The Washington State Department of Commerce, hereafter called “COMMERCE,” is initiating a Solicitation of Applications from industry-led consortia interested in participating in the a new accelerated cohort of the Innovation Cluster Accelerator Program (ICAP). ICAP is an economic development strategy to strengthen industry ecosystems and accelerate economic development.
Pre-proposal conference
A pre-proposal conference will be held online on March 13, 2025 via Microsoft Teams.
Background
There are approximately 7,000 innovation clusters worldwide. From Washington state’s first cohort of innovation clusters to Canada’s Digital Supercluster and the Queensland Robotics Cluster in Australia, clusters are increasingly used to grow existing industries, transform legacy industries and build entirely new industries. Around the world, government leaders and private industry executives look to innovation clusters to create trust-based collaboration platforms, speed up the pace of innovation, solve industry-level challenges and compete in new markets.
The Innovation Cluster Accelerator Program Cohort 3 is supported with funding from Washington’s Climate Commitment Act. The CCA supports Washington’s climate action efforts by putting cap-and-invest dollars to work reducing climate pollution, creating jobs, and improving public health. Information about the CCA is available at www.climate.wa.gov.