Research + Innovation

CincyTechUSA sponsors grant-writing training

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Diversity
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October 11, 2011

Entrepreneurs, mark your calendars. A two-day intensive workshop, sponsored by CincyTechUSA, is scheduled for Oct. 26-27 at the Ft. Mitchell Country Club. It will cover all aspects of preparing a competitive SBIR/STTR proposal from strategic planning to proposal writing, submission and post-submission follow-up. When it comes to strategic planning, doing your homework in advance makes a major difference. The workshop guides you to learn how to research SBIR/STTR program details and Technological Innovation and Commercial Merit, develop strategies to help your proposal meet agency requirements and do intelligence work before you write your proposal. In addition, you’ll learn how to craft a fundable proposal, including gathering the right tools, understanding the review process and following step-by-step instructions. You’ll even get a glimpse into common errors and pitfalls so that you can avoid them. The workshop also features chances to learn about how to submit government grants, from the NIH to the DoE and DoEd. For more information or to register: Call or email Dorothy H. Air, PhD, 558-7339, or dorothy.air@uc.edu. By Elissa Yancey

Latest in Research + Innovation
New institute blends law, informatics
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Education + Learning
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September 27, 2011

With two new joint degrees, Northern Kentucky University leads the country in connecting law students with the digital age. The Chase Law and Informatics Institute at NKU held its first classes in August. “We want to pull together the study of informatics with the legal analysis of the contractual practices which are shaping business and commerce,” says Jon Garon, inaugural director of the Chase Law and Informatics Institute. The institute offers two joint degrees; a Juris Doctor/Masters of Business Informatics and a Juris Doctor/ Masters of Health Informatics. No other law school in the country has these kinds of degrees. “There are a few schools that have law and technology programs,” Garon says. “With the convergence of the law school and the College of Informatics, we are really at a unique position. Our students will be fully immersed in the both the informatics world and the world of law ” This means studying the rapidly changing field of law in the age of enormous amounts of data and ever-changing technology, including disruptive technologies. “A disruptive technology is something that is changing the way businesses interact with their customers,” Garon says. “For example, digital photography came around and completely reshaped the industry.” With analog photography, ownership was simple. But, with digital files and the Internet, there are more questions about ownership and fair use than ever before. The technology fundamentally rewrote the social contract between the parties, so there has to be new law to govern that. Garon is a perfect candidate to run the new institute because of his background in law and teaching. “Each step in my career has been a hands-on approach to how data and media and how they are reshaping the way we think, as well as the way we do business,” Garon says. He worked with companies as the Internet grew and worked with companies to hel them deal with the security of online health information. As technology continues to evolve, there is an increasing need for companies, even at the small, family-owned level, to understand what they need to protect and how to do that. Garon hopes that the NKU institute will produce lawyers who understand how the worlds of law and information work together. “We are developing a much more strategic lawyer. One who understands not only the technical aspects of a contract, but also is able to advise a company on their internal practices and their approach to legal issues,”  Garon says. “Our graduates will be the most flexible and most ready to develop processes to deal with the new world we live in.”   By Evan Wallis

Social Media Institute expands to gain followers
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Development News
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September 20, 2011

Who gives a tweet? Turns out, just about everyone. That’s why Cincinnati State Technical and Community College is expanding certificate program options at the one-year-old Social Media Institute at the Workforce Development Center. The SMI combines the talents of working professionals, innovative thinkers and traditional educators in a short series of classes focusing on specific areas of social media expertise. The second class of Marketing for Social Media starts Sept. 23. The new Selling 2.0 certification launches in November. The SMI took shape as founder Dennis Ulrich, executive director of the Workforce Development Center, saw a pressing business need as more companies turned to Facebook and Twitter in search of new sales and marketing platforms. “There are no standards on qualifications to work in the social media space,” Ulrich says. “That’s exactly why I started the Institute.” Selling 2.0 will teach students how to gain referrals, manage customer concerns and build customer loyalty through two eight-hour seminars, Nov. 1 and Nov. 8. By the time students have completed the seminars, Ulrich hopes they will feel comfortable running the social media side of their businesses. “There is a lot of academic rigor in these programs,” Ulrich says. “This isn’t a lunch-and-learn. There is a heavy focus on business. You have to do pre-work, look at case studies and apply it to real-world situations. We can measure students’ performance.” The work and case studies are created by an advisory committee, which consists of recognized social media experts from trusted companies including Procter & Gamble, Boot Camp Digital and O’Keefe PR. “They provide us with input, feedback and support for the entire program,” Ulrich says. “The Institute is guided by people who are innovators in these exact areas of social media.”   Kendra Ramirez of Ascendum Solutions will help teach the Selling 2.0 seminars. Ulrich thinks by focusing on very specific areas of this rapidly changing field, the certification process is beneficial. He hopes to expand with HR Seminars, social media for educators and even research and development courses. “The Institute, just like most of the work we do, is to bolster the regional economy,” Ulrich says. “Cincinnati is becoming a marketing hub, so we believe we are in the perfect place to utilize all the great experts here.” By Evan Wallis

