Tri-Cities Tech Business Update

September 2012 Issue

• Ground breaking at TCRD - and free coffee!
  You are invited to attend a groundbreaking event hosted by Innovation Center to signify the start of construction on its retail site--University Square, which is in the Tri-Cities Research District. more...
• Washington's Innovation Partnership Zones program wins national Council of State Governments Innovation Award
  Washington's Innovation Partnership Zone (IPZ) program is one of only two western states honored with a 2012 Council of State Governments Innovations Award, the state Department of Commerce recently announced. more...
• New $3M WSU lab opens
  Tri-City Herald: Washington State University Tri-Cities' newest building was dedicated recently, thanks to Hanford and the generosity of EnergySolutions and NuVision Engineering. more...
• Total Site Services wins $95M Fairchild Air Force Base contract
  Richland-based Total Site Services (TSS) recently formed a Joint Venture with Garco Construction in Spokane and the TSS-Garco Joint Venture secured a $95M MACC contract with the Department of the Air Force. more...
• Seven frugal startup tips from millionaire entrepreneurs
  Entrepreneur: You don't win in business by wasting money. Even the most successful entrepreneurs pinched pennies in the early days--and many still do. more...
• America's top states for technology: Washington #5
  CNBC: An environment for innovation is crucial to becoming a top state for business but the right technological infrastructure must also be in place to support and attract businesses. more...

• LSDF 2012-2013 Granting Programs
  The Life Sciences Discovery Fund is accepting pre-proposals from Washington state for-profit and non-profit organizations for Proof of Concept grants (up to $250K per award) to enhance the commercial viability of intellectual property and Opportunity grants (up to $1.4M per award) to fund extraordinary research and development proposals. more...
• Evergreen Apps Challenge begins, $77K in prizes
  The state of Washington has begun a statewide competition to develop apps using government data sets. more...
• SBIR Alerting Service
  The SBIR Alerting Service is a free, award-winning nationwide resource that improves small business access to a substantial source of R&D capital for entrepreneurial ventures: $2.2 billion in annual federal research and development funds from 11 federal agencies. more...

• SBIR/STTR letter of intent due
  September 4. Topics for the FY13 Department of Energy (DOE) SBIR/STTR Phase I Release 1 Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) have been issued and are available on the DOE SBIR/STTR website. more...
• How to Start a Business workshop
  September 10. The "How to start a business" workshop (known as Start Smart) continues to be a big success. more...
• UW Business Certification Program is coming to Tri-Cities!
  September 12 - October 17. The University of Washington will hold its second annual Business Certificate Program in Pasco this fall. more...
• Government Contracting Workshop
  September 19 (Walla Walla) and September 25 (Tri-Cities). What does it take to become a successful government contractor? Learn about the services and continuous support that the Procurement Technical Assistance Center (PTAC) has available to help your company with the contracting process. more...
• Startup Day
  September 22. Designed for entrepreneurs in the midst of building their own companies as well as would-be entrepreneurs about to take the plunge, Startup Day will pack a high-energy and inspirational punch no matter where you are in the startup process. more...
• Ready, Set, Export seminar helps businesses build markets
  September 26-27. Small to medium Washington business enterprises looking to generate sales to new markets will benefit from a program offered Sept. more...
• From the Laboratory to Leadership Program
  September 26-November 7. From the Laboratory to Leadership, hosted by Washington Biotechnology & Biomedical Association, turns science-minded managers into capable business leaders. more...

• Could software stop people from texting while driving?
  Scientific American magazine ran an article about researchers at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory studying how software on a cell phone could analyze keystrokes to determine when that phone's user is distracted while composing and sending text messages. more...
• PNNL to receive $1M investment for carbon fiber research
  Tri-City Herald: Energy Secretary Steven Chu announced seven new nationwide projects to accelerate the development and deployment of stronger and lighter materials for the next generation of American-made cars and trucks. more...
• It's cool to be part of the energy solution
  Many of us grasp that our nation is facing a huge energy challenge but no one has presented it quite as compellingly as did Norman Augustine, retired chairman and CEO of Lockheed Martin Corp. more...
• Don't miss this summer's last Farmers Market
  Monday, September 10 will mark the last day of this summer's successful PNNL Farmers Market. Swing by to pick up some great, fresh, local food! This wonderful weather we've been having has brought some great produce to the market. more...

We invite your contributions! We will consider items that fit the mission of this publication, including your tech-related news, awards, and notices of upcoming events. Please send text and photos to Diane Kahler or call (509) 372-4133.

Tri-Cities Tech Business Update is published by the Economic Development Office at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory. Each month, we send you an e-mail message, giving you the link of news, tips, awards, upcoming events, and other information about local technology-based businesses and organizations that support them. With business and community partners, our goal is to build and diversify the Tri-Cities economy—adding skilled jobs in primary-sector industries that bring in outside dollars. Currently, more than 1,100 tech-related businesses, investors, and economic development stakeholders subscribe to the newsletter, mostly in the Mid-Columbia area and the rest of the Pacific Northwest. This newsletter (RL-P00-009) supports PNSO's vision for the future of the Hanford Site and surrounding area through the creation of research opportunities, new industries, and new business clusters.