I hope this email finds you well and enjoying the holiday season. As this crazy year is finally coming to an end, I wanted to thank you for your support in 2020. 

This year presented our community with unprecedented challenges, but it also showcased the immeasurable value the life sciences community provides patients and the economy. From vaccines, therapeutics, and diagnostic tests, what the life sciences community has achieved this year is awe-inspiring. 

This year, in addition to our everyday operations, we launched specific programs to mitigate the epidemic’s impact. Here are some of our highlights from this year. 

  • Hosted a virtual summer camp to keep kids entertained with hands-on STEM activities. We had over 500 kids participate from 27 states. 
  • Our community members donated over $1 million to support our COVID-19 PPE Fund, which made direct purchases of more than 500,0000 pieces of PPE and supplies to donate to support our frontline healthcare workers. Overall our community donated more than $80 million to help healthcare workers and the communities most impacted by COVID-19. 
  • iBIO was named “One of the Hundred Organizations Who Will Save the World” by ASAE
  • iBIO Members saved $3.3 million on supplies and services purchased through our Business Solutions Program. 
  • We partnered on a $2.7 million DOD STEM Grant to extend our popular summer camps to 10 school districts supporting military families. 
  • We introduced our bill in Springfield to create a state matching program for Phase I SBIR Grants 

In 2021 we will continue to support the communities and frontline healthcare workers with our PPE Fund, and we will continue to work to improve our life sciences ecosystem in Illinois. 

Next year will also be iBIO’s 20th anniversary. We have some fun programs planned to reflect on the 20 years of our community’s growth and what we need to focus on to TRANSFORM our community for the next 20 years. 

All of this would not be possible without the support and dedication of our membership. Your engagement is instrumental in our ability to strengthen our life sciences ecosystem, and we appreciate it.

We hope you have a happy and healthy holiday season.

– the team at iBIO

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