To celebrate the funding and milestone achievements of life science companies across Illinois and elevate the outstanding stories of life-saving innovation in our community, iBIO has produced our inaugural Annual Venture Report. Illinois’ life sciences ecosystem achieved unprecedented growth with $1.24 billion in venture investments across 99 companies, marking the state’s emergence as a premier biotechnology hub. This comprehensive report showcases the remarkable achievements of Illinois-based life sciences companies, from groundbreaking AI-driven drug discovery platforms to innovative treatments for neurodegenerative diseases. With employment in the sector growing 20 times faster than the state’s overall economy and major infrastructure investments transforming Chicago into a top-10 biopharma destination, Illinois is positioned at the forefront of healthcare innovation.