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Published on January 16, 2025
Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell Unveils Climate Innovation Hub to Propel Green Economy and Rejuvenate DowntownSource: Seattle Office of the Mayor

Seattle's Mayor Bruce Harrell has launched a pioneering initiative aimed at boosting the city's green economy and revitalizing its downtown area. In a statement released by the Office of the Mayor, Harrell unveiled the Seattle Climate Innovation Hub (SCIH), a new downtown space dedicated to developing technology to fight climate change. This ambitious project is a collaborative effort between several key players including the City of Seattle’s Office of Economic Development, the University of Washington’s CoMotion Labs, the global climate community 9Zero, and the nonprofit funder and accelerator VertueLab.

The SCIH is set squarely in the city core, a move Harrell described as intentional, "Downtown runs on people and establishing this hub in our city core is intentional," he said, pointing to the advantages Seattle offers to climate tech and clean energy companies looking to flourish. According to the Office of the Mayor, climate tech involves an array of technologies and services aimed at decarbonizing the global economy and enhancing infrastructure resilience, ranging from clean energy to advanced battery storage and carbon capture.

Financing for the SCIH includes a $200k seed investment from the City's Office of Economic Development and an $85k contribution from the Washington Department of Commerce. The hub plans to foster a vibrant ecosystem offering co-working spaces, a business and technology incubator, and a gathering place for funders and investors, all situated on property owned by the University of Washington in downtown Seattle.

The University of Washington's Vice Provost for Innovation and CoMotion Director, François Baneyx, emphasized the role of the university in driving societal change through innovation. "The University of Washington is a driver of innovation that helps address the most pressing challenges we face as a society," Baneyx told Harrell's office. The partnership aims to link emerging clean-tech companies with industry experts and essential resources to ensure their success.

Additionally, the climate tech community is set to benefit from the partnership with 9Zero, which according to its CEO Duncan Logan, will create a much-needed density of professionals working in climate change, bolstering the competitive edge for all stakeholders. Aina Abiodun, Executive Director of VertueLab, states that access to catalytic capital for climate innovations is a critical factor in ensuring a just and equitable transition to a sustainable future for the region.