want to be.”

CYVAX, located in the Iowa State University Research Park, is a shared wet-lab space designed to help bioscience startups bridge the gap between early-stage lab development and scalable commercial production. The program provides not only infrastructure and capital investment, but also expert support, workforce development training, and connections to Iowa’s deep bioscience ecosystem.

An Ecosystem That Works

“Ames is a no-brainer for animal health,” Roof says. “We have Iowa State University, the Vet Med college, the Center for Biologics—it’s all here.”

But the appeal of Ames goes far beyond that. Many of the technologies advancing through CYVAX are not species-specific, and Roof says the city’s unique combination of research, infrastructure, and culture makes it ideal for bioscience ventures of all types.

“Our startup ecosystem—with all the programming we have through the state of Iowa, Iowa State, and the Research Park—is nurturing and deep,” he says. “There’s regulatory support, technical support, entrepreneurial support—it’s all here.”

The Park Advantage

CYVAX is not just in the ISU Research Park—it’s a product of it. Roof worked directly with the Park team to identify space, equip the facility, and develop a flexible model that meets the needs of growing companies.

“The Research Park is extremely flexible, not-for-profit, and literally there for economic development,” Roof says. “When we go to them with a request, the answer is always yes. We don’t always know how we’re going to do it, but we know we can and will.”

That spirit of possibility has helped CYVAX evolve beyond its original scope. In addition to technical scale-up, the program now runs five annual training programs in core biotech skills—serving both startups and established Iowa employers. It has also supported eight companies to date with a 100% continuation rate.

Local Talent, Global Reach

Roof believes Ames offers something else that’s hard to quantify but easy to see: a work ethic and culture rooted in its land-grant heritage.

“People here have a background in ag, a strong work ethic, and a service mentality,” he says. “We all rise together. It’s just the culture.”

And with salaries that are competitive compared to coastal markets and access to a trained workforce through ISU and CYVAX programming, companies find it easier to hire and grow.

“Some startups come from campus, some come from out of state, some from out of the country,” Roof says. “What they all have in common is that they find what they need here in Ames.”

With expansion plans in motion, the partnership between CYVAX and ISU Research Park is poised to make Ames even more attractive to the next generation of biotech innovators.

Learn more about CYVAX at https://immunovac.bioconnectiowa.org/cyvax/.