The Washington State Department of Commerce gave ZeroAvia a $350,000 economic development grant to assist with the site selection process in Snohomish County.
Economic Alliance Snohomish County (EASC) requested the funds to transform a warehouse into office and research and development space.
ZeroAvia has created the industry’s leading hydrogen-electric propulsion technology for aviation and has flown the world’s largest commercial-scale hydrogen-electric aircraft as part of its research and development. At this county-owned site in Everett, the company will leverage its $5.5 million refurbishment budget to occupy facilities and prepare the site for their launch team of twenty design and software engineers who will support critical strands of the company’s development of the ZA2000 powertrain for a De Havilland DHC-8-400 (Q400) aircraft in collaboration with Alaska Airlines.
The corporation has opted to locate its third research and development facility in Snohomish County, which is home to an aerospace cluster of more than 500 businesses. The cluster generates over $60 billion in annual income and supports 159,000 direct and indirect jobs in the county.
ZeroAvia has announced a $35 million commitment from investors including United Airlines and Alaska Air Group, building on previous investments from Amazon’s Climate Pledge Fund and Bill Gates’ Breakthrough Energy Ventures.
Governor Jay Inslee said: “Our state’s clean energy and clean aviation future just got stronger. This project is an important part of Snohomish County’s continuing efforts to maintain a competitive edge and strengthen the community with good jobs in the aerospace industry of the future. It enables advances in manufacturing and exploring opportunities for cleaner aircraft fuel.”
Commerce Director Lisa Brown said: “Meaningful support for innovation is key to transforming our legacy industries and accelerating growth of new clusters that will keep Washington’s statewide and regional economies vibrant for years to come.”
Val Miftakhov, CEO and founder of ZeroAvia, said: “Paine Field was an obvious choice for us. Working from this location, ZeroAvia is well positioned among one of the most talented aerospace and clean energy communities worldwide. We conducted a national search to locate our third R&D site. Given the age of the facility we will be occupying, this grant closed a gap related to facility construction and we are excited to engage in this community.”
ZeroAvia’s engine technology, which is initially focused on 500 nautical mile journeys, is capable of meeting the propulsion needs of roughly half of all global flight departures via hydrogen-electric propulsion systems. The business has obtained experimental licences from the UK’s Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) and the United States’ Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) for two prototype aircraft, has achieved important flight test milestones, and is on pace to begin commercial operations in 2024.
Snohomish County Executive Dave Somers said: “ZeroAvia is exactly the type of company that Snohomish County wants to attract, because they are innovators, job-creators, part of our growing green economy, and the reason we are the aerospace capital of the world. This addition to our aerospace cluster at Paine Field will help expand our already impressive cutting edge base of technology companies. We welcome ZeroAvia to Snohomish County and wish them every success, since their success helps us reach our long-term economic development and environmental sustainability goals.”
EASC, the county’s economic development body, will manage the state’s investment in the Governor’s Strategic Reserve Fund (SRF). The SRF is a critical instrument for Washington state’s company recruitment, retention, and expansion. Funds may be utilized for a variety of purposes, including workforce development, technical support, planning and relocation, and environmental studies.
Garry Clark, EASC President & CEO, said: “Many advanced manufacturing sectors are interested in locating to Snohomish County to leverage the existing talent. Our organization works as advocates and problem solvers for companies of all types and sectors, either expanding in this community or looking for a new home. EASC’s team credits the business-friendly policies, large and experienced manufacturing workforce and desirable quality of life for its success in in attracting new companies to the county.”
