NWIRC Announces Launch of Amazon Catalyst Competition

Published on June 05, 2020

NW Innovation Resource Center Announces Launch of Amazon Catalyst Competition to Discover and Reward Big Ideas around Transportation and the City of Lynnwood

Lynnwood residents are encouraged to submit their proposals for the chance to win up to $10,000 in prizes

Amazon

Lynnwood, WA - June 5, 2020.  Today, the NW Innovation Resource Center announced that it is launching an Amazon Catalyst competition to discover and reward big ideas to residents in the City of Lynnwood with Transportation. These big ideas could focus on a wide variety of things such as multi-modal connectivity, public transit, transportation infrastructure, or urban/suburban movement. The contest kicks off today, and residents of Lynnwood are encouraged to submit their proposals via catalyst.amazon.com/nwirc-lynnwoodwa beginning June 1 through July 31st, 2020.    

Amazon Catalyst competitions look to supercharge innovation by encouraging people in all fields to think big, invent solutions to real-world problems, and make a positive impact on the world.  In a post-COVID 19 world, big ideas will be needed to help communities recover and reignite local businesses. The competition is open to all residents over the age of 18 who live in zip codes associated with the City of Lynnwood. Winning proposals will be selected by a panel of judges from NWIRC and awarded a total of up to $10,000 in prizes. Details can be found on catalyst.amazon.com/nwirc-lynnwoodwa

At the convergence of I-5 and I-405, Highway 99 and State Route 525, Lynnwood’s location provides superior access to Seattle, the East side, North end, Paine Field and more. Additionally, the Lynnwood City Center Station of the Lynnwood Link light rail station is scheduled to open for service in 2023. Transportation is a critical factor in the economic success and the quality of life of our community. There is a great potential for innovations regarding transportation and the impacts of transportation on our daily lives.  

“Lynnwood is a designated Regional Growth Center and the transportation hub of South Snohomish County.  As transit-oriented development begins to take off in our City Center, the opening of the Lynnwood Link light rail approaches, we have the opportunity to make some amazing impacts in the future of our City. Years of planning and collaboration have set us up to become a community that is well-served by transit and provides a high quality of living, commerce, recreation and more,” said Nicola Smith, Mayor of Lynnwood.  “Our collaboration with NW Innovation Resource Center and its Amazon Catalyst competition is a meaningful way for us to benefit from the great innovative thinking among the residents of our City and seek out and reward bold solutions to this pressing problem and opportunity.” 

Residents in the Lynnwood area who are interested in participating in NWIRC’s Amazon Catalyst competition should: 

  • Dream big about how to build innovative transportation related ideas, that make a 10x improvement to the status quo. 
  • Submit a proposal with a brief description of the problem and their solution via catalyst.amazon.com/nwirc-lynnwoodwa by July 31, 2020.  

The Amazon Catalyst program is a unique opportunity for organizations to encourage their community to share their big ideas of how to help. This program gives them a place to launch the next big idea, right in their own hometown.    

 About NW Innovation Resource Center

The NW Innovation Resource Center is a nonprofit organization that builds innovation capacity within northwest Washington.  It assists entrepreneurs and inventors in developing their individual business strategy and execution as they move from idea to success and add to the economic resilience of the region.  For more details please visit www.nwirc.com.  

About City of Lynnwood

Incorporated in 1959, Lynnwood is the economic hub of South Snohomish County. Situated at the convergence of interstates I- 5 and I-405, Lynnwood’s accessibility, variety of housing and employment options, colleges and outstanding park system attract a wide variety of businesses and residents. For its diverse population of more than 38,000, Lynnwood is a great place to live, work and play. Lynnwood Moving Forward: Our Community Vision – the City will be a regional model for a sustainable, vibrant community with engaged citizens and accountable government. Lynnwood is…a great deal more!

Contact:

Lara Merriam-Smith, NW Innovation Resource Center
360-255-7870
LSmith@nwirc.com  

Julie Moore, City of Lynnwood
425-670-5023
jmoore@LynnwoodWA.gov