Emerging Technology : Innovation + Job News

Can office gossip be put to good use? That’s the question behind a new local web service, Office Leaks, which provides an anonymous forum for company employees to express their views.
 
Founder Ryan Masanz came up with the idea after years of being a network services consultant. Traveling to over 100 companies in that career, he was struck by how often people expressed valuable, interesting opinions about projects or other people, but never went to their managers with those thoughts. At the same time, the managers would ask Masanz for his own opinion regarding operations, communication, and productivity.
 
“I felt like I was doing therapy,” he says. “I thought, what if we could remove that fear that people have about expressing themselves?”
 
Launched last April, Office Leaks is currently in startup mode, but already it’s becoming a robust forum, Masanz believes. Employees from over 500 companies are already enrolled in the site, with new companies signing up daily.
 
Not surprisingly, privacy is a top priority for the site, and Masanz goes to great lengths to make sure that anonymity is cemented into place. There are no backdoors into an employee’s account, and Office Leaks doesn’t keep any identifying information. “The less data we keep, the better,” he says.
 
Office Leaks is free for employees to use, but the site also invites managers and company owners to join by offering businesses the ability to sponsor forums with their employees for a monthly fee, without compromising employee anonymity. This provides sponsoring companies with several additional functions, like being able to make their community private.
 
So far, Masanz hasn’t had to install many filters, but as the site gets more popular, he anticipates that additional controls may have to be put in place to make sure that no one is betraying company secrets or infringing copyright. He says. “Our main rule is ‘don’t be evil,’ and that includes libel and trade secrets. Honestly, though, I’m surprised by how civil it’s been. People just want to be heard.”
 
Source: Ryan Masanz, Office Leaks
Writer: Elizabeth Millard

Everything it Takes to Build Your Company
September 8
Cowles Auditorium, Humphrey Institute
301 19^th Ave. S., Minneapolis
$45 for members and $105 for non-members
 
Part of The Collaborative’s series on business growth, this event features an array of speakers giving advice on leveraging technology, building revenue, and finding success in medtech. Experts include speakers from Best Buy, Calabrio, Shavlik Technologies, Compellent, GovDelivery, and more.
 

Minnesota Bioscience Summit
September 20
Nicollet Island Pavilion
40 Power St., Minneapolis
$99 for members and $129 for non-members
 
Presented by LifeScience Alley and the BioBusiness Alliance of Minnesota, the summit features panels that tackle three overarching trends that are poised to radically impact all the bioscience industries.
 

Advanced Search & Analytics Summit
September 20
2112 Broadway St. NE, Minneapolis
$495
 
Put on by DemandQuest, this summit is for people who are familiar with Google AdWords and want to dig into a more advanced understanding of how to manage and refine their campaigns.
 

Minnesota Developers Conference
September 29
DoubleTree Bloomington Hotel
7800 Normandale Blvd., Bloomington
$150
 
Now in its sixth year, the Minnesota Developers Conference is the largest developers conference in the Midwest. This year features seven tracks totaling 28 sessions, with the spotlight on .NET, Ruby, mobile, Silverlight, cloud computing, and HTML5.

 

 

 

 

New technology companies may get some heavenly help in the near future, with investment from a just-formed angel investor group.

AngelPolleNation (APN) is the brainchild of attorney Jeffrey Robbins of Messerli & Kramer. After representing entrepreneurs in his practice for nearly three decades, Robbins began to notice that angel investors were lacking in the state more than ever before. Some news reports early this year confirmed his suspicions, and he thought there must be a way to amp up angel funding in the area, especially for technology firms.

Although there are a number of organizations that serve entrepreneurs with resources and networking connections, the crucial angel investment component has been dwindling, Robbins believes.

"When you go to entrepreneurial events, the number-one topic is money," he says. "Everyone in early-stage companies struggles with where to find enough money for what they want to do."

At the same time, investors benefit from joining together, Robbins notes, instead of attempting to fund companies on their own. "It's hard to be a solo investor," he says. "It's really nice to be connected to others."

