Fitzsimons Innovation Community: Research, Tech Transfer and More 

With more than 50 acres of prime real estate on its campus, Fitzsimons Innovation Community is in the midst of a 10-year infrastructure facilities and expansion project that allows life science companies to plan and customize their workspace. 

The campus’ five existing buildings totaling 427,000 square feet of working laboratory and office space are home to 80 companies at all stages of commercialization. More than 800 people work at the companies, which collectively raised over $25 million in 2021.

Fitzsimons Innovation Community has a close partnership with the adjacent $5.8 billion University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus. The combined campuses are one of the largest bioscience developments in the nation, representing the second-largest economic engine in Colorado behind Denver International Airport.

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The Anschutz campus is home to UCHealth and The Children’s Hospital — two of the top hospitals in the nation.

“Our research institutions have gotten really smart about changing their strategy on tech transfer to be commercially relevant so when they spin it out it can attract angel dollars,” said April Giles, vice president of business development for Fitzsimons Innovation Campus. “The hospital systems started to get smart about how they look at innovation to treat their patients. They’re creating internal innovation systems that help them partner with companies to test out products and do co-development work. When they partner with a company to do that work, that company becomes more successful in the end.”

Four of the campus’ five buildings — Bioscience 1, 2 and 5 and Bioscience East— are 100% full, and Bioscience 3 is 75% occupied.  

Fitzsimons Innovation Community is taking steps to accelerate development of the campus as a world-class center dedicated to advancing life sciences innovation with the groundbreaking of Bioscience 4 in 2023. Bioscience 4 will deliver lab space to the market supporting startups, growth and commercial companies with space to expand – from half a bench to corporate headquarters. 

The development plan includes four phases to allow for quick expansion. Bioscience 4 will start at about 180,000 square feet. The vision is to develop up to 800,000 square feet.  

“We have a mission-driven purpose,” Giles said. “We are a real estate developer, but that’s not how we see ourselves. Developing a building is a means to an end. The goal is to provide an environment for our companies where they can accelerate their development and create a partnership with them. If a company needs to pivot in one direction or another, we can literally tear up their lease agreement and move them into the next footprint they need.” 

Margaret Jackson is an award-winning journalist who spent nearly 25 years in the newspaper industry, including seven years as a business reporter for The Denver Post covering residential and commercial real estate. She can be reached at [email protected].