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• high-demand technical skills, and linking Washington's regional industries with
<br /> state and federal innovation initiatives. Through ACTT, Old Heat becomes not just
<br /> a facility, but the mechanism by which the region participates directly in
<br /> A PRODUCT MARKET ANALYSIS LINKED TO ECONOMIC Washington's statewide innovation ecosystem.
<br /> DEVELOPMENT: OLD HEAT: A MULTIPLICATIVE ENTERPRISE Kittitas County, with a population of roughly 44,000, sits between two powerful
<br /> FOR REGIONAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT economic hubs: the Yakima Valley to the south and the Seattle Metro Area to
<br /> the west. Yet, despite this location, Kittitas County lags significantly behind its
<br /> neighbors in median wages and industrial composition.As shown in Map A:
<br /> Each program element within Old Heat is intentionally structured to deliver on the Median Wages and Wage Growth by County, Kittitas County's median household
<br /> project's four objectives: 1) creating high-wage employment, 2) commercializing income of$69,928 trails far behind King County's$135,075 and even lags the
<br /> and diffusing technology statewide, 3) reusing state assets efficiently, and 4) state median of$94,605. While Yakima County shares similar wage limitations
<br /> demonstrating a model for replicable Eastern—Western Washington economic ($69,525), it maintains a stronger base industry cluster in agriculture that Kittitas
<br /> alignment. County lacks.
<br /> The project is a component of a larger/multi government/industry effort to _
<br /> address the region's lack of growth in high-value industries that is already
<br /> $57b33 2,0 s,..a.
<br /> underway and funded by industry and government agencies for the same 26% 4% $61.4Q
<br /> purpose. For example, the National Science Foundation is funding this effort for $65.70
<br /> 18%
<br /> CWU to"increase institutional and regional capacity"for advanced technology
<br /> and workforce development in the region. These industries targeted are $66,082
<br /> Dougi°s
<br /> 22% $68,736
<br /> 20% "cow
<br /> those that typically drive wage increases, career pathways, innovation, and $63,835 13%
<br /> reinvestment into local communities.Also, for example, there is a Congressional
<br /> Gr"ye Horoor 19%
<br /> $66,820
<br /> Directed Spending Request to launch the "Advanced Competitive Technology �;6%2 $65,,2%08 30% a°om,
<br /> $55.536
<br /> Institute"that has passed first approval from the 2025 US Congress. This project 12%
<br /> is designed to integrate the deployment of general-purpose technology such as Pe hl R$;6�5042$60,798 $65.790v"kim" $62,254
<br /> Al, blockchain, robotics, within existing regional businesses' operations to 13%$63660 ,6% $57,762 21%
<br /> make them more competitive at the national and international levels. Per the Wahkiakum% ,3% $U,251 $63.461
<br /> 16%
<br /> Regional Contribution Continuum (RCC) model, it is intended to move existing $67,37i
<br /> and new businesses from "Retentive"and "Additive" into the "Accelerative"
<br /> category where they serve to build base industries in the regional base.
<br /> Exhibit 3:
<br /> The Advanced Competitive Technology Institute (ACTT)will serve as the applied Data Source: WA State Employment Security Department:https://esd.wa.gov/
<br /> commercialization and technology-diffusion arm of Old Heat.Anchored at Central jobs-and-training/labor-market-information/employment-and-wages/medi-
<br /> Washington University's Business and Community Services division,ACTI is an-and-hourly-wages
<br /> designed to connect research institutions, manufacturers, and rural enterprises
<br /> through hands-on programs that translate innovation into production. Its core Data was aggregated using State Quarterly Wage Data and the LED (Local Em-
<br /> functions include helping firms adopt advanced technologies, training workers in ployment Dynamics) report from the US Census Bureau and State Databases
<br /> 34 1 Old Heat CERB Feasibility Study
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