Las Vegas launches $10M bioscience pitch contest

The city of Las Vegas has launched a pitch contest for a new bioscience lab, with $10 million in funding up for grabs.

City officials on Tuesday announced the BioHealth Innovation Challenge, which seeks proposals to develop and operate a lab in Las Vegas and is sponsored by the city’s Redevelopment Agency.

Registration closes Jan. 22, 2026. The winning project is scheduled to be announced in fall 2026 and would receive up to $10 million from the agency.

Las Vegas Councilman Brian Knudsen said in a news release that the initiative marks a “bold step forward” to help make America’s casino capital a “national leader in biosciences and innovation.”

“By expanding laboratory infrastructure and attracting cutting-edge research and development, the city is creating the conditions for new industries to thrive, new talent to stay and groundbreaking solutions to emerge,” he said.

Applicants should have a capital budget of at least $20 million to be used during the three-year construction period, plus at least $10 million to invest in operations over 10 years, according to the application form.

The lab must be located within one of Las Vegas’ designated redevelopment zones, preferably in or near the Las Vegas Medical District in the central valley.

By 2030, the medical district is projected to support more than 24,000 jobs and have a $3.6 billion economic impact on the local community, according to city officials.

Contact Finnegan Belleau at fbelleau@reviewjournal.com.