The initial phase of APN will focus on getting investors and entrepreneurs communicating, and Robbins hopes to draw a number of angels to the group. In July, APN's first meeting at Interlachen Country Club attracted about 70 local investors, and featured presentations by other angel groups like Twin Cities Angels and Minnesota Angel Network.

The next APN event is set for mid-September, and Robbins anticipates that there will be quarterly meetings from that point onward.

Source: Jeffrey Robbins, AngelPolleNation
Writer: Elizabeth Millard

Call it a fast lane for blood donors: Memorial Blood Centers (MBC) recently unveiled an innovative web-based system that allows donors to answer health history questions from their homes or offices, instead of in person.

The iDonate Interview program is designed to increase efficiency for MBC, and speed donors through the process.

The nonprofit is regulated by the Food and Drug Administration, which requires that every blood donation be subject to rigorous screening techniques, including a health history questionnaire from donors. The interview process could be a pain, though, for donors that come in frequently, since inputting the information at the donation site takes about 20 minutes.

"It was frustrating for people who have answered those same questions multiple times," says Wendy Capetz, MBC's director of marketing and development. "When their answers are always the same, they should be able to go through this process faster."

MBC worked for over a year to tweak the program so that it could be highly secure, user friendly, and compliant with FDA regulations.

Using the program, donors can complete an online form, print out a receipt with a bar code, and bring it into the donation site. That lets them skip the usual registration and health screening steps, and go straight to donation and the subsequent relax-with-cookies time.

Capetz says, "Because it takes less time for the donation process, we're hoping that it will increase the amount of donations in general. The feedback has been great from people who've used it. We just got a comment on our website that the program 'totally rocks.' You can't get better than that."

Source: Wendy Capetz, Memorial Blood Centers
Writer: Elizabeth Millard

Last April, web development firm The Nerdery announced that it was about to double its Bloomington headquarters. Now, it turns out that's not enough room.

The 8-year-old firm has been growing at such a steady clip that it's been consistently outgrowing its space for the past two years. In 2009, the company began knocking down walls and taking over other parts of its headquarters to allow for more employees, and recently, it built a 225-seat theater for all-company meetings.

But even that space may have to include significant standing-room-only areas in the near future, according to CEO Mike Derheim, who says the company seems to be always expanding.

"We have a deal right now where we're about to take another 6,000 square-feet of space, but in the meantime, we're looking at another 9,000 square-feet on top of that," he notes. "We're also looking at other geographies in terms of opening offices."

The growth is driven by high demand for Nerdery services, he says. The firm partners with ad agencies and design firms that need the type of creative technology expertise that The Nerdery provides.

To fill that extra office space, the company has a position known as the "Nerd Hunter," who's in charge of recruiting and interviews candidates every day. Three other employees create nerd-finder events and post job openings on career sites. The company has also begun doing a "Nerdery Roadshow" to different parts of the state, in an effort to recruit more talent.

"What's unique about us is that we find people who wake up every morning excited about developing the coolest new technology, and we have clients who recognize that," says Derheim. "That's what's fueling our growth."

Source: Mike Derheim, The Nerdery
Writer: Elizabeth Millard

Application developer and data center provider Open Access Technology International (OATI) recently announced its move to a new campus in Northeast Minneapolis, which will house both the company's growing staff and its next-generation data center.

Founded in 1995, OATI pioneered the software-as-a-service business model for the energy industry, and has since created products and services for energy trading, risk management, compliance monitoring, renewable resources, and other strategies. The company won the 2010 Tekne Award in the Technology Services, Small and Growing Company category, presented by the Minnesota High Tech Association.

The software firm purchased the 22-acre property in 2009, scooping up a site once owned and occupied by Honeywell International, located at 3660 Technology Drive NE.

At the time, OATI's President and CEO, Dr. Sasan Mokhtari, noted that the acquisition would allow the company to meet future challenges in the energy industry, OATI's main client base. A centerpiece to the project is a data center with high levels of physical and cyber security, redundancy, and efficiency.

