Tri-Cities Tech Business Update

August 2013 Issue

Tech News and Notes

Frequent Flyer Miles Can Now Be Donated to SIGN

SIGN Fracture Care International has a program in South Sudan where there is only one hospital with two orthopaedic surgeons to care for trauma patients in a country of more than 10 million people. These surgeons work hard under very difficult conditions. An overwhelming lack of operating room time, supplies and personnel combined with severe injuries are obstacles to optimum orthopaedic care. Frequent flyer miles can now be donated so these two surgeons can attend the SIGN Conference and participate in the teaching, which will enable them to continue to perform life-changing medical procedures in South Sudan. The SIGN Conference is from September 11-14, 2013. Read more...

Dade Moeller Named to "100 Best Companies" List

Congratulations to Dade Moeller for being named to Seattle Business "100 Best Companies" list! Dade Moeller is a Richland-based safety and environmental services firm that Seattle Business describes as having an outstanding work environment; one that "encourages creativity and brainstorming in a comfortable and safe setting" and "provides balance between work and personal needs." Read more...

Eight Successful Entrepreneurs Give Their Younger Selves Advice

Looking at the success trajectories of today's disruptors it's easy to think that they had everything figured out from a young age, but many of today's success stories learned lessons later in life that they wished they had known as they were beginning their careers. Eight investors and entrepreneurs share advice they wish they had gotten in their early twenties including: avoid the risk of not trying and the regret of wishing you had, spend wisely early in life so you can achieve the financial independence to follow your dreams; and surround yourself with great people and be fearless in pursuit of game-changing ideas. Read more...

Five Ways to Lose Investors in Less than Three Minutes

If you think it's hard being an entrepreneur trying to raise money from a venture capitalist (VC), consider the challenges facing the VC. They meet with 500 to 1,000 entrepreneurs a year and will usually invest in two or three of them at the most. Your pitch to a VC can make or break your chances of investment within the first three minutes of the meeting. Learning lessons from bad pitches, like a long-winded introduction, weak team-building, and asking for the wrong amount of money, can help bring your idea around to investors as a strong and viable venture. Read more...

Tech Opportunities and Resources

Sponsorship Opportunities Available for Startup Weekend Tri-Cities

Momentum is picking up for Startup Weekend Tri-Cities, an event that will give entrepreneurs the opportunity to take their ideas and turn them into action. Sponsorship opportunities are still available for the weekend-long, hands-on event where aspiring entrepreneurs can find out if their startup ideas are viable. Tier 1 Sponsorships are available for as little as $100, which will go a long way in supporting local entrepreneurs motivated to launch the next great idea. Startup Weekend Tri-Cities will be held at WSU Tri-Cities September 20 - 22, 2013. Read more...

Free Inventor Space at Smartmap Expo; Registration Open

At this year's Smartmap Expo, inventors exhibit for free! "Inventors Pavilion" is a free-of-charge opportunity for inventors to display their inventions, meet manufacturers that can build their products, and investors that can fund their start-ups. Only inventors that have a manufactured product or a product concept requiring manufacturing that has not been commercialized will qualify. PNNL is the Strategic Partner for the Inventors Pavilion and will have a booth of technologies available for licensing. Registration is now open for Smartmap Expo, which is September 25 & 26 at the TRAC Center in Pasco. Read more...

$1.5M in Grants Available Through LSDF

The Life Sciences Discovery Fund (LSDF) announced nearly $1.5 million in Proof-of-Concept grants to Washington for-profit and non-profit organizations to foster translation of health-related technologies from idea to market launch. LSDF will release the Request for Proposals for its 2013-2014 granting programs in early August 2013, and the first pre-proposal deadline is anticipated to be in September 2013 Read more...

First Look Forum

Applications are now open for Northwest Entrepreneur Network's (NWEN) Fall 2013 First Look Forum, which is November 19 in Seattle. NWEN is the region's home for innovative businesses in every growth sector in the economy. Applicants to NWEN's First Look Forum will have the chance to access the breadth and depth of coaches, advisors, investors and more - all dedicating their time and talents to help your business reach the next level of success. Make the commitment to growing your business, and take advantage of the wealth of resources through First Look Forum. Read more...

Tech Dates and Deadlines

Introduction to Government Contracting 101

August 13. 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. This is a great opportunity to learn how to get ready for the growing government procurement market. Read more...

