Seattle’s biotech scene is world-class – Life Science Washington is teaching it how to boast

Seattle is already a leading global center for AI-driven biotechnology. He just can’t say that.

That’s the view of Marc Cummings, president and CEO of Life Science Washington. “We focus on science,” he said, “and other people sell dreams and hype.”

Life sciences is a strong industry in the state — a $41.2 billion industry with about 1,200 companies, according to Life Science Washington, a nonprofit trade association founded in 1989. The ecosystem includes the University of Washington’s Institute for Protein Design (IPD), a world-class research center led by outgoing Nobel Laureate David Baker.

But even solid science can lose investors without compelling messages, Cummings said. That’s why Life Science Washington now offers pitch coaching – helping founders learn how to pitch their story to investors.

Key to that recounts the region’s long history of embracing AI programs in biotech, with IPD’s use of computational protein design to develop new therapies as a prime example. The company’s first spinoff was Cyrus Biotechnology, launched in 2014.

Founders and workers in Washington are focused on technology, Cummings said, rather than chasing IPOs and big paychecks — and that’s a key selling point for venture capitalists.

“We tend to have smaller teams and people who are not connected to the company,” he said.

In a recent interview with GeekWire, Cummings shared a comprehensive update on Washington’s biotech sector, including the role of AI, traditional tech workers moving into scientific fields, and the broader impact of public policy.

The excitement surrounding artificial intelligence is realbut so are its limitations, says Cummings. AI is revolutionizing the ability to identify targets for newly developed drugs – however it cannot replace biological testing and human testing. Traditional treatment times of 10 to 20 years remain realistic, even if AI suppresses the early stages.

Meanwhile, technology is already having a major impact on medical devices, vaccine development and research activities. Notable Washington initiatives and companies include:

• SKYCovione: The first AI-engineered COVID-19 vaccine came out of the IPD labs of David Veesler and Neil King.
• Cancer AI Alliance: Seattle’s Fred Hutch Cancer Center is leading a multi-center program using AI to collaborate in their pursuit of cancer cures.
• Proprio: Seattle startup uses AI for improved precision in spine surgery and more.
• Fujifilm Sonosite: Bothell medical device company using AI in point-of-care ultrasound.
• Just – Evotec Biologics: A Seattle-based contracting business and subsidiary of Evotec SE that uses AI to develop and manufacture biotherapeutics.

There have always been workers in technology who wanted to go into the life sciences, but the pay gap was too wide for many. “Now that market dynamic has changed,” Cummings said, as tech companies have gone through several layoff cycles in recent years.

The transition is easy for tech workers moving into digital health, and difficult for those moving into biologically focused companies. Life Science Washington is working with higher education institutions to find a workforce-intensive way to close that knowledge gap without obtaining additional degrees.

The biotech empire’s community can make money from AI expertise sitting at Amazon, Microsoft Research and other technology companies. Life Science Washington hosts events and builds strong connections and collaborations between fields.

Life sciences companies are in a better position to put cutting-edge AI tools to work — tools that can “lower costs and accelerate the speed” of discovery — rather than developing next-generation AI technologies, Cummings said.

When it comes to the pros and cons of the policyOn the corporate side, Cummings has praise for Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash. Murray helped avoid the Trump administration’s proposed NIH cuts and secured funding increases for the 2026 fiscal year. Funding was frozen last year — “it was painful,” Cummings said — but has since started to flow.

National and local policy is a different matter. Cummings worries that the large amount of city and state taxes tied to payroll, income and capital gains creates a cumulative effect that discourages founders and companies from building or expanding in Washington.

“I don’t think it’s a disaster as everyone picks up and leaves,” he said. “But you’re seeing a slow decline and you’re seeing reallocation of time and resources to tax-free areas.”