The Charlotte Region is well-positioned to compete for targeted life sciences investment. A new study commissioned by the Charlotte Regional Business Alliance and conducted by Deloitte charts a path to get there, translating the region’s existing life sciences momentum into an evidence-based strategy for focused, long-term growth.
The study’s findings point to the Charlotte Region’s niche identity in medical technologies (“medtech”) and manufacturing operations. The region is home to 160 life sciences companies that employ 12,400 workers.
“The Charlotte Region is already a medtech hub with established companies and trained workers built into our economy,” said Tracy Dodson, COO and head of economic development for the CLT Alliance. “This work gives us a clear, data-backed strategy for where to focus next so we can continue growing intentionally.”
The four-phase study engaged more than 50 stakeholders, representing higher education, real estate developers, local economic development, and industry leaders in life sciences. Insights from these interviews combined with a regional data analysis and benchmarking were used to determine the four primary target subsectors to help shape the Charlotte Region’s business recruitment strategy: medical technologies, which includes equipment and technologies used to diagnose, treat, and monitor medical conditions; contract manufacturing and technical services, which includes outsourced development, manufacturing, testing and packaging services; biologics, which includes production or packaging of drugs derived from living organisms; and nutrition and consumer health, which includes products and research focused on supplements, functional food, and consumer-driven health solutions.
The study also identified secondary opportunities in small molecule pharmaceuticals, which include chemically synthesized drugs like over-the-counter medications; research tools and lab technologies; and digital health and health information technology, which includes software, data, and technology solutions that improve healthcare delivery.
“Charlotte’s opportunity is to connect its strengths: manufacturing, health systems, transportation, and a growing research base,” said Charlotte-based Dr. Kulleni Gebreyes, vice chair and U.S. Life Sciences and Health Care industry leader, Deloitte. “With targeted investment and coordination, that manufacturing base could become the region’s signature: a distinct identity that could draw talent, capital and opportunity.”
The case for Charlotte
Charlotte has a well-established ecosystem for targeted life sciences attraction. The region is home to:
- More than 100 years of manufacturing heritage
- Several major health systems
- Charlotte Douglas International Airport
- The University of North Carolina at Charlotte, which was recently awarded R1 status
- Existing life science industry activity, including investments in The Pearl and the Wake Forest University School of Medicine
When it comes to talent, workers in the advanced manufacturing and technology sectors have transferable skillsets that can be carried over directly into these target sectors.
“We evaluated a number of markets for our expansion, and the Charlotte Region stood out for the infrastructure it already has in place, including its research talent, logistics access, and a health care system ready to partner on clinical work,” said Zach Henderson, chief executive officer of MindMaze Therapeutics. “The Pearl gave us a well-equipped space inside a community of peers already doing this work, which made Charlotte the clear choice for our next chapter.”
North Carolina has long been a leader in life sciences. Within North Carolina’s life sciences landscape, Raleigh-Durham’s Research Triangle Park remains the dominant hub for research and development. Other emerging corridors like the Innovation Quarter in Winston-Salem and the Biopharma Crescent in eastern North Carolina fill critical roles in medicinal research and biopharmaceutical manufacturing, respectively. The Charlotte Region plays a complementary role with a growing niche in medical devices and equipment, surgical technologies, and pharmaceutical production through already-established companies like Eli Lilly, Bestco, and groninger.
To the south, South Carolina’s growing life sciences sector adds to the Charlotte Region’s position, anchored by top research institutions, global employers, and world-class hospital systems in Charleston, Columbia, and Greenville. Located along the North Carolina–South Carolina border, the Charlotte Region is uniquely connected to the full breadth of the Carolinas ecosystem.
“South Carolina’s talented workforce and strong life sciences ecosystem made it clear this was the right home for our first U.S. manufacturing facility,” said Octapharma USA President Flemming Nielsen. “This is just the beginning of a long partnership with Rock Hill and York County, one that will strengthen America’s domestic supply of life-saving, plasma-based therapies for patients, hospitals and those who serve our country.”
Partnerships with North Carolina Biotechnology Center and SCBio present a further opportunity to deepen the Charlotte Region’s integration into the broader Carolinas ecosystem and strengthen its standing in the sector. The Charlotte Regional Business Alliance is also collaborating with the City of Charlotte on a complementary study and strategic framework plan for life sciences growth in the city.
“Our research reinforced what we’re hearing from employers across the sector: talent and funding are the two levers that will determine how fast this industry grows here,” said Shahid Rana, director of economic development for the City of Charlotte. “Partnering with the CLT Alliance on this work means we can move directly from data to action, together.”
Turning data into strategy
The study is already informing action in the Charlotte Region. Three key recommendations for the CLT Alliance emerged from the research:
- Strengthen the ecosystem by exploring ways to align industry stakeholders, create connectivity, and advocate for life sciences-enabling infrastructure
- Build competitive capabilities through economic development capacity, data intelligence, and market intelligence
- Position the region by promoting a manufacturing-led health innovation ecosystem
“These recommendations give us a shared playbook,” said Nathan Huret, vice president of Catawba County Economic Development Corporation. “We’re telling a unified story of how the Charlotte Region is already a key player in the life sciences industry. Every county in the Charlotte Region benefits from that work, and we can point to real evidence when we’re making the case for why a company in medtech or pharma or nutraceuticals should come here.”
The CLT Alliance is already working with regional partners to translate the findings into a targeted recruitment strategy — one that identifies the right companies, the right sectors, and the right markets to pursue.
This study gives the Charlotte Region a clear roadmap to build its own identity within the Carolinas’ established life sciences sector. The region offers a high-value cost structure compared to many traditional life sciences markets, along with a manufacturing workforce with transferable skills. The Charlotte Region is well positioned for targeted life sciences investment, with a sharp focus on medical technologies and manufacturing-led opportunities.
