LIFE SCIENCES INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

According to the CRDA, the region ranked as the #3 mid-sized metro for pharmaceutical and medicine manufacturing job-growth. More than 300 medical device and pharmaceutical manufacturers, research laboratories and service companies operate in the region including: Thorne Research, Charles River Laboratories and Hillrom. With the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC) funding over $284M for research annually, and the creation of the MUSC Discovery District at WestEdge, the stage is set for further growth in this highimpact cluster.1

The information technology (IT) sector features a diverse group of businesses from startups that have gone on to launch IPOs like Blackbaud and Benefitfocus, to tech giants like Google, to hundreds of innovative startups. Niche sectors in the region include: cybersecurity, defense IT, health IT, human resources IT and software products. According to the CRDA, the Charleston Metro is a Top 20 U.S. Metro for High Tech GDP growth from 2014 to 2021.1 In 2021, the Charleston Digital Corridor (CDC) opened the 92,000 sq. ft. Charleston Tech Center in downtown Charleston to serve the needs of tech startups, the building is almost 100% filled.2

By The Numbers2 By The Numbers3

1 – Source: CRDA. 2022. www.crda.org/life-sciences

2 – Source: CRDA Economic Clusters & Innovation Strategy. 2022.

1 – Source: CRDA. 2021. “Information Technology.” www.crda.org/assets/pdf/target-industries/Charleston_SC_Economic_Profile_Info_Tech_2021.pdf

2 – Source: Charleston Digital Corridor. 2022. “Flagship @the Charleston Tech Center” www.charlestondigitalcorridor.com/spaces/flagship-charleston-tech-center

3 – Source: CRDA Economic Clusters & Innovation Strategy. 2022.