On Feb. 7, 2002, an assembly of more than fifty leaders and visionaries in science, medicine, government and business gathered at the Arizona state capitol to discuss the possibility of establishing Arizona as a player in the new economy of the biotechnology industry. Their goal was to set up a one-of-a-kind genomics research institute.

With a positive group consensus, it was decided the idea was not only feasible, but represented a unique opportunity for Arizonans to rally together for a shared vision into the future. With an unprecedented cooperative spirit, they rallied to the task of securing support for TGen on the order of $90 million; this fundraising was achieved in a five month window.