Global Health Industry Cluster Tour Recap

On Friday, September 9 the Prosperity Partnership led a group of interested individuals on a Global Health Industry Cluster Tour.

A sold out tour group ditched the bus and took to the streets for the first ever walking industry cluster tour. The reason this was possible is the success of the South Lake Union neighborhood as a hub for global health organizations. Participants saw the inner workings of a number of global health organizations and spoke with representatives of others.

We kicked the day off at the South Lake Union Discovery Center where we heard about this dynamic neighborhood – past and future developments, investments in transit, transportation infrastructure and new public spaces. From there we went to Seattle BioMed, where we learned about their work developing innovative solutions to combat the world’s deadliest diseases and toured their research facility.

Lisa Cohen of the Washington Global Health Alliance (WGHA) gave a presentation on the local global health sector and talked about the Global Health Nexus, Seattle initiative. Global Health Nexus has been working to bring the Seattle region’s global health community together to build a platform for enhanced collaboration, public awareness, and action.

The next stop was the Institute for Systems Biology. What is systems biology? Well, I’ll defer to John Aitchison, Phd who gave the following presentation on the subject. Also, during the tour of the facilities, attendees got to see someone in a highly secured room dissecting a mosquito.

Vulcan Real Estate sponsored the tour’s lunch discussion where participants were broken up into tables with representatives from major area global health organizations. There were representatives from Battelle Centers for Public Health Research and Evaluation, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Global Alliance to Prevent Prematurity and Stillbirth, Infectious Disease Research Institute, Seattle Children’s Research Institute, SightLife, University of Washington Department of Global Health, and World Vision.

Participants finished off the day with a tour of PATH. Even with such a full day, we still only scratched the surface of how important the global health sector is to the world and the local economy.

More information:
• South Lake Union Development Update 2004-2010
• Global Health Strategic Mapping and Economic Opportunity Portfolio, from the Washington Global Health Alliance (WGHA) and City of Seattle’s Office of Economic Development (OED)

Job Growth and Development Activity in South Lake Union Surpass Expectations

“The success in South Lake Union with the life sciences and global health sector is an example of successful public-private partnership. We are committed to continued engagement with industry and community leaders on issues of job training, power reliability, zoning, transportation infrastructure and urban design to continue this momentum,” said Seattle Mayor Mike McGinn.

The City of Seattle issued a press release detailing the city’s actions to continue to support  the creation of jobs in the healthcare, global health and life sciences industries. Read the press release here.

To read the South Lake Union Development Update (2004-2010) click here.

Prosperity Partnership Global Health Industry Cluster Tour

The Prosperity Partnership is leading a Global Health Industry Cluster Tour on Friday, September 9^th from 8:00am-2:30pm. This walking tour is being sponsored by Vulcan Real Estate, a major driver in developing the South Lake Union neighborhood into a biotech hub.

The Prosperity Partnership is coordinating this event with help from the Washington Global Health Alliance (WGHA), a statewide alliance of global health organizations, and Global Health Nexus, an initiative of WGHA that works to increase public awareness of global health. The Global Health Industry Cluster Tour is an opportunity to learn about this exciting, impactful cluster firsthand. Attendees will tour global health organizations, and hear from a panel of experts on partnerships in the industry and upcoming events – all as part of an effort to learn about opportunities to grow this part of our economy. 

The cost to attend is $45, and includes lunch. We are still finalizing the itinerary, but we will be meeting at the South Lake Union Discovery Center and traveling through the South Lake Union neighborhood visiting PATH, Seattle BioMed and the Institute for Systems Biology. We’ll have representatives from many organizations within the global health community including Seattle Children’s, the UW Department of Global Health, and World Vision. Final details and logistics will be emailed before the event, but the South Lake Union Discovery Center is acessible by public transportation, and parking is available at the PATH headquarters, or at 2200 Westlake Avenue.

Attendees will have the unique opportunity to learn abouthow they can get involved with Global Health Nexus, an initiative of WGHA in partnership with the Prosperity Partnership and the Washington Biotechnology and Biomedical Association.

