Innovation + Job News

Much has been written about cracking the genome's code, but little is said about how this information will be used, particularly on an individual level. Will your genome data be public property, or will you be able to have a level of ownership over its contents? One Minneapolis-based startup prefers the latter.
 
Founded in March 2012 by entrepreneur Paul Saarinen and University of Minnesota Associate Professor of Genetics Scott Fahrenkrug, Miinome aims to be the largest member-owned genetic database and genetic data broker in the world. The name Miinome derives from a combination of 'genome' and a play on 'Wii' game controllers, creating a blend that indicates members will have control of their own unique genetic code.
 
"We believe in the concept of property rights, and genomic data right now isn't necessarily legally yours yet," says Saarinen. "We want to change that, to a model where you would have access to your genetic information, and the ability to choose what you do with it."
 
The company is in its early stages right now, but sparking quite a bit of interest with partnerships and investors. The pair has filed an initial patent around the idea with plans to release a beta version of their platform in the next six months. Until then, Saarinen is jetting around the country collecting advisors and raising capital.
 
"This is getting a little crazy in terms of traction, and we're just trying to keep up," he says. In other words, keep an eye on Miinome this year as it goes from stealth to boom.
 
Source: Paul Saarinen, Miinome
Writer: Elizabeth Millard

MHTA Session Preview: Tech, Innovation, and Life Science Industries
February 5
Science Museum of Minnesota
20 Kellogg Blvd. W., St. Paul
4:30 pm - 7:00 pm
$15
 
Presented by the Minnesota High Tech Association and Life Science Alley, this event features a panel discussion with several legislators, including Speaker of the House Paul Thissen, talking about the future of tech, innovation, and life sciences in the state.
 
Health 2.0: Aetna and Azul 7
February 6
Azul 7 offices
800 Hennepin Ave., Suite 700, Minneapolis
5:30 pm - 8:00 pm
$15
 
For the past year, design firm Azul 7 has been working the Aetna to develop a cohesive user experience across multiple systems. In this talk, both sides will discuss the project, as well as give insight on the challenges and benefits of designing user-friendly technologies in the health care industry.
 
Business Valuation Conference
February 6
University of St. Thomas
1000 LaSalle Ave., Minneapolis
7:30 am - 4:30 pm
$199
 
This annual conference, now in its 23rd year, covers an array of business valuation topics, including the basics of a real estate appraisal, use of regression analysis, and eminent domain. Toby Madden, from The Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis, will give an economic update to kick off the day.
 
Social Media and Data Analytics for Digital Marketing
February 7 & 8
Carlson School of Management
321 19th Ave. S., Minneapolis
8:00 am - 4:30 pm
$3,000
 
As part of its Executive Education series, the Carlson School of Management presents this two-day conference on making smarter use of social media and their data. Participants will learn how to extract business intelligence from social tools, why they should tap into open innovation opportunities, and much more.

Home automation has been one of those technology fields where innovation has come before demand. Much like it took e-readers a few decades to really catch on, home automation has been available, but not quite ready for its close-up.
 
But that situation may be changing fast, thanks in part to local startup SmartThings.
 
The company has been gaining serious momentum, after a successful Kickstarter campaign and a seed funding round. Co-founder Ben Edwards notes that the industry is on the verge of major growth, and SmartThings is likely to boom along with it.
 
"We're seeing interest in partnerships with companies like insurance firms, who would benefit from more home automation," he says. "There are many unexpected partnership opportunities that we're pursuing right now."
 
The SmartThings platform is fairly simple, but ingenious. It allows numerous systems in a home to be connected to technology. For example, you could be at work and get an alert on your iPhone that someone has just opened a window in your house, or that the temperature has dropped by 20 degrees, indicating a potential mechanical issue. There's a level of control as well, allowing you to turn lights on and off while on vacation, for instance.
 
Just the promise of SmartThing's offering has created significant buzz. The company's seed funding round netted $3 million, augmenting the $1.2 million raised by its Kickstarter campaign.
 
Thanks to its potential, the company is on a hiring path, with a headcount in Minneapolis of 20, and 10 more employees in other parts of the country. Edwards says, "If feels like we're getting bigger every day."
 
