January 31, 2017

CoMotion Labs expands to Spokane

CoMotion, the University of Washington’s collaborative innovation hub, is pleased to announce the expansion of CoMotion Labs to Spokane. This expansion of CoMotion services will connect the region’s vibrant startup community more fully with western Washington’s. Called CoMotion Labs @ Spokane, its mission is to contribute to the growth of the innovation community in eastern Washington by bringing UW resources, assets, tools and networks to the region.

CoMotion Labs @ Spokane joins the three other existing labs on or near the UW Seattle campus, with this one likely to focus on manufacturing, healthcare, agriculture and robotics. It will provide programming, mentoring and advising, while also offering a number of CoMotion Labs events, including the popular entrepreneurial speaker series. The Lab will collaborate with innovation spaces around the region, as well as make events available from the other CoMotion Labs in Seattle through live-streaming workshops.

CoMotion also announced it has hired Brady Ryan as the CoMotion Labs @ Spokane manager. Prior to joining CoMotion, Ryan worked as commercialization manager and business development manager at Life Science Washington, a trade association supporting the broad life science ecosystem in Washington, and as program manager for WINGS — the Washington Medical Technology Angel Network. As commercialization manager, Ryan developed and maintained programs focused on helping entrepreneurs get their technologies funded and to market. He earned a bachelor’s degree in biology from Willamette University in Salem, OR.

“The Spokane region is a growing innovation ecosystem with which we are excited to partner,” said Elizabeth Scallon, associate director of CoMotion Labs. “We believe the economic development of Washington is best served when we unify and engage all parts of our state through cross-collaboration of ideas, startups and resources. CoMotion Labs has the experience and excellence to partner and execute on this important initiative.”

“Spokane’s University District and the entrepreneurial ecosystem will greatly benefit with the presence of University of Washington’s CoMotion Labs,” said Steve Trabun, Avista regional business manager. “Having CoMotion Labs in our community will further enhance the collaborative opportunities between Startup Spokane, a program of Greater Spokane Incorporated, and our region’s colleges and universities. As a result, the entrepreneurial ecosystem will be strengthened to create even more ideas and early stage growth companies in technology, life sciences, and other emerging areas.”

Brady Ryan will be located in the UW Spokane Center in downtown Spokane.

See related press coverage in The Spokesman-Review and UW Daily.