Innovation News

bioLOGIC expanding in Covington, plans include new office, lab and classroom space

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May 24, 2011

bioLOGIC Corp, a Covington-based global life science investment and management company and life science accelerator, is doing some growing of its own. The company is working with the City of Covington, Kenton County and Kentucky state government to expand the city life sciences footprint."We are working very closely in a public-private collaboration to really catalyze the growth of the life science corridor in the city," said bioLOGIC partner Margaret van Gilse. "The City of Covington is giving us a building on Pike Street - we are looking to build it out in the next year."The company is putting together financing and building plans, van Gilse said, which include putting a lab space and manufacturing facility into the former Tanino's Restaurant.bioLOGIC is also expanding its current space at the 150-year-old Russell Street HQ this year, building out the 7,000 sq. ft., second floor. The addition will include office and lab space, along with classroom facilities, van Gilse said. bioLOGIC houses eight life sciences companies. Its growth is being fueled in two areas: existing company growth and new ones looking to locate or relocate to Covington."(Our current companies) are really startups, most are pre-market and in the development phase of their products. These companies have begun to mature and are getting closer to market," she said.One of those companies, Bexion Pharmaceuticals, will be hiring two summer interns and six full-time employees over the next 24 months. Another, Surgical Energetics, is planning to file for FDA approval for its first commercial product which could lead to hiring new employees. bioLOGIC will hire one new employee this year, van Gilse said.Covington is a good location for bioLOGIC for several reasons, according to van Gilse. It's near research institutions such as Cincinnati Children's Hospital and the University of Cincinnati, which offer a pipeline of innovation that can be used to develop products that promote health. Corporations like P&G and GE offer a supply of top talent to draw from, and government leaders in Covington, Kentucky County and state government offer support and incentives that drive company growth."There is real interest in growing life sciences as economic development drivers," she said.Writer: Feoshia HendersonSource: bioLOGIC partner Margaret van GilseYou can follow Feoshia on Twitter @feoshiawrites

Latest in Innovation News

AMP Electric Vehicles hands over keys for all-electric SUV to Iceland’s Northern Lights Energy

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General

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May 17, 2011

In a ceremony attended by local government officials, business associates and employees, AMP Electric Vehicles turned over the keys to the first of 1,000 all electric SUVs it will deliver to Iceland as part of a ground breaking partnership.AMP signed a deal last fall with Northern Electric Lights, a private company in Iceland. Under a letter of Intent, NLE has committed to buy the SUVs from AMP over the next five years. This marks the largest single order for the startup, and the first time the company has converted vehicles for an overseas buyer."Northern Lights Energy has been a visionary in the application and advantages of electric driven SUVs. We are extremely pleased to be working closely with NLE in the first large scale deployment of electric SUVs. This agreement represents a major advancement in transportation from conventional combustion engines and hybrid/extended range vehicles into effective SUV-sized 100 percent electric vehicles," said AMP president and CEO Steve Burns.One in four vehicle purchases in the US are SUVs. The company is working to capture less than 1 percent of the SUV market. Currently AMP specializes in converting three vehicles to 100-percent electric: the Chevrolet Equinox, Saturn Sky and Pontiac Solstice. AMP manufactures and installs state-of-the-art, all-electric, high performance engines and transmissions for the vehicles.Burns said Iceland is the perfect place to experiment with introducing a large number of all electric SUVs into the market (the country only has 200,000 drivers). SUVs are very popular in the Northern European Island, which has some rugged terrain. Gas is expensive, up to $8 U.S. per gallon, because it's all imported. Electricity is cheap and in the last few decades the government has made it a priority to develop the country's renewable hydropower and geothermal power sources.In addition most of the country's densely packed population lives in or near the capital, making the average commute about 30 miles.The potentially $100 million deal will set AMP as a leading SUV supplier, AMP CEO James Taylor said. The agreement allows for expansion into the Nordic region including Finland, Sweden, Norway, Denmark and the Faroe Islands. Initially AMP will supply the Chevy Equinox and Mercedes Benz ML EV.Writer: Feoshia HendersonSource: AMP Electric VehiclesFollow Feoshia on Twitter @feoshiawrites

