New Downtown Tacoma User Research Lab

GearLab, in partnership with digital agency SiteCrafting, Inc., has opened a user research and usability testing lab in Tacoma’s Dome District. The lab is the first of its kind in Pierce County.

GearLab, which stands for Guided Experience and Research, is a user research and usability testing lab outfitted with tools for testing how users interact with technology, including software for eye tracking, a mobile suite for testing across devices and platforms, and an observation room. GearLab’s focus on design thinking and user-centered design is part of an emerging industry trend centered around creating websites, software, and products that are designed, through research and evaluation, to be more efficient and effective for users.

Through a series of facilitated research and testing methods, GearLab enables companies to plan, test, and improve the designs of websites, software interfaces, and products. GearLab works on a variety of project types ranging from companies with in-house development teams looking to improve their own projects, government agencies needing to balance a wide range of audiences, to any business looking to improve their website interface through testing and research. Through a partnership with UW Tacoma, access to the lab will also be provided to students for conducting studies. Additionally, GearLab hopes to expand local partnerships for lab rentals to include other organizations and User Experience professionals.

GearLab Director, Chuck Johnston, is part of the Human Centered Design and Engineering Masters program at the University of Washington. As one of the only programs of its kind, graduates come away with a deep focus on creating solutions designed for real people with the things we use everyday. “Putting people first produces the best outcomes not only for technology and products, but also for entire organizations,” says Johnston.

The GearLab facilities include the lab itself for conducting usability tests and research, an observation room for learning and analysis, and a nearly 1,000 square-foot training room for workshops, sketching exercises, and other working sessions. GearLab is housed within SiteCrafting’s recently renovated office space in the Bowstring Building at 2716 A Street in downtown Tacoma.

While the two businesses share office space and collaborate on mutual projects, GearLab has its own client base that operates independent from SiteCrafting. GearLab is available for on-site testing as well as field testing.

GearLab will be open for demos during SiteCrafting’s open house for clients, partners, and the community on June 3, 2015 from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. Visit HERE to attend.

Tacoma Biotech's New Product

Tacoma biotech firm Revalesio is highlighted in The (Tacoma) News Tribune for its new products promising a revolutionary breakthrough in the treatment of several illnesses.

In addition to the potential for the firm, the potential for Tacoma is also explored in the article here.

UPS Alum Makes First Bitcoin University Grant

A $10,000 gift made in bitcoins to liberal arts college University of Puget Sound last week could mark a “first” in the world of American higher education philanthropy.

Bitcoin entrepreneur Nicolas Cary ’07, who graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree from Puget Sound’s Business Leadership Program, made the unrestricted gift on Tuesday by electronically transferring just over 14.5 bitcoins to the university for its 2013-14 Alumni Fund.

The 28-year-old CEO of Blockchain, which runs the world’s most popular “digital wallet” for bitcoins, said he made the gift in the currency that is now central to his life and career.

“I always wanted to give back to Puget Sound once I was in a position to do it. I was the grateful recipient of scholarships and loans, and now that I’m in a position to make a difference, I want to help others get on the road to success.”

 Cary says that although thousands of merchants and nonprofits now accept the digital currency, he believes this is the first gift ever made to an American college or university in bitcoins. A record kept by the Bitcoin wiki that lists nonprofits accepting Bitcoin donations supports this claim.

“We were delighted when we heard Nic wanted to make this generous and pioneering gift to Puget Sound,” said Sherry Mondou, vice president for finance and administration. “At the same time, we were a little uncertain how to proceed, as we had no gift policy on digital currencies and were unfamiliar with the process. But we greatly welcomed Nic’s thoughtful initiative and felt it would serve us well to learn to engage with the e-commerce world.”

The gift is being made as part of Puget Sound’s $125 million One [of a Kind] comprehensive campaign that is supporting student financial aid, academic programs and research, new facilities, current operations, and initiatives key to the success of students. Launched in 2007, the campaign has attracted more than $109 million in gifts to date from alumni, parents, campus members, and friends of the university.

