Press Releases

To celebrate "Startup Week Across America," Congresswoman Suzan DelBene (D-WA) visited yesterday with local startups in the greater Seattle area to draw greater attention to the importance startups have on job creation and the economy. DelBene and other members of Congress are visiting local businesses this week across a variety of sectors to discuss the economic impact startups have on the nation.

“It was exciting to meet with these amazing startups and learn more about what they do. Our region is home to some of the most innovative entrepreneurs in the country, and we need to keep doing everything possible to foster a healthy startup ecosystem. Startups are critical to the strength of our economy, both locally and nationally. It was important to get feedback from these growing companies on what Congress can do to create an environment that affords them the opportunity to be successful,” said Rep. DelBene.

"We're delighted to have Congresswoman DelBene at The Riveter to connect with innovative startups in the Pacific Northwest. Her extensive background in tech and her support of the startup ecosystem highlights the economic power of women-led businesses and the importance of supporting female founders,” said Amy Nelson, Founder & CEO of The Riveter.

“I would like to thank Congresswomen Suzan DelBene for her tireless work for policies that increase research and development investments in new, emerging industries. Our startup company, TruMedicines, has been funded by an FDA grant to work on innovative mobile Ai technology to help fight the opioid crisis. We appreciate the efforts of the Congresswoman to highlight startups doing impactful and innovative work right here in Washington state,” said David Prokop, TruMedicines Founder/CEO.

In addition, Rep. DelBene visited Crowd Cow, which allows people to purchase exact cuts of meat from a farm and have it delivered to their home. She also met with CodeProof, which helps businesses secure, deploy and manage mobile applications and data. She finished her tour by meeting with Aqueduct Neurosciences, which does important work to improve the treatment of brain injuries.

According to The Kauffman Index, Washington state ranks 11th in startup activity among “large” states nationally. They are 15th in growth entrepreneurship and 16th in main street entrepreneurship.

Rep. DelBene is Vice-Chair of the New Democrat Coalition. She is a member of the House Ways and Means Committee and the House Budget Committee. She is also co-chair of the Women's High Tech Caucus and Internet of Things Caucus.