Thursday, July 30, 2009

TechLife Profile - Michael Camp

Dr. S. Michael Camp
Principal at The Ohio State Technology Entrepreneurship and Commercialization Program


Principal at The Ohio State Technology Entrepreneurship and Commercialization Program
Academic Director at Center for Entrepreneurship, The Ohio State University

Principal at Advanced Research Technologies

Education The Ohio State University - The Max M. Fisher College of Business

Public Profile http://www.linkedin.com/pub/dr-s-michael-camp/7/988/a56

Emerson and Sun Announce Global Sales Alliance

Emerson and Sun Announce Global Sales Alliance; Design Energy-Efficient Next-Generation Datacenter Solution for Sandia National Laboratories

COLUMBUS, Ohio, and SANTA CLARA, Calif. – July 30, 2009 – Emerson Network Power, a business of Emerson (NYSE: EMR) and a global leader in enabling Business-Critical Continuity(TM), and Sun Microsystems, Inc. (NASDAQ: JAVA) today announced a global sales alliance that will help provide businesses and organizations with roadmaps and technologies to increase the productivity and energy efficiency of their datacenters. Globally, datacenter energy consumption is driven by businesses’ demand for greater computing capacity and increased IT centralization. When combined with increasing global electricity prices, the financial implications are significant. To find out more about these solutions, visit: sun.com/datacenter.

According to the Environmental Protection Agency, it is estimated that U.S. corporations and public agencies spent $4.5 billion in 2006 to power their datacenters, and national datacenter energy consumption could nearly double in the next five years to more than $7.4 billion annually, making datacenter efficiency a leading priority for customers. The power and cooling infrastructure that supports IT equipment in datacenters can account for more than 50 percent of total data center energy consumption.

To address the need for energy-efficiency improvements, Sun´s datacenter efficiency consultants will work directly with Emerson’s local Liebert power, cooling and services specialists throughout the world to assess, develop and maintain solutions to a variety of customer datacenter problems. The companies will deliver not only the plans but also the products and services for improved data center productivity and efficiency.

Dr. Robert W. Leland, director, Computing and Network Services Center at Sandia National Laboratories, an organization served by the joint Sun-Emerson Network Power alliance, explains, “Right away, we recognized the great value of our association with Sun and Emerson Network Power, and we believe that our collaboration on a new and highly advanced HPC (High-Performance Computing) solution will provide leading-edge performance to our customers with substantially less environmental impact and much lower lifetime cost than the other options we had considered.”

The Sun Professional Services and Emerson Network Power alliance led to a jointly designed, energy-efficient solution for Sandia National Laboratories. Specifically, the bundled solution includes Sun(TM) Cooling Door systems, Sun Blade(TM) X6275 server modules and Emerson’s Liebert XD precision cooling technology, which removes heat at the source, requires minimal datacenter footprint and helps avoid costly datacenter makeovers.

Amy O´Connor, vice president of marketing, Sun Services, said, “Datacenter efficiency is a leading priority for our customers and our alliance with Emerson will help enable us to collaboratively assess a customer´s current IT operations and identify opportunities to increase productivity and improve efficiency of the datacenter. Together, we’ll help customers minimize capital investments that can be used to fund changes based on the savings from operational costs—an appealing approach in today´s economy.”

Bob Bauer, Emerson group vice president and Liebert global president, added, “Our vision for this program is centered on the enterprise customer who needs to increase productivity, improve efficiency and optimize capital investments. We worked successfully with Sun on numerous technology development projects, including Sun’s own datacenters. We are looking forward to extending this relationship to the front lines of both organizations to deliver the flexibility and efficiency our joint customers require.”

###

About Emerson Network Power
Emerson Network Power, a business of Emerson (NYSE:EMR), is the global leader in enabling Business- Critical Continuity™ from grid to chip for telecommunication networks, datacenters, health care and industrial facilities. Emerson Network Power provides innovative solutions and expertise in areas including AC and DC power and precision cooling systems, embedded computing and power, integrated racks and enclosures, power switching and controls, monitoring, and connectivity. All solutions are supported globally by local Emerson Network Power service technicians. Liebert power, precision cooling and monitoring products and services from Emerson Network Power improve the utilization and management of datacenter and network technologies by increasing IT system availability, flexibility and efficiency. For more information, visit: www.Liebert.com, www.EmersonNetworkPower.com or www.eu.EmersonNetworkPower.com.

About Emerson
Emerson (NYSE: EMR), based in St. Louis, Missouri (USA), is a global leader in bringing technology and engineering together to provide innovative solutions to customers through its network power, process management, industrial automation, climate technologies, and appliance and tools businesses. Sales in fiscal 2008 were $24.8 billion, and Emerson is ranked 94th on the Fortune 500 list of America’s largest companies. For more information, visit www.Emerson.com.

Ohio Nanotech Industry Leaders to Present at Nano Convergence Conference in New Mexico

CLEVELAND, July 28 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Executives from Ohio's most promising nanotechnology companies will present at the upcoming Nano Convergence Conference, October 26-27 in Albuquerque, New Mexico. The event is being hosted by the Nano-Network of New Mexico, in partnership with the Micro and Nanotechnology Commercialization Education Foundation (MANCEF), the Bi National Sustainability Laboratory, and the Ibero American Science & Technology Education Consortium (ISTEC). The purpose of the conference is to foster collaboration and partnerships with interested parties from the Southwest Nano Community, Ohio, Latin America/Caribbean, and Europe to accelerate nanotechnology research and development in energy, mining/minerals, biotech, green chemistry, electronics, and defense sectors.

Conference participation from Ohio companies is the result of an ongoing collaboration between the Nano-Network of Ohio and Nano-Network of New Mexico. Created in 2006, the Nano-Network of New Mexico is based on the Ohio model to promote nanotechnology business, networking and educational activities throughout the state of New Mexico.

"I am pleased Ohio's Nano-Network model has been successfully adopted by the Nano-Network of New Mexico. The co-branding allows both organizations to work for the public good of micro and nanotechnology commercialization, education and economic development in the states of Ohio and New Mexico. We also support New Mexico's recent efforts to engage other states in the Southwest community to develop critical mass surrounding nanotechnology development and commercialization," said Alexis Abramson, Ph.D., Executive Director of the Northeast Ohio Nano-Network and Associate Professor at Case Western Reserve University.

Ohio presenters include Scott Rickert, Ph.D., President and CEO, Nanofilm (Valley View, Ohio); John Finley, Chairman and CEO, MemPro Ceramics Corporation (Akron, Ohio and Copper Mountain, Colorado); John Tucker, Lead Industry Consultant, Keithley Instruments (Solon, Ohio); Arthur Fritts, President and CEO, NanoSperse LLC (Kettering, Ohio); and Hiroshi Yokoyama, Ph.D., Professor of Chemical Physics and Ohio Research Scholar, at Kent State University's Liquid Crystal Institute (Kent, Ohio).

"The nanotechnology-related synergies between Ohio and New Mexico are very complementary, particularly in the advanced materials, energy and defense sectors. I look forward to exploring these synergies with our counterparts in New Mexico and continuing to strengthen our relationships to accelerate nanotechnology developments now and in the future," said Scott Rickert, Ph.D., President and CEO, of Nanofilm.

Additional invited speakers for the conference include: Bob Hwang, Director, Center for Integrated Nanotechnologies (CINT); Tom Bowles, Governor Bill Richardson's Technology Advisor; Steve Walsh, Ph.D., Co-Director of the Technology Management Center, University of New Mexico and founding President, MANCEF; Fred Mondragon, Economic Development Secretary, State of New Mexico; and Scott Bryant, Executive Director, MANCEF; and many more.

