Teams with ideas for improving government services in Bellevue can apply for stipends of $15,000 to $45,000 through a new civic technology challenge.

The Exchange Northwest partnership, which includes the City of Bellevue, Bellevue College, King County and Washington state, launched its second Civic Innovation Challenge at a forum Wednesday, Oct. 14, at Bellevue City Hall.

Selected teams will partner with city, county or state agencies on pilot projects running from January through June 2027, according to the city's announcement.

The program expects to award four to six teams, according to the city's Civic Innovation Challenge program page. Stipend amounts depend on the complexity of the solution and whether it applies to more than one government or education partner.

Most solutions will likely receive a stipend at the lower end of the scale, the city noted on its program page.

The first Civic Innovation Challenge launched in 2025. Four companies participated and showcased their products at a tech forum that year.

Applications are due this fall, though the city has not published a specific deadline. Participants must be at least 18 years old and authorized to sign a contract on behalf of themselves or their company.

Beyond the stipend, selected participants receive coaching from entrepreneurs, advisors and investors. They also get a civic design partnership with staff from the City of Bellevue, King County, Washington state or Bellevue College to help test and refine a product or service. Teams will have an opportunity to showcase their solutions for a civic tech audience at the end of the program.

AI ethics panel

The Oct. 14 forum at 450 110th Ave. NE also featured a panel billed as "Human-First AI: Exploring the Guardrails for a Shared Future." Four panelists were scheduled to discuss ethical guardrails for artificial intelligence in public institutions:

  • Onur Bakiner, political science professor and director of the Technology Ethics Initiative at Seattle University
  • Yuki Ishizuka, technology policy manager in the Washington State Attorney General's Office
  • Jai Jaisimha, cofounder of TransparencyCoalition.ai
  • Laura Ruderman, CEO of the Technology Alliance

The city described the panel as an exploration of how public agencies and private innovators can establish safeguards for AI while maintaining community trust.

Residents interested in the challenge can find application details at ExchangeNW.org.