Choose Washington Blog
State snags $900,000 STEP grant.
Washington did it again! For the sixth straight year, the state received a U.S. Small Business Administration's State Trade Expansion Program) grant. The $900,000 is the highest amount awarded from a total $18 million handed out nationwide. Commerce will use the funds...
Either way that’s a lot of bread.
The community of Rosalia in Whitman County may be small - population about 565 - but it's a major player in the international grain markets. According to the Washington State University Extension Office, Whatcom County is the highest wheat-producing county in the...
Drones to the rescue.
With hurricanes and wildfires devastating huge swaths of the country, a small operation in the small town of Bingen along the Columbia Gorge is sending their drones to help with hurricane rescue and firefighting teams. The high resolution surveillance cameras flying...
Listening to fish.
Monitoring fish migration and managing the impact of dams on rivers has been an ongoing challenge to maintain sustainable fish populations. Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) in Richland, Washington has developed the ability to record three-dimensional data...
Phone app brings head injury assessment to the field.
Healthcare researchers and technology specialists from the University of Washington have long been on the cutting edge of developing faster and more efficient means to assess health issues. Several apps for the smartphone developed by the UW scientists have made it...
A match made in…uh, Seattle.
Washington's culture of creativity and cross-pollination has done it again. Two of the state's business legends, Amazon and Microsoft, are teaming together to make sure their artificial intelligence (AI) digital assistants can communicate with one another. The...
A new generation of highly skilled talent.
As in many counties in Washington State, Clark County is already planning for a future where Baby Boomers punch the clock for the last time. Economic development professionals there estimate that more than 30,000 workers will need to be replaced in the next 10 years...
Electric ferries on the horizon?
Seeking ways to reduce its carbon footprint while making the state's waters more friendly to marine life, Washington State is studying the use of an all-electric ferry, the first of its kind for the United States' largest ferry fleet. The run between Anacortes and...
Funko opens stunning new HQ in Everett.
Thousands of fans lined up early to catch a sneak peek at Funko's new toy headquarters in Everett. The originator of hundreds of pop culture bobble-headed cult figures opened the new store in the city's former Bon Marche department store. The Washington-grown company...
Allen Institute expands AI incubator program.
If you have an artificial intelligence startup that is ready for the next stage, Paul Allen's Allen Institute for Artificial Intelligence (AI2) wants to hear from you. The firm is looking to partner with outside startups for the first time, offering up to $250,000 in...
A smart grid for the future.
Building the next generation of solar energy in Washington State may seem like a bit of a contradiction at first - given the state's reputation for rain - but that's exactly what is happening at the Horn Rapids Solar, Storage and Training Project in Eastern...
An incubator for startup manufacturers.
Washington has a host of incubators that give young tech companies office space and mentoring to get their great idea off the ground. Now there's a new incubator for startup manufacturing entrepreneurs. Industry Space Seattle provides industrial work spaces where...