Massachusetts is BioReady®!

From biotech-zoned science parks to streamlined permitting, to robust infrastructure, and pre-permitted biotech sites, Massachusetts has it all for companies looking to relocate.

Because of the state’s rich history in biotechnology, many of its cities and towns have increasingly adopted local policies that greatly ease the pathway for renovation or new construction of biotech laboratory and manufacturing facilities.

MassBio has developed a rating system to determine a municipality’s readiness to host biotechnology facilities based on the community’s zoning practices and infrastructure capacity. BioReady® rates these communities in four tiers from Bronze to Platinum. Through these BioReady ratings, MassBio seeks to provide cities and towns a platform to effectively tell their stories to the biotechnology industry that will ultimately help real estate developers and biotechnology companies find the most favorable destinations to locate. There are currently 90 BioReady communities across the Commonwealth that have all made a commitment to hosting the life sciences industry.

Municipal Guide to Becoming BioReady®

Want to help your community become BioReady? Read our full municipal guide covering life sciences basics, including regulatory frameworks, safety considerations, and facility requirements.

Apply for a BioReady® Community Designation

If you are interested in receiving a MassBio BioReady® Community designation for your municipality, please fill in this brief application to tell us more.

Bronze Level

Municipalities at this level feature:

• Municipal water and sewer available in commercial and industrial areas.
• Zoning allows for biotech laboratory and manufacturing uses by special permit.
• Identified point of contact in town/city hall to assist biotech projects.

Communities include:

Silver Level

Municipalities at this level feature Bronze Criteria plus:

• Municipality allows biotech laboratory and manufacturing uses by right.
• Has identified buildings and/or land sites for biotechnology uses in municipal plans.

AND 2 of the following 4:

• Municipality convenes site plan review meetings, bringing together all pertinent departments, to provide an overview of the local approvals process for significant commercial and industrial projects.
• Has land sites and/or buildings included in MassEcon ReadyMass 100
• Community has identified Priority Development Sites per Chapter 43D.
• Municipality has a site designated as a Massachusetts Growth District.

Communities include:

• Chelsea
• Dedham
• Foxborough
• Holyoke
• Millis
• Newburyport
• Norfolk
• Peabody
• Reading
• Uxbridge
• West Boylston

Gold Level

Municipalities at this level feature Silver Criteria plus:

• Municipality has sites or buildings pre-permitted for biotechnology laboratory or manufacturing use.

OR

• Municipality has existing buildings in which biotech laboratory or manufacturing activities are taking place.

Communities include:

Platinum Level

Municipalities at this level feature Gold Criteria plus:

• Municipality’s Board of Health has adopted the National Institutes of Health guidelines on rDNA activity as part of its regulations.
• Municipality includes a building or buildings that are already permitted for biotech uses and have 20,000 square feet or more of available space for biotech uses.

OR

• Municipality has a shovel-ready, pre-permitted land site with completed MEPA review and municipal water and sewer capacity to meet additional demand.

Communities include: