Emerging Technology : Innovation + Job News

Although Minneapolis-based KeyedIn Solutions is technically a startup, it probably won't be for long.
 
Fired up in late 2011, the company provides software-as-a-service (SaaS) and consulting for small to midsize businesses (SMBs), with specialization in areas like project management and enterprise resource planning. Clients can gain control over their resource capabilities, operational efficiency, business performance, and workflow processes, according to CEO Lauri Klaus.
 
Part of the reason that KeyedIn has been able to ramp up quickly is that it's in acquisition mode. The company took majority ownership in Datacom International in January, and also recently acquired a UK-based software publisher, Atlantic Global.
 
"Our strategy is to look for small technology companies with hot technology that can be deployed in an SaaS model," says Klaus. "We look for best-in-breed products and bring those into our portfolio."
 
Catering to the SMB market also distinguishes the company from potential competitors, she adds: "We believe the SMB market is underserved. That gives us many opportunities for really establishing ourselves in the marketplace."
 
The combination of acquisition and hiring has meant an employee surge: just a few months ago, only four people worked at KeyedIn, and now, there are 50 employees. Klaus notes that her goal was to have 100 by the end of the year, but she believes she'll reach that number within just a few more months.
 
"Recruiting isn't an issue for us," Klaus says. "Many people know that we're creating a good, solid company that's creating and deploying business applications in a new way. We're going to be very successful, and people want to be part of that."
 
Source: Lauri Klaus, CEO
Writer: Elizabeth Millard

The Minnesota High Tech Association (MHTA) recently added three new members to its staff, with the positions reflecting a new strategic plan for the organization.
 
MHTA is dedicated to making Minnesota one of the country's top five technology states within the next decade, notes President and CEO Margaret Anderson Kelliher, and by boosting skills in certain areas, the group will be able to move forward on that vision.
 
Tim Barrett joins as STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) Coordinator, a role that will be instrumental in meeting ambitious goals for more STEM education and outreach in the state.
 
The organization's previous coordinator left to go to law school, Kelliher says. With Barrett stepping into the role, the MHTA has had a chance to reformulate its position so that it focuses more strongly on STEM connections between business and education sectors.
 
"This is about being the voice of businesses that are engaged in science and innovation, and making that vital connection to classrooms," says Kelliher. "We want to strengthen that, and create a science and technology ecosystem that's truly dynamic."
 
Another position was made possible through a grant from the Minnesota Science & Technology Authority: a "SciTechsperience Program Coordinator," who will manage a paid internship program for college students pursuing STEM degrees. Becky Siekmeier, who worked in advertising and marketing at Best Buy for 16 years, will take on the role.
 
A third new hire, Erika McCallum, will act as the organization's Programs and Events Assistant. The three positions are aimed at increasing MHTA's effectiveness and reach, and Kelliher is excited about the direction that the group is taking.
 
"There are so many opportunities around science and technology here, there's so much innovation," she says. "We're happy to be fostering the connections needed to make Minnesota one of the top technology states."
 
Source: Margaret Anderson Kelliher, MHTA
Writer: Elizabeth Millard

Choosing the right employees, empowering them to excel, and maximizing leadership are all strategies that every company attempts to refine, and the best companies have it all down to a science.
 
Fortunately, for those that are still attempting to tweak their HR tactics, that science can be outsourced.
 
Minneapolis-based Modern Survey provides a number of tools for boosting an enterprise's effectiveness in major areas like employee engagement and performance management.
 
Founded 12 years ago by three entrepreneurs, the company was a "big dot-com idea that actually worked," says CEO and co-founder Patrick Riley with a laugh. The trio had all come from large companies like American Express, and saw first-hand how those businesses operated.
 
When Modern Survey first got started, the focus was on helping that type of large company to go paperless, but over the years, it shifted to become a human-capital-management firm, Riley says: "We help companies to build the right workforce, retain key talent, and understand how the customer connects back. It's getting pretty cool in terms of what we can do."
 
The firm has 25 employees and is growing steadily, he adds. Over the past year in particular, companies are spending more money on improving their internal processes and software. Although hiring hasn't surged upward for many Modern Survey clients, Riley believes that they're putting tools in place for ramping back up to pre-recession levels.
 
Recently, Modern Survey completed a significant investment round, so it's ready to keep growing strong and to continue helping companies refine their HR tactics. Riley expects the firm to expand nationally, and a new-generation product line should be released at the end of the year.
 