Bitcoin, an open-source currency affiliated with no country or bank, has rapidly been embraced by popular culture and has attracted tens of thousands of followers in recent years. In the past year groups including online retailers Overstock.com and TigerDirect, games developer Zynga, and the Sacramento Kings basketball team announced they would accept bitcoins.

The digital currency, launched in 2009, is traded and managed through a peer-to-peer technology network that has no central owner. It is used for tens of thousands of transactions a day via mobile or desktop devices. The fees are a fraction of the cost of credit card transactions, and transfers take seconds. Individuals can buy or sell bitcoins using U.S. dollars or other currencies on private exchanges based around the world. Users store their bitcoins electronically in an encrypted digital wallet, such as the one offered by Blockchain, a company with more than one million users worldwide—up from about 110,000 just over a year ago.

“It’s like email for money. Anyone can understand the rules,” Cary says. “The world has 2.5 billion people who do not have bank accounts. Now someone in the North African desert has access to the same level of traditional finance tools as a Fortune 500 CEO.”

To receive the gift Puget Sound established an online, nonprofit account with e-commerce processor BitPay. Through BitPay the university processed a “bill” in U.S. dollars for the pledged donation. BitPay sent an email message to Cary containing an invoice based on the current bitcoin-to-US$ exchange rate. He had three options to transfer the bitcoins from his own online “wallet” to the university’s BitPay account: select “click-to-pay” to launch a Bitcoin “wallet” application; scan the invoice QR code using a mobile device; or copy and paste the Bitcoin payment address into his wallet, which he accesses through a website login.

Nicolas Cary makes the Bitcoin gift from his Berlin hotel

Cary, engaged in business in Berlin at the time, chose to scan the QR code. BitPay acknowledged the payment instantly, and after the bitcoin transaction was completed through the public ledger known as the block chain, the payment was reflected in Puget Sound’s BitPay account in U.S. dollars, ready for deposit into the university’s bank account.

Nicolas Cary, who now travels the world for business, was invited to become CEO of Blockchain just six years after graduating from Puget Sound. Cary says his business leadership classes and the professors’ mentoring created an atmosphere where students felt ready to challenge traditional ideas and become thought leaders in today’s evolving world.

“I applied to over a dozen colleges, but as soon as I set foot on the Puget Sound campus, I knew I wanted to go there,” Cary said. “I just knew it would be right. There was something about that [business leadership] class. Our cohort of students was exceptional. They were smart; they were motivated; they were fun.”

The Denver-born entrepreneur graduated from Puget Sound with a double major in business leadership and international political economy in 2007. After graduation he traveled, volunteered, met his first boss at a leadership conference, and moved to Pennsylvania, where he worked for software company PipelineDeals. Last year he joined Blockchain, which quickly grew from a two-man startup to a 14-employee firm that now runs the world’s most visited Bitcoin site.

Cary is enthusiastic about the prospects for digital currencies, which he sees as a natural progression in an increasingly digitized world.

“It shouldn’t surprise us that money is going digital,” he says. “Look at music and photography, and the power of peer-to-peer networks. It’s going to be tremendously exciting to see what happens in this space.”

About Blockchain: Blockchain.info is the No. 1 Bitcoin site, with more than 1.2 million users and 300 million page views a month. The company offers three services: a secure digital wallet that allows individuals to securely store and spend bitcoins; access to a public ledger tracking all the bitcoin transactions worldwide; and a popular information site, including news, prices, statistics, and links to Bitcoin services. Blockchain’s employees are based in the United States, United Kingdom, and Japan, allowing 24-hour servicing of clientele.

Nominations Open for EY Entrepreneur of the Year

Nominations are open for the EY Entrepreneur Of The Year™ 2014 Awards, celebrating innovative business leaders who turn vision into reality.

