Innovation + Job News

For building owners and property managers, staying on top of energy costs can be challenging, especially since statistics can be tough to find. But a St. Paul-based firm is removing the roadblocks.
 
EnergyPrint provides an online energy management dashboard that helps users understand how a building is doing in terms of energy and water usage. The firm gathers utility data and inputs the information into its proprietary tool, which can track usage over time. That type of historical data lets an owner or manager know if they're making the best use of those environmental resources.
 
"This kind of monitoring has the benefit of helping to improve the planet, but the main reason for tracking this data is to increase net asset value and improve energy savings," says EnergyPrint's Chief Operations Officer Mike Williams. "Without a doubt, getting these kinds of stats is crucial for property owners."
 
Collecting this type of information can be tricky for owners to do on their own, however. Every utility company has different measurements in terms of energy usage, Williams says. Comparing a building in Minneapolis to one in St. Paul is difficult, for example, because separate utilities do the usage monitoring. EnergyPrint is determined to smooth out those differences so that building owners have the ability to implement more effective energy management programs.
 
The program has been so well received that the company is gearing up for growth in the near future, including expansion into Canada and hiring to beef up its staff.
 
"We're stable and strong and we intend to stay that way," says Williams.
 
Source: Mike Williams, EnergyPrint
Writer: Elizabeth Millard

Small business owners face limitations when it comes to bulk buying; the lack of huge orders sometimes usually means they have to pay higher prices, or order more than they'd like.
 
For printing, Smartpress.com is trying to correct that imbalance. The Chaska-based company has operated for the past three years, and sees steady growth in offering online printing services that cater to retailers, graphics professionals, and small businesses.
 
The range of printing options is vast, from car magnets to sales booklets, and a custom banner-printing service can produce hanging banners up to 150 feet long.
 
An online calculator sets the company apart, believes president Chuck Reese. Clients can get accurate pricing quickly, rather than waiting for a quote request from a more traditional printer.  
 
Another area of differentiation is proofing, he adds: "With many printers, the file that you send in is the one that gets printed, because no one looks at it. But we have someone really look over everything that comes in." Many times, the proofer catches layout and copy errors, saving a client from having to redo an order.
 
Because of its distinctive service, Smartpress.com has found a dedicated audience, and strong growth as a result. It's been adding to its 128-employee roster, and Reese notes every year brings 250 percent growth.
 
Currently, the company is adding custom sites for clients so they can implement print-on-demand service, which is helpful for clients like ad agencies and franchises. Reese says, "Everything we see shows that same strong growth rate going forward."
 
Source: Chuck Reese, Smartpress.com
Writer: Elizabeth Millard

The craft beer scene in the Twin Cities is going strong, to the point where it feels like a new brewery or taproom is opening every week. Distinguishing them from each other can sometimes be a challenging (if delicious) task for craft beer drinkers.
 
To introduce some rigor into all the efforts, the Better Beer Society (BBS) offers some expertise. The agency focuses on promoting craft beer and every aspect of its service, including staff training for bar servers so they can chat about beers with confidence.
 
One major focus is certification; the organization awards a "BBS Certified" label to establishments that prove they have a high level of beer service, selection, storage, and server knowledge. So far, only three bars--Bryant Lake Bowl, The Happy Gnome, and Republic--have gotten the BBS stamp of approval, but founder Rob Shellman is working with others to get them to that point.
 
"We've been pretty hard at work these past few months auditing and meeting with bar and restaurant owners about the certification program," he says. "Most of the response has been very encouraging, with owners and management wanting to get involved and improve on their practices."
 
Certification isn't an easy task, he notes, but it's not impossible. The BBS works with each establishment closely to track areas of improvement, so that every pour is a clean, predictable one.
 
A certified Cicerone (the beer world's equivalent of a sommelier), Shellman started the BBS last year after moving back to Minneapolis from Los Angeles. He's seen the strong beer scene in places like Portland and San Diego, and believes that the craft beer movement in the Twin Cities could be just as robust.
 
"We could really be a major beer destination here," he says. "Our mission is to help make that happen."
 
