Tri-Cities Tech Business Update

December 2009 Issue

Tech News and Notes

InnovaTek receives research funding for biomass technology

The U.S. Department of Energy has awarded Richland, Wash.-based InnovaTek a $750,000 Phase II Small Business Innovation Research contract. The funding will be used to develop a biomass-based power plant. The company will use its proprietary catalytic reactor technology with a solid oxide fuel cell to generate distributed power ranging from three to 30 kilowatts. Replacing petroleum-based fuels with renewable non-toxic biofuels will reduce our reliance on foreign sources of energy, while fuel cell technology will eliminate the environmental impacts of conventional combustion-based power. The funding follows a Phase I award that InnovaTek used to prove the feasibility of converting a bio-fuel to hydrogen using its proprietary reforming catalyst. Contact Patricia Irving at 509-375-1093, ext. 222.

Dade Moeller acquires environmental company

Dade Moeller & Associates, based in Richland, Wash., has acquired environmental data management and assessment company Environmental Quality Management, Inc., which also has a base in Richland, Wash. The two companies have a long-standing relationship formed during work on remediation projects at the Hanford Site. The acquisition will expand Dade Moeller's environmental chemistry and regulatory support services as well as allowing them to offer new capabilities in data and laboratory assessments. Contact Paula Tumlinson at 509-946-0410, ext. 283.

IsoRay to distribute technology in Canada

IsoRay, Inc., based in Richland, Wash., has signed a distribution agreement with Inter V Medical of Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Inter V Medical will have exclusive rights to sell IsoRay's cesium-131 brachytherapy seeds in Canada. Cesium-131 is currently used in the treatment of prostate cancer; head, neck, and lung cancer; and ocular melanoma. For nearly 20 years, Inter V Medical has brought new medical technologies, including brachytherapy and related products, to the Canadian market. Contact Dwight Babcock at 520-240-4840.

TiLite donates wheelchair

Kennewick, Wash.-based TiLite recently donated a custom-built wheelchair as part of the television program Extreme Makeover: Home Edition. The company donated the chair to a father who is also a wheelchair athlete and mentor to returning disabled war veterans. The custom chair was built and shipped in four days following the request from the television show. TiLite manufactures titanium and aluminum wheelchairs. Contact Josh Anderson at 305-931-7166, ext. 326.

Tri-Cities Research District expands borders

The Tri-Cities Research District in Richland, Wash., has increased its size. The District's board of directors voted to expand the northern boundary to include Pacific Northwest National Laboratory's Radiochemical Processing Laboratory. The new boundary now extends from Cypress Street to Apple Street and adds approximately 100 acres to the size of the District, increasing its total acreage to 1,700 acres. Contact Diahann Howard at 509-375-3060.

Tech Opportunities and Resources

Technology Alliance accepting applications for Innovation Showcase

Innovators and early-stage companies with new technologies that demonstrate large market potential and are nearly ready for commercialization are invited to apply for the Innovation Showcase. The program is designed to bridge the gap between research and commercialization by connecting promising discoveries and new technologies ready for commercialization with investors, service providers and others in the business community. The goal is to measurably increase the commercialization of the best innovations in Washington. Download the application form. Contact Amy Bell at 206-389-7261.

Environmental research and development proposals requested

The U.S. Department of Defense is accepting environmental research and development proposals for funding under the Strategic Environmental Research and Development Program. The program is a joint venture with the U.S. Department of Energy and the Environmental Protection Agency. The program invests in research focused on solving the country's most intractable environmental problems. Pre-proposals are due January 7 from non-federal entities and on March 11 from federal agencies. More information and online application.

Nominations open for state manufacturing awards program

Seattle Business magazine is sponsoring the state's first annual Washington Manufacturing Awards, focused on recognizing the crucial role manufacturers play in the state's economy. Awards will be given to small, midsize, and large companies in four categories. The criteria will include revenue growth (relative to the industry), capital investments, leadership, employee training programs, production quality, productivity, energy conservation and other factors. Nominations are due December 20. Enter online.

Take a tour of the Microfabrication Laboratory

The Washington Technology Center's new Microfabrication Laboratory Access Program is a technology stimulus program that awards short-term access to sophisticated microfabrication equipment to small businesses in Washington. Companies in any technical area or industry that can utilize the center's Microfabrication Laboratory may apply for an award. Lab access projects should focus on a limited type of technical need. Types of projects include, but are not limited to: proof of concept, prototyping, testing, process development, and small-scale production. Additionally, the program is focused on companies that have an immediate need for laboratory facilities; therefore, lab access projects are limited to a maximum of three consecutive months of no-cost Microfabrication Laboratory use. The center is hosting an information session and tour of the facility, located in Seattle, Wash., on December 7 from 1-2 pm. Contact Russell Paez at 206-616-3102.

Resources online

1) The column "Staying connected to technology good for community" was published in the Tri-City Herald on November 1. The article discusses the Tri-Cities' information technology infrastructure. 2) The presentation "Networks and servers and hackers...oh, my! The risks of using and relying on technology" was presented at the Three Rivers Entrepreneur Network meeting in November. The presentation features information about cyber security in the business arena.