EY is calling for nominations for the 28th Annual EY Entrepreneur Of The Year Awards, recognized as one of the most prestigious business award programs in the country. The program has a firm deadline of March 14, 2014 for nominations, with the Pacific Northwest awards ceremony scheduled for June 20, 2014 at the Hyatt Regency Bellevue, Bellevue, Washington.

Each year, EY showcases successful entrepreneurs from more than 150 cities in 60 countries. In 2013, nine entrepreneurs leading companies from the Pacific Northwest were selected as EY Entrepreneur Of The Year Award winners. Past award winners in this region include: Gertrude Boyle and Tim Boyle, Columbia Sportswear; Dan Brettler, CarToys; Greg Enell, Double Down Interactive; Dave Shaffer, DePaul Industries; Howard Schultz, Starbucks;  Spencer Rascoff, Zillow; and, Jim Weber, Brooks Sports.

“At EY, it’s through our Entrepreneur Of The Year Program that we have had the privilege of getting to know many high impact entrepreneurs,” said Mike Kacsmar, Americas Director, EY Entrepreneur Of The Year. “The entrepreneurs we have honored are creating disruptive companies and causing a positive ripple effect in our communities, our capital markets and our economy.”

Award winners are selected in a number of industry categories by a panel of independent regional judges, including previous winners of the award, leading CEOs and private capital investors and other regional business leaders. Entrepreneurs may nominate themselves or be nominated by peers and other business leaders.

Awards criteria
To qualify, entrepreneurs must be the founder or an executive who organizes, manages and assumes the risk of a business early in its life cycle or during its growth. Self-nominations are encouraged, and there is no fee. The firm deadline for 2014 nominations is March 14.

Entrepreneurs eligible for consideration include not only company founders, but also leaders of multi-generation family businesses and transformational public and private company CEOs. Additionally, the nominee’s company must be at least two years old.

Information is available at www.ey.com/us/eoy. For information on the Entrepreneur Of The Year Awards in the Pacific Northwest please visit www.ey.com/us/eoy/pnw. 

Sponsors
Founded and produced by Ernst & Young LLP, the Entrepreneur Of The Year Awards are nationally sponsored by SAP Americas and the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation.

In the Pacific Northwest, regional sponsors include Merrill Corporation, Perkins Coie LLC, Scherzer International,  he Big Picture Video Film & Arts, and Union Bank

Contact information
To get more information, as well as nomination forms, contact: Rachel Anderson, rachel.anderson@ey.com or +1 206 654 7633. 

About EY Entrepreneur Of The Year™
EY Entrepreneur Of The Year is the world’s most prestigious business award for entrepreneurs. The unique award makes a difference through the way it encourages entrepreneurial activity among those with potential and recognizes the contribution of people who inspire others with their vision, leadership and achievement. As the first and only truly global award of its kind, Entrepreneur Of The Year celebrates those who are building and leading successful, growing and dynamic businesses, recognizing them through regional, national and global awards programs in more than 150 cities in more than 60 countries.

About EY’s Strategic Growth Markets practice EY’s Strategic Growth Markets (SGM) practices guide leading high-growth companies. Our multidisciplinary teams of elite professionals provide perspective and advice to help our clients accelerate market leadership. SGM delivers assurance, tax, transactions and advisory services to thousands of companies spanning all industries. EY is the undisputed leader in taking companies public, advising key government agencies on the issues impacting high-growth companies and convening the experts who shape the business climate. For more information, please visit us at ey.com/us/strategicgrowthmarkets, or follow news on Twitter @EY_Growth.

About EY
EY is a global leader in assurance, tax, transaction and advisory services. The insights and quality services we deliver help build trust and confidence in the capital markets and in economies the world over. We develop outstanding leaders who team to deliver on our promises to all of our stakeholders. In so doing, we play a critical role in building a better working world for our people, for our clients and for our communities.