Lab2Market Program

August 13 - 14. Oregon's Lab2Market merges world-class university-based innovation with the practical lessons of the marketplace. Through an intensive, two-day experiential workshop, participants learn to evaluate and shape their concepts for the commercial marketplace. Led by venture capitalists from DFJ Frontier, Lab2Market integrates lectures and exercises to help entrepreneurs critically assess their business idea and refine their elevator pitch. Applicants must commit to attending the whole two days of the workshop. Lab2Market will be held at the Portland State University Business Accelerator. Read more...

NREL Industry Growth Forum

August 16. The Industry Growth Forum is the premier event for clean energy startups to maximize their exposure to receptive venture capital, corporate investors, and strategic partners. It will feature presentations from 30 emerging clean energy companies, panels led by thought leaders, one-on-one meetings, and organized networking opportunities. Each year, the best presenters are awarded cash prizes and commercialization services from NREL. This focus on clean energy innovation is having an impact on the industry-since 2003, the presenting prototype, pre-commercial, and expanding cleantech companies who have presented have collectively raised more than $4 billion in growth financing. Applications to present are due August 16. Read more...

Startup Weekend Tri-Cities Registration Open

September 20 - 22. Startup Weekend is an opportunity for entrepreneurs to showcase their ideas; it's a 54-hour event where developers, designers, marketers, investors, product managers, and startup enthusiasts come together to share ideas, form teams, build products and launch startups. Startup Weekend Tri-Cities September 20 - 22 will give entrepreneurs and aspiring entrepreneurs the opportunity to find out if their startup ideas are viable. Registration cost is $75, includes seven meals, and is now open. Read more...

Future Workforce Needs in Clean Energy

October 17. The Tri-Cities Research District is sponsoring a joint event with Columbia Basin College to educate the public, legislators, and higher education institutions about regional energy efforts and new technologies to assist utilities in meeting the climate initiative milestones in 2015 and 2019. Speaker topics will include Mid-Columbia Energy Initiative, WSU Tri-Cities Bio Chem Cat project, HAMMER, PNNL smart grid, and other energy-related work. In addition, Barbara Hins-Turner will provide an overview of Pacific Northwest Center of Excellence for Clean Energy. The event will provide the opportunity for discussion between higher education and industry to understand gaps in current curriculum/degree programs and those needed for future regional growth; as well as provide time for visiting educational displays, networking, and open discussion with legislators. Industry, energy and technology companies, legislators, education and training providers are encouraged to attend. RSVP required. For more information contact Diahann Howard at dhoward@portofbenton.com  or Clayton Gibson at mailto:CGibson@columbiabasin.edu

Global Entrepreneurship Week Presentation

November 19. During one week each November, thousands of activities around the world inspire millions to engage in entrepreneurial action while connecting them to potential mentors, collaborators, and investors. This year, PNNL is teaming with the Tri-Cities Hispanic Chamber of Commerce (TCHCC) to host entrepreneur Richard Tait, founder of the board game Cranium, at a TCHCC luncheon. Save the date! Details to follow.

PNNL This Month

PNNL Farmers Market

Asparagus. Cherries. Garlic shoots. Fresh bread. And so much more! Swing by the PNNL Farmers Market every Monday from 4-6 p.m. at the Battelle Picnic Grounds on Einstein St. for a variety of locally grown produce and specialty foods. The PNNL Farmers Market is every Monday through September. 

PNNL Wins Award for Analytical Instrument

PNNL has won its 90th R&D 100 award for an instrument that quickly and more effectively analyzes complex biological and environmental samples. Identification of small molecules that indicate disease, known as biomarkers, promises to significantly improve human health through early diagnosis and customized treatment. The new instrument can process complex samples rapidly and accurately, detecting rare yet important molecules for early diagnosis that cannot be adequately characterized using existing instruments. Read more...

Central Washington Project Tests Wind Energy

A 20-foot shipping container filled with batteries and parked at Energy Northwest's Nine Canyon Wind Project south of Kennewick may help make wind energy more practical. Pacific Northwest National Laboratory has developed a method to automatically control the battery's charge and discharge cycle so that it responds to real-time needs of the power system. Read more...

Selectively Targeting Aerosol Pollutants Could Reduce Climate Change

Cutting overall use of fossil fuels has proved a daunting challenge, but it might be possible to get some relief from the effects of climate change by selectively reducing the particulate pollution we produce. "Some of the aerosols are warming the planet, and some are cooling the planet," says Phil Rasch, a fellow at the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory in Richland, Washington. 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 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 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