There's an interesting discussion on Exit133 about the status of Tacoma's "entrepreneurial ecosystem." Mainly: do we have one? Principally, do we have a technological entrepreneurial ecosystem?

Considering that two companies have recently announced their departure–first Russell then a small tech start-up called Blue Box Group–this is a particularly relevant question.

What do we have in Tacoma right now?

My knee-jerk response is, yes there is an entrepreneurial ecosystem in Tacoma. Thanks to my work on the Steering Committee of the South Sound Technology Conference and putting together some tech-related events, I've met some of those budding entrepreneurs. But they aren't all budding. Some are fairly well-established, like Brian Forth at SiteCrafting which has developed a whole new CMS (content management system) for websites. Or Janine Terrano of Topia Technology, a company that just landed $2 million as part of their contract helping to manage data for the FAA. I would also point you toward Andrew Fry's summary of the Information and Data Integrity cluster in Tacoma and the Tacoma Angels Network–a group of angel investors that funds local start-ups.

The questions on Exit133, though, is more forward-looking: how are we as a community for tech companies? What could we do better? What can we leverage? What policies would help?

As it happens, I stumbled on an interesting "white paper" on Egils Milberg's blog, "Accelerating Innovation," that deals with a very similar question: what will it take in the future to create "knowledge ecosystems" around technology-led economic development for cities and regions? (Milberg is Executive Director of the Washington Economic Development Commission.) The paper is focused on the future of "research parks" but there's a lot of lessons we can take from it.

Building Regional Knowledge-Based Economies

Some things I took away:

"Regions will play a more important role than at any time in the last century." A regional knowledge ecosystem needs a way to turn academic/established knowledge into applied knowledge in companies–and then have a way for that knowledge to be upgraded over time.

In other words: Silicon Valley is a hub because they were good at taking academic knowledge (computers were very academic at first, not to mention the academic study of chemical processes involved in actually creating them). And they have proven to be excellent at upgrading that knowledge–ie, there's enough money there that people with a new idea can get funding and start their own company.

That idea about upgrading is key. One of the lessons I also learned is that a cluster of knowledge-based companies will have to be continually re-invented, thanks to the pace of change. It's also key because a research or highly technical university is part of that ecosystem of change, and that's something that we only have in the nascent stages (at the Institute of Technology at UWT).

These were some of the trends the report highlights that will affect the ability of regions like Tacoma to build or maintain this kind of knowledge-based ecosystem in the next 20 years:

• The first point is actually … coworking. Well, kind of coworking. More and more companies and such will be "project-based" (like how movies are made with talent moving much more easily between companies based on the project) with flexible space needs, both in terms of the real world (coworking) and the virtual (wikis, video chat, etc).
• Creating regional niches in a global supply chain (ie, the data integrity cluster). Do what we do, do it well, and plug it in to the global economy.
• Universities that are a part of their community. To quote: "Urban research campus[es] act as long-term participants in the ongoing revitalization of urban neighborhoods or districts. … The goal is to create an environment that helps attract, nurture and retain talent." In other words: exactly what UWT is basically doing. I still stand by my argument last year that UWT could be doing even more by embracing their role as District Landlord to really get the retail thriving, and I wish that the Joy building would have streetfront retail. But I think that this is an area where Tacoma is excelling.
• Carefully looking at what sticky knowledge we have–ie, what knowledge is place-specific. "Innovation often has a geographic or social "stickiness" to it … that are place-specific." Some knowledge is place-specific. Urban Waters might emerge as a good example. Perhaps again the data integrity cluster, if it has enough momentum to continue to thrive. The port also comes to mind as well as some of the cyber-work that happens with having two military bases so close is also not going anywhere.
• A social scene. More and more work happens outside the office, and more and more happens through "chance encounters." The white paper actually suggests a computerized system that could help people have productive and inspirational chance encounters (it is looking 20 years ahead after all). But meeting new people at crucial times is good for the brain and good for ideas. I'm thinking about 100th Monkey, the South Sound Technology Conference, and City Club (of course).

The Long Now

The report ended with this, which I'll quote in full:

"Regions need a leadership structure that can prepare for the "long now"–an extended view of how today's actions connect to future outcomes. Just like the massive science projects it will suport, building and supporting regional knowledge ecosystems will require sustained, coordinated effort over many years. This is not something that will be accomplished overight or under the influence or control of any one leadership group. This structure will need to bring about trans-generational hand off of stewardship over grand vision, to avoid the zigs and zags that kill most plans. It won't happen accidentally, so it needs to be "designed in" from teh beginning.

That's the first time I've heard the phrase "The Long Now" and I'm rather taken by it.

Here's the white paper in full (PDF form).

I think we can have a vibrant tech economy in Tacoma as one of our economic engines. With the benefits of the Port and the military, there are some very place-specific "sticky knowledge" I think we have the ability to leverage.