On October 27, conference organizers will also host a Business Matchmaking event designed to facilitate meetings between business interests and research institutions, as well as provide a forum for accelerating SME formation and venture funding for Latin American startups in an effort to spur regional and international economic development. The Bi-National Sustainability Laboratory is pleased to announce that together with its principal partners and sponsoring organizations it will hold a one day conference entitled: "A New Bi-National Energy Future: Biofuels and Solar Policy Summit" on October 26, 2009. High level officials, experts and individuals, representing all levels of government, industry and academic/research communities from Mexico and the U.S. will be invited to consider critical issues relevant to creating a new bi-national energy future in the U.S.-Mexico border region.

For more information, visit www.mancef.org/nnnm. For more information contact Scott Bryant, MANCEF Executive Director, 505-255-1826 or info@mancef.org.

About The Nano-Network of Northeast Ohio:

The Nano-Network was formed by scientists, entrepreneurs and financiers to improve and expand nanotechnology research and commercialization activities and capacities in Northeast Ohio, and throughout the nation. The Nano-Network is one of the largest and best-known privately funded, "grass roots" nanotechnology organizations in the U.S. The Nano-Network is currently managed by NorTech (www.nortech.org), a regional economic development organization that champions growth in Northeast Ohio's high tech economy. NorTech's relationship with the Nano-Network has provided the group with structure, contacts and resources to further promote nanotechnology in Ohio and the United States. www.nano-network.org

Wednesday, July 29, 2009

Grange Life Insurance Company Integrates Xpertdoc as Preferred Document Output Solution

Grange Life Insurance Company Integrates Xpertdoc as Preferred Document Output Solution

Grange Life is an Ohio-based regional life insurance company serving 120,000 policyholders with life and financial protection products. The existing document output management system was in need of upgrading. When the decision was made to shift to more robust technologies that would meet the needs of the growing firm, Management at Grange Life wanted to ensure a "Best of Breed" template design and document output facility. Xpertdoc was brought in to address the diverse and complex needs of their Business Users.

    "We looked at many solutions, but the only one both flexible and fast
enough for demanding application was Xpertdoc. They are a great team to
work with and their product solution will provide us with a powerful and
efficient document solution for our insurance policyholders."

Martin Dinehart, Vice President - Life Operations
Grange Life Insurance Company

"This application of Xpertdoc at Grange Life was another confirmation to us of the growing need within the Insurance sector for powerful interactive document output functionality - provided to the Business User for access directly on their desktop" comments Francis Dion, Xpertdoc's CEO and founder. "Working within the context of Microsoft Word, Xpertdoc brings immediate value to DOM initiatives by leveraging Business Users' current skills and familiar productivity tools."

About Grange Insurance

Grange Insurance, with $2 billion in assets and $1.3 billion in annual revenue, is an insurance provider based in Columbus, Ohio. Through its network of independent agents, Grange offers auto, home, life and business insurance protection. Established in 1935, the company and its affiliates serve policyholders in Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia and Wisconsin. For more information, visit www.grangeinsurance.com


New Steadywash(TM) Platform Solves Washing Machine Vibration Problems

New Steadywash(TM) Platform Solves Washing Machine Vibration Problems

COLUMBUS, Ohio, July 28 /PRNewswire/ -- Noisy and damaging washing machine vibrations could become a thing of the past, thanks to the new Steadywash(TM) vibration isolation platform. Produced by Ohio Steel Industries through a strategic partnership with inventor Seicon Limited, the Steadywash platform sits beneath a washing machine and keeps up to 95 percent of the vibration from transferring to the floor.

"We are excited to introduce a true solution to a difficult problem that many consumers have faced for a long time by offering a platform that incorporates the best vibration-reduction technology available." said Tom Martini, CEO of Ohio Steel Industries, "The Steadywash platform works with all major brands of front-load washing machines and can eliminate the need for expensive home renovations in first- and second-floor laundry rooms."

Seicon Limited develops and licenses proprietary technology for isolating and controlling vibration and shocks. Seicon developed the Steadywash platform at the request of Neil Drobny, the owner of a front-loading washing machine that vibrated so forcibly during the spin cycle that it rattled dishes in his china cabinet. Seicon then learned that front-loading washing machines often generated vibration problems ranging from keeping babies awake at night to making it impossible to watch television in adjoining rooms.

"Our patented technology virtually eliminates vibration-related problems, and the Steadywash platform will last at least as long as the washing machine," said Fred B. Miller, president and CEO of Seicon Limited. "In testing, the Steadywash platform continued to perform perfectly even after 5,000 hours of wash time."

Drobny says the Steadywash platform solved his problem. "As a result of Seicon's innovative platform design, we were able to retain our environmentally friendly front loader washer, which we otherwise would have had to sell in order to protect our house from the excessive vibration caused by the ultra high spin cycle," he said.

Front-loading washing machines clean better, are more energy efficient and use less water than conventional top-loading machines. But because they also spin faster and revolve perpendicular to the floor, some machines create noisy vibrations that can even cause structural damage to the home. In homes with first- or second-floor laundry rooms, some manufacturers recommend reinforcing laundry-room floors to combat the problem.

Existing solutions consist primarily of rubber feet or mats that eliminate only a fraction of the vibration and can undergo excessive wear. Washing machines also have been known to fall off rubber feet, causing damage to the washing machine and the floor.

At 2 3/4" high and 27" square, the Steadywash platform is much slimmer than the aesthetic pedestals that manufactures sell to raise washers and dryers off the floor.

More information about the Steadywash platform, including a list of retailers, can be found at www.steadywash.com. Manufacturer's suggested pricing is $199.95. A matching dryer platform is available at a suggested price of $69.95.

About Ohio Steel Industries

Founded in 1958, Ohio Steel Industries is a Columbus, Ohio-based diversified manufacturing concern in the structural steel, metal fabrication, and plastic extrusion industries. For more information, visit www.ohiosteel.com.

About Seicon Limited

Based in Columbus, Ohio, Seicon Limited is primarily engaged in the development, marketing and licensing of proprietary technology for isolating and controlling vibration and shocks generated by seismic and mechanical activity across a wide range of frequencies, reducing transmission by 90 percent or more. Applications range from consumer appliances, machinery, buildings, bridges and roadways to aircraft, ships and vehicles of all types. To learn more, visit www.seicon.org.

TedTalks Gordon Brown: Wiring a web for global good

About this talk

We're at a unique moment in history, says UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown: we can use today's interconnectedness to develop our shared global ethic -- and work together to confront the challenges of poverty, security, climate change and the economy.

About Gordon Brown

Britain's Prime Minister Gordon Brown played a key role in shaping the G20 nations' response to the world's financial crisis and has been a powerful advocate for a coordinated global response…



Tuesday, July 28, 2009

14ninetytwo - A video intro to Columbus' newest virtual incubator for web and mobile apps

Learn more from Willie Neumann about 14ninetytwo - Columbus' newest virtual incubator for web and mobile apps

Whole Food Lunch to benefit the Waste Not Center

Save the Date !

Sunday, August 16, 2009

Support our Teachers and Artists

Benefit the Waste Not Center *

Have lunch at the Whole Foods – Dublin Giving Grill
(Rt. 161 -- east of Sawmill Rd.)