The Brandery ranked a Top 10 U.S. startup accelerator

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Entrepreneurship

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May 17, 2011

Cincinnati's consumer marketing incubator hasn't yet reached it first birthday but already has been named a Top 10 program in a prestigious national study.The Brandery, which launched in July 2010, was listed 10th out of the top 15 U.S. startup accelerators in a joint study by the Kauffman Fellows, Tech Cocktail and the Kellogg School of Management.The Brandery launched this past summer to offer funding, mentoring and partnerships around local consumer marketing businesses. The incubator works with tech-based, consumer businesses including Internet, media and entertainment companies. The first class started late last fall, and currently the organization is taking applications for the next class set to start this summer. The application deadline is June 1."We're excited that The Brandery landed in the top 10, despite being less than a year old. With the momentum going into our sophomore class in 2011, we think we'll be able to crack the top 5 next year," Knox said in a blog post about the announcement. Knox said he didn't know The Brandery was in the running, but the study validates the organization's work. "It was actually a complete surprise to us, it came from nowhere," he said.At the top of the list was TechStars in Boulder, Colorado, followed by Y Combinator in Mountain View, Calif. The Brandery was one of four Midwestern incubators on the list, and ranked ahead of organizations in New York City, Salt Lake City and Austin.The study is the first of its type, designed to distinguish the most effective incubators across the country. The rankings were based on several weighted criteria, including percentage of participating companies receiving funding after completing a program, and the success of companies following graduation. The methodology was complimented by interviews with venture capitalists, investors and accelerator participants to gauge the accelerators reputation."With all the startup accelerator programs popping up across the country we were curious to find out which programs would offer the biggest bang for the time, money and effort spent in the program," explained the study announcement at Tech Cocktail.Writer: Feoshia HendersonSources: Dave Knox, founder of The Brandery and Tech CocktailYou can follow Feoshia on Twitter @feoshiawrites

HOPS Technology rolls out V3 of team-based communication software

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Innovation News

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May 17, 2011

Pamla Winther has spent nearly 16 years teaching teams of workers how to communicate effectively, efficiently and consistently through a method she developed while working in corporate communications and business development.During that time she's held countless, personal small group seminars detailing her proprietary Hands On Proactive Strategy, or HOPS, method. It, in part, identifies a team's individual strengths in an effort to create and monitor processes that maximize group work. The method maps out those processes for future use in Workplates, or work templates, that can be used for employee mentoring or work sharing.Winther has built a successful Blue Ash-based consultancy on her method, which has been used internationally in industries as varied as dry cleaning, architecture, fast food and retail. It's been used by teams in sales, purchasing, human resources and other departments."This is about communication not falling through the cracks." Winther explained. "People flap their jaws all day long, what this does is document the key elements of each conversation," and turn them into action.Winther took her consultancy to the high tech level with investment from Queen City Angles in 2004. That's when she launched HOPS Technology Incorporated to create software based on her method. "The reason I started the company wasn't because I understand all the technology, it was because every CEO I worked with said we had to get it in a software product," she said.So that's what she did, with soft rollouts of the two versions. But with a new and improved Version 3 set to debut in the next few weeks, Witham is planning a larger roll out.The web-based software was developed locally by IntelliTree Solutions and is being hosted by 3Z.net, in Covington."Version three is what we are going to blast off with," she said.Writer: Feoshia HendersonSource: Pamla WintherYou can follow Feoshia on Twitter @feoshiawrites

Cincinnati State launches Center of Sustainability Excellence

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Environment + Sustainability

