Tri-Cities Tech Business Update

March 2012 Issue

• FIRST Robotics is seeking volunteers!
  As part of its continuing commitment to science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) programs, Eastern Washington University will for the first time host one of 55 national FIRST Robotics Competitions April 5-7. more...
• Cleantech Open opportunities
  The Cleantech Open  brings together a panel of experienced investors and entrepreneurs to share the challenges and opportunities derived from building clean tech ventures, what's unique about clean tech funding, and what the outlook is for the clean tech space. more...
• Angel group sees record activity in 2011
  Members of the Keiretsu Forum Northwest, made up of angel investors in Seattle, Bellevue, Portland, and Boise, invested $24M in 36 companies last year. more...
• Geekwire: Ten steps to building a brand that triples sales and grows customer loyalty
  If the past five years have taught us anything, it is that branding is more than just a web presence. more...

• One-stop portal for business information
  The Tri-CitiesBusinessBuilder.com is live! It's a web portal for businesses to get information about business plans, permits, incubator space, funding, classes, and more. more...
• NIH SBIR and STTR Notices
  The National Institutes of Health (NIH) recently added a pair of Notices that may be of interest to SBIR participants on the 'Special Announcements for Small Business Research Opportunities' page on the SBIR website (grants.nih.gov/grants/funding/sbir.htm). more...
• SBDC helps small businesses succeed
  Business advisors from the Washington Small Business Development Centers provided one-on-one advising to more than 2,800 small business owners across Washington in 2011, helping them secure more than $31M in capital and to create or save more than 720 jobs. more...
• Northwest Entrepreneur Network launches new website
  At Northwest Entrepreneur Network (NWEN) the goal is to teach you everything you need to know and connect you with everyone you need to know so that your first startup feels like your second. more...
• Impact Washington's Small Business Consulting Program
  Impact Washington announces its new Small Business Consulting Program, an initiative aimed at bringing assistance to the state's smallest manufacturers to help them grow their businesses. more...

• Innovation Showcase call for applications
  March 2. Applications are being accepted through March 2 for the next Innovation Showcase. This quarterly event, sponsored by Technology Alliance and attended by a cross-section of the state's startup leaders, promotes the idea sharing and networking that helps turn research into results. more...
• Life Sciences Discovery Fund PreCede grant competition
  March 7. New for 2012, the Life Science Discovery Fund (LSDF) PreCede grant competition is designed to help position early-stage Washington state life sciences companies for near-term equity investment. more...
• 2012 TRIDEC Annual Meeting
  March 7. TRIDEC President and CEO Carl Adrian will share the accomplishments of TRIDEC and the Mid-Columbia Energy Initiative, and recognize successful member businesses at TRIDEC's annual meeting. more...
• Opportunities for small business conference and trade show
  March 15. Alliance NW's Conference is a great event to meet and network with multiple government agencies and primes in one place - and it's coming to Puyallup. more...
• Three Rivers Community Roundtable's 2012 Spring Workshop
  March 16. The Three Rivers Community Roundtable will have its 2012 Spring Workshop March 16 at the Country Gentleman restaurant in Kennewick. more...
• Call for nominations for Mid-Columbia Small Business Awards
  March 30. Nominations are being accepted now through March 30 for the Mid-Columbia Small Business of the Year Awards. more...
• EMSL 2012 annual call for user proposals is now open
  April 2. EMSL, PNNL's Environmental Molecular Science Laboratory, is known for its cross-cutting diversity of instruments and expertise available under one roof. more...
• Exporting assistance in the Tri-Cities
  April 2.  The International Marketing Program within the Washington Department of Agriculture (WSDA) will be offering an exciting opportunity for Washington's small food and agricultural (including aquaculture) companies. more...
• Bridging Partnerships Small Business Symposium
  April 18 - 19. In its ninth year, the Bridging Partnerships Small Business Symposium is a business expo with a focus on government contracting and doing business at Hanford, with exciting networking opportunities and educational breakout sessions. more...

• PNNL technology and licensee finish in top three
  The results are in for America's Next Top Energy Innovator Challenge. Vorbeck Materials, a Jessup, Maryland-based startup using a PNNL-developed method for building tiny chemical structures to greatly improve the performance of lithium-ion batteries, finished among the top three in the competition. more...
• PNNL leader recognized by FLC for technology commercialization efforts
  Mike Kluse, director of the Department of Energy's Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, has been named 2012 Laboratory Director of the Year by the Federal Laboratory Consortium. more...
• Technology Assistance Program for technology-based businesses
  The Economic Development Office at PNNL offers the Technology Assistance Program (TAP) to small technology-based businesses looking to solve a specific challenge-at no cost. 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 to Andrea McMakin or call (509) 372-6013.

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.