Page 904 – Soapbox

Marvin’s Organic Gardens, Wal-Mart partner to compost food and plant waste

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June 8, 2010

Marvin's Organic Gardens' 10-acre compost facility is going to get a workout through a new partnership with Wal-Mart stores from Cincinnati to Columbus.Marvin's, in Lebanon, will soon begin receiving food and plant waste for composting from 160 regional Wal-Mart stores in partnership with Future Organics Inc., a private company working with Wal-Mart stores in Ohio and Michigan.Future Organics will collect and deliver up to three tons of food scraps, food prep materials and plants to Marvin's each week. Both Marvin's and Wal-Mart benefit from the relationship: Wal-Mart compost disposal fees are lower than a landfill's, and Marvin's compost mound will grow and diversify."The nutrient rich homemade compost we are able to produce from the food waste supplied from Wal-Mart is the best way to promote healthy lawns and gardens and grow the best tasting fruits and vegetables possible. Marvin's Organic Gardens is proud to help Wal-Mart with their pledge to significantly reduce landfill waste," said Wes Duren, owner of Marvin¹s Organic Gardens.Marvin's sells compost, compost bins and other products that aid at-home composting. The compost meets National Organic Standards.Marvin¹s has been an EPA-permitted organic waste recycling center since 2000.Writer: Feoshia HendersonSource: Tarte Advertising, Inc.., Marvin's Organic GardensYou can follow Feoshia on twitter @feoshiasoapbox

General Nano receives $2 million from Ohio’s Third Frontier

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General

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June 8, 2010

General Nano LLC, a Hamilton County-based maker of carbon nanotube yarn, received nearly $2 million in funding from the Ohio Third Frontier Advanced Materials Program, contingent upon the approval of the State Controlling Board. General Nano plans to match the grant with its own $2.5 million investment.The conductive yarn made by General Nano has aerospace and defense applications. Ohio Third Frontier's Advanced Materials Program provides companies with the funding they need to commercialize products and technologies for current and future high-tech uses. By doing so, Third Frontier builds up technological industries in Ohio and creates jobs."This award will assist General Nano in manufacturing their high-tech product, and supporting the aerospace and defense industry of Ohio and beyond," said Eric Fingerhut, Chancellor of the Ohio Board of Regents and Chair of the Ohio Third Frontier Commission. "This investment will not only help grow the advanced materials sector of our state, but also the economy of Southwest Ohio as a whole."The General Nano award represents only a portion of the $12 million in Third Frontier funding pumped into Southwest Ohio's economy last week. The other recipients were a UC microfluidic displays project ($3 million) and an Energy Regional Innovation Cluster, or E-RIC ($7 million), collaborated on by a coalition of area universities and corporations.Ohio Third Frontier is a bipartisan initiative of Ohio's Department of Development to create new technological industries, companies, and jobs. Since its 2002 inception, the Third Frontier has brought upwards of $4.76 billion in private investment to Ohio, and has seen a return on investment that approaches 9:1. Ohio voters approved State Issue 1 on May 4, which extended an additional $700 million in public funding to Ohio Third Frontier.Written by: Elena StevensonSource: Carolyn Pione, Cincy Tech; www.ohiothirdfrontier.com

Xavier University’s X-Lab is looking for a few good entrepreneurs

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Entrepreneurship

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June 8, 2010

Xavier University is the latest Cincinnati area entity to start a business competition with X-Lab, short for Xavier-Launch a Business.The University's Williams College of Business launched the first-time competition aimed at the on and off campus community of entrepreneurs who want to start businesses, nonprofits and social enterprises.X-Lab is the culmination of a seven-year effort to connect the university's business experts with the outside community, said Ali Malekzadeh, dean of the Williams College of Business."We've been reaching out more and more beyond our campus to connect with the business community," Malekzadeh said. "We know we can be more effective business educators if we work with the business community. And we believe with that connection, we can help the business community thrive."The contest is open until July 7 and an online application is available here. X-LAB is looking for startups that can grow jobs or make a significant impact regionally or nationally. X-LAB also will help existing small-to medium-sized businesses improve and expand.Ideas will be screened and evaluated by faculty and members of the business community. Applications will be judged on three overall factors: the viability of the business ideas, the potential of the business owners and whether the capabilities of X-LAB are a good match for the businesses. Five winners will be announced by Sept. 10. Later, X-LAB will seek other applicants to support including existing small-to-medium sized businesses.Winners will be provided a number of free services including consulting services for up to a full academic year, or nine months, help with business development and launch, access to workshops, executive mentors and networking, feedback on the development of your business plan and a meeting with potential investors.Writer: Feoshia HendersonSource: Elliot Grossman, Xavier University CommunicationsYou can follow Feoshia on twitter @feoshiasoapbox

Jacobs Automation receives $700K in Series A financing, funding available for other NKY companies

