Sirti Technology Center Overview

The Sirti Technology Center (STC) opened in February 2006, and accommodates additional tenants with flexible space sizes, short-term leases, state-of-the-art amenities and the important benefit of business assistance services. The STC brings a sparkling addition to the technology infrastructure in Eastern Washington.

Studies show that tenants of incubators like the STC are more likely to survive and grow than those companies that do not locate in incubator programs. The high rate of survival among Sirti alumni illustrates this advantage.

Offering nearly 30,000 square feet of space including wet labs, office and light manufacturing areas, the STC offers the following physical advantages:

• Short-term leases for all space types
• Flexibility in space size
• All labs plumbed with vacuum, compressed air, fixed and mobile casework
• Select labs with fume hoods and 100 percent outside air
• Two large conference room and shared reception area
• State-of-the-art telecommunications, VPN and video conference facilities

While modern incubator features like these are important to clients, it is the availability of business assistance services that help ensure success. Sirti’s services that accompany tenancy at the STC include:

• Business assessments
• Business and marketing plan review
• Industry market research and financial counseling
• Access to advisory boards and mentoring from senior technology executives and service providers
• Debt and equity financing introductions, either directly or through our partners

The STC was funded in part by a $3 million grant from the EDA. Funding from the EDA marked the first such grant to Spokane County. The agency, a division of the U.S. Department of Commerce, looks to assist projects that are regional, forward-looking and technology based.

Outside of a small amount of similar space in the current Sirti Building, no similar incubator space is available. Sirti’s addition of the STC fills an important gap.

Situated on the southern side of the growing Riverpoint campus, due east of the central business district, the STC pioneers the development of a large parcel of land that has lain inactive for nearly a half a century. Its presence serves as a catalyst for further development, both academic and commercial, in this area of the campus.

Lessons learned from the current Sirti facility and from incubator facilities across the U.S. were applied in the design of the STC. Two state-of-the-art conference rooms, complete with generous whiteboards, allow for both small and relatively large meetings.

As in the Sirti Building on Riverpoint Boulevard, a shared reception, common IT system and advanced telecommunication backbone allow fledgling technology companies to communicate effectively and create a powerful and appealing presence. Environmentally friendly, the STC also boasts energy efficiency and monitoring features.

For more information about the STC, please contact John Overby at (509) 358-2057 or via email at johno@sirti.org