OATI's two data centers are linked into one virtual data center through multiple fiber links, with optimized infrastructure.

Also in the mix are an executive briefing center, conference center, customer care department, and training center, in order to meet the needs of OATI's expanding staff.

In announcing the current move, Dr. Mokhtari stated that the new campus is three times larger than the company's previous space, and provides for continued growth in staff as well as services.

Source: OATI
Writer: Elizabeth Millard

Marketing Going Mobile
August 11
Metropolitan Ballroom
5418 Wayzata Blvd., Golden Valley
$30 for BMA members and $45 for non-members

The Minnesota chapter of the Business Marketing Association is hosting a panel discussion on how to successfully add mobile technology to B2B marketing campaigns. Topics include: leveraging mobile as a new media channel, integrating mobile into a marketing mix, and challenges associated with building applications for mobile devices. Attendees can register online at BMA's site through August 9, and a limited number of walk-up registrations are also available.

Mobile Twin Cities
August 16
Refactr office
11 Fourth St. NE, Minneapolis

Geared toward mobile developers, but open to non-techies, Mobile Twin Cities is a group of mobile enthusiasts who enjoy meeting on the third Tuesday or each month to discuss trends and software on all platforms. Past topics have included the challenges of training cellular sales teams, the use of QR codes, and the top news in mobile. For those who are interested, but can't make the meeting, Mobile Twin Cities offers videos of previous meetings on its site.

Summer Garden Party in the Sky
August 17
Crowne Plaza's Sky Garden
618 Second Ave. S., Minneapolis
free, but registration recommended

Put on by the MainStreetChamber, this networking mixer is a celebration of the gathering's first-year anniversary in Minnesota. The meetup is expected to draw hundreds of small business owners, and offers magnificent views of downtown as well as the hotel's rooftop garden.

Bootstrappers Breakfast
August 25
Wilde Roast
65 Main St. SE, Minneapolis
$10 fee + your own breakfast costs

Held monthly, the Bootstrappers Breakfast gives those in early-stage technology startups a chance to compare notes on operational, development, and business issues with their peers. The discussion is moderated by Kevin Spreng, an attorney specializing in entrepreneurial and investment issues. The focus isn't on fundraising through venture capital interest, but instead, on sharing ideas about how to grow a business.

A firm dedicated to making roadways safer and more efficient is getting some potential speed of its own, thanks to the inclusion of a former congressman.

Global Traffic Technologies (GTT), a developer of traffic sensing and routing systems, is bringing on Jim Oberstar as Senior Strategic Advisor.  

"Jim is a passionate advocate for improving the transportation infrastructure in an affordable and sustainable manner, and he has built an incredible reputation not just across the U.S., but around the world, for his commitment to this cause," says Doug Roberts, CEO at GTT.

During his 36-year tenure serving in the U.S. House of Representatives, Oberstar championed a wide range of initiatives to improve transportation safety. His efforts culminated in his appointment as chairman for the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure in 2007, a position that included oversight of all modes of transport, including aviation, maritime, and highway systems.

Oberstar has been familiar with GTT's work, Roberts notes, so the match seemed perfect. He says, "When the opportunity arose, it was a natural fit to combine Jim's passion and ability to communicate with GTT's ability to deliver."

In addition to raising GTT's profile and extending its reach into new markets, Oberstar will be working with customers to identify the public-private partnership models that GTT depends on, Roberts says.

Oberstar's appointment comes at an important time for the company, he adds, since GTT has developed new products that allow customers to draw more benefits from their existing systems. Getting the word out about these fresh offerings will help municipalities save money, and foster growth for GTT going forward.

Source: Doug Roberts, Global Traffic Technologies
Writer: Elizabeth Millard

Co-ops are a common business structure for groovy food emporiums, energy consortiums, and dairy producers, but now that setup is ready to fuel more growth at entrepreneurial advocacy group MOJO Minnesota.