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Entrepreneurship

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June 8, 2010

Jacobs Automation in Hebron received $700,000 in Series A financing from the Kentucky Enterprise Fund and local investors including Queen City Angels, and Blue Chip Venture Capital. The high-tech company, which works with the packaging industry, also has been approved for an additional $400 from the Commonwealth Seed Capital and from Kentucky Loan program funded by the KY Department of Commercialization and Innovation.The Northern Kentucky company was founded in 2004 to develop cost-saving, energy efficient automation technology for the packing industry. Its trademarked PackTrak lines uses maglev technology (which propels objects using magnetic fields) making traditional hardware laden automation machines more efficient. PackTrak eliminates much hardware, which often causes downtime, inflexibility and maintenance in a machine. That hardware is replaced with software-controlled components."This financing will fuel our rapid growth, allowing us to capitalize on the numerous opportunities available in the market" said Keith Jacobs, CEO of Jacobs Automation. "We saw great success in the past year and this financing round will help us continue to innovate and continue our aggressive growth."The funds will allow Jacobs to increase sales and marketing staff and build new demonstration models.Jacobs Automation received the funding with the aid of Northern Kentucky ezone, which works with several organizations across the state to connect funders and companies. Applications for another round of funding will be accepted until June 24. ezone clients can apply for grants of $30,000 or other funding options ranging from $100,000 to $750,000 toward commercializing high-tech/high-growth companies and ideas. The grants enable individuals or businesses to create and market new products, technologies and processes. The funding received from the Commonwealth can assist or compliment companies whose strategy includes raising capital. For more information or to begin your application, please contact Keith Schneider at the Northern Kentucky ezone at 8598-292-7785.Writer: Feoshia HendersonSource: Keith Schneider, Commercialization Director Northern Kentucky ezoneYou can follow Feoshia on twitter @feoshiasoapbox

P&G online brand store up and running

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General

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June 8, 2010

Cincinnati-based Procter & Gamble has jumped into the online shopping world with an eStore devoted solely to P&G brands.The site, which is in beta, is owned and operated by PFSweb, a company that works with international retailers and manufacturers to sell their products online. PFSweb clients include The Home Depot, sunglass hut, Lego and Sephora.The P&G site features a variety of familiar brands including Pantene, Cover Girl, Tide, Bounce, febreze, and Gillette. The site features a standard $5 shipping rate, and includes special saving offers and a new product section. The site is serving as a model for future brand-based retail shopping sites."The goal of the eStore is to be an innovation catalyst for online consumer engagement and e-commerce sales for household and beauty categories," said Mark Layton, PFSweb's CEO. "We are excited to bring an online store to life that places the consumer alongside us in the eStore's ongoing development."The site has a social media style feedback section where users can voice concerns about product prices, technical glitches or aspects users like. PFSweb employees answer questions in a format that any one on the site can read add comments."Through our partnership with PFSweb and on-going testing with consumers, we envision the eStore will help deliver new tools, services and features that can ultimately be shared with retailers to provide a real convenience and value for shoppers, while also delivering innovation for the industry and specifically for our product categories," said Kirk Perry, P&G's Vice President, North America.Writer: Feoshia HendersonSource: P&G NewsYou can follow Feoshia on twitter @feoshiasoapbox

Cincinnati stands out for commitment to youth jobs

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Cincy In The News

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June 8, 2010

While summer jobs for high school and undergraduate students have been cut elsewhere in the nation, Cincinnati has maintained a $1 million dollar budget for its youth initiatives. Due to the mayor's commitment to the program, about 700 youths will be hired for productive work around the city such as landscaping, serving as junior counselors at neighborhood recreation centers, and working in the parks department. Read the full story here.

UC wins $3M in Third Frontier funding

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Cincy In The News

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June 8, 2010

The Ohio Third Frontier Wright Projects Program gave many local institutions funding for different research projects. The University of Cincinnati was awarded $3 million to research microfluidics technology and $7 million to develop and commercialize energy efficient building system technologies, designs, and best practices. GE Aviation Electrical Power Systems and Children's Hospital also received Third Frontier Funds and will collaborate with other Ohio institutions for research. Read the full story here.

Cincinnati musuem sets attendance record

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Arts + Culture

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June 8, 2010

The temporary exhibit "Without Sanctuary: Lynching photography in America" at the National Underground Freedom Center reached the attendance record of 15,000 people since its opening day in January. Unsure of how the exhibit would be received with its controversial photographs, this number set a record of attendance for temporary exhibits at the museum.Read the full story here.

P&G Seeking to Expand Tide Franchise Stores

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Cincy In The News

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June 8, 2010

Procter & Gamble's Tide Dry Cleaners works to open multiple franchised dry cleaning locations by expanding to Atlanta. With the success of its sister company, Mr. Clean Car Wash, which is the largest full service car wash franchise in the U.S., Tide Dry Cleaners hopes to touch more consumers with their GreenEarth cleaning process and drive-thru service. Read the full story here.

The Neighborhoods of Cincinnati

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Architecture + Design

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June 8, 2010

Last month, Urbanophile's founder, Aaron Renn, visited Cincinnati to participate in a panel on the casino at Broadway Commons. While here Renn took a look around Cincinnati (on a guided tour with Soapbox's Randy Simes) and shared some of his observations and insights in a follow-up Soapblog. His latest photoessay on Cincinnati's neighborhoods takes a long look at the city's great resources and development challenges.Read the full story here.