The Northwest Innovation Resource Center (NWIRC) of Bellingham, Washington, helps area entrepreneurs establish their ventures. The organization shows innovators strategies to deal with the challenges of launching a company. NWIRC builds relationships with community business partners and economic development resources, and coupled with its business toolkit, assists new entrepreneurs.
The NWIRC was established in 2011 after a group of business executives decided they wanted to give back to up-and-coming entrepreneurs. As a result, NWIRC has facilitated growth of the Northwest Washington entrepreneurial ecosystem by introducing to area startups programs such as the 2014 Sustainability Challenge, the 2015 First Look Forum, 2018 Buildit NOW, and the 2020 Amazon Catalyst Competition. In the fall of 2022, area innovators participated in the BlueTech & CleanTech Innovation Cohort, a program promoting sustainable innovations.
The partnership assists innovators who are introducing products or services in cleantech or clean technology. Cleantech refers to tech companies that adopt practices that reduce waste and pollution. The partnership also helps entrepreneurs launch bluetech, which promotes healthy maritime and ocean ecosystems.
The partnership invites prospective participants from San Juan, Skagit, Island, Whatcom, and Snohomish counties to a learning experience involving expert instruction, mentorship, and hands-on activities. The program ends with participants pitching their ideas to potential investors and industry experts. To participate, applicants must have an innovative cleantech or bluetech idea, and they must be in the early stages of the startup. Established companies do not qualify for the program, but the applicant review board makes exceptions if exposure to the company will enhance the experience of the other participants. Typically, the program chooses eight to 12 applicants for each 10-week session.
The cohort has space for two founders per company. Companies under consideration must be in the pre-revenue/pre-external funding stage, although they may have received grant funding.
Ideally, the cohort is for entrepreneurs who find themselves stuck. The program helps this group by connecting them with other entrepreneurs and showing them strategies for developing the company and working through roadblocks.
The program comprises 10 virtual meetings, referred to as cohort meetings. At these meetings, company founders participate in presentations, group activities, individual activities, demonstrations, discussions, and question-and-answer sessions with experts. Topics include tips and tools for market research and analysis, intellectual property protection, and business model generation. In addition, financial operations and investments, sales and marketing strategies, and communication and presentation skills are covered.
The program provides mentors who regularly support the founders. The mentors usually have experience with cleantech and bluetech ventures. Mentors not experienced in these areas are experts in finance or marketing.
The application to participate in the 10-week program is available at nwirc.org. The application asks company founders to provide a summary of the business and to describe how the product or venture is innovative. For example, the applicants must answer what problem their product solves and how it differs from other products on the market.
Applicants must also tell how far along they are in developing the company and whether they have pursued intellectual property protection. If selected for the program, founders are required to commit full-time.
