BioConnect Iowa and the Iowa Biotechnology Association have announced that they have reached an agreement to share leadership through a joint service arrangement.
Through the agreement, Jessica Hyland, who has served as executive director of IowaBio since 2019, will now also lead BioConnect, the state’s public-private partnership for economic development in Iowa’s targeted bioscience platforms.
“Personally, I like to grow, and this was another way to do that,” Hyland said in an interview. “And second, I think looking around, this is a small state, and we’re in this ecosystem that we’re trying to support for biotech companies. And looking at it, this seems like a really great opportunity to take my skillset and get my arms around another component of the ecosystem and really try to get us going in a parallel direction.”
Hyland takes over leadership of BioConnect from interim President and CEO Jim Register, who has led the organization since August 2025. Steve Brody led BioConnect Iowa from December 2021 until his retirement in 2025.
BioConnect Iowa was established after the Iowa Economic Development Authority and the Iowa Innovation Council commissioned a third-party analysis of Iowa’s bioscience industry in 2017. BioConnect Iowa drives economic opportunity in Iowa by advancing bioscience innovation and commercialization. Through strategic partnerships and programs, the organization supports entrepreneurs and works to accelerate the growth of Iowa’s bioscience sector.
BioConnect is involved in overseeing the InnoVenture Iowa Fund, the state’s publicly funded venture capital fund, which will be a new area for Hyland to manage.
“That is their main thing that they’re doing is supporting companies and venture capital, putting that out into the world and out into supporting startups,” Hyland said. “I’m looking forward to getting my arms around this venture capital fund. It’s a new world for me … I’ve had some exposure to it, but not as much as I will over there. It’ll be a very different way of operating for me. And there’s so much potential there, I think, to support the ecosystem and support especially biotech and ag tech companies.”
IowaBio, is a 501(c)6 nonprofit trade association, founded in 1994 to unify Iowa’s bioscience industry, academic research institutions and economic development organizations. IowaBio represents more than 100 members spanning the state, invested in Iowa and in the biotech industry.