Evergreen Bioscience opens local business incubator
A new 5,000-square-foot bioscience business incubator is launching off Nevada Street in Spokane.
A bioscience business incubator is essentially a program or organization created to nourish budding biotechnology and life science startups by providing much-needed resources and equipment. Applications are now open for interested bioscience startup companies to apply for a spot at the Evergreen Bioscience Innovation Cluster.
“We are looking for early -stage companies, whether they’re doing medical device, or chemical, pharmaceutical type of research and development,” said Michaele Armstrong, the executive director of Evergreen Bioscience.
The location off Nevada, which has room for three to five startup companies, has multiple amenities including a wet lab, a dishwasher, a fume hood to contain hazardous substances, two conference rooms and numerous private offices. Work is also currently being done to acquire shared equipment that early startups can utilize.
Armstrong summed up the difference between a wet lab and a dry lab as one having plumbing, while the other does not.
“Think about what you can do in your living room versus what you can do in your kitchen,” Armstrong said.
SP3 Northwest out of Washington State University was the first group to develop an incubator model with wet lab space locally.
However, that model was only 523 square-feet. The freedom that a 5,000-square-foot space offers opens up myriad opportunities for startups .
Evergreen Bio requires a three-month, quarterly commitment. The majority of lab spaces out there today require a company to stay for at least three years. Because many startups can’t predict what their revenue will look like, Armstrong hopes these flexible conditions will greatly benefit any startups that need a little help getting up off the ground.
Evergreen Bio received $140,000 from the Washington State Department of Commerce as part of its innovation cluster acceleration program. The Washington State Innovation Cluster Accelerator Program aims to hasten economic growth and strengthen industry ecosystems, particularly in rural and underserved communities. Seventy-two companies offered letters of support during Evergreen Bio’s launch in 2021.
The location off of Nevada street was previously owned by Paw Print Genetics, a canine genetic testing company that moved to Lincoln, Nebraska, after the company Neogen absorbed them .
“What we’re doing is we’re creating an opportunity for high-tech startups to grow in Spokane and to stay in Spokane,” Armstrong said. “That’s to our benefit, because then it leverages initiatives in Spokane, like the VISION 2030 effort that really looked at life sciences and health sciences as the next big economic driver for Spokane.”
VISION 2030 is an initiative designed to enhance economic development in the Spokane area. Through crafting a center for health, medical sciences education and life sciences research and commercialization, VISION 2030 hopes to build robust industry growth across the board. Studies have indicated that if this effort is successful, Spokane could see a nearly 9% annual GDP increase while simultaneously creating more than 9,000 higher-wage jobs by 2030.
Armstrong said there are a number of federal policies and funding issues currently challenging the life sciences and health sciences industry. She said the fact that Evergreen Bio is able to launch a bioscience business incubator during such difficult times is both an incredible feat and a large economic boost for the area.
“We are looking for a sexy name besides Bioscience Incubator,” said Armstrong. “So if people have ideas, happy to hear about it.”