Energy leaders from 20 Dutch companies and institutions met in Spokane in October to tackle grid management challenges and digital energy solutions alongside regional leaders from Avista, Itron, WSU, and the city of Spokane.

The use of mass timber is steadily growing as rising construction costs push building developers toward more cost-effective materials, according to some Spokane area manufacturers and contractors.

For its latest episode of Elevating The Conversation, the Journal sat down with Fred Brown, a serial entrepreneur and the founder of Omniscia AI, to discuss Spokane's startup scene.

Artificial intelligence is accelerating cybersecurity threats against businesses and government agencies, allowing criminals to potentially impersonate employees, steal sensitive information, and compromise corporate networks faster than organizations can respond, warn some cybersecurity experts.

At Washington Trust Bank's headquarters, the financial institution has saved more than 5 million gallons of water and roughly $18,000 in annual utility costs thanks to a partnership between K&H Facility Services LLC and the city of Spokane’s Water Wise Commercial Efficiency Auditing Program. 

Electric Photoland is renovating a 1,000-square-foot, public-facing location at River Park Square to open Photo Mart, an in-person studio for photo shoots and group experiences.

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.

A Spokane-based startup is preparing to introduce autonomous taxi service to the Inland Northwest, with plans for a fleet of driverless Tesla Cybercabs and an operations hub in Liberty Lake. 

Driven by booming demand for weight loss medications, medical spas across the Inland Northwest are rapidly expanding beyond traditional cosmetic procedures into full-service wellness and metabolic health centers. For many operators, offering these treatments supports clinic growth and provides a financial boost amid rising operational costs.

Seattle-based biotechnology company Orlance Inc. is expanding its vaccine research and development operations into Spokane County through a $250,000 grant from the Health Sciences and Services Authority of Spokane County, bringing new jobs and plans for clinical trials to the region.