And the Finalists Are… Meet BioBuzz's Greater Philadelphia 2023 Annual Awards Finalists

Home to Independence Hall, the Liberty Bell, and its iconic cheesesteaks, Philadelphia is now also home to BioBuzz’s Annual Awards. 

The 4th for the BioHealth Capital Region (Maryland, Washington, DC, Virginia), we are thrilled to host our inaugural Awards in Greater Philadelphia. Meant to celebrate the people, programs, and organizations who go above and beyond to support the success of our communities, the industry, and the patients that ultimately benefit, our Awards recognize six categories annually.

A nomination period, followed by voting period precedes our Annual Awards Celebration event which brings together award recipients, presenters, and attendees from the region and beyond thanks to our incredible sponsors, like CIC Philadelphia. [Check out all of the fun from last year.]

There was no shortage of deserving candidates for the region. We received a tremendous number of nominations from you, our dearest readers and community, representing a diverse pool of nominees from across the industry.

From an unwavering commitment to excellence to groundbreaking innovations, the five finalists in each of our six categories were selected based on the number of nominations received. We are thrilled to share and showcase their stories more indepth in the coming months as you now vote to help us select the winners. 

You can vote once per day between January 18, 2024 and February 29, 2024. Winners will be selected on the total number of votes and announced at our Annual Awards Celebration this April [stay tuned for more details]. 

Without further adieu, our 2023 Annual Award finalists for Greater Philadelphia. Interested in who the BioHealth Capital Region (Maryland, Washington, DC, Virginia) finalists are? We've got you.

The Philly Leadership Award

Set to be named this spring, our inaugural Leadership Award for Greater Philadelphia recognizes a regional biohealth leader who exemplifies an unwavering devotion to excellence. This servant leader carries a legacy and lives each day with a passionate pursuit of excellence and innovation in their own work to make a difference in the lives of others. 

The finalists for our 2023 Greater Philadelphia Leadership Award are (in alphabetical order):

• Ben Doranz, President and CEO, Integral Molecular
• Bryan Kim, CEO and Co-Founder, Verismo Therapeutics, Inc.
• Jeff Marrazzo, Co-Founder, Spark Therapeutics
• Joseph Truitt, CEO, iECURE, Inc.
• Madeline Bell, President and CEO, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia

The Community Builder Award

This award honors a thoughtful community builder that fosters intentional collaborations and meaningful contributions of their time, energy, and expertise to support the biohealth ecosystems in Greater Philadelphia. This individual or organization has gone above and beyond their responsibilities to make an impact on the ecosystem. This person or organization is a servant leader who sees beyond their job description or the balance sheet and strives to create a rising tide for all across so that we can collectively make a greater impact on public health and patients around the world.

The finalists for our 2023 Greater Philadelphia Community Builder Award are (in alphabetical order):

• Ben Franklin Technology Partners
• Katie Nash, Senior Director, External Affairs, University City Science Center
• Melina Blees, Head, BioLabs Philadelphia
• Philadelphia Alliance for Capital and Technologies (PACT)
• Wexford Science & Technology

The Workforce Champion of the Year Award

This award recognizes the program or organization that has made a measurable contribution to enhancing the biotech workforce within the region. Talent is the single most important, and limiting, variable to the success of a company and of a regional economy. 

These finalists are recognized for their outstanding contributions and innovative approaches to attracting, training, and/or growing the biotech workforce.

The finalists for our 2023 Greater Philadelphia Workforce Champion of the Year Award are (in alphabetical order):

• Brandywine Realty Trust's B+Labs
• Rebecca L. Grant, Director, Life Sciences & Biotechnology, City of Philadelphia
• SK Pharmteco’s Cell and Gene Therapy Manufacturing Training Academy 
• Tia Lyles-Williams, D.Sc., Founder, Black Latin-X Indigenous Institutes of Health (BLIIH)
• West Philadelphia Skills Initiative (WPSI)

The Startup of the Year Award

Our Startup of the Year Award recognizes outstanding achievements and innovations within the field of life sciences, honoring startups that have demonstrated exceptional contributions to advancing healthcare, biotechnology, and related industries. 

Recipients of this award are celebrated for their groundbreaking research, technological advancements, and overall impact on improving the quality of human life through cutting-edge solutions in life sciences. The award serves as a testament to the dedication and excellence of startups shaping the future of healthcare and biomedicine and who have pursued their mission with dedication and perseverance to build momentum toward commercialization.

The finalists for our 2023 Greater Philadelphia Startup of the Year Award are (in alphabetical order):

• Aro Therapeutics (Philadelphia, PA) 
• ArriVent Biopharma (Newtown Square, PA) 
• Blue Whale Bio (Philadelphia, PA) 
• Vitara Biomedical (Philadelphia, PA) 
• Vivodyne (Philadelphia, PA)

The Breakthrough Life Science Company of the Year Award

This award recognizes a company that has pursued their mission with dedication and perseverance and built momentum toward commercialization with a substantial breakthrough this past year. 

These finalists have achieved important milestones such as advancing to a clinical-stage company, achieving successful pivotal trials, or getting FDA approval for the commercialization of their technology to bring it to the patients who need it. 

The finalists for our 2023 Greater Philadelphia Breakthrough Life Science Company of the Year Award are (in alphabetical order):

• Cabaletta Bio (Philadelphia, PA) 
• Carisma Therapeutics (Philadelphia, PA) 
• Iovance Biotherapeutics (Philadelphia, PA) 
• VintaBio (Philadelphia, PA) 
• Tmunity Therapeutics (now part of Kite-Giliad) (Philadelphia, PA) 

The Employer of the Year Award

This award honors a life science employer who is the foundation of a vibrant biotech cluster. Being a great employer is about building an exceptional workforce, developing an employee-centric culture that keeps employees engaged and empowers them to be ambassadors of your company, all while fostering a more inclusive and resilient workforce. 

It’s also about the ability to attract top talent and achieve your needed growth without compromising these elements. Finalists reflect these essential elements and have a talent brand.

The finalists for our 2023 Greater Philadelphia Employer of the Year Award are (in alphabetical order):

• EcoLab (Philadelphia, PA) 
• Integral Molecular (Philadelphia, PA) 
• Iovance Biotherapeutics (Philadelphia, PA) 
• Spark Therapeutics (Philadelphia, PA) 
• WuXiApptec (Philadelphia, PA) 

We can’t wait to celebrate those in the region making an impact, growing the ecosystem, and bringing life-changing products to patients in need this April. Make your vote count and help us celebrate these incredible people and organizations! Be sure to show your support by sharing on social media using #BioBuzzAwards to help spread the word.