Factory Square Fine Arts Festival garners partners, support
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Arts + Culture
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September 20, 2011

At an upcoming inaugural festival in Northside, thinking inside the box offers the clearest route to creativity. parProjects, a two-man artist group, is launching its fundraising and programming effort for their art and education center made mostly out of repurposed shipping containers by hosting the Factory Square Arts Festival Oct. 22-23. It takes shape in the lot in front of the new American Can Lofts, the space set to be the future home of the art center. The festival features 14 temporary exhibition spaces inside of shipping containers, large-scale sculpture displays by international and local artists, live music by Far-I-Rome Productions and a full complement of food and drinks. A portion of the festival will also be housed in the industrial bays of the American Can Lofts. An encore to the popular City Flea will fill one of the bays. World-renowned South African sculptor, Ledelle Moe will also have works inside the bay. Several other artists from DAAP and Northside’s Prairie Gallery will also display work on site. After a year of negotiating and planning with several partners, Jonathan Sears and Chris Hoeting, founders of parProjects, look forward to seeing their dream come to fruition. They hope to gain backing for their arts center through ongoing outreach and programming efforts and even gained Soapbox as the media sponsor. “We want to involve as many people as we can in this city,” says Sears. “There is a great appreciation of the arts, and we want to create something special.” During the festival, visitors can preview the arts center that will use shipping containers as building blocks and employ a variety of green building methods. With a target completion date in 2012, the arts center plan includes resident artists programs, collaborative arts education programs and exhibition spaces. Part of the center will also be detachable and serve as a mobile exhibition space. By Evan Wallis

Ilesfay uses cloud to ease data transfer
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Entrepreneurship
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September 20, 2011

The three co-founders of Cincinnati startup Ilesfay – who met working for Tri-State engineering firm Alexander & Associates – are continuing proof that Cincinnati is a growing ecosystem for innovation. Chris McLennan, James Taylor and Joe Kramer started Ilesfay in 2009, after a combined 30 years of engineering experience. They had seen their clients at A&A struggle with information exchange while working on large projects. For example, teams of people around the world could be contributing to the same project. Every time a small change is made to an engineering design, the teams have to exchange huge amounts of data – measured in terabytes. (For a bit of context: One terabyte equals 1,000 gigabytes. An average Blue-ray disc contains about 50 gigabytes). Right now companies transmit the data by leasing expensive fiber-optic lines or using virtual private networks (VPNs), which are not only also expensive but require a lot of manpower. Ilesfay uses cloud-based service to replicate the data. “We’ve created a patent-pending technology called ‘pre-emptive binary differencing,’” says McClennan, who is CEO of Ilesfay. “What we do is transfer only what has changed in the specifications. If one hole on the machine is moved, our software ferrets that out and conveys just that move. You don’t need to copy over the entire, huge document. “That way you can use standard business Internet lines inexpensively – and get it there in a day instead of a week. Our technology replaces all of those point-to-point networks with a simple 'point to cloud' solution.” Ilesfay has received a $350,000 investment commitment from CincyTech – a local seed-stage investor. The company is seeking an additional $150,000 investment to close this round of funding. Also impressive – the company already has a contract with Proctor & Gamble. CincyTech Executive-in-residence Mike Venerable is impressed with the progress Ilesfay has already made. “They have market-changing technology and a knowledgeable team with deep domain expertise. And all this happened before even $1 of outside money was invested.” By Sarah Blazak

CoachHub links brands, coaches, parents
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Innovation News
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September 20, 2011