"We're in a position to grow aggressively over the next few years," he says.
 
Source: Patrick Riley, Modern Survey
Writer: Elizabeth Millard

Helping teenagers and other drivers to put down mobile devices and concentrate on the road seems like a monumental task. But DrivePower is willing to give it a shot.
 
The company's showcase mobile application, DriveScribe, is geared toward using technology in a way that's appropriate, not distracting. The app functions as a real-time driving monitor and "coach" that gives tips on better driving. If a user tries to sneak some text messaging into drive time, the application immediately alerts parents or other administrators.
 
Sorry, kids. But it's not all-stick-and-no-carrot: the app also posts scores based on driving safely, and users can "play" against each other or earn rewards. The technology's market reach is enormous, believes founder and CEO Will England.
 
"We want to be thought of by every parent and every teen when they get in a vehicle," he says. "Our product could become an essential tool when transitioning from a learner's permit, for example."
 
He anticipates partnerships with insurance companies, which could offer lower rates based on safe driving scores. The app will be released to the general public in April, after an intensive research and development phase, including a number of tests with the Minnesota Department of Transportation.
 
Although the company is anticipating success with DriveScribe, England notes that they're increasing their reach beyond teen driving, and even beyond driving in general. "As a company, we really want to leverage emerging technology to help people make better decisions," he says. "Right now, that's concentrated on driving, but going forward, we'll broaden our scope."
 
Source: Will England, DrivePower
Writer: Elizabeth Millard

Music composition and software programming may seem like they reside in opposite areas of the brain, but one local entrepreneur believes they co-exist quite nicely, and he's built his business around the fusion of the two abilities.
 
Minneapolis-based Hypergolic Motion got its start when composer Zachary Crockett wanted to keep more of the royalties from his music. In the traditional model, a music publisher would retain a portion of royalties, so Crockett opted to become a publisher himself. Since he's been doing programming for a number of years, it made sense that he'd continue that work under the Hypergolic name as well.
 
The company gets its name from a term used to describe rocket propellant--something that's "hypergolic" ignites on contact with another substance. After igniting the company in 2009, Crockett has taken on projects like desktop applications and mobile development, as well as internal corporate websites.
 
The blend isn't as clumsy as it might seem. Crockett notes that although music and programming are distinct arts, they share some unique qualities.
 
"They're both very natural for me, because there's analysis and synthesis in each," he says. "If you take a problem, whether it's a developing software or creating music, you have to understand the bigger vision, and then break that down into smaller pieces."
 
Through his work as a composer, Crockett makes many contacts in the non-profit world, and that sometimes leads to discussions about technology needs. As a result, Hypergolic Motion has built up a robust client portfolio of nonprofits.
 
"I think there's a perception that nonprofits aren't worth pursuing because they don't have a ton of money," says Crockett. "While that may be true, I find that the projects are more satisfying, and the clients are so grateful for the chance to be more efficient and have better systems in place."
 
For the future, Crockett looks forward to blending more programming with his music, and finding harmony in each.
 
Source: Zachary Crockett, Hypergolic Motion
Writer: Elizabeth Millard

When Bjorn Stansvik immigrated to Minnesota from Sweden in 1999, he had big ideas about using software to optimize learning. After turning those plans into reality just a few years later, he's now on a fast track toward growth, and expanding his company's capabilities as a result.
 
In 2001, he launched Minneapolis-based MentorMate as a mobile application development company, with a signature app called iQpakk. The software allows users to create courses and training content on a mobile device, and first debuted at Eagan High School.
 
From there, MentorMate expanded internationally, with offices in Bulgaria and Costa Rica as well as St. Paul. "We saw a good deal of traction when mobile really started taking off and the iPhone came out," says Stansvik. "The promise of mobility got everyone excited about the possibilities. Since we'd been doing this since 2001, it gave us the level of credibility we needed to stand out in the marketplace."
 
In another major shift, the company switched its business model to managed services, in order to meet client needs more fully. It also rolled out another product, SpyderMate, a web-based application for marketers.
 
Currently, MentorMate has about 115 employees, but Stansvik hopes to grow that number to 200 by the year's end. At the start of 2010, the company only had 30 employees. Keeping up with that level of growth can be tricky, Stansvik notes.
 
"It's like working at a new company every three months," he says. "You have to reinvent constantly, and realize the old ways won't work. We have extremely aggressive growth goals--some people might even call them insane--but we think the demand is strong enough to meet those goals."
 
