Seattle Biotech Ecosystem
Date Published
TLDR: I’ve lived in Seattle for four years and had the privilege of meeting people across every corner of the life sciences ecosystem. Through Bits in Bio, I regularly connect with scientists, engineers, students, professors, founders, executives, and investors. Below are a few reflections on what makes the Emerald City’s biotech community unique.
Seattle is a Protein Design Powerhouse
Seattle is the place to be if you work in protein design. Dr. David Baker’s Nobel Prize brought global attention, but the groundwork was laid decades earlier. The Institute for Protein Design has spun out dozens of companies tackling challenges from antibodies to climate to cancer. Researchers from around the world come here to push the boundaries of what’s possible—and to transform their breakthroughs into new ventures.
Seattle’s Clouds Power Global AI
It’s not just the weather that’s cloudy. The Pacific Northwest is home to Microsoft and Amazon, which together control roughly 60% of the global cloud computing market. Seattle also has the highest per-capita density of AI/ML engineers anywhere in the world. This concentration makes the city a uniquely fertile place for life sciences companies looking to scale their computational platforms and recruit world-class talent in cloud and AI.
Show, Don’t Tell
Seattle’s quietness is often mistaken for a lack of energy. The companies here tend not to chase headlines. There are fewer splashy conferences, fewer tech-utopia-themed parties, and fewer audacious press releases. Instead, there’s a culture of pragmatism: companies focus on execution, spend capital carefully, and build thoughtfully. In biotech, where discipline and endurance matter, I believe this approach will prove to be the winning strategy.
We Need More Investors
For all its scientific and technical talent, Seattle still trails other hubs in investment. There are excellent firms here that have worked hard to cultivate the ecosystem, but many founders still find themselves flying south—to San Francisco, often one-way—in search of capital. For Seattle to fully realize its potential, it needs deeper local investment.
Seattle Freeze Doesn’t Apply to Biotech
Seattle’s biotech community is special. It’s big enough to be dynamic, but small enough that you aren’t anonymous. After just a few events, you’ll start seeing familiar faces—and they’ll be friendly ones. People are open, generous with their time, and eager to help.