Slots are filling up fast. Click here to register for this event by Friday, September 2nd:

Big Ideas of (the First Half of) 2011

I promised in my last post that I would do one final entry on the Prosperity Blog before I leave the PSRC. And, since today is my last day, there’s no time like the present to make that happen. I also promised that this last post would be entirely self-indulgent and nostalgic, and I can think of no post that fits the bill more than the annual Prosperity Blog Year In Ideas feature – the yearly tradition in which I point out to you all how good my thoughts on economic development are, in Top Ten format.

Since it’s only halfway through the year (June 30 is less than two weeks away!), I’ll cut that Top Ten down to Top Five. And so, without further ado…and with no more ado ever again by me on this blog…here are the best practical proposals for improving our region’s business climate and competitiveness (and the most impractical, sky’s-the-limit ideas) I’ve had so far in 2011.

Weekly B-MOW: Seattle Chamber Intercity Study Mission

Every year, the Seattle Chamber does an “intercity study mission,” bringing regional business, government and community leaders to a peer city for a three day exploration of similarities, differences and, most importantly, the best practices that we can take back and copy in our own region. This past week, a group of us traveled for this year’s trip to San Jose for an Intercity Study Mission to Silicon Valley.

The reason to do a study mission to Silicon Valley is obvious: as much as we fancy ourselves as a leading region for innovation, we pale in comparison to the sheer breadth and depth and magnitude of what has come out of that region – HP, Google, Adobe, Apple, Yahoo…the list goes on and on. So, what are those things that we can take from them?

Here are my top three takeaways:

Weekly B-MOW: Washington Innovation Summit

I go to a lot of events. Many of them are boring. But I put my neck out a few weeks ago and said that the Washington Innovation Summit would not be. And I was right. I mean, really interesting panels, very forward thinking topics and some great keynotes. If you haven’t heard Geoffrey Moore speak on the transition in enterprise IT from “systems of record” to “systems of engagement,” then you don’t know what the next major business opportunity in the global economy will be.

Apparently, the whole day was video recorded, and will be available on the Technology Alliance website. And you can follow the audience’s questions and comments on Twitter via the hashtag #WAInnovation (including several insightful tweets from yours truly and a back and forth on how funny Bill McSherry is).

But if you want an immediate taste, I took a video of the opening panel, featuring some of the state’s economic development luminaries talking about how we continue to invest in economic development in a time of scarce public money.

Weekly FWSR: Snacks, Bosses & Competitors

Two weeks ago, we started a new feature at the Prosperity Blog: Fun With Search Referrers! And yes, I know, we start more features here than a first run movie theater, but what can we say. If it sounds like something that can help us fill blog content, we’ll take it! So, here’s the latest Fun with Search Referrers, featuring snacks, bosses, competitors and more.

Drugs Stink

Bob Roberts reference. Anyone?

Well, fine. Let’s just get straight to the heart of it then, shall we? I’ve talked in the past about the interesting role our region plays (and doesn’t play) in drug development. And I was reminded of that dichotomy when I was reading the great news about Dendreon filling up a bunch of space at the Russell Center. At the end of the article was the line: “Dendreon is sold out on all the Provenge it can currently manufacture, but it’s “on track” to quadruple the capacity of its first plant in New Jersey and complete plants in Atlanta and Los Angeles…”

Boo.

Let’s turn to better news instead. How about something upbeat like “Drug Firms Face Billions in Losses in ’11 as Patents End.”

Hurray?

The Many Economic Development Impacts of the Military

Over the last few years, Prosperity Partnership has been a leading proponent of making better connections with the military cluster here in the region. And it seems like everywhere I turn these days, that topic is a focus of conversation – whether it be the meeting we hosted here last week with the Pacific Northwest Defense Coalition to try to address clean technology contracting opportunities or the success of legislation in the current state legislative session towards allowing military training to count toward civilian professional licenses.

Here’s a quick summary of some the major focuses and opportunities that our region needs to be considering.

Prosperity Blog Fun with Search Referrers

I know this guy who runs a website called Bridge and Tunnel Club, which is sort of an all-encompassing resource on New York City and its environs. Because of the comprehensive nature of the site, it often comes up in the listings when people do their internet searches (hopefully on Bing). And so he made a different website called “bridgeandtunnelclub.com Search Referrers of the Day,” where he lists, analyzes and often answers various queries that get referred to his site. I happen to think it’s laugh out loud hilarious, but you all know how weird my sense of humor is.

