Benefits to the Corridor
It is understood that such companies, though efficient and possessing state-of-the-art technology, have fewer employee development resources, less access to industry specific training, and limited research resources. With such potential within the State, there was neither a dedicated medical device research facility nor a center to provide such needed educational and technical support, and to act as a clearinghouse to bring together people with similar needs for the benefit of the State of Florida. This Center will assist the transfer of research into manufactured products within federally regulated guidelines.
The State of Florida is ranked second in the United States in biomedical employment generating nearly 75,000 jobs and $3 billion in payroll. As indicated in the figure, it houses a significant number of medical device facilities specifically in Florida regions such as Tampa, St. Petersburg, Clearwater, Miami, and Fort Lauderdale. Almost 90% of these facilities are small companies reporting less than 50 employees.