The Health Sciences & Services Authority of Spokane County has awarded $3.25 million in grants to five health and bioscience businesses that will help the startups catalyze their research, create well-paying jobs, and create future economic growth in the county, a press release from the organization announced.

HSSA, a public development authority that invests in bioscience innovation to improve public health, prevent disease, and drive economic growth, awards two types of grants. Level I awards include matching grants of up to $250,000 and level II awards include matching grants of up to $750,000. The five recipients were all level II awardees, having raised matching funds through federal grants and accredited investors, HSSA Executive Director Erin Williams Hueter says in the release.

"This is the most competitive field of applicants we have seen," says Williams Hueter. "Each applicant has a history of making meaningful contributions to our community's health and economic vitality." 

The awardees are making improvements ranging from cervical cancer prevention, improved oral health and prevention of inflammatory diseases, and increasing the speed of a notoriously slow credentialing process that improves access to care among other environmental and health benefits.

Spokane-based recipients include Blaze Barrier Inc., Credential Network Inc., Glyciome LLC, Precision Quantomics Inc., and Slate Dental Inc.

Jacob Schuler, CEO and founder of Blaze Barrier, a West Plains company that makes wildfire suppression systems, says the company recently closed a $750,000 seed funding round with Avista Development Inc. and San Diego-based Barton Ventures LLC leading the round. The HSSA grant will help Blaze Barrier hire engineers, sales personnel, and production workers.

“In the sales side, we’ve gotten really great feedback and connections and potential future orders with different electric utilities,” Schuler says. “Avista has already made a purchase.”

The company’s U.S. patent has been approved and Blaze Barrier is waiting to receive its patent number, Schuler says. Production of Blaze Barrier’s fire suppression system units are currently manufactured by hand while automation and machinery is being created by Spokane-based Johnston Engineering PLLC, he says.

Schuler anticipates the equipment will be designed, engineered, and installed during this year’s fire season.

Precision Quantomics is a Spokane-based bioscience company focused on quantitative proteomics and translational drug development. CEO Chandima Bandaranayaka says in a press release that the $454,100 HSSA grant will support the commercialization of the company’s biological reagent platform and expansion of its Translational Proteomics Atlas, while creating high-paying scientific and technical jobs in the region.

“This award represents a major milestone not only for Precision Quantomics, but for Spokane’s growing role in the national bioscience ecosystem,” Bandaranayaka says. “We are proud to build and scale this company in Spokane County. With HSSA’s continued support, we are accelerating commercialization, creating high-skill jobs, and developing tools that help make medicines safer and more effective for diverse populations.”

HSSA was established in 2009 to support economic development in the life sciences and to provide better access to care for people that are uninsured and underinsured. The organization is funded through a small fraction of a percent of county-wide sales tax revenue. In the last couple of years, the organization broadened the scope of its mission to include funding to early-stage startups, significantly increasing the number of grants it awards.