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May 10, 2011

Cincinnati State is adding to its array of green and sustainable workforce development programs with a new Center of Sustainability Excellence. The program is geared toward the manufacturing and distribution industries, with curriculum focused on the technical and scientific application of sustainability. "We clearly recognize there is a need for this, and we will be able to deliver the education asked for in the manufacturing and supply chain sectors," said James Kleemeier, Center Project Manager at Cincinnati State. Kleemeier believes this is one of the first programs of its type in the nation, and the first one in the Greater Cincinnati region. He expects it to be offered by late summer or early fall, though a specific date hasn't been set yet. The program has two components: online and in the classroom. It will begin with "Introduction to Environmental and Social Management," an eight-hour online course that outlines sustainability concepts and the business case for sustainable development. Completion earns students a course certificate and one credit hour. The online course is a prerequisite to further classroom work. Following the online work, the program offers seven more accredited classes at Cincinnati State's Workforce Development Center in Evendale. The classroom courses are: • Certified Sustainability Manager • Sustainability Auditing Techniques • Sustainability Solutions to Technical Issues • Energy RRR (Reduction, Recycle, Reuse) • Sustainable Supply Chain • Sustainability Program Management Techniques • Sustainable Solutions to Economics & Community Development The program was developed in partnership with the National Sustainability Coalition and the International Sustainability Institute of Applied Sciences. "The Sustainability Center will serve as a regional resource to the labor market by offering sustainability education that is sensitive to real-life experience and relevant to what people are doing in the workplace," Cincinnati State President Dr. O'Dell Owens said. "With the concept of sustainability firmly imbedded into our lives and the immediate future of our society, now is the time to apply ecological knowledge to decision making at every level." Writer: Feoshia Henderson Source: Cincinnati State Communications and Center of Sustainability Excellence Project Manager James Kleemeier

Hype, Distinctly Local partner on urban walking map

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Arts + Culture

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May 10, 2011

You can't get more local than a map as a way to highlight local businesses and area landmarks. But a new company and the Cincinnati USA Regional Chamber's YP arm have partnered to create a fun, visually appealing map that personifies its creating company's name: Distinctly Local.The first of a series of planned urban and specialty walking maps was unveiled last week at the Red Tree gallery and coffee shop in Oakley. The slick, full-color map outlines the Cincinnati core, as well as Newport and Covington in Northern Kentucky.The maps are geared towards people in the city during a long weekend or an event, as well as those recently transplanted or planning to move to the city, said Joe Hansbauer, who helped make the map a reality."We wanted to create a product that was accessible, and shows the places that give Cincinnati its unique flavor," he said.The idea for the map came from Hansbauer, Doug Brauch, and John Mark Ouderslyus, friends and members of Give Back Cincinnati. It was designed and illustrated by Standard Design Partners. Plans are to update the map annually, along with support from business sponsors. Distinctly Local plans other specialty maps around events like the Flying Pig or MidPoint Music Festival.The animated map has traditional street, neighborhood and interstate makers, before delving into more creative territory. It marks neighborhood business districts, locally owned businesses and city landmarks like Findlay Market, Cincinnati Museum Center and the World Peace Bell in Newport.It also highlights urban places important to Cincinnati's identity like Skyline Chili, Graeters, Paul Brown Stadium and Carew Tower. These places are drawn and named, so users can clearly make out the football and baseball stadiums, see the crown atop the Great American tower and get a tiny glimpse of the Genius of Water on Fountain Square. And unlike most maps today locations are measured in walk time."We were looking for a piece that would really showcase our region, the neighborhoods close to the central core and highlight the cool, unique, independent shops, vendors and restaurants that are all around us," said Jennifer Young, Marketing Communications manager for HYPE (Harnessing Young Professional Energy).The map will be included in new hire packets for Chamber members, and will also be distributed at area hotels, convention centers and real estate offices. Eventually the map could be online as well.Writer: Feoshia HendersonSources: Jen Young, HYPE Marketing Communications and Joe Hansbauer, Give Back CincinnatiYou can follow Feoshia on Twitter @feoshiawrites

