Spokane-based organizations Greater Spokane Incorporated, LaunchPad Inland Northwest Foundation, and Health Sciences & Services Authority of Spokane County are partnering with Seattle-based Life Science Washington to expand access to resources and support for life science entrepreneurs in the greater Spokane region.

The partnership was announced Oct. 6 at the annual East West Life Science Summit 2026, held at Washington State University Spokane's Health Sciences Building.

Life Science Washington is the state’s industry trade organization that helps connect members to funding, talent, ecosystem partners, and essential business services. By partnering, the organizations aim to present a comprehensive package designed to make Spokane a more attractive place for early-stage life science executives to build, grow, or relocate their companies.

GSI, HSSA, and LaunchPad INW are providing startups with tailored support and making connections with the wider state ecosystem established by Life Science Washington, says Marc Cummings, president and CEO of Life Science Washington.

“Washington has an incredible network of experienced executives, mentors, investors, and life science leaders that entrepreneurs should be able to tap into no matter where they are located in Washington state,” Cummings says in a press release. “By working together, our organizations can connect entrepreneurs with the right expertise and support at the right time and give more companies across the state the tools they need to grow.”

In 2014, Life Science Washington launched its Washington Innovation Network mentoring program, dubbed WIN, to help scientific startups grow and maintain operations in the state. To date, the program has helped 48 startups raise over $3.2 billion to grow their companies in Washington and has received $148 million in grant funding, Cummings says.

As of 2025, WIN supports 39 companies, 40% of which are located outside of Seattle, and one-third of which are women-led or co-founded, he adds.

Managed by Life Science Washington’s Entrepreneurship & Venture Services team, the initiative connects scientific founders with expert volunteer advisers. These industry veterans provide commercialization and business execution guidance to help entrepreneurs navigate critical early stages and scale in Washington state.

Building a life science company can take over a decade and cost hundreds of millions of dollars to bring a new medicine or device to market, Cummings says.

The process is heavily regulated and requires years of research and development, followed by years of clinical trials to approve a new medicine or medical device. Many life science companies are founded by doctors, clinicians, and scientists working on medical breakthroughs but who are often lacking the business acumen needed to transform science into products and medicines, he says.

Some states, including Texas, Massachusetts, and Maryland, offer life science companies incentives to move their businesses to their states, but Washington’s life science industry is homegrown, Cummings says. Many companies start as spinouts from the state’s research institutions, and making sure those companies stay in Washington is critical, he adds.

While Washington state doesn’t offer incentives to attract life science companies to move here, HSSA does, Cummings notes. Financial incentives offered by HSSA can help attract companies to move to Spokane County, further bolstering the industry, he says. 

“The HSSA incentive funding is a unique tool that adds fuel to the fire,” he says. 

HSSA is a public development authority that invests in bioscience innovation to improve public health, prevent disease, and drive economic growth. It supports the sector through funding opportunities for companies relocating all or a significant portion of their operations to the region. 

“Capital is an important part of helping bioscience companies grow, but companies also need strong networks, experienced advisers, and access to the right expertise,” says HSSA Executive Director Erin Williams Hueter in the press release. “This partnership allows us to pair the resources already available in Spokane and support companies already operating in the region with a broader network of life science expertise and give entrepreneurs more comprehensive support.”  

GSI, the region’s chamber of commerce and economic development organization, helps businesses access resources and works to attract new businesses to the region.

LaunchPad INW is focused on providing entrepreneurial support and networking for regional startups. Its Springboard Startup Program provides hands-on programming for early-stage technology and life science companies.

“Building a successful company takes more than one program or organization can provide,” says Bill Kalivas, co-founder and executive director of LaunchPad INW, in the press release.

The partnership of Spokane-based organizations together will provide tailored, early-stage support for growing life science companies. Once those companies reach a point of growth that is not available to them in the region, they can access the wider state network and resources, he says.

“The beauty of Spokane is that it’s not big,” Cummings says, suggesting that companies that choose to establish in Eastern Washington will be better served than in other parts of the state. “It's better in Spokane. You can't get personalized service and one-on-one mentoring in a large market.”