Via Christi Health System and its subsidiary, Via Christi Research, in collaboration with Wichita State University’s National Institute of Aviation Research (NIAR) hired Initiatives, Inc., to perform a SWOT analysis of statewide manufacturers. Its findings were instrumental in the award of a $20 million Kansas Bioscience Authority (KBA) grant designed to support the National Center of Innovation for Biomaterials in Orthopaedic Research known as CIBOR.
The Kansas Bioscience Authority (KBA) identified the development of biomaterials as a statewide core competency for the bioscience industry in Kansas. Its goal was to establish a center of excellence for biomaterials as a bioscience cluster, positioning Kansas as an international leader in biomaterials research and commercialization that utilizes composites and polymer manufacturers in the Kansas aerospace industry.
In a competitive grant application process, Via Christi Health System and its subsidiary, Via Christi Research, in collaboration with Wichita State University’s National Institute of Aviation Research (NIAR) hired Initiatives to perform a SWOT analysis of statewide manufacturers that would:
The findings concluded that composite and polymer manufacturers requested technical support, R&D support, labs and partners who know the industry in order for to embrace biomaterials manufacturing. Their interest in diversification was high and they were confident they would be a major driver for a biomaterials and medical device manufacturing cluster in Kansas.
These findings were instrumental in the award of a $20 million KBA grant designed to support the National Center of Innovation for Biomaterials in Orthopaedic Research known as CIBOR. The findings also assisted in landing a $2.1 million grant from the Knight Foundation.
After the establishment of CIBOR, Initiatives provided a focused statewide effort to properly engage and qualify tier I and tier II manufacturers to develop and establish its manufacturing supply chain.