Rallying Around Outdoor Recreation

by Leave a Comment

Originally published by the Economic Development Council of Seattle & King County in EDC Economic Insight – Q1 2016

Historically, the Economic Development Council of Seattle & King County (EDC) has focused on Fashion & Apparel as a targeted industry cluster, given our region’s strengths in apparel manufacturing and retail and homegrown giants such as Nordstrom and Filson. In 2010, the EDC commissioned an economic impact study, in partnership with Washington State University and theWorkforce Development Council of Seattle-King County, revealing that the Fashion & Apparel industry was worth $8.3 billion and provided 34,500 jobs in Washington State.

The industry has continued to grow in recent years, prompting the EDC to take a deeper dive into what’s driving its growth. Looking at the companies contributing to job and revenue growth, we noticed a pattern. Many of these companies were manufacturing and selling gear or apparel for outdoor recreation. These manufacturers and innovative retailers took advantage of our region’s unique outdoor experiences – also a key driver in our quality of life – by offering goods to get you outdoors. Quality of life is often viewed as a regional asset used to recruit talent or businesses. Outdoor Recreation companies have turned that recruitment tool into a thriving industry. Therefore, we expanded our cluster focus to include Outdoor Recreation, Fashion & Apparel. In fact, the industry has been so impactful, Governor Jay Inslee announced the State’s first Policy Advisor for Outdoor Recreation and Economic Development in December of last year.

bigtent.jpgIn February of this year, the EDC participated as a sponsor of the first “Big Tent Rally Day” to offer our services and network with the Outdoor Rec community. Organized by the Big Tent Outdoor Recreation Coalition, Big Tent Rally Day was a unique gathering of Outdoor Recreation companies, interest groups, and enthusiasts to spread awareness and educate lawmakers about the Outdoor Recreation industry cluster. The crowd heard from Governor Inslee, industry leaders, and elected officials as they boasted the $21.6 billion in annual spending and 199,000 jobs that Outdoor Recreation creates in Washington State. With competition heating up in Utah, Colorado, Oregon, and California, it’s time we give Outdoor Recreation its due attention.

jga-rally-day.jpgAt Big Tent Rally Day, I met the founder of a small startup, called TOTAGO. The acronym stands for “Turn Off This App Go Outside.” The company uses technology to increase access to the outdoors, particularly for those without a car. With a web and mobile application, individuals can plan an outdoor adventure to predetermined destinations for free. For $5, TOTAGO will plan a personalized day trip for you, complete with an itinerary and offline maps.

After TOTAGO’s founder inquired about our free consulting services, I brought him and his business partner in for a meeting with our Information & Communications Technology Business Development Manager to learn more about their business. We advised them on strategic partnerships and provided a framework for further developing their business and marketing plans. With many exciting applications for TOTAGO’s technology and concept (and countless opportunities to enjoy the outdoors in the Seattle region), this won’t be the last time you hear “Turn Off This App Go Outside.”

IT Forecast: Clouds Have Formed, Raining Innovation

by Leave a Comment

Originally published by the Economic Development Council of Seattle and King County in Northwest Economic Insight – Oct. 2014

Seattle’s moniker “Cloud City” has gained more and more traction in recent months as our region affirms itself as an international hub of cloud computing. The strength of our region’s information technology economy is evident in the continued prowess of major tech players, startup growth and investment, and the concentration of tech talent in King County. The unforeseen virtue of the IT industry is its transferability.

It begins with education. A graduate with a computer science degree isn’t confined to the IT industry. That graduate can apply his or her skills to just about every industry. Aerospace, clean technology, life sciences, and fashion all employ large IT departments working on a variety of projects, like digital fabrication, medical devices, and app development. The computer science degree becomes more and more transferable as industries see opportunity in adopting new technologies.

What’s truly exciting about IT transferability is the enabling of collaboration. In our region’s strongest industries, a unique nexus is formed with IT. These intersections drive the collaborative innovation we see in our region. Our airplanes are built more precisely, our buildings are more energy-efficient, and our medical devices are using cutting edge wearable technology to monitor our health (and can be fashionable to boot!). IT has even managed to overhaul the historically non-tech industries to adapt to changing consumer behavior (note how you’re reading this story today). The cloud alone has contributed to much of this collaboration as it has transformed communications, the workplace, and how we do business.

Not only have we confirmed the vitality of the local IT sector, we have transferred that vitality to the rest of our region’s economy. Think of this in terms of an old adage: a rising tide lifts all boats. Clouds have formed and tech innovation has rained down all around us. Let’s continue to ride the IT wave!

Seattle’s Growing IT Industry

by Leave a Comment

Editor’s Note: Originally published by the Economic Development Council of Seattle and King County as part of their Northwest Economic Insight – July 2014.

Information Technology: Growing our own for a growing industry

Information Technology (IT) is rapidly becoming one of King County’s most exciting and impactful sectors. From increases in videogames and software development, to big data and cloud computing, King County is solidifying its reputation as a world hub of IT.

The New York Times recently deemed Seattle as the “New Center of a Tech Boom” as local companies flex their tech muscles. Microsoft and Amazon are key players in the boom, attracting high-skilled talent and convincing other dominant tech companies to open up shop in King County. Most recently, HP decided to bring its cloud computing business to Pioneer Square. These recent developments are contributing to Seattle’s newfound reputation as “Cloud City.”

As the IT sector continues to create more and more jobs, educational institutions and organizations are working hard to fill them with bright graduates. University of Washington is a proven leader in computer science and engineering education, while DigiPen Institute of Technologyremains a top game development institution. Other local institutions with prominent technology degrees include Bellevue College, Lake Washington Institute of Technology, and Art Institute of Seattle. However, tech education doesn’t start at higher-ed. Local organizations, includingWashington STEM and Code.org, are focused on computer science education in K-12 systems by developing curriculum and building training tools to help young students learn the basics of coding (one of the fundamentals of computer science).

Although the large corporations are taking the lion’s share of credit for elevating the IT sector, tech jobs are sprouting up in small and midsize businesses across all sectors. At the Technology Alliance’s State of Technology Luncheon, the organization released data from a recent study that shows technology-based employment accounts for over 268,000 jobs in King County. Job growth in IT shows no signs of slowing as local tech powerhouses expand their reach and national companies take advantage of the rare talent pool that exists here.