City Council approves grant for neurotech startup
The Bakersfield City Council approved a $250,000 grant for a United Kingdom-based neuroscience startup that local educators and business leaders hope will bring high-paying, skilled jobs to the area.
Since last year, BIOS Health has been looking to open its first office in the United States and the company's founder, Emil Hewage, said he's been looking at Bakersfield as a place to put down roots.
BIOS uses AI-enhanced neural scanning to help develop medicines and is looking at Bakersfield to start running clinical trials. The city's $250,000 grant, drawn from the city's Public Safety and Vital Services funding, would help the company set up a clinical and commercial hub.
"Our vision for Bakersfield was to work to build capability here where we could bring at least one groundbreaking clinical trial to this town with our supply chain by 2027," Hewage said Wednesday. "That's a long journey, but a single clinical trial can bring over $100 million of economic impact by one trial alone. To be specific, we're pioneering new medications in epilepsy, new breakthroughs in cardiovascular medicine, respiratory issues, and autoimmune conditions, which are all huge indications in this region."
The company is providing $1.5 million in equipment and is partnering with Cal State Bakersfield to develop trained workers.
"We hit the jackpot with Emil and BIOS," said Kristen Watson, chief of staff to CSUB President Vernon B. Harper Jr.
"He understands the innovative spirit that Bakersfield has been built on," Watson said. "Through BIOS and through this precision medicine hub, we have the opportunity to turn health care, which has been an internal business entity here for Bakersfield, into a traded sector, which is foundational to economic prosperity and economic development."
BIOS has already been working with local companies and investors, and is hoping to expand its local operations. The company has offices in Cambridge, United Kingdom and Montréal, Canada.
The City Council approved the agreement unanimously.
In other business, the City Council approved the purchase of security cameras for all of the city's parks not totaling more than $300,000.
The council also approved a $550,000 grant for the St. Vincent de Paul Society of Bakersfield to upgrades its bathrooms and kitchen for its center serving homeless people.
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