From 12 noon to 4 PM, on Sunday, August 16 Whole Foods’ Dublin Giving Grill will be selling grilled sandwiches for $2-4 each and beverages for $1 ea. 50 % of the proceeds will be donated to the Waste Not Center.

Bring the whole family! Friends too!

The Waste Not Wizard will be there and will be available for photos with the kids. Every child will get a souvenir pack of crayons.

The Waste Not Center van will also be there to accept donations of school supplies to strengthen our inventory for the coming school year. Clean out that closet or basement and bring what you no longer need on August 16. See our website for details on what we accept.

______________________________________________________________________
*The Waste Not Center (www.wastenotcenter.org) accepts donations of no-longer-needed materials and supplies that would otherwise go to the landfill and makes them available to teachers and artists. Every year the Center diverts over 50 tons of material from the landfill and provides teachers and artists in Central Ohio with supplies which they value at over $300,000 and that they could not afford to purchase.

Velocys, OSU secure Third Frontier dollars - Business First of Columbus:

Velocys, OSU secure Third Frontier dollars - Business First of Columbus:

A Battelle spinoff and Ohio State University’s Center for Automotive Research are moving forward with two key technology projects after securing a final OK for state funding.

The state Controlling Board approved a $4 million grant from Ohio’s Third Frontier program for Plain City-based Velocys Inc. The company is continuing development on its microchannel hydroprocessing technology, a process that converts waste to biofuels.

Velocys was founded in 2001 within Columbus research and development giant Battelle and last year was acquired by a United Kingdom firm.

The Controlling Board also approved the first $500,000 of $3 million in Third Frontier dollars headed to OSU’s automotive center. The university is working with a number of companies, including Columbus-based American Electric Power Company Inc. (NYSE:AEP), to develop market-ready electric vehicles, including buses and trucks. The grant, the center said, will pay for a new testing facility that will help speed the conversion from gas to electric.


Neoprobe unlocks more financing from Platinum Montaur - Business First of Columbus:

Neoprobe unlocks more financing from Platinum Montaur - Business First of Columbus:

Medical device developer Neoprobe Corp. has locked in millions of dollars in additional financing from a key investor as it moves closer to completing pre-market testing of its cancer-detecting Lymphoseek drug.

The Dublin company this week said New York investor Platinum Montaur Life Sciences LLC has agreed to exercise all 6 million stock warrants it had been issued, a move that will result in $3.45 million in proceeds by October. Platinum Montaur, which signed a financing accord with Neoprobe in late 2007, had until December 2013 to cash in the warrants.

Neoprobe (OTC BB:NEOP) this week also tweaked provisions of its agreement with the medical investment fund that make a $7 million note fully convertible into stock and will lead to the issuing of another $2.3 million worth of stock warrants.

Neoprobe locked in $13 million in financing from Platinum Montaur over the course of a year as it mounted clinical testing of Lymphoseek, which identifies the lymph node to which fluid drains first from a breast cancer or melanoma tumor site. The company also is making strides in the development of Rigscan, a diagnostic tool for colorectal cancer that fell short of Food and Drug Administration approval more than a decade ago.

“The additional financial resources provided by the exercise of the warrants assure the financial resources to complete the development of Lymphoseek and to prepare for the commencement of a new phase 3 evaluation of the Rigs technology,” CEO David Bupp said in a release.

Bupp said some changes to the company’s financing agreement with the investor also reduce non-cash liabilities on its balance sheet.

Lymphoseek is on its way to the second leg of the third and final clinical-trial phase, with marketing clearances from U.S. and European regulators up ahead. The Rigscan technology has received favorable assessments from European regulators while a review by the FDA awaits.

Dr. Michael Goldberg, a Montaur principal, called Neoprobe an excellent investment opportunity but said it’s pushing the company to boost shareholder value by assessing its strategic options with an investment bank. Neoprobe, which employs 25, lost $5.2 million on $7.9 million in revenue last year.


CallCopy's Solutions Helping Companies Succeed in Down Economy

CallCopy cc: Discover Rated Compliant on Avaya Aura Platform

Call recording product suite undergoes successful compliance testing on newest version of Avaya IP communications platform

COLUMBUS, Ohio – July 28, 2009 – CallCopy, a leading provider of innovative call recording and contact center solutions, today announced that its cc: Discover product suite is rated compliant with key IP communications platform solutions from Avaya, a leading global provider of business communications applications, systems and services.

cc: Discover enables organizations to optimize operational efficiencies by delivering innovative call recording, quality management, screen capture, and performance management capabilities. The product suite has been compliance-tested by Avaya for compatibility with Avaya Aura™ Communication Manager 5.2 with Avaya Aura™ AES 4.2.

“Avaya is a recognized leader in the business telephony market. Through tight product integration and compliance testing, we are able to offer our joint customers a more cost-effective solution,” said Patrick Hall, vice president of product management of CallCopy. “As a longtime member of the DevConnect program, we have a tradition of offering high-quality products with tight integration to Avaya. This latest certification on the Aura platform further strengthens our line of Avaya-certified solutions. In combination with Avaya, we are dedicated to helping companies incorporate new technology easily and cost-effectively and uncover new possibilities for getting more out of their communications infrastructure.”

Avaya’s DevConnect program is an initiative to develop, market and sell innovative third-party products that interoperate with Avaya technology and extend the value of a company’s investment in its network. As a Gold member of the program, CallCopy is eligible to submit products for compatibility testing to the Avaya Solution Interoperability and Test Lab in Lincroft, N.J. Avaya engineers there develop a comprehensive test plan for each product to verify whether it is Avaya compliant. Doing so ensures businesses can confidently add best-in-class capabilities to their network without having to replace their existing infrastructure—speeding deployment of new applications and reducing both network complexity and implementation costs.

“By offering compliance testing to the many innovative companies like CallCopy who are members of our DevConnect program, Avaya promotes fully interoperable solutions that help businesses unleash powerful new possibilities,” said Eric Rossman, vice president, developer relations and technical alliances, Avaya. “They are able to use Unified Communications to connect employees and customers to information from wherever they are, over whatever device they have available – getting more out of their multivendor network and delivering new value to their bottom line.”

About CallCopy

Through its commitment to the highest standards of customer and employee satisfaction, CallCopy has established itself as a leading provider of innovative performance management solutions. The highly scalable, award winning cc: Discover Suite delivers advanced call recording, screen capture, quality monitoring, speech analytics, customer satisfaction survey and workforce management capabilities to contact centers, trading desks, financial institutions and healthcare providers worldwide.

CallCopy empowers organizations to gather business intelligence, which is leveraged to maximize performance through improved employee retention, compliance with government regulations, and a more customer-centric environment.

For more information, visit www.callcopy.com.

Local company Qwirk mentioned in WSJ - Start-Ups Share Space to Shave Costs - WSJ.com

Start-Ups Share Space to Shave Costs - WSJ.com

For three years, Tobias Roediger and a friend spent their spare time in Mr. Roediger's basement working on a dream: starting a small digital-film and visual-effects company. When Mr. Roediger lost his full-time job as a computer-lab supervisor in June, the friends decided it was time to launch the company -- and move out of the basement.

They were able to afford the move by "co-working," a rental arrangement in which the tenants -- usually small-business owners and professionals -- share space and office equipment, and pay short-term leases, usually month to month. Some co-working spaces feature groups of desks positioned in open rooms; others have individual offices. Many provide certain amenities such as a receptionist, kitchen or game room.

Jared Vorkavich

Tobias Roediger runs his digital-film company in a shared office space he rents from Qwirk for $500 a month.

