INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — Around $51 million in federal funds have been awarded to Indiana-based Heartland BioWorks, a biotech hub part of the Applied Research Institute.

BioWorks‘ five-year plan is to develop future medicines, train future workers, house new technologies and facilities, and support other biotech companies.

Andrew Kossack, BioWorks’ executive vice president, told News 8 that Indiana is a hidden gem, but “Indiana isn’t going to be hidden anymore when it comes to the assets we have in biotech.”

Indiana Sen. Todd Young, a huge supporter, said in a statement, “Heartland BioWorks is going to solidify Indiana’s place on the global map as the preeminent location for biotech innovation and manufacturing.”

Kossack says that the biotech world’s vulnerabilities were exposed in the COVID-19 pandemic, and Indiana was the “leading edge” of the pandemic response.

He adds that Indiana is the only state in the nation to manufacture and produce all three COVID-19 vaccines. He said, “The number of jobs we’re projecting could be up to 13,000 additional jobs as a result of these investments and that is in addition to the growth Indiana is experiencing in bio the tech sector.”

Only 12 tech hubs across the country received federal funding.

Amy Zhou’s organization Community Funding Accelerator helped BioWorks secure federal funds. She says there’s a worker shortage.

“There’s a workforce shortage and at least 2,200 bio manufacturing workers per year in Indiana and this funding will help young people enter these careers and fill that gap,” said Zhou.

She says the public can expect a 6-10 week boot camp to help teach students and adults about life sciences and get them trained to work in the industry in the future.

A 27,000-square-foot plot of land located at 16Tech in Indianapolis will turn into BioWork’s Headquarters, with an estimated completion time of 1 – 2 years.

This story was updated on July 8, 2024, to correct a quote from Amy Zhou.