EY refers to the global organization and may refer to one or more of the member firms of Ernst & Young Global Limited, each of which is a separate legal entity. Ernst & Young Global Limited, a UK company limited by guarantee, does not provide services to clients. For more information about our organization, please visit ey.com.

WA Names Tech Sector Leads

Department of Commerce Director Brian Bonlender recently named Maura Little  and Will Saunders  to the sector lead team in the Office of Economic Development and Competitiveness.  All told, the three target industries they will focus on represent more than $35 billion in payroll for residents of Washington State: Information and Communication Technology and Life Sciences.

“Our sector-based economic development strategy is a reflection of the fact that we face intense international and interstate competition for good jobs. We have to be constantly vigilant about identifying opportunities and strategies for cultivating employers in Washington,” said Bonlender.  “We can’t rely on luck for the next Boeing, Microsoft or Amazon to develop here.”

Little joined the Department of Commerce as the Life Sciences and Global Health sector lead. She has deep background in the life sciences field, including liaison work for then-Congressman Jay Inslee with industry leaders and helping to draft and pass related legislation. After that, Little was Washington State Director of Government Relations for the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network working on healthcare and other life-science issues at a state level.

Saunders brings more than a decade of experience in the information and communications technology field to his position of sector lead for the industry.  Most recently, Saunders has been the director of the Washington State Broadband Office since 2010 and has worked with app developers, educators, public and private providers and economic development agencies across the state.
Sector-based economic development heads the list of Commerce’s five core strategies for job creation, Bonlender said.

Little and Saunders join Kristine Reeves (Military and Defense), Alex Pietsch (Aerospace) and Steve Sewell (Maritime) to represent the State of Washington in their respective industry sectors.  They are tasked with identifying and pursuing new economic development strategies that keep Washington State in the forefront of these key industries, and advance the Governor’s goal of targeted company recruitment, retention and expansion.
 
The Office of Economic Development and Competitiveness supports the Governor’s Working Washington Jobs Agenda, which recognizes that these sectors are critical to our future prosperity --  if these industries are doing well, our economy will be doing well.

SiteCrafting Wins Award for Inner City Achievements

The Initiative for a Competitive Inner City (ICIC) and FORTUNE announced that SiteCrafting,Inc. (Rank # 66) was selected for the 2013 Inner City 100, a list of the fastest-growing inner city companies in the U.S. The Inner City 100 program recognizes successful inner city companies and their CEOs as role models for entrepreneurship, innovative business practices and job creation in America’s urban communities.

Brian Forth, President, SiteCrafting, said, “We are proud to have been recognized for the fourth consecutive year by ICIC. It is a testament to the hard work of our team and our commitment to delivering the best web design, development, and mobile application services. We are grateful to our clients, without whom, we would not be able to do the work we love to do. “

SiteCrafting is an award-winning website design and web application development company that specializes in custom web-based solutions for mid- to large-size businesses, counties, and municipalities. SiteCrafting showed 5-year annual growth rate of 20%. 

Among its community involvement, SiteCrafting developed and hosts the site for the TacomaAngel Network, an associate program of the Tacoma-Pierce County Chamber.

The rankings for each company were announced at the Inner City 100 Awards on Tuesday, May 21, 2013 in Boston, Massachusetts. The Awards marked the Inner City 100 program’s 15th year and launched a formal alumni network of Inner City 100 winners.

“We are excited to celebrate inner city businesses like SiteCrafting whose success stories are not told nearly enough,” said Mary Kay Leonard, ICIC President and CEO. “These entrepreneurs are driving economic forces in America’s urban cores, growing their communities along with their businesses.”

For 2013, winners represent a wide span of geography, operating in 48 cities and 27 states. The 2013 Inner City 100 winners grew at a compound annual growth rate of 36 percent and an average standard growth rate of 411 percent between 2007 and 2011. Collectively, the top 100 inner city businesses employ 10,391 employees and have created more than 5,863 new jobs between 2007 and 2011. Not only are the winners powerful job creators in their communities, but they also help grow their employees – 56% provide onsite training programs.