Source: Bjorn Stansvik, MentorMate
Writer: Elizabeth Millard

There are plenty of mobile apps for cocktail lovers--like BarHopper, iBartender, Drink Buddy, and Beer Pad--but now those in recovery have their own app, thanks to developers at Hazelden.
 
The Center City-based addiction treatment organization has created an iPhone application, "Mobile MORE Field Guide to Life," designed to support those who are in recovery from addiction to alcohol and drugs. Accessible through the iTunes App Store, the software is based on MORE (My Ongoing Recovery Experience), Hazelden's web-based program of personalized treatment.
 
"Our mission is to be the industry leader in publishing information that will benefit people who have issues with drugs and alcohol," says Nick Motu, Hazelden's Publisher and Vice President of Marketing and Communications. "We've been in the publishing business for 65 years, and this app is building on that tradition."
 
Hazelden developed its web-based application as a way for clients to stay on track with their recovery. The mobile app now extends that expertise to the general public, and Motu is excited about the potential reach: "We want to expand what we know out to the world, for those who aren't fortunate enough to go through treatment," he says.
 
The organization is gradually pivoting away from print-based publications, he adds, and it's likely that the shift will result in more online applications and mobile apps. Hazelden also recently acquired a social media site, Sober24, which connects those in recovery.
 
With the addition of the "Field Guide to Life" and the website, Hazelden is hoping to bring its considerable expertise to everyone in recovery, not just those who have been in the treatment center's programs.
 
Source: Nick Motu, Hazelden
Writer: Elizabeth Millard

Innovators & Entrepreneurs of the Twin Cities
 
February 2
Joe's Garage
1610 Harmon Place, Minneapolis
5:15 pm - 7:00 pm
Free
 
This casual networking event aims to bring together those who are starting their own businesses or independently developing new products and patents. Founded last June, the group hopes to keep  introducing innovators to entrepreneurs so they can learn from each other and make the journey more enjoyable.
 
MN Society of Women Engineers Career Expo
 
February 4
University of St. Thomas
2115 Summit Ave., St. Paul
Murray-Herrick Campus Center, 3rd Floor Lounge
Noon to 4:00 pm
Free
 
Fire up the business attire and spiff up your resume. This career fair is designed to bring together talented job seekers and innovative companies, and is hosted by the Society of Women Engineers. Companies attending include Hormel Foods, Starkey, Nycor, Medtronic, EV3, Loram, Target, and St. Jude Medical.
 
 Minnesota 2012 Entrepreneur Kickoff
 
February 8
Boy Scout Base Camp at Fort Snelling
5:30 pm
Cost ranges from $5 to $25
 
The Entrepreneur Kickoff brings together investors and startups, in advance of this year's state business competitions like Project Skyway, IDEA Competition and TiE CONS. Now in its second year, the event features business pitch evaluations and ample networking opportunities.
 
How to Leverage Digital Media to Raise Capital
 
February 23
CoCo Minneapolis
400 S. 4th St., 4th floor, Minneapolis
2:00 pm - 4:00 pm
$75
 
Speaker Patrick Donohue gives a presentation on why digital media is changing the world of finance. He'll demonstrate tactics for using digital media to achieve business goals, and give an overview of tools that can be used to raise capital.  
 

The way that churches stay in touch with members and involve them in activities is unique in terms of strategy. Now, a local startup is helping them gain some of the advantages of the business world, without having to use software designed for enterprises.
 
Minneapolis-based Fresh Vine--previously called Nineteen05--provides software that's designed to help churches increase engagement while still staying true to a larger mission.
 
"It's different than typical administration or sales software," says company president Paul Prins. "Their goal is not to convert leads into customers. Their goal is getting the community involved in what they're doing. For that, they need to be more proactive with their members, rather than reactive."
 
Prins got the idea for the software when he was involved in the launch of a new church about seven years ago. He was asked to take a look at their software and what he saw was painful, he says: "I thought that they could be doing such a better job of managing members, events, contributions, everything."
 
Fresh Vine's tool helps to define what a church should be focusing on in the near future, and see its strengths and weaknesses. The software is picking up customers, and Prins hopes to expand his current team of four into a larger group of developers.
 
"I love the tech scene in Minneapolis, so I want to have a development team here that can keep growing and innovating," he says. "As the company gets more traction, I'm looking forward to more sales and expansion."
 
Source: Paul Prins, Fresh Vine
Writer: Elizabeth Millard

In today's technology-driven business arena, mobility is an advantage, and St. Louis Park-based I.T. support firm Backpack Tactics aims to give companies that edge.
 
Founders Joel Barker and Brian Roemen chose the company's name as a nod toward how they both work--carrying their laptops in backpacks--but also as a representation of what they provide, like mobile technology services and cloud computing insight.
 
"It's all about lightweight technology," says Barker. "With current technology, you should be able to carry your business with you anywhere."
 
Before teaming up, the pair had worked as consultants, both independently and together on a few projects. They decided to start a business together in 2010, and the firm has grown through word of mouth since then. Since Barker has worked for nonprofits since 2005, that's one sector that's particularly strong for Backpack Tactics.
 
Barker says, "Many nonprofits don't understand what tools are out there and how they can be utilized properly, so it's our mission to help them. Essentially, we're trying to put ourselves out of work by providing training and technology, but that's okay because we're really passionate about helping people to help themselves."
 
He adds that training is a strong focus for most clients, and that many small business owners haven't had any technology training in the past. By blending training with tech-purchasing advice, Backpack Tactics can help them to use tech more effectively.
 
"For the future, we'd just love to be able to grow more and reach more clients," says Barker. "We continue to learn about new tools and connect with more people, and that's what we envisioned when we started, so we're on a good path."
 
Source: Joel Barker, Backpack Tactics
Writer: Elizabeth Millard

Most people think of purple corn as a nice decoration in late fall. But when Bill Petrich looks at the dark kernels, he sees growth opportunities.
 
He's CEO of Suntava, a company founded to use plant-based ingredients in new ways. Petrich signed on to helm the firm after reading the founders' business plan. He says, "It's a fascinating idea. I offered to advise them at no charge just to learn more about it, and the more I got involved, the more I saw that this is a venture that could change lives for decades to come. It's game-changing."
 
Derived from a non-GMO purple corn hybrid, Suntava's signature extract can be utilized in a number of ways. Most notably, the corn can produce a natural coloring source that can act as an alternative to the popular Red Dye 40, found in many products.
 
Synthetic dye is made from petroleum, and several studies have pointed out health risks associated with its use, Petrich says. Consumers are demanding more natural sources, and he believes that Suntava is a good fit for that market shift.
 
The company is also able to produce whole grains and nutraceuticals (foods with health benefits) that can be used in dietary supplements, cosmetics, and foods like corn chips and cereals. The high anti-oxidant level of the corn makes it even more attractive as an ingredient and food additive.
 
Although the corn isn't organic now, that's a direction in which Suntava may go in the future. For now, Petrich notes that using the corn creates a sustainable system: "With this product, we're not disrupting the food chain, we're enhancing it. We're getting more out of an acre of land in every way. And in the process, we're producing what's essentially the next superfood. That's pretty exciting."
 
Source: Bill Petrich, Suntava
Writer: Elizabeth Millard

In the dystopian novel "Fahrenheit 451," Ray Bradbury describes a world where firefighters start blazes instead of ending them, burning books and libraries because reading is outlawed.
 
The novel was named for the temperature at which paper burns, and a local technology company has adopted the number for a much more positive outcome: helping businesses to go paperless.
 
CEO and co-founder Mark Johnson of Minneapolis-based Four51, says that the company isn't a typical startup, since it's been in business for 12 years and has seen continuous growth through some very tricky economic periods.
 
Four51's signature application, CommerceTools, launched in 1999 and provides a way for product distributors and suppliers to connect with their buyers. The software is used throughout the U.S., as well as in 40 countries.
 
A newer app, FanTools, lets customers create and publish promotional content. It's similar to the wildly popular Groupon, but unlike that service, merchants with FanTools don't have to pay service fees. The app guides a business owner through the process of marketing in the same way that Turbo Tax or Quicken help businesses navigate tax or financial data.
 
With the unveiling of its newest offering, the company expects to grow rapidly as a result. After a plateau during the recession, the firm hired nine people last year, and expects to bring on close to 20 new employees this year, adding to its current roster of 41.
 
"Our focus for this year will be on maintaining our growth rate," says Johnson. "We're confident that we'll see success with this new product, and we'll roll it out to other cities in the near future."
 
Source: Mark Johnson, Four51
Writer: Elizabeth Millard

Local IT companies seem to always be in need of more professionals for development work, and now they have new resource that could fill their IT departments in the future.
 
The IT-Ready Apprentice Program is launching in Minneapolis and St. Paul, with an eye toward other cities in the future. The non-profit program covers the cost of recruitment, training, and certification for employees taking on help-desk, call-center, and technical duties.
 
"With unemployment at the level it is, we feel this is important for giving individuals what they need to succeed in what might be a new profession," says Charles Eaton, executive director of the Creating IT Futures Foundation, the group leading the IT-Ready effort.
 
Eaton notes that the manufacturing and construction industries have been hit hard locally, and that skills from those careers are difficult to bring to other fields.
 
The apprenticeship program is unique, Eaton added, because it doesn't involve time off from work in order to attend community college. He says, "There aren't many resources for individuals who need to stay in the workforce. Not everyone can afford to take a couple years off to get a different type of training."
 
Minneapolis-St. Paul was supposed to be just one of five urban areas that would feature the IT-Ready program, but the decision was made to focus on the Twin Cities exclusively for the pilot.
 
Currently, apprentice program staff members are recruiting local companies to join the effort, and Eaton says the results are encouraging. They expect that the first class of apprentices should number about 15 and will start work in July.
 
"We think of ourselves as a startup in some ways," Eaton says. "We're coming in without preconceived notions of how this is going to work, but we're hopeful that it will grow and become an incredibly useful resource."
 
Source: Charles Eaton, IT-Ready Apprentice Program
Writer: Elizabeth Millard

The Web fosters the organic growth of small communities--quilters, for example, can swap insights in the forums of online quilting sites--but local startup Itizen brings these discussions to a whole new level.
 
With its new mobile app, currently in beta testing, users will be able to join groups that are focused on popular hobbies like bicycling, gardening, home decor, guitar playing, and others. Instead of scrolling through forums, users can interact more directly, creating an intimate community of like-minded hobbyists.
 
The company, helmed by Dori Graff and Mary Fallon, has been around for almost two years, and had a previous incarnation with a different mission. When it launched, the co-founders envisioned using QR codes to track the "lives" of physical objects.
 
"We were interested in storytelling, and learning about the life of an object as it changed hands," says Graff. "We got great press, but we just weren't getting the traction we needed for it to be a viable business model." The QR codes proved too cumbersome for users, who had to put tags on their objects, then scan the codes and enter content.
 
After ditching the QR codes, the co-founders looked more closely at their user base and found they were mainly hobbyists and enthusiasts. That realization led to the creation of a platform where they could connect with others who have similar interests. Most notably, users can share insights across a number of categories. So, a gardener who loves to cook can comment on both hobby areas.
 
"There are a lot of people doing forums and online groups, but they're on platforms that aren't built for that level of sharing," says Graff. "We started with mobile because we want them to be able to connect when they're out doing what they love. This is a touch point for people, a way of interacting in a new way."
 
Source: Dori Graff, Itizen
Writer: Elizabeth Millard

For website developers, a "spider trap" is created when a site has so many changing links that it ranks high on search engines. But for the past few years, the term has garnered another definition: a fast-growing digital marketing firm.
 
"The name is a good representation of who we are," says Mike Rynchek, president and founder of Minneapolis-based Spyder Trap. "It's technical, sophisticated, and analytical, but also energetic and playful. We aim to be all of those qualities."
 
Rynchek started the company in 2008, after working on digital projects in a more traditional agency. He believes that his firm has a jump on agencies because of its laser focus on digital projects, especially as it moves more into mobile technology.
 
"I think a lot of agencies are still trying to figure out digital," he says. "We're at the point where we're optimizing the online side, and going heavily into mobile. And that will be a point of differentiation for us."
 
Spyder Trap certainly has a strong start, with considerable growth over the past year. The firm just hired its 23rd employee in December--at the end of 2010, there were only nine employees--and Rynchek anticipates steady hiring as more clients take advantage of Spyder's mobile insights.
 
"Social media has been the big buzz for the last couple years, but I believe that mobile is about the take over the conversation," he notes. "More and more people are trying to be smarter with their time, they're starting to disconnect in some ways. That will be key for us, as marketers, to understand."
 
For Spyder, that shift should lead to organic growth, and an even more attractive digital web for clients.
 
Source: Mike Rynchek, Spyder Trap
Writer: Elizabeth Millard