Hello March! New updates and news

Membership Options

Visit our website

Let's begin the Countdown to Spring!!

Spring equinox occurs on

Sunday, March 20

Chamber News

March GreenDrinks

April Luncheon

Marketing Small for Gigantic Returns

Join us April 14th as Tory Felkey guides you in

dominating 2022 with your Marketing Strategies

Hosted by First Christian Church

Catered by That One Place

A little more about our guest speaker:

Kitsap Business Survey

Q: After the mask mandate ends on 03/12, what will the mask policy be at your business?

Anwser Below

Masks still required for customers and staff

Select

Masks still required for staff only

Select

Masks optional, but encouraged for customers and staff

Select

Masks optional, no guidance provided

Select

No mask encouraged

Select

Last time we asked:

Q: Now that Gov. Inslee will soon end the mask mandate, what level of in-person event are you comfortable with?

Thank You Returning Sponsors!

February 2022 New and Returning Members

WE WANT TO PROMOTE YOUR BUSINESS

Bring us your flyers, pamphlets and business cards for our office and business center!

Business Updates

KEDA to develop Autonomous Water Vehicle Cluster under 2-year innovation grant

Washington Department of Commerce announced Tuesday that the Kitsap Economic Development Alliance (KEDA) was awarded a two-year $500,000 grant to launch the Washington Autonomous Vehicle Cluster, or WAV-C.

Innovation cluster accelerator models bring key players together – business, entrepreneurs, academia, investors and government – to solve industry challenges that limit growth and innovation. Washington State piloted this approach in 2017 with its Maritime Blue initiative. Under the Washington Department of Commerce’s Innovation Cluster Accelerator, nine innovation clusters are being funded in diverse industries, including advanced computing, 5G, renewable energy, bioscience and others. KEDA’s Entrepreneurship and Innovation Work Group developed the WAV-C proposal with a focus on accelerating the industry of unmanned and autonomous vehicles, forecast as a $2 trillion global market by 2030.

"KEDA’s proposed launch concept for WAV-C is to initially focus on the water segment of these vehicles, given the strong maritime and defense industry presence in our community” said KEDA Executive Director Joe Morrison. “We’ll use our infrastructure, connectivity, and experience in entrepreneurship and innovation to create a broad, diverse, and industry-led cluster effort that will

generate value for companies in Washington and beyond.” The underwater segment of unmanned vehicles alone has a projected size of $9.5 billion by 2028.

The WAV-C initiative received 23 letters of support, including from firms like defense giant Raytheon, Bremerton-based international builder SAFE Boats International, and Port Orchard small business Greysam Industrial, which specializes in providing underwater autonomous vehicles to clients. Developing and expanding corporate partnerships will be a top priority for WAV-C initially. KEDA anticipates hiring two full-time staff to manage the project.

The Washington Department of Commerce is supporting the development and growth of these clusters through seed funding, strategic guidance, leadership development, connections with state and global cluster leaders and partners, and international marketing support. The program is one portion of work supported by a $15 million CARES Act investment by the U.S. Department of Commerce Economic Development Administration (EDA).

“Strategic investment to support innovation in key legacy and nascent industries is a pillar of our economic development strategy to strengthen Washington communities for the future,” said Commerce Director Lisa Brown. “We see in these public-private partnerships the potential to launch new clusters with dramatic impact on lives, jobs and business opportunities.”

-Submitted via Theresa Mangrum, KEDA

KEDA Annual Meeting & Economic Preview

KEYNOTE SPEAKER:

Skylar Olsen, PhD, Tomo Networks

Senior Director & Principal Economist at the $70-million backed fintech and home buying startup Tomo, & former senior principal economist at Zillow Group, Olsen will break down the red hot housing market, rising interest rates and its ripple effects on the regional economy.

KEDA Board Annual Board Business Meeting:

2021 Annual Report of performance and financial condition
2022 KEDA Action Plan
Election of renewing directors to the KEDA Board
Appointment of new officers
Passing of the Gavel

KEDA will also honor our 2022 Economic Development Champions

THERE IS NO FEE TO ATTEND THIS VIRTUAL EVENT

Join AWB’s Government Affairs team March 16 at 10 a.m. for a post-session webinar.

And More...

Masking Mandates Change March 12

Earlier this week Governor Inslee stated that in light of new CDC guidance and continued decreases in hospitalization rates, that Washington State will be adjusting the timing of the statewide mask requirement... now to end after March 11.

You may be asking: What does that look like?

See below: