In this episode of BioTalk with Rich Bendis, Ellen D. Harpel, Ph.D., Founder of Smart Incentives, joins the conversation to explore a topic that has shaped the growth of the BioHealth Capital Region but has rarely been discussed directly on the podcast: economic development incentives. Ellen explains why state and local governments use incentives, how they influence business location and expansion decisions, and why effective programs need clear goals, active management, performance measures, and public accountability.
The discussion looks at how incentives support companies across the full business lifecycle, from startups and emerging firms to major employers making large-scale regional investments. Ellen and Rich also examine how recent biohealth activity in Maryland and Virginia reflects the importance of workforce development, site selection, public-private collaboration, and regional thinking. A win in Maryland, Virginia, or Washington, D.C. strengthens the larger BioHealth Capital Region ecosystem.
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Ellen also shares how organizations like BHI and Smart Incentives help companies, communities, and decision makers better understand the resources available to support growth, including financing programs, investor tax credits, grants, incubators, accelerators, and other support services. The episode closes with a practical look at transparency, evaluation, and why better data helps policymakers, economic developers, companies, and communities make stronger decisions about incentive programs.
Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant. https://thepodcastconsultant.com/
Ellen D. Harpel, Ph.D., is the Founder of Smart Incentives, which helps communities make sound decisions throughout the economic development incentives process. Launched in 2013, Smart Incentives works with state, local, and national governments to design and implement incentive programs that are effective and responsible, with a focus on compliance monitoring, evaluation, transparency, and lasting community benefits. Ellen is also a Senior Research Fellow with the Center for Regional Economic Competitiveness and an Affiliate Faculty member with the Schar School of Policy and Government at George Mason University.
How do universities move promising discoveries out of the lab and into the market? In this episode of BioTalk, Tatiana Litvin-Vechnyak, Vice President of Georgetown’s Office of Technology Commercialization, Christon Hill, Program Manager for Georgetown Tech Ventures, and Jennifer Butler, Entrepreneur-in-Residence with BioHealth Innovation, discuss how Georgetown is building a stronger pipeline from academic science to startup formation. The conversation examines how Georgetown’s commercialization efforts are evolving, how GTV supports faculty founders, and why structured programming, outside expertise, and stronger ecosystem connections matter for turning research into real-world impact.
What does it take to build a biohealth ecosystem that can compete nationally? In this episode of BioTalk, Lisa Johnson, CEO of 
This episode of the BioTalk with Rich Bendis Podcast brings together leaders from industry, academia, and economic development to unpack the vision behind a new life sciences Innovation District anchored in Prince William County. With introductions to NAUGEN, George Mason University’s Institute for Biohealth Innovation, and the Prince William County Department of Economic Development, setting the stage for how each organization contributes to the district’s foundation. The guests discuss the life science assets, research strengths, and translational capabilities that define the district and explain why it is well-positioned to support biotechnology and advanced R&D companies.
Secretary Juan Pablo Segura joins BioTalk for a conversation about Virginia’s growing position in the biohealth economy and the statewide strategy behind it. He outlines the significance of the new partnership with AstraZeneca, Lilly, and Merck, including up to $120 million in private investment to create a workforce development center and expand the Commonwealth’s life sciences capacity. Segura talks through how Virginia approaches company recruitment, what investors are responding to, and why the state is seeing increased interest from biomanufacturing and advanced R&D companies. He also discusses Virginia’s use of public-private partnerships to accelerate industry growth, strengthen the talent pipeline, and support emerging hubs across the Commonwealth. The conversation closes with a look at Virginia’s role in the BioHealth Capital Region and how the regional identity helps amplify the state’s message as it continues building a competitive biohealth ecosystem.
Getting a biotech company off the ground takes more than science; it takes strategy, funding, and the right network. 
In this episode of BioTalk, Rich Bendis welcomes Dr. Helen Sabzevari, President and CEO of Precigen, to discuss the company’s cutting-edge science in gene and cell therapy. Dr. Sabzevari shares how Precigen’s unique AdenoVerse® platform has powered the development of PRGN-2012, a potential first-in-class therapeutic currently under FDA priority review for the treatment of adults with recurrent respiratory papillomatosis (RRP), a rare and devastating disease. She also highlights advances across Precigen’s broader pipeline in immuno-oncology and autoimmune disease and reflects on how Maryland’s BioHealth Capital Region has supported the company’s innovation and growth.