After a year of overcoming obstacles and setbacks, a science-based business is ready to operate out of its new location in Franklin.
B2S Life Sciences originally planned to begin working out of labs inside a newly renovated building last year.
But issues with legal documents for the purchase of the building at 97 E. Monroe St. pushed the move-in date back.
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In the next two weeks, the company will begin moving equipment into its new location. Much of the work to the outside of the building is wrapping up, though the renovations inside could take years to complete, chief executive officer Aleks Davis said.
When B2S Life Sciences moves in this month, the company will only use about 1,800 square feet of the building, Davis said. But with that space, the company should be able to do most of the work it did out of AIT Laboratories in Indianapolis, where B2S temporarily worked until the building on Monroe Street was ready.
The remaining 7,000 square feet will be turned into lab space that can be leased out to smaller bio tech companies, Davis said. Davis wants to give other similar businesses that are just starting up and can’t afford their own space a place to work, Davis said.
“It will be like a coworking office space for labs,” Davis said. “Lab space is so incredibly expensive to build. And there are few options across the state. The goal is to lease space until they grow and build their own.”
In the past year, B2S Life Sciences worked with Franklin College to form an internship program for one student. Now, in their new location in Franklin, B2S will give students an opportunity to gain work-related, hands-on experience in the lab just a few blocks away, Davis said.
By next year, Davis expects to see B2S Life Sciences employ about 40 people at its new location, including in business, marketing, finances and biotechnology. Franklin officials approved an incentive package totaling more than $500,000 in loans, grants and cash, and in exchange B2S promised to add about 40 jobs and invest about $1 million into its building.
“I like Franklin’s downtown area. This community and the quality of life is great,” Davis said. “It’s hard to put a value on surrounding yourself with people who want you to succeed. We looked in Indianapolis, but this place was the most welcoming. Franklin saw our vision.”
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About the business
B2S Life Sciences, which formerly went by the name B2S Labs, tailors proteins and peptides in pharmaceutical drugs for companies around the world. B2S works with insulin, proteins and antibodies to develop better, more effective drug products.
B2S Life Sciences started in 2002 and now works with more than 100 international companies to provide individualized medicine for people with cancer or diabetes.
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