SSTI Digest

We recognize that SSTI's annual conference quickly has become the premier professional development event annually for the tech-based economic development field. It's quite an honor, but it is also quite an obligation. Our conference participants have come to expect a level of unsurpassed quality. At least, that's what they tell us in the evaluations.

It presents a challenge, but SSTI staff seem to like challenges. We always strive to exceed expectations, so for the 7th annual conference we...

Spokane Economic Development Council president Mark Turner has announced his resignation.

The Washington Technology Center (WTC) has created a new program that will make obtaining access to early-stage seed capital easier for companies outside the Puget Sound. WTC is Washington's statewide science and technology organization.

Under a $250,000 award from the federal Economic Development Administration that was matched by WTC, investors and companies in communities such as Yakima, Spokane, Tri-Cities, Bellingham, Port Angeles, Wenatchee and Vancouver will benefit from the two-year program.

Washington Governor Gary Locke signed legislation last week that will give a tax break for research and development (R&D) firms. HB 1462 – passing unanimously, 96-0, in the State House and by a majority, 41-4, in the State Senate – prohibits Washington's local governments from taxing the intellectual property of these companies.

The new law provides that "a city may not impose a gross receipts tax on intellectual property creating activities." Such activities are said to include R&D that leads to the creation of patents, trademarks or other intellectual property. However, municipalities may continue to tax research firms that occupy a certain amount of square footage or have a certain number of workers.

The past week has marked the beginning of two public initiatives in Washington State to increase the availability of financing for technology firms.

Rural Technology Loan Fund

The Washington Technology Center, in partnership with the Evergreen Community Development Association, has established a Rural Technology Loan Fund to assist in the creation of family wage sustainable technology jobs that help alleviate poverty in rural communities in the state. The program is designed to provide gap financing or late-stage product development loans for implementation of value-added production processes and/or technology development.

Dr. Leonard Peters is the new director of the Department of Energy's Pacific Northwest National Laboratory.

Washington State still ranks first nationally in the creation of new companies, according to the third annual Index of Innovation and Technology released by the Washington Technology Center (WTC), a state-funded organization that fosters technology employment growth. The Index also shows the number of patents earned by Washington inventors increased by 11 percent from 2000 to 2001.

WTC's Innovation Index considers more than 40 key indicators to characterize the health of the state's innovation economy. Growth, financial capacity, human potential, competitiveness, quality of life, and innovation capacity in Washington all are assessed.

Certified economic development professionals have an extra reason to attend Building Tech-based Economies: From Policy to Practice, the nation's premier educational and networking experience for the TBED community. The 2003 SSTI Annual Conference will be recognized by the International Economic Development Council (IEDC) as a professional development event that counts toward the recertification of Certified Economic Developers (CEcD).

The IEDC CEcD program is designed to unite the economic development profession around a core level of professional competency in eight topic areas. To sit for the certification exam, prospective candidates must have 10 years of professional experience, or at least four consecutive years of paid experience, and a series of professional development training courses across at least six of the eight competency areas.

The Washington Technology Center (WTC), the state's science and technology organization that stimulates growth in the state, is seeking someone to become Federal Program Development Manager. WTC helps Washington companies develop commercially viable technology through statewide programs and services. The purpose of the position is to ensure that appropriate federal programs and funding opportunities are identified and funding secured for WTC programs. The position provides the necessary program development activity to ensure strong and sustainable support of WTC business areas.

Patrick Jones, executive director of the Biotechnology Association of the Spokane Region, has been named executive director of Eastern Washington University's new Institute for Public Policy and Economic Analysis.

A regional partnership of economic development organizations, led by the Department of Energy's Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), announced the launch of the Northwest Technology Investor Network last week. The network is an online forum that links investors and entrepreneurs in the high-tech sector.

"Technology-based businesses and manufacturers from throughout the Northwest can post their business plans on the Web site, connecting them to a nationwide network of accredited investors. Investors have one-stop access to quality business plans in the high-tech sector," said Gary Spanner, manager of PNNL's Economic Development Office.

The network is hosted by LocalFund, a nationally recognized company that hosts investor networks throughout the U.S.

The Washington Technology Center (WTC), based in Seattle, WA, is searching for a person to fill the newly created position of Manager of Statewide Programs. This person will design and develop a statewide network of programs, services and connections to serve companies and entrepreneurs across Washington State. The person stepping into this position will lead the state's efforts to drive innovation and technology into economic growth through partnerships with local technology, economic development and research organizations.

The Statewide Program Manager should be someone with a technology and business background that is exceptional at: