high technology : Innovation + Job News

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

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

After picking up speed over the last month, Minnesota's first tech accelerator is set to cruise with its first class of companies.

Following a weekend-long "bootcamp" June 10�12, Project Skyway chose eight "Skywalkers" from the field of 25 semi-finalist companies. Over the course of the weekend, the companies pitched their own and each other's ideas to fellow entrepreneurs, Project Skyway organizers, and the public. They attended roundtables with lawyers, investors, accomplished tech and software entrepreneurs, and others, and they met potential investors and customers.

"They certainly got a lot out of it," whether they moved on or not, said Project Skyway founder Cem Erdem of the 25 bootcampers. Project Skyway asked many of those not selected to apply for the next round after fine-tuning their ideas, adding a business partner, raising capital, or otherwise advancing their businesses.

After the bootcamp, the companies were rated by all involved, including each other and members of the public. In the end, eight were chosen:

COR² Technology--The company offers a cloud-based business-process and work-flow automation service to help organizations with 5 to 500 co-workers eliminate piles of paper by integrating simple applications with unlimited user licenses that power the whole organization.

Naiku--Naiku creates an affordable Software-as-a-Service that K-12 teachers use to easily individualize learning with a dashboard created by its proprietary analytics model.

Nitch--Nitch is an online platform for B2B collaboration and commerce.

Paypongo--Paypongo's service is a secure mobile payment solution that allows consumer-to-merchant transactions; consumer-to-consumer transactions; and merchant-to-merchant transactions, all through mobile devices. Transactions can originate from banking accounts or credit cards.

Qualtrx--Qualtrx is a new healthcare sales channel--an online solutions marketplace where healthcare providers publish patient-care needs, goals, and priorities, and where pharma and device vendors purchase these needs as "keywords" to make targeted needs-based proposals via the Qualtrx platform.

Telementry Web--TelemetryWeb helps makers of Internet-connected sensors and industrial devices build a new class of innovative, data-centric solutions by leveraging a ready-to-use, scalable Software-as-a-Service platform to secure, store, process, and integrate sensor data in novel ways.

Vanquish AP--VanquishAP is developing a real estate management platform that connects property managers, building owners, and tenants by creating local social communities while automating redundant tasks and centralizing logistics.

UHungry--UHungry is developing a social networking site to help college students save money and time by making it easy for them to place orders online at quick-serve restaurants with a group of friends while earning points to spend on future orders by completing tasks. This company, hailing from Long Island, was the only one not from Minnesota.

Erdem notes that the Skywalker companies are all early-stage companies, beyond the more basic start-up level.

Erdem and Casey Allen's video run-down of the eight Skywalkers gives an inside look not only at each of the companies, but at the Project Skyway decision process and model.

Cem and Casey Play-by-Play Skywalker Commentary from Casey Allen on Vimeo.

Although the accelerator class was intended to begin Aug. 1, Erdem sent an email this week informing the finalists that they would move forward now with the momentum of the bootcamp.
 
The class, and Project Skyway in general, will be based out of the tech accelerator's new shared space (with the co-working organization CoCo) in the Grain Exchange building in Downtown Minneapolis. Project Skyway plans a 'big party' at the end of July after the move in mid-July.

Erdem's personal email to each of the eight finalists reflects the tenor of his passion, and it sets the bar high for the participants:

"I bought into your vision," he writes, "but more importantly I bought into your purpose, your character, who you are. Our entire community will be watching you every step of the way. They are thirsty to see you succeed and bring the long lost entrepreneurial fame back to our region."

Source: Cem Erdem
Writer: Jeremy Stratton
 

A total of 51 companies have moved into the semi-final round of the 2011 Minnesota Cup, which is now in its seventh year.

The list of companies includes two, Naiku and Qualtrx, that were also selected for Project Skyway's inaugural tech accelerator.

The Minnesota Cup is also similar to the national Cleantech Open, which also announced semifinalists last week-- companies compete for divisional and grand prize money (a total of $185,000) but also receive invaluable mentoring and exposure to investors, entrepreneurs, and other business experts.

Companies fall into six divisions: Clean Technology and Renewable Energy, BioSciences, High Tech, Social Entrepreneur, General, and Student.

Matt Hilker, director of the Minnesota Cup, who is in his second full cycle of the competition, says this is where the value starts for the semi-finalists--with "the validation and the exposure they get for their idea, whether it's potential advisors or even customers, that's huge," says Hilker.

"Just the process itself is good, because they're given deadlines of when they have to turn in a business plan," says Hiler. "It's motivation."

Over the next month-and-a-half, each company will be paired with at least one mentor while they write their business plans. In mid-August, three finalists will be chosen from each division, with the winners of each collecting $25,000 and moving on to the final round in September.

The Minnesota Cup's program background and details page gives a good explanation and a timeline of the competition.

Source: Matt Hilker, Minnesota Cup
Writer: Jeremy Stratton

Ximedica (pronounced "Zye-medica") is already established near one medical device hotspot (Boston) and is now expanding to another: the Twin Cities.

"Minneapolis is the hub of so many medical device companies and the hub of so many of our customers," says Sandra Weiss, director of marketing for the Providence, Rhode Island-based firm.

Ximedica provides up-front research, design, strategy, product development and introduction, and many other services to medical device and consumer healthcare companies.

The new office will be located in the University Enterprise Laboratories (UEL) Center, near University Avenue and Highway 280.

The company will be hiring locally, says Weiss--a key part of maintaining the presence and trust with local partners that the company has established on the East Coast for nearly 25 years.

"We're [hiring locally] so we can continue to maintain that service, we can continue to earn that trust locally, just like we've done in Providence," says Weiss, who notes that the Twin Cities is also a hub of academia and research related to the industry.

Ximedica does not have a solid target for the number of employees there, but it is "actively recruiting" and "aggressively hiring," says Stephanie Chamberlain, human resources manager for Ximedica.

As of mid-June, the staff count was one: Director of Human Factors Industrial Design David Copeland. His team will eventually include a director of engineering; senior level mechanical, software and electrical engineers; and program managers.

The Minnesota facility is expected to be at full capacity this fall, according to a press release, and Ximedica is also expanding its Providence location to 100,000 square feet of "integrated product development space."

Source: Sandra Weiss, Ximedica
Writer: Jeremy Stratton