Why Join the OBA?

So you can help to build a better bioscience industry through community, collaboration and commercialization.

Bioscience plays a key role in Oregon's innovation economy and can mean big business to Oregon — providing new opportunities in all parts of the state. OBA promotes the growth and quality of the broad bioscience industry in Oregon. We continually seek ways to help our membership and the larger bioscience community achieve their full scientific, economic and collaborative potential.

A membership in OBA delivers benefits across your organization — from daily operations to engineering to workforce resources and executive connections. Members enjoy access to other industry and vendor professionals, fresh, innovative ideas and advice on best practices to help them grow and prosper within our growing, $2 billion-per-year Oregon industry.

The OBA is a nonprofit trade association with membership open to any company, organization or individual with an interest in biotechnology, medical devices, or the life sciences.

As your professional partner — Membership includes these benefits and services:

• Professional Development — The single biggest return on investment you may see is related to staff training and professional development. Accelerate your team’s performance metrics by attending OBA programs and events that enhance competitiveness and collaboration:
• Best practices: OBHPC (Oregon Bioscience High Performance Consortium) — Lean learning consortium, as well as regulatory and quality learning group
• Workforce training: Regulatory, quality systems, Lean and much more.
• Access to talent and services: Job fair, job center (Web site), services center (Web site)
• Interaction — OBA members communicate and network with more than 200 other businesses and research institutions that operate within Oregon’s bioscience cluster, putting you in touch with peers, learning from the industry’s successful professionals and building a thriving community.
• Synergies between industry and institutions: OBA provides a portal between/within industry and research institutions, and offers the OHSU Researcher Directory to members.
• Optimize marketing channels and partner relations: We help members find partners, locally and nationally, through BIO, MD&M, and, internationally, through Medica.
• Exposure — You can inexpensively showcase your organization within the $2 billion Oregon bioscience cluster by volunteering to participate in various OBA committees, or just by attending events.
• Programs that enhance cohesiveness and collaboration:
• Annual Meeting
• BioForums
• Executive Dinners
• Bio on Tap
• Bio on the Vine
• Job Fairs
• And more to come...
• Advocacy — Governor Kulongoski has identified the bioscience industry as a cluster, having strategic significance to the state’s economic future. OBA has become the voice of the industry:
• Provide leadership on issues important to the growth of bioscience and to engage on issues that have a positive impact on OBA members.
• Be collaborative in the selection of issues and execution of strategies.
• Create a business climate that promotes innovation and public policies that encourage the expansion of our industry.
• Member Services — OBA members can choose from important money-saving services that benefit both staff and the company. Members also receive national level benefits through BIO. OBA is an affiliate of the national bioscience organization – BIO – Biotechnology Industry Organization. BIO has almost $200 million in purchasing power that generates great value and deep discounts):
• Employee benefits — Medical, disability, life, dental, AD&D, prescription drug, vision
• Business insurance — Clinical trials liability, D&O liability, E&O liability, product liability, professional liability, property and casualty insurance
• Office Depot and Tech depot discount purchase plans
• VWR BIO purchase plan: Lab and testing supplies and equipment
• BioSurplus: Pre-owned lab instruments and equipment
• Airgas and BOC gases: Discount purchasing
• BusinessWire BIO plan: News wire service for local or worldwide distribution

For more information on these benefits see our Member Services Page

A membership in OBA delivers benefits across your organization that can improve your company's internal operations, engineering, sales, marketing, customer relations, and workforce development. Members enjoy access to business professionals, fresh ideas about business strategies, and advice on the best practices to make their business grow and prosper.