Issaquah is one of our state's hubs for innovation.
On Oct. 2, 2015, the Washington State Department of Commerce designated two new Innovation Partnership Zones, including the Issaquah Sports Medicine Innovation Partnership Zone.
Our new Innovation Partnership Zone will promote and increase the synergy of sports medicine-related businesses to create jobs and spur innovation in our community. The result will be a holistic system of high-quality care for patients of all ages and abilities.
Economic Development Manager Jen Davis Hayes will serve as zone administrator.
The state also designated the Tumwater Craft Brewing and Distilling Center as an Innovation Partnership Zone. Issaquah and Tumwater join the list of 14 zones active throughout our state.
"Washington state's vibrant innovation ecosystem is one of our strongest competitive advantages," said Brian Bonlender, state commerce director. "Creating supportive environments where clusters of dynamic ideas and resources can flourish helps grow economies and jobs in communities all across the state. I congratulate our two newest Innovation Partnership Zones!"
In 2007, then-Gov. Chris Gregoire and the Washington State Legislature created the Innovation Partnership Zones program to stimulate the growth of industry clusters and build regional economies.
The zones provide regions with a way to form partnerships between research entities, private-sector partners and workforce training to collaborate and develop commercially-viable technologies.
To learn more about Innovation Partnership Zones, visit choosewashington.com.