For entrepreneurs, it's a cheaper and more flexible alternative to renting or buying space of their own. The 32-year-old Mr. Roediger and his partner contracted with Qwirk Columbus Corp., a recently opened co-working space in downtown Columbus, Ohio, to pay $500 a month for two desks in an office, computers with Wi-Fi, use of conference rooms, a shared printer/copy/fax machine, espresso maker and more. Mr. Roediger estimates he's saving $300 to $400 per month on utility bills and not having to rent space he doesn't need.

It's also a much more social setting than Mr. Roediger's basement. "The thing that really drew me was the ability to work with a lot of other creative people," says Mr. Roediger, who adds that the shared space is good for networking, too: He says he's been talking to an advertising company on the premises about a possible deal.

Sharing office space with other businesses isn't new, but the tanking economy has prompted many small-business owners to consider it as they look for any practical way to lower overhead costs.

Some providers of co-working space are also offering reduced rates and even giving entrepreneurs opportunities to barter their services in return for paying no rent at all.

In February, Office Nomads LLC of Seattle started giving a "Pink Slip Special" to customers who were recently laid off, offering a free one-month membership worth $375. Overall, a dozen people took advantage of the offer, which ended last month, says Susan Evans, co-owner of Office Nomads.

Winnie Fung, a manager of the Change You Want to See Gallery, a nonprofit co-working space in Brooklyn, N.Y., says she sees a lot more bartering than she did a few years ago. At least three or four people from the 10 in her co-working space have partially or fully bartered their services for desk space, she says.

Ms. Fung says a few months ago she made a deal with one of her members, a tech start-up owner, to look after the building's computers and Internet service in return for free space.

Glenn Okun, clinical professor of management and entrepreneurship at New York University's Stern School of Business, say that the co-working environment presents an opportunity to tap into the collective expertise of the group and create business deals with other business owners, who are just a cubicle away.

Other experts, though, say small-business owners should be wary about the loss of privacy in such a workplace.

Sara Beckman, a senior lecturer who has taught a course on workplace design issues at the Haas School of Business at the University of California, Berkeley, suggests that entrepreneurs should consider these drawbacks: "Am I sharing the space with people who are direct competitors? How do I draw boundaries around the information I can and cannot share with people who don't work in my organization?"

Michael Patino of Fairfax, Va., who was laid off in October from an executive-search firm, started his own firm, Patino Associates LLC, and says he saw co-working as a better alternative to working from home. It's a more professional place for clients to visit, and a businesslike environment in which to make calls and conduct interviews.

But he didn't want a work space that was airy and open. "I needed four quiet walls," he says, to evoke the image of confidentiality, especially when he needed to interview candidates for executive positions.

For six months he worked at home, while also taking care of two kids. But "in a field where you spend most of your time on the phone, [home] is not the best dynamic in the long term," says Mr. Patino.

He started looking for a suitable co-working space for his company and found one in McLean, Va., owned by Preferred Offices LLC, which has nine locations in the Washington area. Mr. Patino signed a 12-month lease in June. He says he spends $2,000 a month, which includes the lease, utility, telephone and Internet charges, and a receptionist, who works for all the businesses on the floor.

"It's wonderful so far," he says. "There's an extra layer of credibility when there's someone picking up the phone for you."

Write to Raymund Flandez at raymund.flandez@wsj.com

TechLife Update 7.28.09 - Out and about, Jobs, Events

Our TechLife meetup "tribe" is approaching 1300 members and by this evening will eclipse the 250 event mark since our inception (all I can say is wow) less than 1 year ago. Little did we imagine when we started this meetup that we could have this impact on our community and or members.

Our members have shared stories about how they've been able to grow professionally, build meaningful connections, while having a great time. There is a growing enthusiasm and energy in our tech community, (I've even gotten feedback from those out of town and they see it). Thank you!!

 
Out and About

- Have a great idea for a iphone or other mobile device app? Want to see it come to life and maybe build a business out of it? If you answered yes to this check out 14ninetytwo – Discovering Columbus Innovation http://bit.ly/AwKep -

Willie Neumann, Columbus serial entreprenuer is in charge of 14ninetytwo. i've known Willie for years and have no doubt that this program will birth some great ideas/business' - 14ninetytwo was formed in response to the need for an early-stage virtual incubator that could help web and mobile startups investigate the viability of their idea, gain insights into the fundamentals of starting a business and, for selected entrepreneurs, transform their idea into a working prototype.

- I recently toured a hosting facility in town where 40 jobs have been created with more to come..can anyone guess who it is? Hint - check out the top left hand logo on my blog

- Had a great time at TechColumbus' tenant appreciation picnic on Friday. Judging from the energy the entrepreneurial is alive and well at Columbus...looks like another 90,000 ft2 of space is getting ready to open up

- Heard that the Dublin Entrepreneur Center is filling up and that Avitae has grown out of their existing offices and is taking over the entire second floor (wow)...contact Sandy Blanquera - sandyblanquera@hotmail.com to learn more about the DEC

- Don't forget to RSVP for this Thursdays IT Martini V in Cinci - John and Aladin are striving to connect IT professionals from across the state - http://www.itmartini.com/?p=92

- Did you know Nationwide is building a $96mm data center in New Albany -to learn more about this and how Back-office operations at data, call centers employ more than 26,000 in central Ohio- check out this recent Dispatch article - http://www.dispatch.com/live/content/business/stories/2009/07/26/Call_Centers_Go_Wild.ART_ART_07-26-09_D1_O9EI8AV.html

- A big shout out to the PanOhio Riders - riding 328 miles from Thurs- Sun of this week to raise money for the American Cancer Society Hope Lodges - click here to learn more  - http://bit.ly/GaKNJ

- Have you checked out our wiki and list of IT startups in town -  http://bit.ly/z9im5

Jobs

Check out these links to over 200 jobs in Columbus - http://columbustech.blogspot.com/2009/07/open-position-s-200-jobs-30-companies.html

Upcoming events

Tues July 28 - PD: AUG Presentation Night- Freelancing and OOP For Designers
Tues July 28 - CIDUG Meeting - three20 open source iPhone UI Components
Wed July 29 - PD: A little bit of Lean with Kanban
Wed July 29 - Central Ohio Linux User Group - Drupal discussion
Thurs July 30 - PD:The journey to scaling agility - Flow, Pull and Innovate software development
Wed Aug 5 - PMOLIG Aug 05 -PMO Role in Realizing the Value of Project Management
Wed Aug 5 - The New Albany Business Development Center Open House


Peace out and have a great week,
Ben

WBNS 10TV : Columbus Hopes To Build Wi-Fi Cloud - WBNS-10TV, Central Ohio's News Leader

(Ben's note: Saw this article this morning. I hope it happens )


WBNS 10TV : Columbus Hopes To Build Wi-Fi 'Cloud' - WBNS-10TV, Central Ohio's News Leader

COLUMBUS, Ohio — The City of Columbus is applying for tens of millions of federal dollars to create what would the largest wireless network in the state.

The so-called Wi-Fi "cloud" would enable users of laptop computers and other wireless devices to connect to Internet, and to each other, throughout the city, 10TV's Kevin Landers reported.

On Monday night, City Council agreed to seek nearly $38 million in federal stimulus dollars to fund a city-wide wireless broadband network.

The city wants to use the network for things like reading water meters rather than going house to house; allowing hospitals to provide tele-medicine by talking to patients over the computer; and for police to download critical information in their onboard computers before they arrive at emergency scene.

