Washington
State Resources
Under the Washington State Department of Commerce, the Office of Economic Development & Competitiveness (OEDC) is the state’s economic development agency. OEDC is charged with strengthening key industries, expanding international trade, helping small businesses grow, providing training to young workers, providing access to funding, and supporting the work of local economic development partners. Highlighted below is a sample of the support the WA Department of Commerce and other partners provide for new ventures in the state.
Impact Washington
The non-profit Impact Washington (Bothell) is part of the NIST Manufacturing Extension Program (MEP) supporting small- and medium-sized manufacturers. The WA Department of Commerce is one of its grantors. Impact Washington offers a range of consulting services and training workshops in areas such as product development, industrial automation, continuous improvement, workforce development, food safety and processing, and supply chain development. Some are offered free of charge. Impact Washington’s no-cost business evaluations involve an employee survey and assessment of existing processes and tools, identify gaps and root causes, and offer a roadmap for implementing improvements. The organization also offers no-cost supplier scouting and matching services.
Industrial Symbiosis Grant Program
The WA Department of Commerce OEDC’s Industrial Symbiosis Grant Program, established by state law in 2021, provides grants to organizations to conduct R&D and deploy innovative solutions for reducing, reusing, or eliminating industrial waste by diverting more of these materials into Washington’s circular economy. These reimbursement-based grants of $150,000–$500,000 are available to for-profit and non-profit entities that can secure 1:1 matching funds from non-state sources. In the 2025 cycle, the program distributed $3.25 million among 11 recipients.
WRF Capital
The nonprofit Washington Research Foundation (WRF) uses the proceeds from its successful technology commercialization and licensing assistance program for universities and other nonprofit research institutions in Washington state to fund R&D grants and investments in Washington-based startups in life sciences and enabling technologies. WRF Capital, the organization’s investment vehicle, focuses on spinouts from Washington universities and nonprofit research institutions in life sciences, information technology, and physical sciences. WRF has invested in about 132 Washington-based startups since 1996 and continues to invest about $5 million annually (see active portfolio and exits).
