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.