Where Innovation Thrives
NWIRC assists entrepreneurs to create, build and grow innovative businesses that strengthen the economic diversity of NW Washington.
Our Programs
Explore the variety of programs from industry specific cohorts, like BlueTech/CleanTech to one-on-one advising that empower innovative entrepreneurs from idea to start-up.
Our Resources
Discover the locations of TheLab Network, as well as the strategic tools and connections to expert mentors that support entrepreneurs and explore innovative technologies.
Our Regional Impact
Learn how our organization works with the community of NW Washington to expand the regional diversity of our economy and build innovative communities.
Who We Are
A Regional Driver of Economic Diversity
Innovation is the cornerstone of healthy, resilient communities – where entrepreneurs are given the latitude to explore individual initiative, creativity and flexibility to build and grow innovative businesses that strengthen the economic diversity of our region.
NW Washington thrives when we work to build the innovation capacity of our region. Whether its new entrepreneurs starting a businesses in Clean Tech, Agricultural Tech or Blue Tech or inventors creating new solutions to problems big and small, the innovators in our region create a diversity of businesses to support long term economic development.
What We Do
Build Innovative Communities
Just In Time Mentorship
Subject matter experts when you need them
Investors & Financing
From angel investing to crowdfunding or self-funding, we help you to understand the options.
The Lab Network
Creative spaces for you to build, network, and grow
Empower Innovative Entrepreneurs
Ideate, Validate and Launch New Ideas Faster.
Our individual advising and startup incubator and accelerator programs provide entrepreneurship support from design thinking validation, through lean business strategies, expert mentorship and angel investor introductions to help get from idea to execution faster.
Workshops, Incubators & Accelerators
We have a variety of programs for different cohorts’ learning opportunities.
One-on-One Advising
Inventors, innovators, & entrepreneurs who need specific support for their innovative ideas.
Project Reinvent
Help for existing businesses looking to reinvent what they do and how they do it.
Explore Innovative Technologies
Expert Talks
Talks from experts on new technologies for business.
Events
We are hosting events to help you learn more!
Ready to Get Started?
Click below to learn more about the programs and resources best suited to your needs.
Not sure where you fit in?
Contact us today, and someone from the NWIRC will be in touch shortly to help you make the best use of our resources.
Spotlight on Innovation in NW Washington
TerraCotta – technology enabled art classes
Multiple winners Jacob Davis and Ishani Gujral share how they combined forces to pursue one of the ideas they had during the Amazon Catalyst Competition in 2020. Find out more about their current business at https://www.goterracotta.org
Smart Asthma Inhaler
Pietro Paparella and Pierre Mourad submitted an idea for a smart asthma inhaler. They join us to talk about progress on their ideas 6 months after the competition ended. Description of the Idea: Aerosolized rescue asthma inhalers consist of a canister (which contains...
Reinvent for Resiliency – Skagit Valley Malting
https://youtu.be/V--L43R1psU NWIRC's Lara Merriam-Smith talks with Dave Green of Skagit Valley Malting about how they have worked over the past year on reinventing their business to build resiliency and explore new options made possible by thinking differently. Learn...