Doing some research for a project while I’m in Chicago, I discovered and wrote about a website that the City put up that sounds an awful lot like the way Cleveland sounds on the subject of attracting more businesses. So I pursued it a little further and found that Chicago and Illinois are just as anxious as every other state to get bio business, too.

The iBio (Illinois Biotechnology Industry Organization) group works with national BIO to give members purchasing power of up to 75% off normal prices for such needs as laboratory, business and technology equipment, employee investment and insurance options, and news distribution and relocation services–e.g., even for office stuff they can get 45% off furniture and 50% off other catalog items at Office Depot.

Not a bad deal–and a real help for emerging and startup bio ventures.