Source: Rob Shellman, Better Beer Society
Writer: Elizabeth Millard

Loyalty and reward programs have always relied on tried-and-true products that appeal to a wide variety of people: vacations, large TVs, and swanky home goods. But the popularity of digital media like e-books and games points to a new direction for these programs, and PointTunes is leading the way.
 
Started in 2010, the company takes digital assets and prices them in a way that's customized for a specific reward program. For example, an airline might assign a penny-and-a-half value to each of its miles. PointTunes works with that point value amount and determines how assets like online games can be awarded to customers with an appropriate level of points.
 
The company works with rewards administrators, and even handles the shopping experience, notes Bill Cunningham, PointTunes founder and CEO. His deep roots and experience in the rewards industry go all the way back to age 16, when he started working for Carlson Marketing Group.
 
"In 20 years in the business, I was seeing that not much had changed," he says. "Rewards administrators were still tied to physical rewards, while the rest of the world had gone digital. That pushed me toward founding PointTunes."
 
The rewards and loyalty industry is poised to explode in the next year or so, he notes, and the Millenials who are now getting jobs and starting families are expecting more digital options when they sign up for these types of programs.
 
"They want to be able to download immediately, and be engaged with those brands," says Cunningham. "At the same time, retiring Boomers are downloading more books and movies, and they have those same expectations of being able to take advantage of their reward points immediately."
 
That shift should bring more robust growth to Minneapolis-based PointTunes, Cunningham notes.
 
Source: Bill Cunningham, PointTunes
Writer: Elizabeth Millard

Exporting 101
 
July 11
 
St. Michael City Center
11800 Town Center Dr. NE, St. Michael
11:30am - 4:30pm
free
 
Exporting isn't just for big companies; more than 97 percent of exporters are small- to medium-sized businesses. This seminar focuses on strategies that can increase sales and profits, minimize seasonal sales fluctuations, and connect businesses to the many trade resources available through the federal and state governments.
 
Software Quality Forum: Buyer Beware
 
July 12
Doubletree by Hilton Hotel Bloomington
7800 Normandale Blvd.
5:00pm - 7:00pm
free
 
Put on by the Software Quality Forum, this seminar looks at third-party software, and issues tips on how to purchase without getting burned. By applying due diligence upfront during the vendor and selection process, companies can defend against quality problems during implementation.
 
Crowdfunding: Using Digital Media to Directly Access Capital
 
July 17
CoCo Minneapolis
400 South 4th Street
3:00pm - 4:30pm
$75
 
Thanks to sites like Kickstarter.com, crowdfunding is fast becoming a viable way for many startup companies to gain funding from a range of sources. Speaker Patrick Donohue provides an interactive presentation on why digital media is changing the world of finance, and offers some tactics for achieving business goals and raising capital.
 
TopCoder Roadshow
 
July 25
Humphrey Institute
301 19th Ave. S., Minneapolis
1:00pm - 5:00pm
free
 
TopCoder is a community of developers, algorithmists, and digital designers, coming together from private enterprise, academia, and government agencies. On its spin through the Twin Cities, the group will offer an afternoon of sessions focused on open innovation for enterprises, education, and government.
 

Forget the image of the lonely gamer in the basement rec room, spending hours playing an elaborate game alone. With the huge boom in multiplayer options, gaming is more like a college campus these days, where everyone is rushing around together and having conversations along the way.
 
But that environment can feel fragmented, believes local technology company Echobit. CEO Adam Sellke says, "Believe it or not, the act of gaming can represent a fair amount of work. It's like downhill skiing without a chairlift; the skiing is fun, but getting to the top of the mountain is tough."
 
Gamers need to be able to manage their game profiles, find other players, do online chat as they're playing, and coordinate other tasks to streamline their play. Echobit makes it all easy with their product, Evolve, which acts as an online matchmaking engine for gamers in the same way that Facebook aggregates content under single profiles and allows people to "meet" others who share their interests.
 
The company got kicked off in 2008, but has only been in open beta since the beginning of 2012. Word is spreading fast, though: since January, they've doubled membership for Evolve, and hope to have 100,000 members by the end of the year.
 
