National headwinds threatening state’s advantage in biotech

Wisconsin’s competitive edge in biotech is being threatened by “national headwinds” for the industry, according to a startup specialist at WEDC.

Shayna Hetzel, vice president of entrepreneurship and innovation at the Wisconsin Economic Development Corp., spoke yesterday during a meeting of the agency’s board of directors. Representing the Wisconsin Investment Fund Committee, she discussed national and state trends in startup funding.

“Between uncertainty with research dollars and commercialization pathways, regulatory concerns, clinical trials and sort of those components that are outside of the state’s control, all of that is making national investors a little more hesitant to biotech,” she said.

For now, this environment isn’t influencing in-state funds’ portfolios, she said. But she