Source: Ben Edwards, SmartThings
Writer: Elizabeth Millard

"We should do happy hour sometime, I'll buy you a drink." That phrase may be uttered often, but for busy executives who barely have time to eat, putting together a leisurely get-together can feel like planning a trip around the world. It would be nice, but it's not exactly realistic with a jam-packed schedule.
 
That was the situation facing BreAnna Fisher when she was working at a marketing and advertising agency, and wanted to reward her intern for diligent work. "We had a project and he did an amazing job, so I said, 'I want to buy you a drink,' but later at home, I realized that I had a 3-year-old, I was full-time in school, and had a demanding job," she recalls. "I looked at my husband and said, 'When am I ever going to buy this kid a drink?'"
 
That realization sparked an idea for a business, DoDrinks, that would allow people to quickly "send a drink" (beer, wine, cocktail, or coffee) to someone else, which they could redeem whenever they like.
 
The idea is deceptively simple, since it involves some complex technology behind the scenes. Fisher relies on a technology team for development and testing, and the app is now in its third iteration.
 
The venture has started to gain momentum and garner attention from potential partners. Already, Fisher has linked up with Heineken, and is likely to ink deals with other drink purveyors.
 
Fisher credits her eight years in the military for giving her the discipline to take on an entrepreneurial venture. "I have a high risk tolerance, and I can complete a mission with limited resources," she says. "You can't be successful in the military without those skills, and as it turns out, they're perfect for leading a company as well."
 
Source: BreAnna Fisher
Writer: Elizabeth Millard

Finding technology professionals, and application developers in particular, is a challenging task these days. With so many companies focused on tech in the Twin Cities, those gurus can be in short supply.
 
But Minneapolis-based Clockwork Active Media Systems has a knack for attracting this type of talent.
 
The digital agency has added about 40 technologists in the past couple years, and that boom has led to expansion plans for its existing building. Currently, the 10-year-old company has 73 employees, and a number of new job openings listed on its website.
 
Nancy Lyons, Clockwork's President and CEO, believes that Clockwork's distinctive team structure plays a large role in garnering more employees, particularly tech professionals, who appreciate being part of a larger vision.
 
"We have an approach here that anyone on a team can sit at the table with a client, it doesn't matter what your role is," she says. "That's what people are looking for in terms of employment, they want to be part of something bigger than they are."
 
As hiring continues, the breadth of talent helps to drive overall business growth, Lyons says. Big clients like the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, the YMCA and YWCA, and Cargill are drawn to the agency's team-based approach.
 
Lyons anticipates that the momentum will keep going strong, especially with more room thanks to the office expansion.
 
"People want to work here, and they love what they do," she says. "When you have that, growth comes as a result."
 
Source: Nancy Lyons, Clockwork
Writer: Elizabeth Millard

The Consumer Electronics Show (CES) might not be well known to actual consumers, but for companies that develop devices, software, gadgets, and games, it's the Olympics of trade shows. Held annually in Las Vegas, the event is awash in big names, dramatic unveilings, and more than a few industry parties.
 
So, when Minneapolis-based startup Canopy got a burst of attention for its new touch-sensitive iPhone case, Sensus, it was more than just nice recognition for its founder, Andrew Kamin-Lyndgaard--it proved that his idea was ready for the big time.
 
"People really took notice at CES," he says. "Since then, the attention has been constant."
 
Kamin-Lyndgaard started the company in 2008 as a solo entrepreneur, working in a 400-square-foot office in Northeast Minneapolis. The company's first product, the Canopy Kapok, was an iPhone case with dedicated buttons for shooting photos and video.
 
Although the product didn't garner wide adoption, it opened the door, he says, sparking conversations with others in the iOS application community who made products for Apple devices.
 
The result of those explorations is Sensus, a smartphone case that expands a device's functionality. As Sensus gets more buzz, Canopy is headed for a robust growth track. In the past couple years, Kamin-Lyndgaard has added seven full-time employees, and plans to hire another two or three in the coming months.
 
The larger goal, he says, is to be acquired by a bigger firm, and with the CES success, that seems a realistic goal. He says, "The nature of Sensus is disruptive, and that's why it's getting attention. That's going to be compelling for a company looking at acquisition opportunities."
 
Source: Andrew Kamin-Lyndgaard, Canopy
Writer: Elizabeth Millard

Sometimes, business ideas come from unlikely places. For Blake Sohn, entrepreneurship started with a lost dog.
 
