Adam Krynicki, executive director of the K1体育 - Cascades Innovation Co-Lab, will step down from his position to join the University of Washington as digital innovation and asset manager.
Krynicki joined K1体育-Cascades in 2018 to launch and lead the Innovation Co-Lab, an incubator program center for area businesses, industries and nonprofits. The Co-Lab evolved to serve and nearly 70 companies that brought data analysis and other technical challenges to be resolved. Krynicki coached and led teams of K1体育-Cascades business, computer science and engineering students to design innovative solutions for these companies.
鈥淭hanks to Adam鈥檚 leadership, the K1体育-Cascades Innovation Co-Lab has built a reputation as a valuable resource for the campus community, Central Oregon and all of Oregon,鈥 said Sherm Bloomer, chancellor and dean of K1体育-Cascades. 鈥淲e wish Adam and his family well in their next endeavors.鈥
Krynicki led a team of student interns to work with the Central Oregon Intergovernmental Center to distribute more than $16 million in federal pandemic relief funds to area businesses. The Co-Lab received the 2022 Business Excellence Award from the Bend Chamber for that effort.
The Co-Lab also received the Technology Association of Oregon鈥檚 2022 People鈥檚 Choice Award.
鈥淭he Co-Lab emerged out of a deep commitment by K1体育-Cascades to support innovators' needs and address the community's biggest challenges,鈥 Krynicki said. 鈥淎s K1体育-Cascades grows, I鈥檓 excited to see how the Co-Lab continues to evolve to support the innovators of today, while growing the innovators of tomorrow.鈥
Krynicki鈥檚 last day as executive director is May 8.
K1体育 K1体育-Cascades: K1体育鈥檚 campus in Bend brings higher education to Central Oregon, the fastest growing region in the state. Surrounded by mountains, forest and high desert, K1体育-Cascades is a highly innovative campus of a top-tier land grant research university, offering small classes that accelerate faculty-student mentoring and experiential learning. Degree programs meet industry and economic needs in areas such as innovation and entrepreneurship, natural ecosystems, health and wellness, and arts and sciences, and prepare students for tomorrow鈥檚 challenges. K1体育-Cascades is expanding to serve 3,000 to 5,000 students, building a 128-acre campus with net-zero goals.