Utah life science companies travel to Dubai to present the state’s top innovations
The delegation is the first to travel abroad on behalf of the state since early 2020
SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH (June 23, 2021) — Eight Utah life science companies are representing the state in Dubai this week as part of the Arab Health trade show. The delegation, which is exhibiting in a booth showcasing the companies and Utah’s life science industry, is the first of its kind from the state to travel abroad since February 2020 due to the pandemic. The delegation is focused on building Utah’s global brand, growing Utah businesses, and strengthening Utah’s network of partners worldwide.
Utah has the fastest-growing life science community in the United States and is ranked sixth for medical devices, fifth for diagnostics and is a rising force in bio-pharma. The exhibiting companies are presenting some of Utah’s most innovative healthcare products and biotechnologies, many of which will be shared worldwide for the first time.
“Utah’s life science industry is growing rapidly, and we’re proud to have these companies represent the state in this dynamic and life-enhancing industry,” said Dan Hemmert, executive director at the Governor’s Office of Economic Development (GOED). “International relations are an important part of Utah’s culture, and this is a unique opportunity for these companies to showcase innovative products worldwide and create global relationships.”
“The state’s presence at the Arab Health trade show, one of the first of its size to be held in-person this year, solidifies Utah’s place as an emerging healthcare innovation hub on the world stage,” shared Miles Hansen, president and CEO of World Trade Center Utah (WTC Utah). “The participating Utah companies not only make Utah look good, but they are also prospecting potential partners, winning contacts, and generating sales they would not have access to otherwise.”
Utah and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) have a strong trade relationship. The UAE is the largest market for U.S. product exports in the Middle East with the healthcare sector as one of the six pillars of its national agenda. Utah’s fast-growing life science community is supported by Biohive, which serves as an industry advocate for the life science and healthcare innovation ecosystem in Utah. BioHive contributes to Utah’s national-leading export growth rate and is ready to support international expansion into Dubai, the Middle East, and worldwide.
“We have attracted world-class scientists, researchers and engineers to Utah for the last 65 years,” shared Katelin Roberts, interim Director of BioHive and General Partner for MedMountain Ventures. “Utahns have changed millions of lives through better patient outcomes with life-saving catheters, advancements in surgical imaging, and now we are leveraging new technologies for novel drug discovery and therapeutics.”
The following companies were selected to represent the state of Utah at Arab Health:
MDUB LLC – Braces including the flagship product known as the CROSSTRAP
Neonatal Rescue – Respiratory care through NeoLife and AdultLife ventilators
Rhodes Global – Connecting Utah to the Middle East healthcare industry
Quansys Biosciences – Development and manufacture of multiplexed assays for protein qualification
Sunwarrior – Plant-based protein and superfoods
Turner Imaging Solutions – X-ray/fluoroscopic imaging systems giving a user the ability to acquire X-ray images whenever and wherever needed
Vitalpax, Inc. – Private label supplement and vitamin manufacturer
Zehn-X LLC – “Wiping the World Clean” by formulating and manufacturing sanitizing and disinfecting products
On the first day of the trade show, Rhodes Global was recognized by Arab Health as one of nine COVID Warriors from the US Healthcare Pavilion. Selected for their contributions to the global war on COVID-19, this prestigious award garnered additional attention for the Utah booth.
“We are very excited with the interest and attendance at Arab Health so far,” shared Todd Kimball, Co-owner of Zehn-X. “Zehn-X’s sanitizing and disinfecting wipes have generated tremendous interest from the international healthcare community, and we are actively meeting with several distributors interested in bringing our Zehn-X brand to the Middle East, Europe, Africa and Asian markets this year. We have handed out over 1,000 sample wipes and face masks in the first two days. Our presence in the USA Partnership Pavilion with WTC Utah and GOED is a significant advantage that has not only increased Zehn-X’s exposure but also resulted in forming many new valued connections with other Utah small businesses.”
Here’s a quick look at how Utah stacks up against the rest of the best in the life science industry:
World leader in genetic research
Nation’s fastest-growing life science community since 2012
2nd in the nation for medical device employment concentration
6th in the nation for per capita VC investments
538 bioscience-related patents in 2019
$13 billion direct and indirect GDP from industry
Accounts for 8% of Utah’s total GDP
Contributes to Utah’s nation-leading export growth rate
The delegation was selected, trained, and led by GOED, WTC Utah, BioHive and BioUtah.
The Utah booth and company participation are supported by the State Trade Expansion Program (STEP) Grant. The federal initiative assists eligible small businesses increase exports. STEP is funded in part through a grant with the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) and is administered by World Trade Center Utah.