Millions of kids participate in sports every day. With the hassles of scheduling games, alerting players to rain-outs and carpooling, parents spend hours figuring out the logistics of managing or being part of sports teams. The staff at Barefoot Proximity, a Cincinnati-based global digital and eCRM agency, found a way to help parents score with a high-tech time-saving tool. “Being a coach includes more than being just a coach,” says Troy Hitch, executive creative director at Barefoot Proximity. “Besides understanding the game, you have to deal with the players, their parents, friends and everyone else involved. It can be a lot of work.” That’s why BFP created CoachHub, a free website that connects coaches and parents who are involved on a sports team. Coaches can click one button to contact all parents at once, making last-minute schedule changes, rainouts and cancellations a lot less hassle. They can also remind parents about snack duty and even post pictures to share. But Coachhub acts as more than a niche social media website. Imagine you’re a soccer mom driving to a game, when all of the sudden your phone beeps with more than a reminder from CoachHub that it’s your week to buy snacks. It also has a mobile coupon for Gatorade attached to the reminder. You stop at the closest gas station, pick up Gatorade and scan your mobile coupon. Just like that, you have snacks and saved money. “The redemption rate of these coupons would be incredibly high,” says Hitch. “This is where we create partners with brands.” Hitch and his team plan on working on partnerships with brands like Gatorade and Dick’s Sporting Goods. “All of it helps the user, but it also creates meaningful intersections between the user and these brands,” Hitch says. As people use CoachHub, the program collects super-rich consumer data that BFP can leverage to gain other partners. Dick’s could partner with BFP and sell one-click equipment packages to teams on CoachHub at a 10 percent discount. “The idea is that a brand has the potential to create a self-liquidating market experience,” Hitch says. “Instead of throwing money into advertisement, they can actually create an asset that creates revenue and is meaningful to the consumer.” By Evan Wallis

Resource: NKY Rekindle Micro-Enterprise Program
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Entrepreneurship
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September 13, 2011

Resource: NKY Rekindle MicroEnterprise Program The Northern Kentucky Community Action Commission has launched a new micro-enterprise program called Rekindle, a new self-sufficiency initiative designed to assist aspiring entrepreneurs in eight Northern Kentucky counties (Boone, Campbell, Carroll, Gallatin, Grant, Kenton, Owen and Pendleton). "Starting a business requires a great deal of organization and many steps," says Robert Yoder, the Business Development Director of the Northern Kentucky Community Action Commission. "Before you jump in head first, learn about how to avoid common mistakes made by many people considering small business ownership. These basics include an overview of business plan development, legal entities, business tax and licensing issues and financing options." The Rekindle Micro-Enterprise Development Program consists of three parts: business development training, on-going mentoring and access to funding assistance. Micro-Enterprise Business Development Training Northern Kentucky University’s Small Business Development Center provides the initial Pre-Business Orientation Workshop. The first workshop is Thursday, Sept. 15, 7 p.m., at Covington Artisan Enterprise Center, 25 W. Seventh Street in downtown Covington, Kentucky. To register, call Yoder at 859-655-2946 or e-mail him at rekindle@nkcac.org. Mentoring and On-going Support After the introduction workshop, participants are invited to apply for Rekindle Micro-Enterprise Development Program. As part of the program, participants will attend six weekly seminars to their business plans and cover topics involved in opening and operating a Micro-Enterprise. After working on developing the business plan, Rekindle coaches will work with the participants in accessing funding and maintaining a relationship as the business launches and grows. Access to Funding Assistance Rekindle Micro-Enterprise Development Financing is available for low-income individuals who want to start or expand their businesses. Eligible participants are able to apply for up to $5,000 in Rekindle low-interest financing. Northern Kentucky Community Action Commission helps low income individuals and families develop the knowledge, opportunities and resources they need to achieve self-reliance. For more information about the Northern Kentucky Community Action Commission, visit www.nkcac.org.

ToolBank adds power to community efforts
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Diversity
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September 13, 2011

Community building takes time, energy, and, sometimes, power tools. “Having the right tools is the biggest barrier for non-profits and schools to do community-building work,” says Joe Hansbauer, a veteran of Give Back Cincinnati and now UGive executive director. He has participated and led many clean-up/fix-up efforts and knew of stores of tools warehoused by Give Back Cincinnati, the Cincinnati Parks and other local groups. “At Give Back Cincinnati, we wash every paint brush,” says Hansbauer, a fan of conserving funds and resources at the same time. “Tools have great longevity.” He wondered how the equipment, out of commission for most days of the year, could be available to schools, non-profits, neighborhood business associations and even neighbors who wanted to host a street-clean up. A chance mention at the end of a business meeting led him to contact ToolBank, an Atlanta-based non-profit designed to meet the same community needs. ToolBank inventories tools and allows volunteers minimal-cost access to a wide range of them, from cordless drills and ladders to rakes, shovels and circular saws. Hansbauer’s timing was perfect. As he gathered local business and financial support, ToolBank started adding affiliate programs – one in Charlotte, one in Baltimore, and, starting next year, one in Cincinnati.  ToolBank offers the infrastructure to manage tool storage and distribution, as well as non-profit status. Preliminary financial support from UPS, the Carol Ann and Ralph V. Haile, Jr./U.S. Bank Foundation, Ethicon and Toyota already amounts to more than $100,000. Once the local ToolBank board of directors, including Hansbauer, raises $125,000,  they can begin a search for an executive director. By Elissa Yancey