In the midst of the family's move to a new house, Sohn's dog, Emma, got free. Emma's ID tags had a previous address, as well as an older phone number, so Sohn considers himself lucky that he and Emma were quickly reunited. The seemingly minor event sparked an idea, however.
 
"I'd been interested in QR codes for some time, and I thought there had to be a way to use this platform for dynamic data in a new way," he says.
 
After developing prototype, Sohn founded FinderCodes, a company that creates durable ID tags for animals as well as stickers for possessions like electronics, backpacks, tools, and anything else that needs protection. The tags can be affixed to nearly anything, from a well-loved leather jacket to a kid's hockey stick.
 
If the item is lost, someone with a smartphone can scan the QR code to find the owner.
 
The company recently scored a big win: FinderCodes Lost and Found Kits were awarded a top innovation prize at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES), a major event for the electronics industry.
 
"I'm still stunned that we won it; it put us on a rocketship ride," Sohn says. The company is likely to keep zooming forward on that momentum with a new software upgrade, and future hiring. Right now, the company has 12 employees, and Sohn is looking toward worldwide opportunities and partnerships in Asia, Australia, and the United Kingdom.

Already, the company has relationships with FedEx and AT&T. Sohn says, "The goal is just to help people manage their favorite things."
 
Source: Blake Sohn, FinderCodes
Writer: Elizabeth Millard

UnitedHealthcare (UHC) is hoping that plenty of innovation-minded individuals will be ready to take on a new challenge, and perhaps win some prize money as a result.
 
At the recent Consumer Electronics Show, the health benefit company announced the introduction of a "Breakthrough Health Tech Challenge," meant to spark creativity both within and outside of the health care industry.
 
Innovators can win a prize of $60,000 for an idea that utilizes common consumer technologies or devices to solve a healthcare challenge. For example, an innovator might propose a mobile app for preventing diabetes, or outline how an online game could reduce the risk of heart disease.
 
"We believe this groundbreaking challenge will inspire new ideas and concepts that could serve as breakthrough solutions to improving people's health and the healthcare system," says Gail Boudreaux, UnitedHealthcare CEO.
 
Boudreaux adds that since the competition is worldwide, the "crowdsourcing" technique should be even more potent. Details of the challenge are available here, and ideas are accepted until April 8th.
 
This isn't the first contest run by UHC for addressing technology and healthcare. The company has developed a series of innovation challenges since mid-2012, and Boudreaux notes that a number of unique ideas and concepts have resulted, with implementation on the horizon.
 
For the current contest, entrants must submit a written proposal and experimental proof-of-concept data or prototype. UHC offers a partial award of up to $20,000 if a proven solution doesn't exist yet, and there may be opportunities for collaboration between UHC and the innovator if the project sparks interest.
 
Source: Gail Boudreaux, UnitedHealthcare
Writer: Elizabeth Millard

Already boasting a strong growth rate, Edina-based ReconRobotics is now poised for world domination.
 
The fast-track robotics company announced in June that it had established an international headquarters in Lugano, Switzerland, as part of a multi-year global expansion plan.
 
Just six months later, that office reported strong year-end sales of micro-robot systems to military and police customers in several European countries, including Germany, Hungary, and France.
 
Alan Bignall, ReconRobotics CEO, notes that robot sales were up more than 50 percent in 2012, with the international team leading the way in the last quarter. He adds that military and counterterror teams around the world are recognizing the unique capabilities of the company's mini-robots.
 
The company's mini-robots are particularly attractive to military and law enforcement, since they can be sent into dangerous situations and navigated remotely in order to collect intelligence. For example, a SWAT team can throw one into a house and use the robot's cameras to assess a hostage situation.
 
Nearly 4,000 of the company's Recon Scout and Throwbot systems have been deployed by military forces. The Throwbot XT weighs only 1.2 pounds and can be deployed in five seconds.
 
The momentum from domestic and international sales is likely to keep going strong, Bignall says: "The unique capabilities of our Throwbot XT give [our customers] a big tactical advantage during high-risk operations, and this is driving sales at a fast clip. We expect this trend to continue in 2013."
 
