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Date May 13, 2026
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With support from Brown and other partners, Rhode Island’s first life sciences startup incubator opens

Brown University is among a series of organizations that have supported the launch of Ocean State Labs, which aims to propel growth among life sciences and biotech ventures in Rhode Island.

PROVIDENCE, R.I. [Brown University] — Leaders and scholars from Brown University joined Rhode Island government and business representatives on Wednesday, May 13, to celebrate the opening of Ocean State Labs, the state’s first life sciences startup incubator.

The University is among multiple organizations supporting the incubator, which will provide early-stage biotechnology and medical companies with laboratory space, infrastructure and operational support as they grow and bring scientific discoveries to the marketplace. Ocean State Labs is led by the Rhode Island Life Sciences Hub in partnership with the State of Rhode Island, the I-195 Redevelopment District, Brown and L&G Asset Management America. To help create a home for the new facility, Brown provided 30,000 square feet of leased space at 150 Richmond St. in Providence — an investment valued at $13 million over 10 years.

In remarks during the ribbon-cutting, Brown Provost Francis J. Doyle III said that in providing space for Ocean State Labs, the University is building on a commitment to supporting projects that contribute to the economic vitality of the Providence and Rhode Island. Multiple companies in the inaugural incubator cohort are ventures founded by Brown researchers working across oncology, regenerative medicine, neuroscience and other fields. 

During remarks, Brown Provost Francis J. Doyle III addressed hundreds from the Providence and Rhode Island community.

“Every person working in this building, every new tax dollar generated, and every breakthrough discovered here contributes to a Providence that is more resilient and more competitive on the global stage,” Doyle said. “As a provost and a biomedical engineer, I am incredibly proud and excited about the research that will take place within these walls. But more importantly, I am proud of what this building represents — a promise kept to the City of Providence and a foundation for a future where Rhode Island leads the way in the life sciences.”

Rhode Island Gov. Dan McKee said the launch represents a major step in an effort to strengthen Rhode Island’s growing biotech sector. He described it as an initiative built through years of collaboration among city and state government, higher education, industry, economic development and investment partners, and cited the creation of the building that houses the incubator as as a successful partnership across sectors.

“We started here at 150 Richmond as a public-private partnership,” McKee said. “We believed in building a cutting-edge state health lab in this building, and we believed it would become an anchor for life sciences companies — not only in Rhode Island, but across the region — and it has. Let’s keep that momentum going.”

Rhode Island Life Sciences Hub Interim President Lilia Holt called the launch a turning point for the state’s life sciences sector, creating new opportunities for startups and early-stage companies to stay and grow in the state.

“Rhode Island has an extraordinary scientific and clinical talent base,” Holt said. “For many years, founders and early-stage companies faced a challenge: they could discover science here, but they had to leave the state to find the infrastructure, capital and support needed to scale — Ocean State Labs helps change that dynamic. We are creating an environment where companies can launch, grow and stay here in Rhode Island.”

The incubator, located on the fourth floor of 150 Richmond St. above the new State of Rhode Island health lab, is managed by Portal Innovations. In addition to fully equipped lab space, Portal provides the early-stage companies with venture development support, offering startups access to capital networks, technical expertise and industry partners.

 

Building on research from his Brown University lab, Jeffrey Morgan co-founded XM Therapeutics with entrepreneur Frank Ahmann in 2022. The startup is now developing new approaches to treating heart disease, kidney failure and other chronic conditions by harnessing the therapeutic potential of the extracellular matrix — the scaffolding that organizes cells into tissues and organs.

Leasing space at Ocean State Labs gives the company critical support during a pivotal stage, Ahmann said.

“It’s key for companies like ours to move from the academic laboratory into what will eventually become a corporate headquarters with dedicated lab space,” Ahmann said. “But at this stage, you’re not yet ready to lease an entire facility and operate at full scale. That’s where incubator space plays an important role. It fills that middle stage — where companies can continue laboratory work, establish a corporate presence and operate in high-quality office and lab environments, without the overhead of large-scale clinical or commercial operations.”

Morgan said early testing has shown strong promise, and the company has now reached a point where production must move out of academic laboratories and into a dedicated facility to continue progress.

“Without this kind of space, there’s a real risk that companies like ours fall through the cracks in Rhode Island or ultimately relocate to places like Massachusetts,” Morgan said. “This infrastructure is critical to maintaining momentum and keeping that upward trajectory going.”

Ocean State Labs can accommodate up to 30 companies, but Holt says the incubator is only the start of additional growth to come.

“We see this as just the beginning,” Holt said. “Looking ahead, we are focused on growing the ecosystem by supporting founders, attracting additional companies, strengthening workforce pipelines and expanding Rhode Island’s innovation infrastructure. The momentum building across the state is significant, and we are excited about what comes next.”

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Brown and Providence Research

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