The University of Washington (UW) has a notable footprint in the startup and venture capital (VC) ecosystem. The University has shown ongoing commitment to entrepreneurship both within and outside the institution. They offer several integrated programs that promote a startup culture. Among those is the Buerk Center for Entrepreneurship, offering co-curricular programs such as business plan competitions and startup creation courses that have assisted students and faculty in launching their startups.
One successful story to mention is that of Yoky Matsuoka. A former professor at the UW, she went on to co-found Google's Nest, a company known for producing programmable, sensor-driven, and WiFi-enabled thermostats. In addition, Shwetak Patel, another professor at UW, co-founded Zensi, an energy monitoring company which was sold to Belkin in 2010.
The CoMotion Labs at UW serves as a multi-industry lab system hosting startups inside and outside the university. It aims to provide startups with the necessary tools and connections for success. Since its inception, CoMotion has helped establish over one hundred startups, contributing more than $350 million to the state's yearly revenues.
The UW’s Foster School of Business has the Arthur W. Buerk Center for Entrepreneurship that offers a Master of Science in Entrepreneurship. There are also student-led angel funds such as W Fund and Purple Arch Ventures that exclusively invest in the commercialization of innovations from the UW community.
In the realm of venture capital, alumni have also seen success. For instance, Nick Hanauer, a UW alumnus, is a successful venture capitalist with early investments in Amazon.
Moreover, the UW's innovation hub, CoMotion, fosters a strong connection between the university and the local business community, licensing technologies for companies and providing students and faculty with coaching, workshops, and networking events. It allows companies to tap into the university's research capabilities, providing a strong foundation for a startup community.
Such initiatives and particularities position the University of Washington as a significant player in the startup and venture capital ecosystem not only in the Pacific Northwest, but also on a national level.
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