The global life sciences industry is moving quickly — and the Research Triangle is well-positioned to compete. That was the clear takeaway from BIO International 2026 in San Diego, where Wake County Economic Development, regional economic development partners, and life science leaders from around the world gathered the week of June 22. As the industry’s largest annual event, BIO brought together start-ups, policymakers, global companies, researchers, and investors to discuss the forces shaping biotechnology in 2026 and beyond.

Three Trends Shaping the Industry

AI adoption is accelerating, but companies are still moving deliberately. Artificial intelligence was one of the most visible themes at BIO, with discussion focused on its growing role in decision-making, discovery research, clinical development, and production automation. While adoption is accelerating, companies are still evaluating where AI can create the greatest value across the research pipeline and supply chain.

Supply chains are shifting closer to end markets. Life science companies are increasingly focused on producing key therapeutic components in the markets where products will ultimately be sold. Around the world, national policies are also prioritizing the capture of life science, biomanufacturing, and advanced manufacturing jobs — adding momentum to onshoring and reshoring activity.

R&D remains a major driver of life science growth. San Diego continues to demonstrate the power of a dense R&D ecosystem. With support from WithersRavenel and King Street Properties, WCED toured San Diego’s life science real estate market, which includes more than 1,300 companies and roughly 78,000 employees concentrated heavily in R&D rather than manufacturing. Several sites we visited have major R&D operations expected to come online within the next year.

Together, these trends point to a life sciences landscape where speed, resilience, talent, and infrastructure will increasingly define market competitiveness.

What This Means for the Research Triangle

AI: The Research Triangle is well-positioned for this next wave. Life sciences employ about 58,000 people locally, while IT and software employ roughly 75,000, with companies such as IBM, SAS, and Lenovo helping drive AI innovation and adoption across industries. The region’s higher education partners are also preparing the talent this future will require. As AI becomes more embedded in life sciences, local companies should be able to adopt technology through cross-sector collaboration, internal upskilling, and access to a deep technology workforce.

This opportunity also comes with new infrastructure demands. As AI, automation, and autonomous systems increase energy intensity per square foot, reliable and scalable power will become an even more important factor in future project decisions.

Onshoring supply chains: The region has already benefited from this shift, including Novartis’s small molecule API facility in Morrisville. WCED is seeing growing interest from similar API facilities as companies bring supply chains back to the U.S. These projects often favor existing buildings and smaller footprints, even as the range of companies evaluating the market continues to expand.

R&D innovation: Like San Diego, the Research Triangle has long been an R&D center. About 65% of North Carolina’s life science companies are R&D-focused, but the Triangle also retains a significant manufacturing base. That combination is a meaningful differentiator: it supports innovation while also creating a wider range of career pathways.

Manufacturing roles can offer entry points that do not require an associate or bachelor’s degree, while local community colleges and universities — through programs like BioWork — provide clear pathways for advancement. Moving from a $38,000 median warehousing wage to a $52,000 median aseptic technician wage can be life-changing for workers without access to a two- or four-year degree. Local production facilities are increasingly prioritizing internal promotion, helping expand these opportunities across the region.

Looking Ahead

BIO 2026 reaffirmed that the Research Triangle is well-positioned across the trends shaping the future of life sciences — from AI talent and infrastructure to onshoring momentum and a manufacturing base that supports both innovation and economic mobility. As companies evaluate where to grow next, WCED and its partners will continue to advance the region’s value proposition: a market where research, technology, manufacturing, and talent come together to support long-term business growth.