Left to Right: Vince Bryan III, CEO of Whooshh; Sharon Sappington, SBDC export advisor; Brian Kraft, WSU assistant vice president for Innovation and Research Engagement; and Duane Fladland, state director of the Washington SBDC

Whooshh Innovations, creator of the so-called Salmon Cannon, was highlighted at the America’s Small Business Development Center’s Client Showcase on Capitol Hill last week.

Whooshh is a Seattle-based company headed by CEO Vince Bryan III that developed an innovative system that transports fish around barriers – including major hydropower dams – safely, efficiently and at less cost than traditional fish ladders.

According to Bryan, the Whooshh fish transport system is better for the health of fish populations than traditional fish ladders, but U.S. regulations intended to protect U.S. waterways make it difficult for new technology to gain approval. Bryan indicated that Europe has a faster approval process.

In early 2017 Whooshh executives began meeting with Sharon Sappington, the Washington Small Business Development Center (SBDC) export adviser based in Everett, for assistance on developing export and domestic strategies.

When Sappington learned of the challenges Whooshh was facing in the United States, she initiated a significant research project with the Washington SBDC Market Intelligence Research program to identify potential markets.

Thanks to the assistance from Washington SBDC, Whooshh continues to explore and develop new market opportunities for the Salmon Cannon both domestically and internationally.

“It’s extremely difficult for an entrepreneur to reach commercial viability with disruptive technology such as Whooshh fish transport because there is no existing market for the product,” Bryan said. “That’s why the no-cost services of the SBDC are so crucial.”

SBA Seattle District Office

updates.sba.gov

So, What do you think about this? does it hurt or help tribal land or encroach upon it and the health of our water ways ? -Nativegrl77