Source: Alan Bignall, ReconRobotics
Writer: Elizabeth Millard

Conferences can be rich sources of networking, innovation, education, and sales leads, but those opportunities tend to end when the speakers and the trade show exhibitors begin packing up to leave.
 
One local entrepreneur wants to keep the energy going.
 
Michael Lunser, who acts as a project manager for conference content capture firm OrganicVoices, felt that all of the education and connection that occurs at conferences could be put to greater use, and also reach a wider audience, if they could be transferred to an online format.
 
The result is Exhibit Hall Earth, a startup project that Lunser is rolling out for organic agriculture conferences initially, but which has potential for all types of conferences.
 
"The traditional model for content capture is to record speakers and then try to sell the materials to attendees," he says. "But that model is starting to wear out; people aren't as interested in buying a pack of CDs anymore."
 
He envisioned a system where content could be included as part of a registration cost, with all the sessions and workshops online for easier access. Since the exhibit hall would be online and accessible, it could also host articles posted by users, publish classified ads and job listings, and become robust with other content. Lunser has even created a cookbook on the site so that attendees can swap recipes.
 
"Instead of a couple days networking and learning about topics, you could get exposure to so much more in a virtual exhibit hall," he says. "For conferences, it would allow them to have a presence on a yearly, ongoing basis. Everyone benefits."
 
Lunser is still fine-tuning the site, but is optimistic about making the model into a must-visit destination for conference attendees.
 
Source: Michael Lunser, Exhibit Hall Earth
Writer: Elizabeth Millard

Launched last year, RoadTab is gaining speed. The online matchmaking app between auto owners and repair shops began in the Twin Cities, but now offers options for users in Atlanta, Milwaukee, and Seattle.
 
The service's growth isn't a surprise, notes founder Jacob Phillips. "People are responding to the way the system works, and really liking the way they can get estimates online, instead of taking their vehicles to different shops."
 
RoadTab allows users to input the type of work they need performed, and to receive estimates via email. Based in Chanhassen, the service got its start when Phillips reflected on his experiences owning a small car dealership. Constantly on the phone to auto repair shops, he sought a tool that would streamline the process. When he couldn't find one, he decided to build his own, with the help of web and mobile development firm Tiny Mission.
 
The app is free for users, and mechanics pay a yearly membership fee. Phillips has refined the tool so that requests don't get sent out to every mechanic in the system. For example, if a car owner needs repair on a cracked windshield, only specialists in auto glass repair will get the query.
 
One sticking point is that it can be difficult for mechanics to give estimates for cars they haven't examined, but despite that challenge, the service seems to be picking up more mechanics and site users on a regular basis.
 
Phillips anticipates that the service will begin rolling out to more cities in the future. Next up is probably Chicago, he believes. "We can see this being nationwide," he says. "It's picking up momentum as it goes."
 
Source: Jacob Phillips, RoadTab
Writer: Elizabeth Millard

Connecting various players in property transactions, BuyerCurious has seen steady growth since launching last year, and now it's added a free service to be even more useful to homeowners.
 
The site recently released AgentSmart, which allows home sellers to get competitive bids on real estate listing service. Users can anonymously request and compare quotes for conventional full-service agent representation, or they can ask about custom services like closing assistance.
 
"We think this will be of tremendous value to homeowners thinking about selling," says Jim Lesinski, founder and CEO of BuyerCurious. "It's agent-friendly as well."
 
He believes that AgentSmart will save time and money for sellers, because they'll be able to compare multiple bids from agents online. Agents are likely to welcome the service because they'll be able to grow their client list without having to depend only on referrals. Opportunities just "show up," Lesinski says.
 
The service guides sellers through a process of creating a profile of their property and determining what they need. Users stay anonymous until the point that they select an agent. Lesinski notes that this is appealing for property owners who want to shop around for agents, but don't want to deal with multiple cold calls.
 
Another benefit, he notes, is that AgentSmart creates a competitive bidding situation. He says, "Many consumers don't know real estate services are negotiable. In fact, two-thirds simply accept the terms proposed by the first person they meet with."
 
Best of all, for both sellers and agents, the service is free.
 
Source: Jim Lesinski, BuyerCurious
Writer: Elizabeth Millard

It all started with a lampshade.
 