In addition to Sellke are two other co-founders, Soren Dreijer and Michael Amundson, and it's likely that they'll  garner more seed capital and look toward hiring in the near future.
 
"As gaming becomes more and more popular, we all need for it to become simpler," says Sellke. "This is a way of connecting people, making gaming more social, and taking the management out of it so people can enjoy their games more."
 
Source: Adam Sellke, Echobit
Writer: Elizabeth Millard

Paper is so yesterday. The steady march toward digital information is changing the publishing industry, making photo labs increasingly obsolete, and even prompting emailed receipts instead of physical ones.
 
At Burnsville-based CoraCove, that evolution is taking shape for forms processing, giving professionals the opportunity to replace paper forms with digital ones on tablet computers.
 
The uses are broad, notes CEO Chris Zweber. An insurance agent might use CoraCove to process a claim instead of pulling out a stack of forms, or a repair person could tap into customer history instead of sorting through a paper-filled file.
 
In addition to saving time during initial input, the application can create efficiency because it significantly reduces data entry later. Analytics in the software can show field reps important information, such as time spent on service calls.
 
"In many ways, we're like a combination of Oracle and Salesforce.com," says Zweber. "But we're also unique, since we can customize applications for clients. Basically, we're taking what people already do and making them 10 times faster."
 
The company got its start in 2011, and Zweber sees plenty of growth ahead as the application gains traction. He says, "We're fine-tuning our ability to scale out already."
 
Source: Chris Zweber, CoraCove
Writer: Elizabeth Millard

Imagine being on a business trip and talking to your dog at home before the next meeting, and even giving him a treat for good behavior. Welcome to PetChatz.
 
Developed by Minneapolis-based Anser Innovation, the web-based "pet phone" is a unique product that's poised to tap into the enormous pet accessory market. CEO Lisa Lavin notes that even though the product isn't on the market yet--look for it this fall--the reaction has already been strong.
 
"We did national consumer research, and the response was amazing," she says. "About 76 percent of people we polled said they'd have high interest in PetChatz. We thought the product would be popular, but that number blew us away."
 
The idea for PetChatz comes from Mark Kroll, a medical device inventor who holds hundreds of patents. During lunch with him, Lavin asked if he had any patents that he wasn't using, and he talked about the "greet and treat videophone" that he'd envisioned for pet owners. The pair worked together, along with others on the Anser team, to make his vision into a working prototype.
 
The applications for the technology are broad, Lavin believes. For example, a pet boarding facility might install it in suites so that owners can check in on their pets and reduce separation anxiety (on both sides). Anser has teamed with KLN Enterprises' Tuffy's Pet Foods to design treats that can be given via the device.
 
The company anticipates hiring leading up to the launch in a few months, and growth after the product hits the market. In the future, this type of technology could be used for other markets, like communicating with seniors for elder care, or checking in with children in daycare, Lavin notes.
 
"We're building a platform for products that enhance remote communication," she says. "We're starting with the retail pet market, but there are so many directions we can go from there."
 
Source: Lisa Lavin, Anser Innovation
Writer: Elizabeth Millard

The Twin Cities beer revolution continues: a new brewery and taproom, 612Brew, takes its name from the classic Minneapolis area code, and has announced plans to move into a busy intersection in Northeast Minneapolis.
 
On the auspicious date of 6/12/12, founders Adit Kalra, Robert Kasak, Ryan Libby, and Jamey Rossbach signed a lease for a brewery at the corner of Central and Broadway, in a historic building called The Broadway. The building has exposed brick and timber, as well as polished concrete floors and an outdoor patio, making it an ideal place to hoist a brew, the founders believe.
 
The taproom should be open by late fall, with growlers planned and two beers ready for launch: a pale ale called "SIX" and an IPA called "Rated R." Another beer, "Mary Ann," is a nod toward Gilligan's Island (complete with freshly grated ginger) and will be served as a summer seasonal beer.
 
Kalra notes that there's been a trend in the craft beer movement toward aged beers that have high alcohol content, but 612Brew will go the other direction into what he calls the "sessionable" category, with beers that feature moderate to low alcohol content. "That means you can drink a few and not feel over-served," he says.
 