The Wi-Fi "cloud" is also seen as a lure to attract new businesses to the city.

"I believe this is our first step to encourage economic growth for the City of Columbus," council member Troy Miller said.

If Columbus builds the wireless network, the service would not be free to the public.

The cost to users is not yet known.

The city hopes to learn by November if it qualifies for government funding.

Watch 10TV News and refresh 10TV.com for additional information.


Open Position (s) - 200+ jobs - 30+ companies - updated 7.28.09

Following is an updated list of job links. In some cases you'll have to do a little more searching in the corporate website to find the tech jobs in Columbus - but rest easy - it will be worth it - I verified that jobs were there.

Peace out,
Ben




  1. T Marzetti (1) - http://bit.ly/28aOH8
  2. Engauge Jobs (4) http://bit.ly/yNqSV
  3. Fast Switch, Ltd. - (52) http://bit.ly/mp108
  4. Resource Interactive (20) http://bit.ly/h1wuz
  5. Boehringer-Ingelheim (8) http://bit.ly/pOuTU
  6. Grange Insurance (1) http://bit.ly/KFn55
  7. DSW (3) http://bit.ly/mM3n4
  8. Stanley Steemer http://bit.ly/xKbZG
  9. OCLC - (30) http://bit.ly/18tOHF
  10. Innogage LLC - startup equity position - http://bit.ly/13bJLK
  11. Nationwide Children's Hospital (12) http://bit.ly/RX98M - use information as search term
  12. BigLots (5) http://bit.ly/6myoM
  13. Smiths Medical Jobs (3) http://bit.ly/18fIDm
  14. Affinion (4) http://bit.ly/il1Oy
  15. Ohio University (1) http://bit.ly/jwgR0
  16. HLS MedFreight (7) http://bit.ly/zAfKm
  17. The Scotts Miracle-Gro Company (6) http://bit.ly/aNc7W
  18. Battelle (12) http://bit.ly/3kiyl6
  19. Sterling Commerce (5) http://bit.ly/Ih4p2
  20. Ecommerce, Inc (4) http://bit.ly/rxc2M
  21. United HealthCare (5) http://bit.ly/11jbQI - info tech in Columbus
  22. inVentiv Health (18) http://bit.ly/Qpg5X
  23. Abercrombie (3) http://bit.ly/mNM0h
  24. Exact Software (1) http://bit.ly/XPLkm
  25. Alliance Data (2) http://bit.ly/RkXJN
  26. Checkfree /Fiserv - (4) http://bit.ly/sQdfW
  27. Worthington Industries - (9) http://bit.ly/93oEu
  28. State of Ohio - (6) http://bit.ly/sUz5R
  29. Franklin University - (6) http://bit.ly/KxXei
  30. Chemical Abstracts Services - (2) http://bit.ly/r2rnF
  31. Ray & Barney Group Job Postings - (22) http://bit.ly/gYrqH
  32. ICC (10) http://bit.ly/UO7lA
  33. TechColumbus job board http://bit.ly/yCFQ

For additional job search/networking support check out:

  1. Tech Events around town - TechLife Meetup - http://bit.ly/bgyzj
  2. LinkedIn TechLife Group - http://bit.ly/ubX2j
  3. Scioto Ridge Job Networking Group http://bit.ly/7xCbC
  4. Forty Plus of Central Ohio Home Page http://bit.ly/10fTGg
  5. Buckeye Resumes - Buckeye Resumes - http://bit.ly/QDJAP
  6. Worthington Career Services - http://bit.ly/KFXF5

Monday, July 27, 2009

Internship program aims to keep logistics grads in Central Ohio - Business First of Columbus:

Internship program aims to keep logistics grads in Central Ohio - Business First of Columbus:

(Ben's note - kudos to the ColumbusChamber for keeping talent in Columbus ----> IT community what are you doing to keep talent in town? Drop me a note if you're in the IT or Bioscience sector and you've got good internship program)

The ColumbusChamber doesn’t haul or warehouse freight, but it has recently played a role in the area’s logistics sector.

In partnership with the region’s logistics trade association, the chamber has begun an internship program to improve the odds students will consider taking a Central Ohio job when they graduate. The goal is for students to get a view of what the region can offer as a logistics career center and as a place to live, said Andrea Applegate, the chamber’s director of workplace development.

“We want to help retain as many graduates in the Columbus region as possible,” she said. “We believe when students understand the employment opportunities available, then they’re more likely to stay.”

The issue is an important one for Ohio. A June study by the Washington, D.C.-based Thomas B. Fordham Institute found 58 percent of Ohio’s college students plan to leave the state when they finish college.

The internship program includes tours of logistics companies, work skills workshops, tours of area housing and visits to cultural destinations in the area. Interns also recently toured a downtown condominium project.

The initiative seems to be working for at least one intern.

“I’ve started to realize how great Ohio is,” said Becca Ruda, a 21-year-old student at Ohio State University.

The Avon Lake native interning at Zipline Logistics in German Village said the program has introduced her to downtown and gave her a view of the diversity of logistics companies in Central Ohio.

Evolving program

The seeds for the program were planted in 2008, when the chamber launched its columbusinternships.com Web site to connect employers with interns. The chamber used a state grant to hire a consultant to tailor internships.

Then the chamber began talking with the Greater Columbus Region Logistics Council about internships in the sector.

The result was a collaboration of about a dozen area logistics companies that offer site tours for interns and have worked together on internship programs, said Dan Ricciardi, the council’s executive director.

“This is a little more of a structured program,” he said. “The internships are able to be a meaningful experience.”

Interns work for companies in paid positions, then participate in a regular series of events facilitated by the chamber. The chamber’s consultant, Dave Cofer of Columbus-based Cofer Consulting Solutions LLC, also leads work-skills training seminars.

The Web site has filled 133 internships since its launch, including about 20 in the logistics program this summer.

“They have made it as simple as possible for employers to first of all build a program, and then to connect to potential interns,” said Michael Linton, vice president of strategic development at ODW Logistics Inc. in Columbus.

In the past, Linton relied on networking in what he described as a hit-or-miss effort. The Web site allows ODW to post internships in a public forum that attracts applicants, said Linton, formerly the CEO of Adecco USA, a staffing agency.

Value added

Zipline Logistics’ partners didn’t know how they’d snag an intern – until they hooked into the chamber site, said partner J.J. Rodeheffer. The three-employee shipment management company posted on the site seeking an intern and received 110 applications.

“We were elated; we didn’t have to do anything,” Rodeheffer said.

While the platform has been a boon for employers, the elements of the logistics program make the internships more fulfilling, Ruda said. A visit to Rickenbacker Global Logistics Park opened her eyes.

“I didn’t even know that existed,” she said.

The program also helps interns sharpen workplace skills, said Mary Vaughn, chairwoman of integrated media and technology at Columbus State Community College. Vaughn also sits on the council’s work-force development committee. Interns in the logistics program, however, get training in basic work skills such as leadership, teamwork and customer service.

“That’s very important,” Vaughn said. “Every industry comes back to us and says we want those kind of fundamental skills.”

300 COLUMBUS MIDDLE SCHOOLERS PARTICIPATING IN SEEK CAMP, MAKING SUMMER A PRIME TIME FOR STEM EDUCATION IS THE GOAL

(COLUMBUS) — With summer camp opportunities dampened by a sluggish economy, one camp is going strong with 300 middle school students from Columbus schools learning to become engineers and inventors. Summer Engineering Experience for Kids (SEEK) Camp at St. Stephen’s Community House, 1500 E 17th Ave., is giving students in grades 5 through 8 a chance to design and build miniature cars, gliders and hot air balloons called skimmers. Battelle, Honda of America Manufacturing and AEP sponsor the camp through the STEMColumbus project. Twenty college students from around the country, who are members of National Society of Black Engineers, are serving as camp advisors.

