emerging technology : Innovation + Job News

Highlighting technology leaders in the state, the Minnesota High Tech Association (MHTA) announced finalists for the 2012 Tekne Awards.
 
The award program, now in its 13th year, recognizes innovations from 2011 that impacted the lives of Minnesotans, through lifestyle improvement or education. Forty-four finalists were named in fifteen categories.
 
The MHTA noted that the state remains at the forefront of cutting-edge technological growth, and the finalists show that the state's technology future is bright indeed, in areas that range from cleantech to robotics to mobile technologies.
 
In the startup category, finalists are Sophia Learning and Sparkweave, while those competing in the software category are Code 42 Software, Savigent Software and Third Wave Systems.
 
Finalists in other categories represent a range of companies, from large firms like 3M and Seagate Technology to smaller businesses like SheerWind, Digineer, and Agosto.
 
The awards are designed to showcase these types of companies, and draw attention to the innovative and competitive companies in the state, according to MHTA president Margaret Anderson Kelliher. They're part of the organization's larger mission to boost education and entrepreneurship along with technology development.
 
"We're very excited about the opportunities available to technology companies here," says Kelliher. "In general, we believe that individuals and companies in the state have more potential than they do challenges. We're proud and happy to support them in any way we can."
 
The Tekne Awards will be presented on November 1st at the Minneapolis Convention Center.
 
Source: Margaret Anderson Kelliher, Minnesota High Tech Association
Writer: Elizabeth Millard
 

Apps can help track stocks, monitor the weather, arrange a yoga sequence, organize business contacts, and just about any other task you might imagine. But the Mayo Clinic has unveiled an app that does more than provide time management: it helps users deal with anxiety issues.
 
Called Anxiety Coach, the app is available on iTunes for iPhones, iPads, and iPod Touch devices, and is aimed at reducing worry for its users. Through a series of exercises, users can track their anxiety levels and determine their own progress in handling fears and agitation. Even if someone has a lower-level anxiety, such as fear of public speaking, the app can be helpful in minimizing the impact of those reactions.
 
The Mayo Clinic emphasizes that the app isn't meant to substitute for mental health services, but simply serves as a way to reduce anxiety between health care visits, or to address fears in general.
 
Developed by two clinical psychologists--Dr. Stephen Whiteside at the Mayo Clinic and Dr. Jonathan Abramowitz at the University of North Carolina--the app relies on cognitive behavioral therapy, which assists people in overcoming anxiety by gradual degrees.
 
In addition to a short test to measure severity of worries and fears, the app contains more than 500 activities related to specific fears, obsessions, panic attacks, social anxiety, compulsion, and trauma-related anxiety.
 
Dr. Whiteside notes that the app challenges people to face their fears, as opposed to other apps that tend to focus on relaxation strategies. Those types of apps "don't get the core of what is helpful in the long term," he says.
 
Source: Stephen Whiteside, Mayo Clinic
Writer: Elizabeth Millard

Healthcare administration can be notoriously complicated, but Minneapolis-based ABILITY Network is determined to untangle the process.
 
The company, originally called Visionshare, initially provided only network connectivity for Medicare providers. But in the last few years, a major rebranding initiative brought in a larger management team, strategic investors, and a significantly revamped lineup of products and services.
 
ABILITY now provides workflow management services, cash flow tools, payer eligibility verification, and a secure claims submission solution, among other products.
 
"We're a company that just used to handle bits and bytes, and through that process, we earned the trust of providers across the country," says Mark Briggs, CEO of ABILITY. "Now, they've turned to us to deliver solutions that lead to better patient care."
 
Since its rebranding, the company has found itself on a robust growth track, both in hiring and sales. With 150 employees, ABILITY is likely to keep expanding, and recently opened an office in Tampa, with plans to open another in Boston. The new offices are part of a strategic hiring push, since software engineers can be difficult to find in the "silicon prairie" of the Twin Cities.
 
Providers who need software and services that give them more control over areas like revenue management and medical coding are driving the company's continued growth, Briggs notes. 
 
