Frequently Asked Questions

  1. What is the Kansas Bioscience Authority?
    The Kansas Bioscience Authority (KBA) is a $581-million economic development initiative that is expanding Kansas' world-class research capacity; helping bioscience startups grow; developing the state's bioscience clusters; and facilitating business expansion and attraction.

    The KBA is an independent entity of the state governed by an 11-member board of directors comprised of local and national leaders in technology, science, and business.
  2. Who can get funding from the KBA?
    Bioscience companies, research institutions, inventors, entrepreneurs, and investment professionals are invited to review the eligibility requirements of the KBA's programs to determine which might be most appropriate for them. People also are welcome to call or e-mail the KBA to discuss funding opportunities.
  3. What is the KBA's mission?
    The mission of the Kansas Bioscience Authority is to make Kansas the best state for bioscience research, development, and commercialization. Our investments are intended to make Kansas a national leader in bioscience — creating new jobs, growing the economy, advancing scientific knowledge, and improving the quality of life for the citizens of Kansas.
  4. How was it created?
    The Kansas Economic Growth Act of 2004 created the Kansas Bioscience Authority to guide the state's bioscience investments.
  5. Where does it get its funding?
    The Kansas Economic Growth Act created an innovative funding mechanism based on the growth of state income-tax withholdings from employees of bioscience-related companies. State taxes that exceed the base-year measurement of such taxes accrue to the authority for investment in additional bioscience growth. This mechanism makes it unnecessary to raise taxes or reallocate amounts from other state budgets. Revenues that accrue belong exclusively to the Kansas Bioscience Authority and are not part of the state treasury.
  6. What are the biosciences?
    As defined by the Kansas Economic Growth Act, bioscience is "the use of compositions, methods and organisms in cellular and molecular research, development and manufacturing processes for such diverse areas as pharmaceuticals, medical therapeutics, medical diagnostics, medical devices, medical instruments, biochemistry, microbiology, veterinary medicine, plant biology, agriculture, and industrial, environmental, and homeland security applications of bioscience, and future developments in the biosciences. Bioscience includes biotechnology and life sciences."

“We are very excited about the collaboration that has taken place with the Kansas Bioscience Authority and are looking forward to bringing new job opportunities to the local community with this important investment in our business.”

- Tom Wilson, Vice President, Thermo Fisher   Scientific, Microbiology North America