The booming craft beer scene in Minnesota is bringing the state in line with other beer-friendly places like California, Oregon, Washington, and Colorado, adds Libby. He says that with other breweries starting up in Northeast Minneapolis, the 612Brew team is hoping the area adds "Brew District" to its reputation to go along with "Arts District." Cheers to that.
 
Source: Adit Kalra and Ryan Libby, 612Brew
Writer: Elizabeth Millard

Although most people think of search results when they think of Google, the company is a powerhouse when it comes to business applications.
 
With its web-based email, calendars, document sharing, data storage, and other services, Google is fast becoming a necessary part of business operations for many companies, and that's giving Minneapolis-based Agosto a major boost.
 
The firm specializes in Google Apps, and was one of the first to partner with Google for application development. CEO Aric Bandy notes that Agosto's Google Apps team grew 400 percent last year, leading to the opening of a Toronto office and more work than the company can handle.
 
Google is distinctive in the marketplace for offering a platform that's scalable, he says, as well as deeply collaborative. Anyone who's ever worked on a document in Google Docs, for example, knows that the app is user-friendly, efficient, and reliable.
 
"Google offers a radical way to interact with other people," says Bandy. "Other solutions aren't as flexible in the same way. Because of that, these apps fit well with agile, lean companies and that's driving consumption."
 
For the near future, Bandy expects Agosto to continue on its strong growth track, with app development leading the way, especially as more people get mobile. Creating workflow technology that synchs well with iPads and tablets, for instance, will be a boon to more growth.
 
"This is a very exciting time for this field, and we're happy to be part of it," Bandy says.  
 
Source: Aric Bandy, Agosto
Writer: Elizabeth Millard

When Amanda Axvig and her "rockstar team of developers" decided to establish a company for creating social media applications, they ran into just one hitch: many of their potential clients weren't even on Facebook or Twitter yet.
 
So, their company, SocialBundle, was forced to switch tactics. She says, "We decided to take a step back and get people on social media in the first place, and then we could go back to the app development."
 
The firm specializes in helping clients work out an overall social media strategy, including content development, scheduling, and site monitoring. For those who don't have time to craft multiple Tweets, put them up regularly, and watch how people are responding, SocialBundle is a boon.
 
Recently, the company has been seeing an uptick in interest from creative agencies that want to add social media to a broad client strategy.
 
Axvig notes that SocialBundle's growing reputation for social media insight comes from an ability to work with clients, rather than simply post and Tweet for them. She says, "We can handle everything if that's what someone wants, but we also enjoy working with people to help them learn how social media works, and how they can add to various conversations."
 
Now that so many businesses are flocking to social media, it's likely that SocialBundle will get back to its original purpose, and start focusing on app building again. But it'll never abandon its larger intent to make social media simple and effective for every client.
 
Source: Amanda Axvig, SocialBundle
Writer: Elizabeth Millard

Can you make the world a better place by building software for companies that do great things? Casey Helbling and his team at Software for Good are willing to give it a shot.
 
Helbling started his own software consulting firm in 2003, and found success over the next handful of years, but as he brought on more clients, he felt like something was missing.
 
"I realized that I wanted to create alignment between my need to do good in the world and my day job," he says. "Then, everything would be perfect."
 
He came up with a model that became Software for Good, a startup firm he runs in addition to his regular consulting work. The new company builds software for progressive companies, nonprofits, and companies that focus on world-changing work.
 
Recent projects have included revamping the website of the Minnesota Ovarian Cancer Alliance, creating software for a diabetes prevention program, and doing bug fixes on the registration site for the National Down Syndrome Congress annual conference.
 
"We're still too young as a company to pick and choose our projects, so we do some clients that aren't part of the model," Helbling says. "But we hope to get to that point soon."
 
The company employs five full-time software engineers, but expects to bring on more in the near future. Helbling notes, "I think people are getting the message about what we do, and they like the idea of doing something more with their time than the usual 9 to 5 tasks."
 
As Software for Good increases its pace over the next couple years, Helbling is hopeful that he'll find the alignment he seeks, and do good while doing well.
 
