Kansas Bioscience Authority Chairman Clay Blair on Monday announced a new program to advance the formation of bioscience start-up companies in Kansas. The Community Bioscience Facilities Matching Funds Program will leverage funds from city, county, community, private and other nonprofit sources. The announcement came during a meeting of the KBA board of directors at the BIO 2006 Annual International Convention in Chicago.

“The mission of the KBA is to make Kansas a national leader in bioscience by funding research, development and commercialization,” Blair said. “Community brick and mortar facilities are a critical component of this goal.”

The initiative will provide leveraged matching funds, such as a projected $1 million in grants to communities that invest at least $5 million in the construction of wet lab incubators, bioenergy or biomaterials facilities. The goal of the CBF program is to stimulate local funds for bioscience research through a partnership with the KBA. At least five Kansas communities are expected to participate, which would create an anticipated $25 million in regional bioscience investments.

“These projects will enable start-up scientists to have facilities that will lead to the creation of companies and jobs in Kansas,” Blair said.

The Kansas Bioscience Authority was created in 2004 under the Kansas Economic Growth Act.