The collection of Twin Cities attorneys, advisors, entrepreneurs, and investors came together about a year ago, calling themselves "agitators for innovation policy and community." The group's main goal is to shine a light on new technologies through state policy advocacy, unique events, and mentoring. Creating connections among business leaders, industry groups, and investors is another strong focus.

Now, it's a co-operative as well. "Up until this point, we've been an unincorporated association, which just means there was a collection of us working together on these particular issues," says co-founder Ernest Grumbles. "We wanted to formalize our structure, and when we looked at the available options, we latched onto being a co-op because that's how we've been functioning."

MOJO has a populist feel to it, he notes, but more importantly, it allows the group to pursue advocacy action and potential commercialization that would have been more challenging if it had sought non-profit status.

"Minnesota has been a big booster of co-ops," he adds, "where people come together and share resources. There are a number of power co-ops and consumer co-ops, but our group is unique in taking that structure."

Grumbles believes that other business advocacy and networking organizations would be beneficial for the state, and it's his hope that MOJO won't be the only business-focused co-op for long.

Source: Ernest Grumbles, MOJO Minnesota
Writer: Elizabeth Millard

If ReconRobotics has its way, the company's cutting-edge micro-robots will become standard issue for many more government entities.

Although the Edina-based firm already has a number of federal and state contacts, the addition of Andrew Borene--a former U.S. Marine who served in Iraq and once worked at the Pentagon--should boost its reach, the company hopes.

ReconRobotics was formed in 2006 in order to commercialize robotics technology developed at the University of Minnesota Robotics Laboratory. The company's devices are used by hundreds of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies and military units to obtain real-time video of hostile environments.

The distinctive robots are lightweight, rugged, and versatile, and the newest little robot, the Recon Scout XT, is only 1.2 pounds and can be thrown 120 feet without damage.

Borene steps into the newly created position of Director of Government and Industry Affairs in order to build the company's government-relations activities and support federally funded research and development programs for micro-robot technologies. Most recently, Borene served in a similar capacity at LexisNexis, where he dealt with large contract programs with defense and intelligence agencies.

"ReconRobotics has established itself as a world leader in micro-robotics," he says. "The company is now going from being a start-up to a mature enterprise, and it's my job to help that happen."

He adds that a recent speech by President Obama highlighted several industries that would be pushing the economy forward, and robotics was mentioned as a source of innovation. Borene is ready to make good on that promise by getting ReconRobotics into the spotlight.

"I see my role as helping to marshal government resources and get some development and support," he says. "It's really exciting, what we have ahead. I love it."

Source: Andrew Borene, ReconRobotics
Writer: Elizabeth Millard

Although the state government's operations might be temporarily reduced to a simmer, it seems that Minnesota's exports are at full boil.

According to the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED), the state's exports of manufactured, agricultural and mining products grew 13 percent in the first quarter, compared to the same period a year ago. Overall, state exports were a record $4.8 billion for the quarter.

The most dominant export category proved to be manufactured products, bringing in $4.4 billion of total sales, which is a 12 percent increase over last year.

"Minnesota exports continue to be strong, generating more business for companies and contributing to job growth statewide," said DEED Commissioner Mark Phillips in a press release announcing the news. He added that exports to nine of the state's top 10 markets expanded from a year ago, and sales for most of Minnesota's products and commodities grew as well.

Canada remains Minnesota's largest customer, accounting for $1.3 billion in exports in the quarter, up 16 percent from a year ago. Other top markets include China, Japan, Mexico, Germany, and South Korea. Growth in Asia was particularly significant, with exports to China increasing by 35 percent.

Despite the record export growth, the Minnesota Trade Office believes that many small- to mid-sized businesses could be doing even more to bring their products and services to non-Minnesota customers. In a statement, the Trade Office's Executive Director, Katie Clark, noted that Minnesota must focus on selling its products to the global marketplace.

Source: Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development
Writer: Elizabeth Millard