When Katherine Hayes was visiting her grandparents in 2010, she noticed stains on a lampshade, and decided to spend some time with bleach and a bucket rather than making a run to the store to buy a new one.
 
A finance professional, she'd been contemplating a career switch, and somehow, that seemingly minor moment of home maintenance clicked for her. "I love to repair things, put them back in order," she says. "I've always been a tinkerer, and in some ways, it's a reaction against our disposable consumerism. It feels like people don't fix things anymore, they just replace them."
 
That line of thinking has led Hayes to start Fixity, a service specializing in the small aspects of a home that could use adjustment. From tailoring curtains to mending jewelry to righting a wobbly chair leg, Hayes embraces the long list of to-do items that many people usually avoid. She's repaired a zipper on a travel bag, re-woven small holes in sweaters, assembled IKEA furniture (a talent in itself), and patched holes in upholstery, among numerous other tasks.
 
To get the business going, she's been relying on grassroots marketing efforts, which involve traditional referrals and social media. Hayes believes that her service is unique, because as a former art major, she utilizes creative solutions that some handyman-type services might skip. For example, she once sewed a round pillow to cover an oddly shaped window in a client's attic space.
 
"A handyman isn't going to be sewing pillows," Hayes says. "But if that's what you need, and you can't sew it yourself, now there's Fixity." 
 
Source: Katherine Hayes, Fixity
Writer: Elizabeth Millard

The Collaborative Innovation Series
January 10
Cowles Auditorium, Humphrey Institute
301 19th Ave. S., Minneapolis
7:45am - 10:25am
 
Maybe your resolution for 2013 is to put together a great board of directors. If that's the case, you're in luck: The Collaborative presents a morning of insight about how to create, develop, and effectively utilize a board.
 
Healthy Life Expo
January 12
Minneapolis Convention Center
10am - 5pm
$6 or free with donation to food shelf
 
This annual expo has been increasing in popularity every year, and this round offers up to 200 exhibitors, three stages of speaker presentations, product samples, free health advice, and plenty of information on wellness, nutrition, and fitness.
 
Technically Speaking: Leading with Emotional Intelligence
January 17
University of Minnesota
McNamara Alumni Center
5:30pm - 6:30pm
free, but must pre-register
 
The Technological Leadership Institute (TLI) at the U of M continues its new speaker series with this presentation about emotional intelligence, led by TLI's Kirk Froggatt. Geared toward leaders within organizations, the talk looks at the impact and practice of emotional intelligence as a way to boost leadership qualities.
 
Leadership Challenge Conference
January 24
St. Catherine University
Rauenhorst Ballroom
8am - 3:45pm
$225
 
The Leadership Challenge conference brings together professional women from a range of settings, including government, education, nonprofit, and small business sectors. Now in its 16th year, the event is a day of education and discussion focusing on leadership, with interactive workshops and networking opportunities. 

Let's say you've been looking for the perfect pair of boots for the last few months — classic but fashion-forward, dressy but office-appropriate — and finally, you find them and put a photo up on social media to show off your prize. How would it feel if a group of your friends then dashed out to buy the exact same boots?
 
More interestingly, would that feeling change if you got a "reward" every time a pair got purchased based on your recommendation?
 
It's the answer to the second question that drove the creation of StuffDOT, an online platform that allows users to post items like books, movies, clothes, and housewares, and then earn rewards if those postings lead to purchases by others.
 
Created by AOI Marketing, a Minneapolis-based loyalty marketing firm, StuffDOT is still in beta testing, but is likely to be widely released soon, according to Amanda Axvig, the company's vice president of marketing.
 
"Basically, it's just a smarter way to share," she says. "It rewards users for sharing what they like."
 
Like other referral programs, StuffDOT compensates users through a point system than can be redeemed for cash or gift cards from retailers like Target and Amazon.com, or even Punch Pizza. In look, the site is similar to Pinterest, but tying posts to rewards makes it even more compelling than those types of "inspiration sites," Axvig says.
 
Currently, StuffDOT is working with over 18,000 retailers, and Axvig notes that nearly every prominent online retailer has signed on as a partner. With that kind of beta, it's likely that the site's popularity (and AOI Marketing's staff numbers) will continue to grow.
 
Source: Amanda Axvig, AOI Marketing
Writer: Elizabeth Millard