The full list can be viewed at www.Fortune.com

The list is proof of the concept that doing business in an inner city area holds a distinct competitive advantage. ICIC has been studying the economic condition of the largest 100 American cities for more than a decade and is working to revitalize inner cities across the country.

Business Examiner link.

The News Tribune link.

Local Firm Scores in Top 100

The Initiative for a Competitive Inner City and Fortune Magazine released the 2011 Inner City 100 list of the fastest-growing inner city companies in the U.S. SiteCrafting, Inc. from Tacoma, Washington ranked 51 on this year’s list.

The Inner City 100 program recognizes successful inner city companies and their CEO’s as role models for entrepreneurship, innovative business practices and job creation in America’s urban communities. The full list can be viewed here.

The rankings for each company were announced at the Inner City 100 Awards Dinner on Thursday, May 12, 2011 in Boston, MA. Winners attended a two-day event featuring seminars for Inner City 100 owners and managers at Harvard Business School, a procurement symposium and an awards gala that drew more than 500 guests.

The Inner City 100 list provides unmatched original data on the fastest growing inner-city businesses in the U.S. In the last 13 years, 661 different companies have earned positions on the Inner City 100, collectively generating more than $2.2 billion in annual revenues and creating nearly 70,000 new jobs. Chevron Corporation, Staples Foundation and Goldman Sachs are long-time sponsors of the program.

For the 2011 list, a record number of two thousand nominations were received. Winners represent a wide span of geography, operating in 51 cities and 32 states.

“We are delighted to celebrate businesses like SiteCrafting that are playing a critical role in revitalizing America’s urban communities. Through their achievements, the Inner City 100 winning companies exemplify America’s remarkable potential and the future of our urban centers,” Mary Kay Leonard, ICIC president and CEO. “These extraordinary companies demonstrate the market possibilities that exist within our inner cities and the growth that is at the heart of all urban entrepreneurial successes.”

SiteCrafting President Brian Forth said, “SiteCrafting is thrilled to have been named to the Inner City 100 list for the second time. It is an honor to be listed with some of the most innovative and creative companies in America. Each Inner City 100 company has an unbelievable story of perseverance and courage. This list is proof that the American dream is alive and well.”

SiteCrafting is a website design and web application development company that specializes in custom web based solutions for mid- to large-size businesses, counties, and municipalities. The company’s goal is to ensure its clients get the tools and technology they need to work most efficiently. The company has been headquartered in Tacoma since 1995 and has satellite offices in Seattle and Spokane.

To qualify for the Inner City 100 list, companies were required to have:

• at least 51 percent of their operations located in an economically distressed urban area;
• have at least 10 full-time employees;
• and a five-year operating sales history that includes at least $200,000 in revenues in the first year of consideration:
• an increase in year five sales over year four sales;
• and fifth-year sales of at least $1 million.

 

SST Conference Agenda Announced

Click on the image for a full view.

SHIFT Award Nominations Open

SHIFT is an annual event that debuted on March 10, 2010 at Theater on the Square in downtown Tacoma, WA. This event was created in order to recognize companies in the South Puget Sound that exhibit successful, innovative approaches to utilizing or developing technology for the purposes of business sustainability.

Nominees and finalists were selected by the 2010 SHIFT Advisory Board, made up of local volunteers representing South Puget Sound business and technology. The four companies asked to share their story at the 2010 event were Hotel Murano, MorphoTrak, BCRA, and Internet Identity.

Nominations are now open for the 2011 SHIFT Awards and we would like to invite you to nominate a South Sound company or organization. The idea for this event is not to choose a "winner" above all others, but rather give organizations a chance to share their story and hopefully inspire others.

The SHIFT nomination form can be found at here.

Please feel free to contact Mandi Webster-Martin or 253.272.2248 with any questions. A date for the actual event will be announced later this year.

