Small Business Forward in Seattle

October 21, 2014 – Small Business Forward is our five year, $30 million initiative that supports small businesses by connecting them to critical resources to help them grow faster, create jobs and strengthen local economies. In Seattle, we are working with Washington Interactive Network (WIN), a nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting, nurturing and growing the interactive media cluster in Washington State.

We are supporting several of WIN's programs that help interactive media entrepreneurs grow their businesses and create jobs. Specifically, we are funding training workshops provided by WIN that focus on the pressing needs of the fast-moving interactive media industry and discussion sessions with industry experts that offer current perspectives on industry trends and challenges. With our support, WIN is also helping companies new to exporting increase foreign sales and revenues by building relationships with distributors abroad that will facilitate easier access to new markets and help firms acquire new global customers.

Additionally, we will support WIN's efforts to leverage its relationships across the interactive media industry to host CEO Roundtables and industry convenings to help the broader community of interactive media firms in the Seattle area better understand where the industry is headed and how firms need to position themselves in order to be successful. Finally, WIN is using some of our support to enhance outreach to women and minority entrepreneurs in an effort to increase their participation in the industry and their connectivity to the cluster.

With a diverse population of approximately 3.7 million people, the Seattle region is home to some of the world's greatest entrepreneurs, educators and scientists. The region is expected to add approximately 1.4 million people and 1.1 million jobs by 2040.footnote 1 The Seattle area is consistently ranked as home to one of the most highly educated populations in the country, with 37 percent holding at least a bachelor's degree.footnote 2 We are proud to help catalyze the growth of this diverse and vibrant region.