Cinco de Mayo provided a festive backdrop for the May 5 relaunch of the EDB’s Technology Cluster Acceleration Team. More than 50 members and guests attended the two-hour event at the Centeris South Hill data hub. They mingled with peers, heard from industry experts and got charged up about tech in Pierce County.

Good to be back together

The event marked the first time since the pandemic that the group has met in person. After two-plus years of virtual meetings, the excitement in the room was palpable.

“It’s a different style of communication that helps foster ideas, funding, collaborations and energy,” said Tech Cluster Co-chair Andrew Fry, Director of Industry Partnerships at the University of Washington Tacoma School of Engineering and Technology. “We’re ready to ramp up events and activities that advance the recruitment, retention and creation of new technology industry partners and economic growth here in Pierce County.”

The event provided space for tech startups to network and showcase their companies and featured presentations that spotlighted the economic impact of technology in Pierce County.

The future of health care: Delivering care where people are

According to MultiCare Health System Senior Vice President and Chief Information Officer Bradd Busick, more and more health care services – from appointment scheduling to billing to behavioral health and more – will be as close as your phone or favorite device. (And don’t be surprised to have your medications delivered via drone.)

Busick’s key takeaways?

• • Expect an accelerated move to outpatient care.
  • The capabilities we’re all familiar with in retail settings will merge into health care.
  • Health care systems will become more proactive and patient-centered.

Tacoma Arts Live: The Infinite offers journey into space

Tacoma Arts Live Executive Director David Fischer offered a preview of an exhilarating new exhibit that just landed at the Tacoma Armory. The Infinite: An Out of this World Immersive Experience transports viewers into space for a ride aboard the International Space Station.

“The Infinite is a unique intersection of technology and art, and like good art it evokes an emotional response,” Fischer said. “The vastness of space experienced in the exhibit opens our understanding of humanity’s fragility and power. It’s breathtaking.”

The Infinite is scheduled to run through July. Learn more about the exhibit here.

Other cluster work continues, with more on the horizon

The EDB’s Trade-Logistics Cluster Acceleration Team is also continuing its work to move the sector ahead, with specific focus on developing the industry’s talent pipeline. The team meets June 15.

“Throughout the pandemic and beyond, these teams continue to make our economic ecosystem even stronger,” said Tamsin Bell, EDB Vice President of Business Development, who oversees the EDB’s Acceleration Cluster teams. “They are helping to create dynamic solutions to ensure businesses in Pierce County continue to grow and thrive.”

Over the next few months, the EDB plans to begin building its new Aerospace Cluster Acceleration Team.

For more information about the EDB’s Cluster Acceleration work, contact Bell at [email protected].

The EDB extends a big thank you to our relaunch event sponsors: Tacoma Arts Live, Washington Minority Business Development Agency, Benaroya Company, Centeris South Hill data center and University of Washington Tacoma School of Engineering Technology.