Funds go to projects in Bothell, Walla Walla, Tri-Cities and Snohomish County

OLYMPIA, Wash., Nov. 24 /PRNewswire/ -- The Washington State Department of Commerce today announced $1.5 million in grants to Innovation Partnership Zones (IPZs) in Bothell, Walla Walla, Tri-Cities and Snohomish County.

The IPZ program is an economic development model that encourages collaboration to advance innovation. The funds will help stimulate the growth of industry clusters and intellectual capital, while building regional economies. The program leads to new technologies, marketable products, company formation and job creation.

"Our state's IPZ program and the collaboration it promotes leads to ground-breaking discoveries and innovation," said Washington State Gov. Chris Gregoire. "The winners of these grants exemplify the talent, creativity and entrepreneurism that exist across our state. I'm proud to support such a unique effort of economic development -- one that will allow us to lead in the new economy."

Winners of the 2009 IPZ grants are:

• Bothell Biomedical Device IPZ - $500,000 for the Washington MedTech Discovery Center. The center will provide a dedicated public facility for incubating, networking, and providing meeting space for businesses in the bio-medical device industry.
• Walla Walla IPZ - $500,000 for the expansion of the William A. Grant Water and Environmental Center at Walla Walla Community College. Through a water quality lab, the center will be able to expand its mission to provide education and services in the water management sector that enhance both agricultural and marine wildlife recovery efforts. The development of a sustainable water governance model has the potential for broad, global applications.
• Tri-Cities Research District - $250,000 to support the extension of broadband infrastructure through the 1,600 acre IPZ. The expanded broadband infrastructure will provide essential support to small- and medium-size businesses that are not federal contractors, making the IPZ a more attractive location for technology companies and subsequently enhancing collaborative opportunities.
• Aerospace Convergence Zone in Snohomish County - $250,000 to develop the Washington Aerospace Training and Research Center. The center will be located at Paine Field and serve as a hub for training and research to support the aerospace industry. It will act as a clearinghouse for research and technology transfer and provide just-in-time upgrade skills training for aerospace workers.

"We were thrilled to receive so many great applications for the grants," said Rogers Weed, director of the Washington State Department of Commerce. "The partnerships forged through the IPZ program are valuable to each region and the state as a whole. Many of these projects will result in models that can be replicated around the state and globally, or be applied to other industries."

The 2009 Legislature appropriated $1.5 million in the capital budget for grants for the IPZs. IPZs that were designated prior to 2009 were eligible to compete for the grants.

The IPZ program was created in 2007 by Gov. Gregoire and the Washington State Legislature. IPZs empower regions to form partnerships between research entities, private sector partners, and workforce training to collaborate and develop commercially viable technologies. There are 12 IPZs in the state of Washington. Designations are made Oct. 1, every other year, by the director of Commerce.

For more information on the Washington State Department of Commerce, visit www.commerce.wa.gov.

SOURCE Washington State Department of Commerce

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