WA STARS

New concepts, new ideas, and leading research innovations are positioning Washington state for a bright future. That’s what the new programs initiated by the Washington state legislature are all about. Three different programs designed to bring to the marketplace new innovative processes and products - brightening the economic horizon for the state.

Strategically Targeted Academic Researchers, STARS, began in 2007. Washington state provides support for recruitment of entrepreneurial researchers to Washington, bringing individuals with the knowledge, skills and ability to generate research products and innovations with direct commercial applications. The program fosters both product innovation and longer‐term statewide economic development. The strategic direction of the STARS program is managed by the Washington Economic Development Commission (WEDC) which also oversees the performance criteria of the program.

“The STARS program isn’t just a good investment; it’s the kind of investment that will accelerate and escalate our economic recovery. We’re going to come out of this recession stronger than went we went in, because we’re creating the industries of the future,” said State Senator Jim Kastama, whose legislation launched STARS. The STARS program is Washington State’s commitment to winning the future in research, technology and innovation. “STARS can pioneer leading edge innovation and lay the foundation for the nation’s future prosperity, security, jobs and competitiveness,” said Roger Woodworth, chair of the Washington Economic Development Commission (WEDC).

The WEDC, in conjunction with the Washington Education & Training Coordinating Board (WTB), is chartered to recruit 10 lead entrepreneurial researchers over the 10-year period, 2007-2017. As of Winter, 2012 six STARS had been recruited:

University of Washington - STARS

Daniel Kirchen, UW Smart Grid	Jonathan Posner, UW Next Generation Batteries & Fuel Cells	Jihui Yang, UW Next Generation Batteries & Energy Recovery	Brandon Pierquet, UW Design of electronic systems power electronics, electric vehicles

Washington State University - STARS

	Birgitte Ahring, WSU Biofuels	Chen-Ching Liu, WSU Smart Grid

The third economic driver is the Entrepreneurs-in-Residence or EIRs program. Entrepreneurs-in-Residence are seasoned entrepreneurs and business executives working “shoulder-to-shoulder” with researchers whose work may have commercial relevance. They collaborate with start-up teams on identified business opportunities. These industry experts provide expertise, guiding teams on the product development and market development efforts as they explore funding opportunities and staffing needs. This collaboration, and coordinating of resources evolves ideas from initial concept all the way through to first-stage start-up financing and is a new direction for encouraging intellectual property to :spin-out” into private sector businesses.

In 2011 the legislature expanded the EIR program adding regional Entrepreneurs-in-Residence. The first regional EIR, working closely with the Northwest Innovation Resource Center located in the Whatcom County area, will work to identify and commercialize intellectual property at non-research institutions.

Coming soon - the initiation of a cluster EIR located in Bothell. Focused on interactive media, this Entrepreneur-in-Residence is the result of partnership work by the enterpriseSeattle Interactive Media project, University of Washington Center for Commercialization, University of Washington - Bothell and the Washington Economic Development Commission.

Innovation Partnership Zones, also launched in 2007 by the Washington legislature, consist of fifteen designated “hot spots” in the state. The IPZs develop new technology, new partnerships between public, research institutions and the globally competitive firms. The current IPZs, with diverse focuses, are administered by the WA Department of Commerce.