SEEK is a three-week STEM camp and focuses on science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) in an interactive, hands-on learning environment. STEM professionals from Battelle, AEP and Honda will judge student projects on Fridays from 8:30-2:15 (July 24, 31).

More than 100 students from the Linden area are enrolled in SEEK camp with 20 Linden-McKinley high school students known as Battelle STEM scholars helping to mentor the younger students. The new 7-12 Linden McKinley STEM High School and its feeder elementaries will focus on an integrated K-12 STEM academic program beginning this academic year. In addition to the design/build activities at the camp, students are also taking field trips to COSI, OSU and Central State University. The field trips give students the chance to learn about STEM academic majors and career options. SEEK Camp is free for students.

“SEEK is giving participants invaluable learning and real life experiences that will help them as they continue their education and move into their careers – in STEM and other areas. The summer is a vital time to engage young minds in discovery and invention,” said Battelle Vice President of Education and Philanthropy Partnerships Rich Rosen.

SEEK Camp is possible through a dynamic public and private partnership of several organizations:
• St. Stephen's Community House
• Greater Linden Development Corporation
• Columbus City Schools
• STEMColumbus – funding for SEEK Camp by AEP, Battelle and Honda of America Manufacturing
• National Society of Black Engineers
• The Ohio State University
• Society of Automotive Engineers

SEEK Camp’s mission is to foster interest in CCS middle school students’ aptitude for and interest in STEM academics and careers by having them participate in hands-on, interactive, team-based projects. This is the second year for SEEK Camp. See student projects and learn more on the Camp’s Facebook page: http://tinyurl.com/mmov6x.

Good Monday morning Columbus - out and about in tech

- I recently toured a hosting facility in town where a 40 jobs have been created with more to come..can anyone guess who it is? (More to come in future editions)

- Had a great time at TechColumbus' tenant appreciation picnic on Friday. Judging from the energy the entrepreneurial is alive and well at Columbus...looks like another 90,000 ft2 of space is getting ready to open up

- Heard that the Dublin Entrepreneur Center is filling up and that Avitae has grown out of their existing offices and is taking over the entire second floor (wow)...contact Sandy Blanquera - sandyblanquera@hotmail.com to learn more about the DEC

- Don't forget to RSVP for this Thursdays IT Martini V in Cinci - John and Aladin are striving to connect IT professionals from across the state - http://www.itmartini.com/?p=92

- Did you know Nationwide is building a $96mm data center in New Albany -to learn more about this and how Back-office operations at data, call centers employ more than 26,000 in central Ohio- check out this recent Dispatch article - http://www.dispatch.com/live/content/business/stories/2009/07/26/Call_Centers_Go_Wild.ART_ART_07-26-09_D1_O9EI8AV.html

Where to Be an Entrepreneur - Entrepreneur.com - Youngstown featured

Where to Be an Entrepreneur - Entrepreneur.com




The Dreamer: Youngstown, Ohio
Sure, Youngstown may not have the economic firepower of other cities on this list, but it has one important commodity in spades: hope. This rust belt burnout hit the skids in the late ’70s and early ’80s when the steel industry packed it in, cutting 30,000 jobs and leaving the town synonymous with hard times (listen to Bruce Springsteen’s “Youngstown” for details). But in the last decade, something special has happened in this northeast Ohio city. Jim Cossler and his innovative Youngstown Business Incubator, which offers fledgling B2B software companies mentors, networking and services like office space and bandwidth for free or at a deferred cost, are taking Youngstown’s business future into their own hands. The incubator concept was revolutionary enough to help ignite a renaissance in this small city. “Youngstown fell so far, traditional community leaders threw up their hands and told the younger generation, ‘You guys try,’” Cossler says. “The new generation is envisioning things we wouldn’t have talked about 10 years ago.” Cossler points to the work of the area’s dynamic congressman and energetic young mayor as examples. “They said, ‘Let’s clean the slate and start over again,’” he says. “There’s a radical transformation going on here right now.”

Mike Broderick,
Turning Technologies

You wouldn’t expect one of the seven fastest growing tech companies in the country to be located in Youngstown, but founder Mike Broderick thinks it makes perfect sense. “I’ve found Youngstown to be a brilliant place for a startup,” says the area native, whose 134-employee Turning Technologies, which makes the audience response systems used in college lectures, corporate events and even game shows, launched in 2001. “I believe in most places we wouldn’t have been able to expand with the speed we did,” Broderick says. “The affordability here really helped fuel our growth.” Youngstown’s lower-than-average rent and taxes mean dollars stretch further than they would in Silicon Valley. Turning Technologies’ early growth--fast-tracked by the Youngstown Business Incubator, which nurtured the company until it spun off into its current facility--meant startup costs were minimal. What’s more, because he’s based in Youngstown, Broderick has outsized clout. “In most markets, I’d just be running another small company,” he says. “But here, I can dial the congressman or mayor when I’m having problems and they’ll take my call. That gives you the ability to accomplish a lot of things.”

Friday, July 24, 2009

Cardinal CIO steps down; successor named - Business First of Columbus:

Cardinal CIO steps down; successor named - Business First of Columbus:

Cardinal Health Inc. is bringing on the former chief information officer at Motorola Inc. next month as its technology chief leaves the Dublin company.

The health-care products provider said Friday that CIO Jody Davids is leaving Cardinal to “pursue personal interests.” Replacing Davids on Aug. 3 will be Patricia Morrison, who left Schaumburg, Ill.-based Motorola (NYSE:MOT) last year after three years in the job.

Morrison’s experience includes a stint as CIO for Office Depot Inc. (NYSE:ODP) and top-level technology jobs at General Electric Co. (NYSE:GE), PepsiCo Inc. (NYSE:PEP), Procter & Gamble Co. (NYSE:PG) and Quaker Oats Co. She has bachelor’s degrees in mathematics, statistics and secondary education from Miami University of Ohio.

George Barrett, a Cardinal executive who will become CEO when the company completes the spinoff of its CareFusion Corp. division Aug. 31, said in a release that Morrison’s “significant experience with systems in large, complex organizations positions her perfectly to execute the long-term IT strategy Jody and her team have developed in support of our company.”

Morrison will report to Barrett, the company said.

Cardinal (NYSE:CAH), Ohio’s largest publicly held corporation, earned $1.3 billion on $91.1 billion in revenue for the year ended June 30, 2008.


Social Media Networks Continue Trying to Engage Physicians

Social Media Networks Continue Trying to Engage Physicians

Several startups have set their sites on the medical community in an attempt to provide physicians with their own social media network ala Facebook or MySpace. A Massachusetts-based company, Sermo, seems to have made the furthest inroad into the medical community claiming it has 100,000 physician users registered on its site. This number is no doubt due to the fact that, until recently, Sermo was connected to the medical community through the AMA. The two organizations have subsequently gone their separate ways. But Sermo continues to try and gain traction for its social network for doctors.

Other entrants to this market include Ozmosis, an invitation-only physician community which claims to verify and identify its members by name, thus presumably increasing the site’s credibility and value to physicians. Cleveland-based Within3 has focused its efforts on creating closed communities for targeted audiences such as the faculty, residents, fellows and alumni of Children’s Hospital Boston. Seattle’s iMedExchange is attempting to engage physicians 24/7 through new applications, widgets and platforms including mobile.

