Carlsbad’s Coastal Edge for Healthcare, Biotech & Pharma Conferences

Our beach town’s impressive life science industry presence makes it stand out as the perfect destination for medical meetings and conferences. Discover all the Village by the Sea has to offer that appeals to your attendees and accommodates your plans.

Carlsbad has developed into a hub for life science innovation due to its expanding network of industry leaders, prominent companies and advanced research.

Carlsbad Life in Action[1] , an initiative of the City of Carlsbad’s Economic Development Department, reports that the town is home to 128 life science companies employing more than 6,500 professionals. Its innovative spirit is evident in the 300 patents issued to local life science companies since 2019.

Medical device industry veteran Thermo Fisher Scientific and Ionis Pharmaceuticals are among the destination’s top employers, according to the Carlsbad Chamber of Commerce. [1]

Thermo Fisher Scientific stands out as an example of the growing biotech and life sciences industry here. Carlsbad Life in Action[2] reports that the company expanded operations in Carlsbad, opening a new facility to produce RNA-based vaccines and other biological products. Ionis Pharmaceuticals is also expanding its campus in Carlsbad to further work in RNA-targeted therapeutics, according to Carlsbad’s Life in Action.

Carlsbad is also the first Southern California destination to partner with and support Bio, Tech and Beyond, a life sciences incubator with 6,000 square feet of rentable space for research and development — where more than 50 companies have been incubated since opening in 20213, according to Life in Action[3] .

Companies like these continue to fuel our reputation as a home of innovation and groundbreaking discoveries. And with proximity to exceptional medical centers, like Scripps Coastal Medical Center Carlsbad and Tri-City Medical Center, Carlsbad positions your meeting near critical healthcare institutions that support and elevate research and development. Your attendees can tap into all of this when meeting here.

Located on the SoCal coast, Carlsbad’s access to global air accessibility is as impressive as its reputation in the life sciences industry. With four airports nearby, your attendees have options to easily fly in for their next-level biotech, pharma or health-focused meeting or conference in our quaint beach town.

Once your attendees have arrived, multiple transportation options make it a breeze to get to Carlsbad’s group hotels and event venues.

For life science groups focused on sustainability, Carlsbad is the optimal place to meet green. Green Certified Visit Carlsbad supports numerous initiatives dedicated to making it easy for you to plan medical conferences that reduce your group’s carbon footprint and protect and preserve the natural environment.

Check out the list of best practices for eco-friendly meetings that Visit Carlsbad put together to aid you in the planning process, as well as information on hotel environmental practices.

When it comes to choosing your conference venue, Carlsbad has hotels and resorts that exude laid-back luxury and offer meeting spaces that curate experiences. Here are some of your options, listed in order of venue size, that are primed for focus, collaboration and convenience.

In all, our destination boasts more than 5,000 guest rooms. To explore more hotels, uncover the full list.

You also have the opportunity to plan off-site gatherings, like a reception during your life science conference, at our 18 unique special event venues. Many of these complement the coastal terrain and allow your attendees to enjoy the outdoors with Carlsbad’s 263 days of sunshine throughout the year. Here are some of your options, listed in order of capacity.

Explore more of the best venues in this sun-kissed destination.

The Visit Carlsbad team is ready to help you plan your biotech, pharma or healthcare conference. Reach out to Jed Arrogante, Business Development, or submit your RFP to get started planning.