VOB Use Tech in Business Models

Two firms, honored by the Tacoma-Pierce County Chamber as Veteran-Owned Businesses at the annual Spotlight! On Business Awards could just as easily have been so honored for their application of technology in their business models.

Selected to receive the Chamber’s first VOB Spotlight! Award, with a tagline of “Applying Technology and Doing IT Right Since 1988,” is mynetworkcompany.com. Owner and CEO Darrel Bowman, a disabled Veteran, makes hiring Veterans and current active duty IT personnel a priority. He also continues to be involved in the community and serves on Congressman Adam Smith’s Technology Advisory Council Committee; and is current Chairman of the South Puget Sound IT and Emerging Technology Skills Panel, among others. Mynetworkingcompany.com was a major sponsor for technology in the 2008 Tall Ships Festival – supplying computers, printers, phones and a variety of technical expertise.

Also receiving recognition at the Spotlight! On Business Awards was Jordan and Donna Haines, both Vets as retired Air Force, and owners of Coinforce.com Their company is an internet-based promotional product company, focusing on military challenge coins, lapel pins and belt buckles to the military, businesses, schools, government agencies and non-proft organizations worldwide. They support the local community in many ways: annually towards numerous military morale, welfare and recreation opportunities and other family military programs; and last year, helped raise money for the fallen Lakewood Police officers’ families.

James Donaldson, keynoter at the Spotlight! On Business Awards (known to many as “the big man on small business”), is a small business entrepreneur, former NBA player, motivational speaker, and author of a newly published book “Standing Above the Crowd.” (Executing Your Game Plan to Become The Best You Can Be in Sports, Life & Business). Donaldson inspired us with his real life experiences of his years playing professional sports and his work in motivating youth and encouraging business people to achieve their goals and realize success.

Washington's Innovation Summit 2010

Washington's Innovation Summit 2010 is Friday! Online registration ends Wednesday April 7.

Register now to avoid the lines for on-site registration April 9th at the Greater Tacoma Convention and Trade Center. Plus, register online and you'll receive the event attendee list* to help you make connections at the Summit.

*The attendee list will be distributed Thursday April 8th to registered attendees; list includes only those attendees who opt in to sharing their contact information.

Washington's Innovation Summit 2010

Washington's Technology Center announced today that Washington Governor Chris Gregoire will deliver the opening speech at Washington's Innovation Summit 2010.  The annual Innovation Summit  will be held in Tacoma for the first time ever.

The Governor's address sets the stage for a full day of examples from aerospace, defense and energy that are helping companies of every size innovate across a range of sectors.  Following her, in the morning is a keynote from former astronaut Dr. Bonnie Dunbar of the Museum of Flight, and a morning panel discussion featuring aerospace, defense and energy leaders, Scott Hamilton of Leeham Co., Congressman Adam Smith and Mike Davis of PNNL.

SHIFT Awards Nominees Announced

The SHIFT Awards premiere Wednesday, March 10th, 2010, celebrating technology focused stories from innovators spanning the South Sound. Businesses from around the region will share their approach to technology application that opened up new possibilities for service and success.

This event springs from the refrain that was often heard at the South Sound Technology Conference about how we in the South Sound need to get together and create events around technology and collaboration. The reality is that there is a ton of great stuff going on in the South Sound relating to technology, and it's about time we look around and say, 'Hey this is a pretty great place to live, work, and innovate,' said SiteCrafting President, Brian Forth.

The 2010 nominees are:

Avue Technologies (Tacoma, WA)
BCRA (Tacoma, WA)
Department of Transportation (Olympia, WA)
Dillanos (Sumner, WA)
Hotel Murano (Tacoma, WA)
Intel (Dupont, WA)
Internet Identity (Tacoma, WA)
MorphoTrak (Tacoma, WA)
Seasonal View (Tacoma, WA)
Serra Media (Tacoma, WA)
Topia Technology (Tacoma, WA)

The SHIFT advisory board will select four companies to share their stories at the March 10th event.

