Modesto is not an area companies want to do R&D in.

With other cities and counties as hubs for current R&D, such as Solano County, companies are reluctant to expand to Modesto. Although we are located relatively close to the Bay, 2 hours is still a lengthy commute. Modesto has one of the highest commuter rates in the nation. Modesto’s culture is also not desirable for educated people, as most people tend to move out of the area once they get their degree. Biomanufacturing has been highlighted as a potential focus since we have a lot of biomass locally.