KC Biohub asks Kansas for $2 million state match to strengthen federal Tech Hubs application

Melissa Roberts Chapman, president of the KC Biohub and manager at BioNexus, told the Kansas House Committee on Appropriations that the regional consortium is asking Kansas for a $2,000,000 budget allocation to support a federal Tech Hubs grant application. The KC Biohub is a bi-state consortium of more than 25 organizations across greater Kansas City that aims to grow the region’s capacity to produce biologic medicines, Chapman said.

The request comes as the KC Biohub seeks to show federal reviewers that both Kansas and Missouri have committed state support. “We were 1 of just 30 selected” for Tech Hubs consideration last year, Chapman said, and the region could be positioned to bring “up to $150,000,000 of federal funding back to the state.” She described biologics as medicines produced using living organisms, naming insulin and Humira as familiar examples and saying biologics also protect crops and livestock.

Representative Curtis asked whether Missouri had made a matching commitment; Chapman answered that Missouri previously appropriated $1,000,000 and that the KC Biohub is pursuing a similar $2,000,000 ask on the Missouri side this year. Chapman told the committee the Biohub’s current operating budget combines a $500,000 federal award and $500,000 pledged by consortium members, plus the $1,000,000 Missouri appropriation, which together represent the group’s present resources. “The consortium members have pledged another $500,000 of support, similar to the amount that we were able to win from the federal government and we've secured that million dollar appropriation from Missouri,” Chapman said.

Representative Helgerson asked about the organization’s legal form and return on investment; Chapman said she would provide details to the committee’s research staff for distribution. Chapman also described the KC Biohub’s linkage to existing regional assets such as the National Bio and Agro-Defense Facility (NBAF) in Manhattan and Kansas State University’s Biosecurity Research Institute, and framed biologics work as part of the “animal health corridor” that supports both animal and human health work in the region.

No formal committee action on the KC Biohub request was recorded during this hearing; committee members asked for follow-up materials from Chapman on organizational structure, financing and Missouri’s parallel request.

Ending: The committee asked the witness to provide the requested organizational and funding details to the committee research staff so members can review the request in writing. Chapman said she would follow up.