Building Tacoma’s Next Generation of Businesses

Innovation, entrepreneurship, and small business growth are happening right here in Tacoma.

From an idea sketched out on paper to a product ready for market, local entrepreneurs are building, creating, and growing businesses throughout Tacoma-Pierce County. And behind many of those businesses is an ecosystem of programs, organizations, and people working together to help them succeed.

Recently, Ryan Spence, Program Director for the Manufacturing Industrial Council, welcomed staff from Senator Patty Murray’s office to the Willamette Building for a firsthand look at the entrepreneurial ecosystem taking shape in our region.

The visit offered an opportunity to showcase the people and programs helping local entrepreneurs turn ideas into businesses, and businesses into opportunities for our community.

An Ecosystem Built for Entrepreneurs

Entrepreneurship doesn’t happen in isolation. It takes access to resources, mentorship, workspace, connections, and a community willing to invest in the people who are building something new.

Programs like the Tacoma Manufacturing Incubator, Spaceworks Tacoma, PCBA, and the Tacoma-Pierce County Chamber each play an important role in that ecosystem.

Together, these organizations help entrepreneurs navigate the challenges of starting and growing a business, whether that means developing a product, finding a place to manufacture, connecting with other business leaders, or gaining the knowledge and resources needed to take the next step.

The result is more than individual business growth. It’s an investment in a stronger, more innovative local economy.

Putting Local Entrepreneurs in the Spotlight

One of the most meaningful parts of the visit was hearing directly from entrepreneurs and emerging businesses participating in these programs.

Businesses including Perx, Tacoma Design Co., Gold Dust Tacoma, North Star Glove, and Nate Jackson Ink were there to share their experiences and give a firsthand look at what it means to build a business in Tacoma.

Their stories demonstrate what is possible when entrepreneurs have access to the right resources, and when a community creates space for them to experiment, create, manufacture, and grow.

These businesses represent different ideas, industries, and stages of growth, but they share something important: they are contributing to the future of our local economy.

From Ideas to Economic Opportunity

Supporting entrepreneurship isn’t just about helping someone start a business. It’s about creating pathways for innovation, job creation, investment, and long-term economic growth.

When a local entrepreneur turns an idea into a product, a product into a business, and a business into a growing company, the impact extends far beyond that individual.

It creates new opportunities for employees, suppliers, partners, customers, and the broader community.

That’s why building a strong entrepreneurial ecosystem matters.

Building a Place Where Businesses Can Thrive

At the Tacoma-Pierce County Chamber, we believe a thriving business community is one where businesses at every stage have the opportunity to succeed.

That means supporting established companies while also creating pathways for the next generation of entrepreneurs. It means bringing people together, connecting businesses to resources, and championing the ideas and individuals helping shape our region’s future.

We’re proud to be part of an ecosystem where local entrepreneurs can create, manufacture, grow, and thrive, and we’re excited to see what they build next.