For a fun Friday activity, let’s play the Prosperity Blog’s version of Search Referrers of the Day. Specifically, here are some of the most interesting ones we’ve gotten this week:

Two Words That Go Great Together: “Innovation” and “Summit”

The Prosperity Blog doesn’t usually shill for events. We like to keep our integrity so that you see us as an unbiased observer of the regional economic development scene. (Except for all that shilling we do for our own initiatives and priorities, but hey, man’s gotta eat.)

So, given that general practice of restraint, you will hopefully take it with some seriousness when we step out of that restriction and tell you that you probably don’t want to miss the 2011 Washington Innovation Summit on March 18. Seriously.

There’s two reasons we’re encouraging you to attend. First, the presenters – leading technology, business and policy experts like Crossing the Chasm author Geoffrey Moore and Larry Smarr, Founding Director of the California Institute for Telecommunications & Information Technology – plus a who’s who of panelists from the region and state: Steve Davis, Bruce Kendall, Ed Lazowska, Rick LeFaivre, Rogers Weed, Kim Zentz and a ton more (including our own Bob Drewel). By the way, note that I didn’t tell you who that last list of people are…if you don’t know, then you definitely need to attend!

The second reason you should probably go, is that it’s all about the issues we care most about here at the Prosperity Blog:

• How the state is fusing support for innovation into its overall economic development strategy;
• How emerging information technologies are dramatically changing our economy, presenting our state with new challenges as well as exciting new opportunities;
• How the very nature of the enterprise is evolving, and how we should respond; and
• How our industries can grow exports and strengthen global relationships.

As we’ve said before, innovation is like coolness, so be there or be square. And, as an added incentive, if you find me at the event and mention this blog post, you’ll get a sincere handshake from me…and if you’re lucky, I might even touch your shoulder with my left hand while shaking with my right. That’s how real economic developers do it.

I’ve Got Your Epicenter Right Here

This post title is only funny if you read it in a sort of “New York tough guy” voice. The other title I was considering was “The Importance of Branding Earnest” which doesn’t even make sense. But the point is this: there is a vital economic development need to make sure that you’re branding your region as a leader in those industry clusters you have strength in. Because, if you don’t, there are tangible consequences.

We think this is true in terms of global health. Apparently, it’s already proving itself true in aerospace.

Weekly REDEW: Be Yourself on Interviews (Hello Nexus, Goodbye Sherry)

There’s only one thing that’s more interesting to the readers of the Prosperity Blog than interesting meetings I’ve been to and controversial thoughts I’m having. Which is random economic development emails that I receive.

Of course, there’s nothing more random than getting a job (at least that’s what it seems like to all the folks out there who are sending out resumes and getting or not getting interviews for no seeming rhyme or reason). And so, when I got my weekly “JobsJournal” newsletter, I could think of no better candidate for the title of Random Economic Development Email of the Week. Thusly, here it is: your “Weekly REDEW: Be Yourself on Interviews.”

Here Are Some Uninformed Thoughts on Pharmaceutical Development

As I’ve mentioned many times, I know almost nothing about science. I’m not even sure that my iPod is working the way it should, so you know that I definitely don’t understand biochemistry or molecular engineering. And while this article about a new federal drug development center is better left to blogs like Xconomy and TechFlash, I’d still like to share a few thoughts. Join me for an uninformed journey.

Weekly B-MOW: enterpriseSeattle Economic Forecast Conference

For this week’s installment of the “Best Meeting of the Week” feature, we’re going to talk about what I like to call “the most depressing day of the year.” Or at least, it has been over the last few years. I refer, of course, to enterpriseSeattle’s annual Economic Forecast Conference, which starts each year with a panel of local and national economists talking about their predictions for the economy over the ensuing twelve months. As you can guess, those forecasts have mostly been bad…and those bad forecasts have been pretty accurate, as we all know.

But this year, the Economic Forecast Conference had a theme – a focus on a part of the economy that is and will increasingly be a bright spot for job creation and prosperity. And that theme was global health. Which definitely makes it the Weekly B-MOW.