Each honoree will prepare a brief presentation about their company and/or the technology related innovation to share with the audience. They will have 10 minutes and 10 slides to tell their story. Opportunities to share innovations prior to, during and after the awards will allow local innovators to start discussions to inspire each other to incorporate technology in new ways to propel business goals.

Held at the Theater on the Square in downtown Tacoma, the event will include a cocktail hour prior to the recognition ceremony and light appetizers and desserts following the event. Attendees will have the opportunity to congratulate honorees, share stories and network.

The SHIFT Awards are open to the public, although attendees must pre-register. Ticket prices are $30 per attendee.  For more information about the SHIFT Awards or to reserve your seat please visit here.

Washington's Innovation Summit 2010

Spotlight on Local Tech Companies

Andrew Fry, UWT Institute of Technology has made real one more idea that came from the SST 2009 held late last year at his university.

During afternoon panels, it was suggested that one tool for the local entrepreneurial community of individuals to network and to know what industry is here, is to build a knowledge base of those companies.  Andrew, who had announced earlier that day, suggested a regular blog spotlight on the Tacoma metro companies, would build that base.

Well!  Andrew has published his first company spotlight, and he is promising to post a spotlight weekly on his blog, Living and Working in a Virtual World.  In just a short year, by the next SST in 2010, the local entrepreneurial and technology sector, should have a substantial knowledge base. 

That knowledge base should help our local entrepreneurs, our local tech-savvy personnel and our tech industry.  Way to go Andrew!

Washington's Innovation Summit 2010

Washington Technology Center is pleased to present Washington's Innovation Summit 2010 at the Greater Tacoma Convention and Trade Center on April 9, 2010 from 7:30 a.m.-4:00 p.m.  The Summit will bring together the region's leading companies and thought leaders -- such as CEO, scientist and astronaut Dr. Bonnie Dunbar -- for a full day devoted to accelerating creativity and innovation.  Breakout tracks for 2010 are aerospace, defense and energy.

In recognition of the Tacoma-Pierce County Chamber's assistance, the WTC extends to individuals of the member firms of the Chamber a 5% registration discount.  Use the discount code: "TacomaPartner10" to apply the 5% savings during registration.  Please click on this link to learn more about the Summit and to register. 

The Summit's flyer and agenda are also posted immediately below this blog entry for your easiest access.

Washington's Innovation Summit 2010

WTC Exec Goes South by West

Washington Technology Center's Executive Director Lee Cheatham has announced that he has accepted the position of operations director at the Biodesign Institute at Arizona State University and will be leaving WTC at the end of this month. He will also serve as general manager of the Biodesign Institute's Impact Accelerator program.

We wish Lee well in his new position and thank him for his service to WTC.

Under Lee's direction, Washington Technology Center has continued as a champion for innovative, growing companies in Washington. In his 11 years with WTC, the center has helped position companies and researchers to generate an astounding $500 million in external support for product development, manufacturing and jobs in this state.

That is a truly remarkable accomplishment made possible by a state investment of less than $3 million annually. Lee leaves WTC in a strong position for further growing its services and the value it provides.

The Executive Committee of the WTC Board of Directors has selected Chris Coleman, WTC's current CFO and director of business operations, to serve as Interim Executive Director for the organization. A search for WTC's next executive director will begin in early 2010.

SST Excels for 10th Time

The 10th annual South Sound Technology (SST) 2009, ramrodded by Andrew Fry, Institute of Technology, University of Washington Tacoma, produced a resounding success. Beginning with the video presentation by Cong. Adam Smith (staying in D.C. to vote), the program produced an all-round view of the technology field.

Of particular interest was the panel: Entrepreneurship in the South Sound, Creating Connections. This featured, as pictured above: Derek Young/Seasonal View, John Dimmer/TacomaAngel Network, Brian Forth/SiteCrafting, Mark Briggs/Serra Media and (not pictured) Graham Evans, Washington Technology Center.

