Photo shoot: Celebrating opening of BioLabs NC at Durham’s Chesterfield

Eric Linsley, co-founder of BioLabs North Carolina [pictured above] welcomed the crowd to the vastly revamped building that once was a tower for tobacco, now a tower for life science.

Linsley spoke of the journey to bring the life sciences co-working space to North Carolina, which is part of a larger network that includes entrepreneurs, investors and pharma partners in Cambridge, MA; San Francisco; San Diego; and New York City. Many of those partners were in attendance.

Keynote speaker Machelle Sanders, NC Secretary of Administration, left, and Karen LeVert, CEO of Southeast TechInventures

Delivering the keynote was Machelle Sanders, NC Secretary of Administration, who later made sure to take time to talk with Karen LeVert, CEO of Southeast TechInventures.

Sanders spoke about supporting innovation in the life sciences and building on the state’s strong track record.

The event drew executives as well as entrepreneurs and investors.

Christy Shaffer of Hatteras Venture Partners and Sue Back of Davis Moore

Among the investors was Christy Shaffer of Hatteras Venture Partners, who posed for a photo with Sue Back of Davis Moore.

Nineteen promising startups currently are working in BioLabs North Carolina with room for up to 35 companies at full capacity.  One company – Element Genomics – already has had a successful exit, having been acquired by UCB for $30 million after only 3 years in business.

Frank Rider of BioLabs NC, left, and Thierry Leclerc of Cambridge BioLabs

Frank Rider of BioLabs NC and Thierry Leclerc of Cambridge BioLabs took time out from their conversation to pose for a photograph.