The challenge these companies face is the question of what would be compelling enough to convince a significant number of time-crunched and inward-looking physicians to seriously embrace an online network. But whichever company can figure it out has a lot to gain. If done correctly, these sites could become the new places pharmaceutical companies can connect with doctors and invest what is reported to be their billion-dollar budgets for marketing.

For more information see the story in Med City News


Co-Working in Columbus

Northwest Ohio ESP Program Announces Inaugural Venture Fair - Venture Ready Companies Encouraged to Apply by July 31 | TechColumbus

Northwest Ohio ESP Program Announces Inaugural Venture Fair - Venture Ready Companies Encouraged to Apply by July 31 | TechColumbus

Rocket Ventures, the Northwest Ohio Entrepreneurial Signature Program will host the VentureTech venture fair on November 12, 2009 in Perrysburg, Ohio. The program is designed to bring together the best venture ready businesses in the Great Lakes area with regional venture capital firms and angel investors. Startups wishing to exhibit at the fair must submit a three-page executive summary by July 31. Those selected to participate in the fair will have the opportunity to present their businesses for consideration to the region’s leading funding sources. The fair will feature five clusters of interest including bioscience, alternative energy, advanced materials, manufacturing technologies and IT.

For additional information or to apply click here

Reminder: Register for IT Martini Hour 5!

We are a week away from IT Martini Hour 5: Bridge to Somewhere at Havana Martini Club in Cincinnati! Join hundreds of Ohio IT pros next Thursday. Register here.

IT professionals in Columbus can take the Quick Bus, sponsored by Quick Solutions, to the event. The bus will depart Bill McDonald Sports Complex at 3 p.m. and return at approx. 10:45 p.m.

Technology for Ohio’s Tomorrow is excited to be a Top Shelf sponsor for IT Martini Hour 5, along with CBTS. Join the fun!

Ideas To Deals: Put Yourself Beyond the Possibility of Defeat

Ideas To Deals: Put Yourself Beyond the Possibility of Defeat

By Michael Bowers - SBDC

Have you been watching the news and seen where the economy is showing signs of recovery? I'll admit it appears the economy may have hit bottom but how quickly will we see it begin to move up? I would say we are in more of an "L" shaped recovery than a "U" of "V" shaped recovery. Sure companies that have been putting off purchases are getting to the point where they have to start buying but sales cycles are being still stretched as companies try to manage cash flows and extend scarce resources. This is still a critical time to be strategic, now is not the time to take you foot off the gas and coast.

200px-Wall_Street_film Even though I run the risk of going all Gordon Gekko in Wall Street on you, here are some lessons from "The Art of War" that may help your business.

"True excellence is to plan secretly, to move surreptitiously, to foil the enemy's intentions without shedding a drop of blood." Strategic thought and preparation is what will move your business forward. Where is the market going and how do you position your business to be there? I've often heard that Wayne Gretzky was such a great hockey player because he could see what was going to happen two to three steps ahead and he could position himself to be ahead of the play and the other players. You need to do the same thing. Where do you want to be in 12 months...36 months...60 months?

"Making no mistakes is what establishes the certainty of victory, for it means conquering an enemy that is already defeated." Knowing your business, knowing your capabilities, knowing your market, knowing your customers, knowing what you have to offer will allow you to proceed with confidence and make the best decision for your business. You need to touch and re-touch every relationship in your business to build your knowledge. I have seen examples of long standing business relationships that have gone out the window not because of performance problems but because of budget problems on the other side. Knowledge allows you to make the best decisions for your business and not make mistakes.

"Hence the skillful fighter puts himself into a position that makes defeat impossible and does not miss the moment for defeating the enemy." Another critical relationship is with your bank. To often small business owners feel that they are the weaker player when it comes to their banking relationship but that is not true. Be proactive and go meet with your bank. Ask the tough questions about THEM and their status. Know what they are looking for and what their appetite is for various types of loans. Take this information and and use it when you are ready to go for financing.

"Thus it is that in war the victorious strategist only seeks battle after the victory has been won, whereas he who is destined to defeat first fights and afterward looks for victory." Preparation is the key. Good entrepreneurs are not risk takers, they are good are recognizing risk and mitigating the risk. Preparation reduces risk. Preparation leads to success.


Ohio Ranked Among Top Five States for Job Growth in the Clean Energy Economy

Ohio Ranked Among Top Five States for Job Growth in the Clean Energy Economy | TechColumbus

A new report released by The Pew Charitable Trusts ranks Ohio number one in the Midwest and among the top five states in the nation for the most jobs in clean energy, energy efficiency and environmentally friendly production in 2007. Ohio has experienced an overall job growth in these areas of 31 percent since 1998.

Factors leading to the state’s advanced energy industry success include the Ohio Third Frontier and other advanced energy incentive programs, one of the nation’s most aggressive advanced energy portfolio standards, a significantly reformed tax structure, world-class supply chain and an available, educated workforce.

In a related story, the City of Columbus was named a Smarter City for its performance in sustainability. The Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) ranked Columbus 15th among large cities for its progress in sustainability. The city received top rankings for its environmental standards and participation, its green building, green spaces and recycling efforts. The NRDC recognized the city’s efforts to become the “bicycling capital of the country” and its commitment to expanding park space and revitalizing downtown. It cited the city’s launch of ColumbusGreenSpot.org as a resource for keeping residents and businesses updated on environmental awareness issues. The site currently has 1,000 registered business and community members.

For more details on Ohio’s standings in the Pew Charitable Trusts report, see the release from Ohio Means Business.


To learn more about Columbus’ ranking as at Smarter City, click here

Columbus Alive : Entrepreneur: Brian Pitzer

Columbus Alive : Entrepreneur: Brian Pitzer


Entrepreneur: Brian Pitzer
Thursday,  July 23, 2009 6:00 AM
Will Shilling photo
Brian Pitzer
Age: 30
Neighborhood: Marysville
Hometown: Enon
Years in Columbus: 11
Occupation: CEO of Avitae
Affiliation: Boys & Girls Club of Central Ohio board
Heroes: His parents


Brian Pitzer's watching the people of Columbus.
How - or if - they embrace his caffeinated water, Avitae, will determine his marketing strategy when he takes the drink nationwide. Right now, things are looking good.
"It's selling so hard and so fast that we could put it anywhere in the country we wanted to," Pitzer said. "Some of the biggest retailers and distributors in the country [are asking for it], and we're having to say, 'Hang on, be patient with us, we want to do this right.'"
The bottled water, sold in four-packs at Kroger and other local convenience stores since June, contains the amount of caffeine you'd find in a cup of coffee or a diet soda but tastes no different than plain water.
Why here? Pitzer moved to Columbus 11 years ago to study at Ohio State, later settling down in the Marysville area and working in marketing.Then, an everyday habit sparked an idea.Pitzer doesn't like coffee, so he used to dissolve caffeine pills into Gatorade to get an energy boost. But drinking all that sugar went straight to his waist, and mixing the caffeine pills in water was just plain gross.
So Pitzer started asking: is it possible to add caffeine to water, and nothing else? No extra sugar, or flavors or colors?
"I would get a lot of resistance, a lot of, 'If it could have been done, someone would have done it,'" he said.
After he found a willing (and able) producer, Pitzer assembled a team that now works out of a Plain City office building with a giant man-made pond out front. He takes frequent breaks to relax and feed oyster crackers to the fish, but thinks it won't be too long before Avitae needs to relocate to larger quarters.
"I would imagine by the end of the summer, there should be another good half-dozen very large markets. And hopefully by the end of the year, we'll have a majority of the country canvassed," he said.
Pitzer never thought twice about launching his brand at the start of a recession, and is pumped he's been able to expand his staff. He cites Steve Jobs and Alexander Graham Bell - really, anyone who has an idea and keeps at it - among his role models.
"I like to think that we epitomize what the recovery should be about," Pitzer said.