Other highlights included a breakout session on Sustainability and Energy with John Martin/Clean Tech Open (far left) and Joanne Buselmeier (left) and Arabie-Jaloway Hill (right) from TacomaACTS.

Arabie-Jaloway Hill discussed the potential of innovation and entrepreneurship in regards to building the green economy. Along with Joanne Buselmeier, they highlighted the pivotal role that local business plays in sustainability. Joanne stressed that there is a significant presence of "green" businesses who already provide a local example, meshing sustainability with Tacoma's unique economic environment. TacomaACTS is committed to supporting and advocating for entrepreneurs building upon this foundation."

At the end of the day, a breakout session on Supporting Infrastructure of the South Sound was emceed by (on right) Gary Penley, Alliance Enterprises, Dr. Orlando Baiocchi, IT/UWT, Darin Cyr, Grey Hat Group, Lincoln Ferris, Nuco Consulting and Gary Brackett, Tacoma-Pierce County Chamber who staffs their Tacoma Technology Consortium and administers the TacomaAngel Network.

Brackett offered to begin a new series on this blog spotlighting the South Sound technology companies. To participate, companies may send a short, blog length article and links to him.

During the conference, there was often a call for greater networking opportunities, greater visibility of local tech firms and chances for young professionals to enjoy the community.

Of special note, Andrew Fry talked briefly of a new directory of tech companies in the South Sound his interns have recently completed - counting 88 firms from the largest and most obvious to the small start-ups of beginning entrepreneurs. We hope to hear more from him about this resource soon.

Our thanks and congratulations to the event sponsors which included the Chamber in the presentation of SST 2009: Institute of Technology UWT, City of Tacoma and Gridwork.

SST 2009: Entrepreneur in the South Sound

South Sound Technology Conference 2009:
Entrepreneurship and the South Sound Technology Cluster

You're invited to the 10th annual South Sound Technology Conference, the technology showcase for the Tacoma and the South Puget Sound region.

On Friday November 20th in William W. Phillip Hall on the University of Washington Tacoma campus civic and industry leaders, government representatives, university faculty and students will come together at a free conference to hear panels speak on building technology companies in the South Sound and leveraging the commonalities of the companies that are here.

A lunch keynote from the CEO of Corporate Privacy Group, Richard Purcell, former Chief Privacy Officer of Microsoft and chairman of the board of TRUSTe will highlight the middle of the day. Breakout sessions that include discussions on sustainability and poster presentations from Institute of Technology students will occur once in the morning and once in the afternoon.

The South Sound Technology Conference, provides a forum that increases the awareness of technology as it impacts our daily personal and professional lives, and even more importantly, the role it can play in the development of our regional economy. The conference charter is to further the continuous growth of technology in the South Sound region and provide information about global technology issues.

Bruce Kendall, CEO of the Economic Development Board of Pierce County will kick things off with a discussion of entrepreneurship and the economic development of the South Sound Region. The morning panel that follows will pick up the topic with Tacoma entrepreneurs such as Derek Young, Mark Briggs and Brian Forth. Graham Evans of the Washington Technology Center and John Dimmer of the TacomaAngel Network will talk about funding and innovation.

The afternoon panel will feature companies from the area that represent the data integrity, information assurance and Cybersecurity cluster that is growing in Pierce County. Breakouts will include discussion of how to support that infrastructure and will also give attendees the opportunity to view student research projects at the Institute of Technology.

The yearly event is made possible by the hard work of many volunteers, the generosity of corporate and community sponsorship such as the City of Tacoma, the Institute of Technology, University of Washington Tacoma and GRIDWORK as well as the support of honorary co-chairs Congressman Norm Dicks and Congressman Adam Smith.

For more information, contact conference chair
Andrew Fry - andfry@u.washington.edu - 253-692-4583
To register, go to http://www.sstconference.org/ and sign up under the “attending” menu.