Radio frequency ID tags track Cincinnati recycling
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Environment + Sustainability
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September 13, 2011

Sue Magness used to drive up and down Cincinnati streets on garbage days, looking for signs of recycling activity and reporting green-bin use the old-fashioned way – one house at a time. This year, the Cincinnati Office of Environmental Quality’s recycling coordinator estimates close to $1 million in savings and an unmatched collection of recycling data have resulted from the city’s enhanced recycling program.   The enhancement includes radio-frequency identification (RFID) tags that are integrated into the large, wheeled bins distributed to residents this year.   “This technology provides an effortless opportunity for residents to participate in the RecycleBank rewards program,” says Magness. “It provides valuable information about the house count for operations management and billing accuracy; and provides participation data that is invaluable for recycling education and marketing research.”   RFID, an innovative technology also used in health care and consumer products industries, helps track bin use easily and accurately, Magness says. She notes that before the new bins and technology, about 40 percent of city dwellers recycled, a portion that had held steady for 20 years. Now, 72 percent of residents recycle, and the number continues to grow.   In the first quarter of 2011, Magness reports a 49 percent increase in tons of materials recycled compared to the same time period in 2010. “Increase in tons results in more jobs and numerous environmental benefits,” Magness says.   More recycling also means less trash, lower landfill fees and an increase in sales of recycled materials. All together, enhanced recycling has lowered city waste disposal costs by more than $930,000 as of August 2011.   In addition to hundreds of thousands of dollars in city budget savings, the enhanced recycling program has enabled the city to collect the largest data set of recycling behaviors in the Midwest, says Magness, whose position would be eliminated in the current city budget proposal up for a City Council vote this week.   “I believe we have an unprecedented opportunity and obligation to measure, analyze and share this information for a sustainable future,” Magness says. By Elissa Yancey      

Urban Harvest gets support from Xavier
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Development News
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August 30, 2011

Xavier University will offer a wealth of support to Brad Roger’s start-up company Urban Harvest. Rogers won the Xavier Launch-A-Business (X-LAB) Competition, sponsored by the university’s Williams College of Business and Sedler Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation. Judges announce the complete list of winners 1:30 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 30, in the Grand Atrium of Smith Hall. Winners, such as Rogers, will develop a business plan and receive consulting services, networking opportunities and a meeting with possible investors. The competition included a questionnaire submission, and 30- and 60-minute interviews with panels of experts. In a preview interview with Soapbox, Rogers, a project manager for a home remodeling company, explained that Urban Harvest aims to bring more fresh fish and produce, and employment, to area communities. He says the company plans to use an innovative, cost-effective system called aquaponics, a hybrid of aquafarming (fish raising) and hydroponics (growing plants without soil). In this system, when fish are fed, he says, fish waste provides nutrients that are circulated into the planting beds. The plants, in turn, filter the water for the fish. “It’s like a mini eco-system.” “Ideally, with the system I want to setup, ” he adds, “it will produce 10,000 heads of lettuce and some herbs every week, and produce about 10,000 pounds of fish a year.” Rogers was the local expert behind the development of an aquaponics system at H.J. Benken Florist & Garden Center in Blue Ash. Launched in November, it was treated as a beta test for an aquaponics system planned for a village outside Jos, Nigeria. The local, faith-based company Self-Sustaining Enterprises (SSE) helped install the system there in March. Pete West, a Procter & Gamble engineer, was among the locals who traveled to Nigeria. “The idea was twofold,” he says. “To provide gainful employment for people in the village area, and to provide food that village will eat.” Rogers and SSE hope to expand that idea in the Greater Cincinnati area, employing community members and engaging farmers. “The goal is to have a main campus, where I teach people about aquaponics, but then I want to establish other aquaponic centers in neighborhoods,” he says. “Some communities have to hop on three buses to get to a grocery store.” By Rich Shivener

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