CincyTech portfolio company eMerge builds on health IT movement

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Entrepreneurship

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May 10, 2011

Three entrepreneurial minded doctors, along with their tech partners, are building on the health IT explosion with a new tool designed to cut down on both surgical and billing errors.eMerge Health Solutions is the latest CincyTech portfolio company, formed in 2006 by three Cincinnati area gastroenterologists, a healthcare provider and IT specialist. Their first product is a voice-driven tool that allows surgeons to make documentation and notes during operations and other medical procedures. The software creates a database from those notes that a doctor can refer to and cross-reference with similar procedures.The software is designed to improve patient outcomes through more accurate procedure documentation."We will be offering a first-of-its-kind-product, the ability to document during a procedure using voice command and control," said eMerge CEO Alex Vidas. "This allows the clinician to gain productivity benefits without taking focus away from the patient's care."The company was created through collaboration of its founders Dr. Alan Safdi, Dr. Michael Safdi, Dr. Pradeep Bekal and Dan Walker of the Ohio GI & Liver Institute, and Bharat Saini, a former GE Aviation technology manager.The patent-pending technology has been thoroughly tested in 30,000 procedures since its development. It's now being used in three ambulatory surgery centers and at The Jewish Hospital in Cincinnati. The product is initially targeted for self-contained GI units within ambulatory surgical centers and hospitals."We are calculating that gastroenterology represents a $250 million-$300 million market and the total addressable market is $500 million-$700 million across all medical specialty areas. This is a tremendous opportunity," said CincyTech executive-in-residence and eMerge board member Phil Huff.Writer: Feoshia HendersonSource: CincyTechYou can follow Feoshia on Twitter @feoshiawrites

LocalGreatDeals.com moves into new space, hiring 20

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Entrepreneurship

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May 10, 2011

The couponing craze is boosting the bottom line for one local company that has just moved into a new space and adding 20 employees to its ranks.LocalGreatDeals.com, an online coupon site, works with media partners and local businesses to offer Internet-based coupons for small- and medium-sized local business in Cincinnati and in 34 other cities across the country.Based in Loveland, LocalGreatDeals.com, is growing along with the couponing and saving renaissance. "Industry wide the coupon industry continues to grow as the economy evolves into what is today. People are interested in finding a deal and getting the most bang for their buck," said company Vice President of Sales Ryan Minton.In Cincinnati, the company works with network affiliates websites to offer hundreds of coupons for local businesses. The site also uses web keyword search techniques to help make their coupons easier to find online."We're different from the deals of the day sites where you get a discount when you purchase a deal. Users that go to our site don't have to pay for anything," Minton said.Founded in 2009, the company has just moved from downtown Loveland to a nearby office park at 424 Wards Corner in Loveland. The company has 40 employees and is in the process of adding 20 more inside sales associates.The company is also expanding its services and moving rapidly into new cities. It expects to be live in 100 cities by year's end. The company also isn't entirely averse to daily deal methods, and recently launched Dealsthatgiveback.com. It's a twist on the deal-of-the-day site where 10 percent of each purchase goes to a charity of the buyer's choice.Writer: Feoshia HendersonSource: LocalGreatDeals.comYou can follow Feoshia on Twitter @feoshiawrites

Acceptd sets out to change the game in digital video college applications

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Education + Learning

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May 3, 2011

Two University of Cincinnati marketing and entrepreneurship grads have created web-based software designed to make it easier for university professionals to manage video applications for creative and sports programs. Acceptd is nearing the Beta testing stage. Co-founders Don Hunter of Oakley and Derek Brown of Columbus are working with UC, Miami University and other local institutions to test the tool that can be tailored to individual programs and colleges. "It's designed to be a simple, web-based management tool. It allows the users to screen video applications that are used in performing arts programs or athletic programs where they view highlight reels," Hunter said. Today administrators contend with a hodgepodge of formats from DVDs to YouTube links. They can be difficult to manage, share and compare, Hunter said."This will format all of the videos, and the decision makers can rate them and collaborate with other decision makers in real time. This will streamline the process," Hunter said. Acceptd can be modified for individual college programs."Each program will have a public branding landing page, a welcome note from the dean, programs available and requirements for it," Hunter said.There is also a dashboard for applicants who can upload their videos and send them to multiple colleges or universities. Students can add their social media pages, a bio and more for viewing. The social media component also lets students connect through Facebook and see where their friends are applying. Acceptd will notify students by email or text when their video has been received, viewed and commented on. Hunter believes Acceptd can be a leader in the emerging video application trend, which is becoming more popular with the ease and ubiquity of recording technology. He and Brown are preparing for a limited fall launch before introducing it to the wider college community. Writer: Feoshia HendersonSource: Acceptd co-founder Don HunterYou can follow Feoshia on Twitter @feoshiawrites