Spokane-based Williamson & Associates Technologies Inc., which does business as Wassoc, was founded in Seattle in 1982 to develop subsea technologies.

The subsea engineering and technology company currently operates in a 3,000-square-foot warehouse at 5807 W. Thorpe, on the West Plains, after the company moved its primary operations to Eastern Washington following leadership changes in 2019. Since then, revenue has grown year over year and the company continues to build a strong client base.

Despite being hundreds of miles from the ocean, Wassoc serves clients in the government, university, and commercial ocean science sectors, innovating custom engineering solutions including imaging and illumination equipment, sensors, geotechnical tools, and seafloor drilling and sampling solutions.

Government and academic researchers, commercial offshore operations, and fisheries around the world utilize Wassoc's subsea products and systems, which are engineered for demanding marine environments.

The firm is currently led by longtime employees and co-owners Robert Millsap, a Spokane native, and Max Schlereth, a Seattle-based electrical engineer, who aim to usher in growth and innovation while growing its workforce of engineers and technicians from the Spokane area.

What are your expectations for growth in the coming years? We project a substantial increase in revenue in 2026 and 2027 as we continue to service the offshore geotechnical industry in the Indo-Pacific.

Has the organization overcome any obstacles this year? Wassoc has weathered the pandemic and changing regulatory environment relating to ocean science, and tariff-related impacts to supply chains and material costs.

How has the organization adapted or innovated in the past year? Wassoc recently completed a pilot program for an autonomous subsea glider-hosted telecentric imaging system. This system will allow scientists to capture images and population density statistics for small, often microscopic animals, known as zooplankton.

What future plans does the organization have for innovation? We plan to continue to "push the envelope" as it relates to subsea sensing and edge computing.

Survey responses may have been edited for length and clarity.