The Council of State Governments choose the Innovation Partnership Zone (IPZ) program of Washington State as a winner of the 2012 CSG Innovations Award. The award was accepted by Senator Jim Kastama, chair of the WA Senate Economic Development, Trade and Innovation Committee and Egils Milbergs, executive director, Washington Economic Develop
ment Commission. Innovation Partnership Zones (IPZs) are formally designated areas wherein businesses, government, and academic institutions work together to promote economic development. The zones are designed around specific industry clusters within geographic regions in the state. IPZs are "organically" driven partnerships administered at the local level by an economic development council, port, workforce development council, city, or county. The administering agency and partners develop a business plan and apply to the state department of commerce to be designated an IPZ. IPZs reapply every four years to keep that designation. Currently, there are 15 IPZs targeting a variety of commercially important technical fields, including green IT, medical devices, interactive media, financial services, clean transportation, global health, sustainable manufacturing, alternative energy, viticulture, water management, and aerospace.
Link to the IPZ web site: http://choosewashingtonstate.com/i-need-help-with/site-selection/innovation-partnership-zones/
Contact Jerri Smith, Department of Commerce, (360) 725-4049, Jerri.Smith@commerce.wa.gov or Egils Milbergs, Executive Director, Washington Economic Development Commission, 360-586-5661, egilsm@wedc.wa.gov.
Founded in 1933, The Council of State Governments is the nation's only organization serving all three branches of state government. CSG is a region-based forum that fosters the exchange of insights and ideas to help state officials shape public policy.
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