Tri-Cities Tech Business Update

April 2011 Issue

Tech News and Notes

Washington STEM launches with inaugural grants of $2.4 million for schools and education programs across the State

Finley Elementary School was awarded $32,568 in education grants from a new state-wide education nonprofit, Washington STEM. The organization was created to discover and scale innovative approaches for improving STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) education as a means for creating better opportunities for students. Read more.

Clean energy companies receive grants

Gen-X Energy Group in Burbank is one of 11 Washington companies that will receive federal grants totaling $380,000 to support the development of advanced biofuels and studies analyzing the viability of new clean energy projects. Gen X will receive $139,112, the largest grant. Funding for the grants was made available through the Rural Energy for American Program under the 2008 Farm Bill. Read more.

California company eyeing Tri-Cities Research District

A California company, Alpha Source, Inc. , is eyeing the Tri-Cities Research District (TCRD) as home to an advanced design, high-energy alpha-particle accelerator dedicated to medical isotope production.  The company is currently seeking funding from investors and other funding sources to occupy 6,000-square-feet of the APEL facility. The TCRD was chosen for its close proximity to the expertise and support infrastructure that can be provided by PNNL. The Laboratory's Radiochemical Processing Laboratory (2 miles north of APEL) will help design and process accelerator targets for Alpha Source.  PNNL will extract, purify, and ship the medical isotopes produced in the Alpha Source linear alpha accelerator. Read more on Alpha Source.

Mike Lawrence joins TRIDEC as vice chairman of Mid-Columbia Energy Initiative

TRIDEC is pleased to announce that Mike Lawrence has agreed to volunteer as Vice Chairman of Mid-Columbia Energy Initiative (MCEI). Mike is a long-standing community member who recently retired from Battelle. Upon his return from England, he was interested in ways he could contribute to the community, and bring value to our future. TRIDEC is very excited about everything that Mike can bring to this initiative. Welcome, Mike!

Outstanding achievement and innovation in medical devices

Seattle Business Magazine recognized Dwight Babcock, Chairman and CEO of IsoRay Medical Inc. of Richland for Outstanding Achievement and Innovation in Medical Devices for the work IsoRay has done on Cesium-131, which is an internal radiation therapy that's more efficient, effective and targeted than its predecessors. Read more.

Using social media to grow business

Facebook and Twitter and YouTube, oh my! For some, the added communications channels offered by social media can quickly feel overwhelming. But whether we like it or not, they are proving to be valuable marketing tools that companies are jumping on board to explore. Read more.

Tech Opportunities and Resources

Start Smart: Steps to starting a business

Learn how to start a business in Benton and Franklin counties at a workshop presented by WSU Tri-Cities Business LINKS. This practical and interactive workshop can help attendees save time and money by planning ahead. Participants develop an action plan and receive a step-by-step workbook. Event website.

New community roundtable committee

The formation of the Emerging and Expanding Business Group (EEBG), a new Tri-Cities-wide network of support for entrepreneurs that is being led by the City of Richland, is the newest committee in the Three Rivers Community Roundtable. The EEBG will consist of a web portal, an economic gardening program, and a shared website for obtaining business licenses in the Tri-Cities. Learn more about the Three Rivers Community Roundtable.

EDO Facebook page

Find out about local and regional events, resources, and awards on the Economic Development Office (EDO) Facebook page. Click here for the EDO Facebook page  and ‘Like this' to stay current on what's happening in the world of economic development.

Tech Dates and Deadlines

Government contracting workshop

April 6. Learn about Government contracting 101 and developing your capability statement at this workshop hosted by Eastern WA and Tri-Cities Procurement Technical Assistance Center. Also, a local agency panel will discuss contracting with local agencies. This is a free event being held in Walla Walla. Read more.

New-To-Export Seminar

April 6, 7, & 8. Presented by the International Trade Alliance and the Washington Small Business Development Center, this seminar looks at ways to generate more sales and new markets for your product. It also explores exporting and associated costs. Read more.

Information Technology: Supercomputing Trends to Watch

April 12. Let's talk supercomputing and the global marketplace. The Tri-Cities Research District has the potential to successfully attract new information technology businesses and research. So how do we move forward? What should we know? Dr. Barry Bolding, Vice President, Products Division, at Cray, Inc. will lend his perspective on where the super computing industry is headed. Read more.

Jobs Act Tour

April 13. Would you like to meet leaders from SBA? Or give input on new regulations? Or learn the advantages of new tools coming out of the Small Business Jobs Act? On Wednesday, April 13th, SBA will be conducting a Listening Tour to discuss changes as a result of the Small Business Jobs Act of 2010 (SBJA). Seattle will be one of the 13 cities on the tour. Read more.

PNNL This Month

PNNL recognized for technology transfer

The Federal Laboratory Consortium announced that PNNL won three awards in 2011 for Excellence in Technology Transfer. The consortium is a nationwide network that encourages federal laboratories to transfer lab-developed technologies to commercial markets. The announcement brings PNNL to a total of 74 FLC awards since the recognition program began in 1984, which is more than any other federal laboratory. Read more.

PNNL Grid Friendly™ technology licensed

Battelle has granted a non-exclusive license for a technology that will help soften the blow for utilities during times of peak demand on the grid by temporarily shifting when smart appliances use power. Start-up technology firm Encryptor of Plano, TX, plans to incorporate Grid Friendly Appliance Controller technology, developed at the Department of Energy's Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, into a new, low-cost electronic chip that can be easily built into appliances.  Read more...

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