Afshin Safavi, Ph.D.: Investing in Colorado’s Momentum as a Hub for Health Innovation
Afshin Safavi, Ph.D., moved to Colorado in 2016, drawn by the state’s inspiring mountain views and entrepreneurial energy. Colorado’s unique combination of talent, R&D leadership, and commitment to elevating science made the case for Colorado even more appealing. After helping build biotech ecosystems around the world, Dr. Safavi saw Colorado’s momentum as a hub for health innovation and chose to add his experience to that growth.
Dr. Safavi brings decades of leadership to this effort. He founded BioAgilytix Labs, now one of the world’s most successful bioanalytical contract research organizations. Earlier in his career, he held leadership roles at Bayer Biologicals, GlaxoSmithKline, Grifols (formerly Talecris BioTherapeutics), Nobex Corporation, and AAIPharma. His work supported multiple drug products that reached patients, while his teams created thousands of jobs in the U.S. and abroad.
This September also marks 40 years since Dr. Safavi immigrated to the U.S. as a teenager. He reflects with gratitude on the education, opportunities, and entrepreneurial freedom that allowed him to build companies and contribute to life-saving medicines. That journey fuels his commitment to protecting America’s leadership in life sciences and solidifying Colorado’s presence as a top 20 global life sciences R&D hub.
“Colorado has smarts, ambition, and momentum,” Dr. Safavi says. “We have what it takes to lead in life sciences, and with Colorado Health Tech Centers we are creating the spaces where innovation begins, grows, and reaches patients everywhere.”
Colorado Health Tech Centers (CHTC) is Dr. Safavi’s latest venture: a network of campuses planned along the I-25 corridor. By reimagining and adaptively reusing existing buildings, CHTC accelerates development, cuts costs, and places sustainability at the center of its approach.
The Greenwood Village site in South Metro Denver, was a stop on CBSA’s Drive to Five: Colorado Life Sciences Innovation Tour. Additional sites in Denver, Aurora, and Colorado Springs are in the planning stages. These hubs are planned to give biotech, medical device, and AI companies purpose-built facilities that match their pace of innovation.
Dr. Safavi is an active leader in the state’s life sciences community. He also mentors entrepreneurs, invests in promising startups, and serves on local boards, including the Jake Jabs Center for Entrepreneurship’s Advisory Council. He and his family enjoy Colorado’s adventurous lifestyle, often exploring the same mountains that first drew them here.
For Dr. Safavi, Colorado is both home and the future of health innovation.
