The $75 million acquisition of etailz Inc., a Spokane-based online retailer and a darling of the Inland Northwest startup community, is an example of the kind of success that many aspiring entrepreneurs hope to achieve—and that a growing ecosystem of organizations here is helping to foster. 

As the business community raises a glass in congratulations to Josh Neblett, Sarah Wollnick, Tom Simpson, and everyone else who has been instrumental in the success of etailz, let’s also toast the groups that are working to help young companies become stable and prosper. 

There are several, and they are active.

Next month, Startup Weekend Spokane is hosting its ninth event, an intensive three-day workshop where entrepreneurs pitch their concepts and develop ideas for startup companies. Companies such as iCPooch, Beardbrand, and Spicecologist all germinated at past Startup Weekend events. Keep a watchful eye out for the innovative ideas that come out of the upcoming weekend.

Also in mid-November, Ignite Northwest will host its Fall Demo Day, an event at which graduates of the business accelerator’s most recent class will present their business plans. It’s the third class for the organization that followed Innovate Washington, and it includes a diverse group of companies from the Spokane area, Hayden, and the Tri-Cities. 

In addition, Greater Spokane Incorporated, Spokane’s combined chamber of commerce and economic development agency, has embraced the entrepreneurship community with its Startup Spokane effort. The organization provides a co-working space and free “office hours” with professionals designed to help young companies, as well as other events and workshops at Startup Spokane Central, at 610 W. Second. 

Of course, paths to launching a company are varied and can be circuitous. Etailz is a good example of that. The idea for that company came out the Hogan Entrepreneurship Business Plan Competition at Gonzaga University in 2008. 

Originally called Green Cupboards, the business initially sold eco-friendly household goods online. It expanded its offerings beyond that niche through the years. According to a release from Trans World Entertainment Corp., the Albany, N.Y.-based company that bought etailz, the Spokane company had sales of $116 million for the 12-month period ending Sept. 30, up 40 percent from the previous 12 months. 

Etailz joins a list of companies that have started in the Spokane area and had a successful exit. Among the highlights, Spokane Valley-based Purcell Systems Inc. was acquired by EnerSys for $115 million in 2014. A few years before that, Post Falls-based TriGeo Security Network Inc. sold for $35 million. In 2008, entrepreneur Bernard Daines sold computer network company World Wide Packets for $300 million. 

What companies will emerge next from Spokane’s entrepreneurial ecosystem remains to be seen. For now, we’ll extend our congratulations to that company’s founders and applaud the organizations that are working to develop “the next etailz.”