Tech Dates and Deadlines

Regional Economic Outlook event

JANUARY 27. The Tri-Cities Development Council will host the 11^th Annual Regional Economic Outlook at the Trade Recreation and Agriculture Center in Pasco, Wash. in January. This event brings together nationally renowned economists and regional industry experts for a comprehensive economic forecast of the Tri-Cities region. The featured keynote luncheon speaker will be Brian Wesbury, chief economist for First Trust Advisors. Additionally, a plated breakfast event has been added to the agenda and feature Dr. Ines Triay, the U.S. Department of Energy Assistant Secretary for Environmental Management. Kadlec Regional Medical Center is title sponsor for the event. Contact Kayla Pratt at 509-735-1000.

Harvesting Clean Energy 2010

FEBRUARY 7-9. The 10^th annual Harvesting Clean Energy Conference will be held at the Three Rivers Convention Center in Kennewick, Wash., in February. The event focuses on advancing rural economic development through clean energy production. The conference features a variety of tracks that emphasize opportunities for rural landowners, the latest in renewable energy technologies, where the new clean energy jobs and training programs are, and the new clean energy economy. Senator Maria Cantwell and Boeing's Director of Geopolitical and Policy Analysis, Richard Wynne, are confirmed speakers. Register online.

Global Venture Challenge conference

MARCH 24-26. The 4^th Annual Global Venture Challenge will be held in March 2010 in Oak Ridge, Tenn. The event brings together teams of graduate students from around the world to compete for prizes by addressing the world's future needs in energy and security. The winning team will receive $25,000. The two tracks in the competition will be "Advanced Materials for a Sustainable Energy Future" and "Community Resilience and Homeland Security." The event will also feature a Venture Showcase highlighting companies with energy efficient products and services. Register online.

Life Science Innovation Northwest Conference

MARCH 16-17. The Washington Biotechnology and Biomedical Association will hold the first Life Science Innovation Northwest Conference in Seattle in March. The new conference will replace the organization's Invest Northwest event and will focus on the innovation that is driving the life science industry by bringing together public and private life sciences companies, research institutions, scientists, entrepreneurs and the global health community to tell their stories to potential investors and prospective partners. More information.

Washington's Innovation Summit 2010

APRIL 9. REGISTER BY DECEMBER 31 FOR EARLY BIRD RATE. The Washington Technology Center will hold Washington's Innovation Summit 2010 in April in Tacoma, Wash. The event focuses on sustaining a world-class economy through innovation and industry development by bringing together the region's leading companies and thought leaders. Former NASA astronaut and Sunnyside, Wash. native Dr. Bonnie Dunbar will be a featured speaker. Other speakers include Steve Ashby, Deputy Director for Science and Technology at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory and Rogers Weed, director of the state Department of Commerce. The cost is $150 if you register before December 31. Register online.

PNNL This Month

PNNL part of Smart Grid project

Battelle staff members at the U.S. Department of Energy's Pacific Northwest National Laboratory in Richland, Wash. will be part of the Pacific Northwest Smart Grid Demonstration project that will begin next year. Battelle operates the Laboratory for DOE. The project is being led by Battelle and also includes the Bonneville Power Administration, a dozen Northwest utilities, and multiple industry collaborators. Approximately half of the funding for the $178 million project will come from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, with the rest coming from project team members. Smart grid technology and equipment will be installed and tested at various sites across Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana and Wyoming to collect data from the grid and up to 60,000 participating customers to determine effective approaches for wider implementation of an intelligent grid. The Electricity Infrastructure Operations Center at PNNL will be used for analyzing field data collected during the project. The project could create as many as 1,500 jobs in manufacturing, installation, and operating smart grid equipment, telecommunications networks, software and controls. Read the Battelle news release. Contact Anne Haas at 509-375-3732.

Working with PNNL through the Technology Assistance Program

Could your business use technical assistance from knowledgeable engineers and scientists? The Technology Assistance Program at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory in Richland, Wash., provides up to five days of free technical help each year. Examples of assistance include advice on existing or emerging products, advanced technology for hardware and software applications, improving production and manufacturing processes, and resolving technical problems. Small businesses that use PNNL's free Technology Assistance Program are eligible to receive a royalty-free, non-exclusive license for technology developed through the program. Contact Gary Spanner at 509-372-4296.

PNNL's Available Technologies

New discoveries are made every day at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, and many of those evolve into technologies and patents that become available for licensing. One of the Laboratory's missions is to develop and deploy socially and economically valuable science and technology. With a rich history of securing patents and software copyrights for our technologies, PNNL holds more than 1,650 U.S. and foreign patents in its growing portfolio. Visit the Available Technologies website for a list of technologies.

Got News?

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 DOE-Richland's vision for the future of the Hanford Site and surrounding area through the creation of research opportunities, new industries, and new business clusters