November 7, 2008
For Immediate Release
Port Targets Local Technology Growth Through Public/Private Partnership Tools
[Bellingham, Wash.] As part of its focus on economic development and job creation, the Port of Bellingham's Board of Commissioners this week approved a project that will help link technology businesses with the emerging research and expertise in Whatcom County's higher education institutions.
The Commission authorized spending $25,000 to hire the Bellingham/Whatcom Technology Alliance Group (TAG) to complete two projects aimed at boosting employment, growth and success of the local technology industry sector. This sector is one of four economic areas that the Port plans to target resources toward in 2008 and 2009 to help improve the local economy.
"Our community already is seeing steady growth in the technology businesses and, by encouraging public/private partnerships, we believe this growth can continue to provide new jobs and new opportunities to our community," said Commission President Doug Smith.
The first project is for TAG staff to develop a research directory that catalogs research activities and expertise of faculty and associates at Western Washington University and local colleges, as well as private technical/scientific consulting firms.
The goal is to enable companies to leverage their research and development funding by gaining access to faculty expertise and specialized equipment. It also will benefit the schools by encouraging faculty and students to engage in commercially relevant research, developing new technologies and enhancing the local technology labor pool.
The second project is for TAG staff to create an on-line resource directory of technology-based businesses in Whatcom County. Last year the Port and the City of Bellingham contracted with TAG to develop an inventory of these businesses. That inventory identified 574 local technology companies.
This new project of getting the detailed company information on the Internet will make it easy for businesses and colleges to identify specific types of technology expertise available in our community and will further encourage partnerships.
Funding for this project will come from the Port's Industrial Development Corporation, which generates revenue based on the industrial bonds it issues. TAG is a non-profit organization established to promote, educate and advocate for technology business and technology-based economic development in Whatcom County.
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