Wednesday, July 22, 2009

OSU Medical Center Named to Magazine's 'Honor Roll'

COLUMBUS, Ohio – The Ohio State University Medical Center leads the region with 10 specialties named as among the best in America in the latest U.S. News & World Report magazine.

OSU Medical Center is among only 21 hospitals in the country named to the magazine’s elite Honor Roll, which demonstrates a hospital’s excellence in at least six specialties.

This is the 17th consecutive year the magazine has named OSU Medical Center one of “America’s Best Hospitals.”

In this year’s rankings, which appear today at www.usnews.com and in the magazine’s July 21 print issue, Ohio State’s Ross Heart Hospital is recognized as a leader in heart care, ranking 37 out of 4,861 hospitals from around the country. In addition, the James Cancer Hospital jumped one place to 18th in the nation for cancer treatment.

Other Ohio State specialties included on the list are ear, nose & throat, diabetes and endocrinology, gynecology, kidney disease, orthopedics, respiratory disorders, rehabilitation and urology.

The continual presence of Ohio State in the magazine’s annual survey and this year’s inclusion on the prestigious Honor Roll is a direct reflection of faculty, staff and university teamwork, according to Dr. Steven G. Gabbe, CEO of OSU Medical Center.

“Our success is guided by many, many people who each day make the Medical Center a special place for our patients,” said Gabbe.

In addition, last month Nationwide Children’s Hospital was named by U.S. News & World Report as one of the best pediatric hospitals. Children’s Hospital serves as home to the department of pediatrics for Ohio State’s College of Medicine, with many of Children’s medical staff and physician scientists holding faculty positions at the university.

Earlier this year, Ohio State’s College of Medicine ranked 27th in Research among America’s 125 accredited medical schools in the U.S. News & World Report “America’s Best Graduate Schools” rankings.

The “America’s Best Hospitals” issue, considered by many consumers and health care industry analysts as a leading indicator of quality care and performance, is compiled using data collected annually from nearly 5,000 U.S. hospitals. This year, only 174 scored high enough in measures of quality such as mortality and patient volume to be ranked in any specialty.

Hospitals selected for the magazine’s rankings are institutions of varying sizes around the country. Measurements such as staffing levels, reputation and technology also are used to compile the final lists.


Tuesday, July 21, 2009

Attn entrepreneurs!! - Ideas for iPhone apps, other plans to get hearing from tech initiative - Triangle Business Journal:

Ideas for iPhone apps, other plans to get hearing from tech initiative - Business First

Business First of Columbus - by Kevin Kemper

It normally takes years of hard work to start a company and turn a profit, but a new venture capital and incubation program aims to speed the process and time it to the blistering pace of advancing technology.

TechColumbus, the region’s technology industry advocate, is calling for local software developers and engineers with ideas for Internet and mobile Web applications to apply for a new program dubbed 14ninetytwo. The pilot program is designed to provide seed-stage funding and advice to local entrepreneurs who want to, for example, develop the next Apple iPhone application or Firefox Web browser add-on.

“The targets of this are people who have day jobs,” said William Indest, vice president of formation at TechColumbus. “Say, an engineer in the IT department at Nationwide.”

‘Fail fast’ philosophy

14ninetytwo – a name derived from the year Christopher Columbus landed in the Americas – is accepting applications from entrepreneurs through Aug. 7 to be a part of its first “weekend of discovery,” tentatively scheduled for Aug. 21-23, said Willie Neumann, 14ninetytwo’s program manager. Applications can be found at the TechColumbus Web site, 14ninetytwo.wordpress.com.

The 10 to 15 budding entrepreneurs chosen will spend the weekend attending sessions with technology industry veterans, attorneys, marketers and accountants that will help shape ideas into what’s hoped will be viable products and companies. At the end of the weekend, each entrepreneur will make a competitive pitch for his product that will determine which three companies are picked to join the incubator and get further funding, Neumann said.

The three firms chosen will have as much as $25,000 made available to them, which will come from Ohio’s Third Frontier program, a 10-year, $1.6 billion initiative to create high-tech jobs. In exchange for the cash and help, Neumann said TechColumbus, which manages the local distribution of Third Frontier money, will take a 5 percent ownership stake in the company.

A small investment is the industry standard. At the AlphaLab, a Pittsburgh-based incubator that 14ninetytwo hopes to emulate, companies receive a maximum of $20,000 said Terri Glueck, director of community development for Innovation Works, a venture capital fund that runs AlphaLab.

“The companies are smaller and so there’s a smaller investment,” Glueck said, noting that most are composed of one- to three-person software developer teams.

“It’s not like investing in a robotics company,” she said.

Like AlphaLab and similar incubators, 14ninetytwo sets a fast pace. Companies chosen are expected to have a product ready 90 days from that first weekend. 14ninetytwo is designed to quickly separate the chaff from the wheat because software and mobile Web applications can become outdated in the blink of an eye, Neumann said.

“It’s a fail fast philosophy,” he said.

Gold rush

14ninetytwo is a departure for TechColumbus. Its incubator on Kinnear Road specializes in helping larger technology companies reach maturity over several years. Most tenants require lab space and significant capital infusions.

Indest said TechColumbus agreed to start 14ninetytwo after Neumann and others convinced the organization there was no help available in the region for small developers and programmers.

14ninetytwo is focusing on Internet and mobile phone applications because it’s a market that requires little capital but has great interest among potential developers.

“I would say there are hundreds if not thousands of people in Central Ohio (who) would be interested in this,” Indest said. “The area is so heavy in IT and software talent.”

Interest in Web and mobile application development isn’t just a local trend. Cupertino, Calif.-based Apple Inc.’s decision to offer an iPhone developer’s kit in February 2008 set off a gold rush of third-party application development for the device. As of July 14, the iPhone App Store boasted more than 65,000 applications, up from 35,000 just three months ago.

Another popular area for third-party development is for Mozilla’s Firefox Web browser. Firefox, one of the most widely adopted browsers, uses open source coding that has resulted in programmers creating more than 5,000 add-ons for it.

While 14ninetytwo is, as of now, a pilot program, demand to keep it going likely will be strong, Glueck said. Now in its third cycle since starting last summer, Glueck says AlphaLab has funded 12 companies and receives applications from across the country and overseas. So far, it has had the expected results.

“Some (companies) have gotten follow-on funding from angels, some are in talks with venture capital firms from outside the region, and some have folded,” she said.

But even when a company folds, it doesn’t mean efforts have been wasted, Glueck said.

“Adding to the entrepreneur base,” she said, “is a very important outcome.”

14ninetytwo
  • Business: Venture capital and incubation program created as a pilot project for budding entrepreneurs.
  • Goal: Creation of Internet and mobile Web application companies.
  • Based: Columbus
  • Project manager: Willie Neumann
  • Partner: TechColumbus
  • Application deadline: Aug. 7
  • Web site: 14ninetytwo.wordpress.com