Home to a myriad of tech startups and success stories, Whatcom County is the launch pad for internationally-recognized tech companies, like Alpha Technologies, Silfab Solar, and Corvus Energy. With four higher-educational institutions, a bustling downtown, and an incredible quality of life, Whatcom County is the ideal place to start, grow, or relocate your tech company.
Whatcom County offers a truly collaborative approach to innovation. Makerspaces, like The Foundry bring innovators together—allowing them to use their skills as a team and explore new ideas. Likewise, coworking spaces, like Invent Coworking bring freelancers and founders together, so they can connect and learn from one another. Our creative and welcoming community allows new ideas to thrive.
Whatcom County boasts four post-secondary educational institutions that offer an array of technology and technology adjacent programs, degrees, certificates, and skills training programs, includes Western Washington University, Whatcom Community College, Bellingham Technical College, and Northwest Indian College. Plus, just 90 miles south of us is the University of Washington, which was ranked as the sixth best computer science program in the country in 2022 by US News; Seattle is also the #2 “Technology Hiring Hot Spot” in the country.
Whatcom Community College is at the forefront of cybersecurity education. The college is 1 of only 4 national Advanced Technology Education Centers, ensuring our area’s leadership in workforce and business development in this critical field.
The Northwest Resource Innovation Center (NWIRC), Technology Alliance Group (TAG), along with local coworking spaces and colleges, keep the calendar filled with tech events all year long.
From makerspace workshops on 3D printing, to TAG’s recurring tech and networking events, to the NWIRC’s Data Workshop for Businesses, to the Startup Weekend Challenge—which gives innovators 54 hours to develop and pitch their ideas to investors—there are plenty of opportunities to learn from current tech professionals, recruit talent, and show-off your ideas.
Loans, grants, and investors are all available within Whatcom County. The Bellingham Angel Group has been funding new ideas for more than a decade, while the Port of Bellingham, Ignite Northwest, Washington Access Fund, and others all provide local funding opportunities specifically for tech companies. Search our Financing page to learn more.
Doing business in Whatcom County is win-win: you get to live in one of the most naturally beautiful places in the world, while still having access to two huge metropolitan cities—Seattle, WA and Vancouver, BC. While Whatcom County gets to maintain its safe and tight-knit environment, you get to benefit from having 7 million customers within a 90-mile radius.
Bellingham just passed a new technology levy to enrich access to technology in K-12 education. Bellingham is now on route to becoming a 1:1 district with strong community support. With world renowned educators, and innovative pedagogy, Bellingham is a great place to raise ambitious, tech-savvy children.