Source: Casey Helbling, Software for Good
Writer: Elizabeth Millard

Forget the Olympics: for a truly ferocious competitive environment, take a look at the Minnesota Cup.
 
The annual competition seems to keep gaining prominence and momentum every year, and recently announced the semi-finalists for its eighth go-round.
 
Designed to accelerate the development of the state's most innovative business ideas, the Minnesota Cup gives applicants the opportunity to compete for a share of $200,000--up from $185,000 last year--and to network with individuals and organizations that can help turn a business plan into a reality.
 
Judges chose 49 entrepreneurs, inventors, and innovators for the second round of the competition, and Cup co-founder Scott Litman notes that this year is full of exciting and strong business ideas.
 
"We love seeing all the excitement around the program, and it does seem that we see more applications every year," he says. "Everyone is very supportive of the competition."
 
The range of semi-finalists is broad, from a yoga studio that specializes in pre- and post-natal classes to a holistic treatment company to a web application developer for forms processing. Companies include BuyerCurious, Omnicron Health Systems, QuadROI, and EnergyPrint.
 
During this round, the semi-finalists will be paired with entrepreneurial mentors who will help them refine their business plans and presentations. Finalists will be chosen in late August, and winners announced in early September.
 
Source: Scott Litman, Minnesota Cup
Writer: Elizabeth Millard

Twin Cities residents looking for information on urban food growing, zoning changes, permits, community kitchens and other food topics now have a one-stop online location, thanks to the City of St. Paul.
 
The Healthy and Local Food site is intended to aid the growing number of community organizations and individuals who are working on local food issues like food security and backyard farming.
 
"One of the things we kept hearing from the community was that they'd like to have a central source of information about local food issues," says Anne Hunt, the city's Environmental Policy Director. "We developed this to help people navigate all the information that's available, especially since there's such a growing interest."
 
Through the site, visitors can find out about permits for having chickens in their yard, for example, or the rules regarding compost on an urban property. The site also offers guidance on finding resources like gardener networks and food share programs.
 
St. Paul supports numerous initiatives designed to increase the production and distribution of sustainable, locally grown food. Recently, the city broke ground on the development of a huge greenhouse on Rice St. where fruits and vegetables will be grown for Twin Cities grocery stores.
 
The Healthy and Local Food site lists a few of these projects, including micro-farm collective Stone's Throw Urban Farm and a master plan for turning Lowertown into a massive urban farm.
 
"We're trying to make things really clear and straightforward for people," Hunt says. "Hopefully, this will accommodate even more access to urban agriculture."
 
Source: Anne Hunt, City of St. Paul
Writer: Elizabeth Millard

For Christine Kropp, inspiration came in the form of a thought-for-the-day calendar.
 
"It sounds so cheesy, but my dad gave me a page from one of those calendars when I was going through a crossroad in my career," she says. "The next day, I founded a company."
 
The page read, "When you look back on life, you'll regret the things you didn't do more than the ones you did."
 
That was back in 1998, and since then, Kropp has been aiming toward a regret-free life with Bluewater, a firm that combines brand strategy with smart technology in order to grow brands.
 
Recently, the company launched a new branding initiative for itself, to reflect the latest evolution of its capabilities and offerings. A new logo, images, and messaging blended together for a revamp of the company's website, and Kropp and her team have been infused with new energy as a result.
 
"The whole rebranding effort is geared toward showing clients how Bluewater can help them grow their brands by using one-to-one marketing techniques," she says. "We want to show that we're not just marketing automation tools; we're real people who love our jobs."
 
In the past few years, Bluewater has expanded its service offerings to introduce more multi-channel marketing programs. The company debuted a platform, Fusion, that combines mobile, web, email, and direct mail in order to help clients connect more closely with their customers.
 
"It's really fun to help a client grow, and then to watch them build on their strategies," says Kropp. "We're looking forward to what's ahead."
 
The company is on its own growth track, and has added eight employees in the past year. Kropp expects that they'll keep expanding, and continue to ditch any regrets.
 
Source: Christine Kropp, Bluewater
Writer: Elizabeth Millard