Since the launch of Arizona’s Bioscience Roadmap in 2002, the Flinn Foundation has commissioned Battelle (now TEConomy Partners) to track progress on performance measures involving the state’s bioscience sector. Data pertaining to a consistent set of metrics is gathered and reported publicly on a biennial basis. 

A Roadmap progress update by TEConomy Partners in April 2025 revealed the following data—the most recent available—on key metrics.

Jobs: Arizona’s most recent bioscience job growth rate from 2020-2023 (8.1%) was higher than the nation’s (6.7%). Non-hospital jobs—about 40,000 of the state’s total 144,000 bio jobs—grew far faster, up 19% over the same period. 

Wages: In 2023, bio workers’ average annual wages were $20,000 above Arizona’s private-sector average. The average wage was $87,000 compared to $67,000. Bio wage growth of 15% generally matched the national rate. 

NIH Grants: Arizona received $368 million in grants from the National Institutes of Health in 2024, a new annual record for the key metric of biomedical research funding. Arizona’s growth rate was about four times faster than the U.S. from 2020-24. Arizona’s share of national funding inched up slightly to a record .99%, just shy of the 1% target. 

R&D Expenditures: Arizona’s academic research and development expenditures in 2022 reached a record-high $706 million, a steady increase over $642 million in 2021 and $623 million in 2020..

Venture Capital: Venture capital funding for bioscience companies in the state totaled $289 million in 2024, the highest number since 2021’s $291 million. The 50 deals, however, continued a downward trend from 2021’s high of 71, mirroring national trends.  

University Tech Transfer: Arizona’s research universities spun out 14 bioscience firms in 2024, two more than the year before. Still, the number was short of 2021’s high of 27.  

In April 2025, the Flinn Foundation hosted its annual event to share the new performance data, more than two decades after the launch of Arizona’s Bioscience Roadmap. The latest data can be found in this detailed analysis from TEConomy Partners, “Biosciences in Arizona: 2025 Performance Review.” The current and past progress reports are also available for viewing.

The April 25 Progress Report is the final set of data that will be tracked from the current Roadmap. The Flinn Foundation has commissioned SRI International of Menlo Park, California, to draft a new plan that will launch in September 2025.

Data is tracked on the six industry subsectors that comprise Arizona’s definition of the biosciences. It should be noted that the industry data reflect only private industry; research-related jobs at state universities and private research institutions are not incorporated. Also, Arizona’s definition of the biosciences shifted with the updated Roadmap in 2014 to reflect changes in the national definition by Battelle and the Biotechnology Industry Organization. Thus, these industry data do not correlate directly to those from the first decade. Details are available in Arizona’s Bioscience Roadmap, 2014-2025.

Data from earlier years is available on the First Decade page.