"We're helping providers do a better job by uniting all the pieces of a patient's chart, and letting them streamline clinical information," he says. "What we provide is an ability to put relevant content to work. We really think there couldn't be a better time in our country's healthcare system for tools like these. Definitely, there's a need."
 
Source: Mark Briggs, ABILITY Network
Writer: Elizabeth Millard

Technology group Advance IT Minnesota unveiled a new award that could give some high school girls a major boost in their technology careers.
 
The first annual Minnesota Aspirations for Women in Computing Award will be open to girls in grades 9 through 12, and is tied to a national competition from the National Center for Women & Information Technology (NCWIT).
 
Advance IT decided to take on the award because of the shortage of skilled technical workers graduating from college, according to Ann Thureen, a vice president at Unisys Corporation.
 
She says, "Encouraging students at the high school level to see the possibilities of the STEM [Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics] field is a great way to get them into the right college tracks to sustain and grow our IT industry in Minnesota. We see more young women going to college than young men. We need to tap into this valuable talent pool and expose them to the opportunities for great paying jobs in IT."
 
Advance IT is administered through the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities system, and serves as a connection point among employers, educators, and IT professionals. The group's mission is to position Minnesota as one of the top states in the country for IT-related employment.  The award will help to bring the organization closer to that goal, says Russell Fraenkel, Advance IT Minnesota's Director of Collaborative Programs and Outreach.
 
"The Aspirations Award provides an encouraging environment for young women to gain greater awareness of technology career options and sets the stage for them to become more deeply engaged in determining their education and career path," he says.
 
For high school girls who are ready to compete for the award, act fast: the deadline for entries is Nov. 16th, but entries that come in before Oct. 31 will be eligible for the national award as well.
 
Sources: Russell Fraenkel, Advance IT; Ann Thureen, Unisys Corporation
Writer: Elizabeth Millard

Cyber Security Summit
 
October 9 & 10
Minneapolis Convention Center
Fees range from $319 to $779, depending on registration type
 
Focused on how we look at digital space and security, this event brings together leaders from government, business, and nonprofit organizations to talk about digital infrastructure security issues. Now in its second year, the summit features talks about topics like cyber threat identification, privacy, and cloud computing, and boasts speakers from Medtronic, the FBI, Best Buy, and the Department of Homeland Security.
 
Minnesota Venture and Finance Conference
 
October 11
Minneapolis Convention Center
7:00am - 5:00pm
Fees range from $295 to $645, depending on registration type
 
Hosted by The Collaborative and the Minnesota Venture Capital Association, this one-day conference focuses on the future of innovation in a number of fields, including cloud computing, cleantech, healthcare, and mobile devices. Attendees can choose from a wealth of workshops, many of which are geared toward entrepreneurs who are trying to position a company for financing.
 
She's Geeky
 
October 19 & 20
Science Museum of Minnesota
120 W. Kellogg Blvd.
 
Now in its third year, She's Geeky is a conference designed to connect women in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. The event is an "unconference," which means that instead of a pre-planned agenda, topics and discussions are generated by attendees. Organizers note that women attending the events (which are held in multiple cities) find inspiration and gain self-confidence because they build peer networks for support and discuss critical issues.
 
Yancey Strickler talk
 
October 25
Walker Art Center
7:00pm - 9:00pm
free
 
Kickstarter co-founder Yancey Strickler will speak about the website's inspiration and evolution, and its increasing impact on artists and creative entrepreneurs. In addition to talking about how Kickstarter's success could affect the wider world of arts funding, Strickler will also speculates about what the future might hold for the technology platform itself.

The campaign to end texting while driving is heating up, especially with the recent announcement by AT&T that it was joining up with the Department of Transportation and the FCC to establish a national movement to halt the practice.
 
Although individuals can "take the pledge" to stop texting and driving, they can also thwart temptation with DriveScribe, a mobile application that acts as a real-time driving monitor and "coach" that gives tips on better driving. Parents can also use the app to get alerts whenever a teen texts while on the road.
 
Created by Minneapolis-based tech firm Drive Power, the app launched in August and is seeing a great deal of momentum already, including a pilot project in Saudi Arabia and a partnership with GMAC insurance.
 
CEO Will England notes that the quick adoption rate is being fueled by a free version of the app, as well as an expanded incentives program and an aggressive awareness campaign. He says, "We're continuing to gain traction in the individual-user market, even hearing from parents that many are requiring their teens to use DriveScribe when they drive."
 
Another growth driver: corporate partnerships, like the ones with GMAC and the Saudis. The project in Saudi Arabia involved having employees of Saudi Aramco, one of the largest oil companies in the world, use DriveScribe. With a large fleet of vehicles, the company believes that DriveScribe can reduce liabilities and minimize accidents.
 
"We're actively working with corporate partners to promote safe driving among large groups of drivers," England says. With such high-profile projects leading the app's kickoff, look for DriveScribe to come to a vehicle near you in the not-too-distant future.
 
Source: Will England, CEO
Writer: Elizabeth Millard

Mendota Heights-based healthcare technology firm Healthsense recently got a major boost toward more growth, in the form of strategic funding that will help the company keep expanding its operations.
 
Healthsense provides a remote monitoring platform, called eNeighbor, targeted toward the senior care market. Caregivers can be alerted to situations like falls or sudden health changes, and can also use the technology to keep on top of regular health issues.
 
The system--developed under the direction of the National Institute of Aging and the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency--relies on a series of wireless sensors placed throughout a residence, which can capture an occupant's activities. The system "learns" a person's routines, like what time he or she gets out of bed, and alerts caregivers if there's a significant change in behavior.
 
The company will be able to expand the product's reach, thanks to an infusion of $7 million, in a round of Series-D financing, led by new investors Merck Global Health Innovation Fund and Fallon Community Health Plan.
 
"The addition of these respected investors supports our belief that our technology and approach can both improve quality and reduce cost," notes Healthsense CEO Brian Bischoff. "Both companies represent strong strategic alliances for us at this important point in our growth."
 
The company has seen a nice amount of traction in the past few years, kicked off by a grant from the Department of Defense, which launched a research program to demonstrate how wellness monitoring and assistive technologies could help keep older adults in their own homes.
 
Bischoff is confident that the system's steady adoption will keep fueling company growth, especially with the financing round. He says, "As we go forward, our attention will increasingly focus on enhancing care models to advance the adoption of remote monitoring in health management."
 
Source: Brian Bischoff, Healthsense
Writer: Elizabeth Millard

Anyone searching for an indicator of Minnesota's strong tech growth should take a good look at St. Cloud-based W3i.
 
The company has not only tripled growth for its mobile monetization business within the past year, but it's also nearly doubled its employee numbers, and there's no stopping the momentum now.
 
To keep pace, the company will be opening an office in the Grain Exchange building in Minneapolis, and has recently added space to its headquarters as well. Another office just opened up in San Francisco, too, to attract developers and potential employees in that technology hub.
 
"We're excited about everything that's happening, and the surge in revenue we've seen," says Rob Weber, who co-founded W3i with his brothers, Ryan and Aaron, in 2000. "With the growth in mobile technologies and apps, we're in a hot category, with a platform that's creating a lot of value. It's hard not to be excited when you're in that position."
 
The company helps app developers and publishers make a profit from their apps, through a monetization and distribution system. Services include user acquisition, media buying, and marketing solutions.
 
Particularly well received is the W3i Games Platform, which provides a hosted virtual goods management system. The platform allows developers to add, modify, or delete inventory items and manage their currency online.
 
With all the momentum, W3i is likely to keep its current, robust pace, Weber believes. There are 20 open positions in every functional area of the company, and he anticipates that the business side of W3i will get built out as much as the development side. He says, "All areas are growing here, and we're just doing our best to keep up."
 
Source: Rob Weber, W3i
Writer: Elizabeth Millard

For a decade, marketing and technology have been racing toward each other, and Minneapolis-based Fision expertly demonstrates the powerful effect that can occur when they finally fuse.
 
The firm, kicked off in 2008 by entrepreneur Mike Brown, provides clients with integrated marketing that boasts high levels of customization and simplicity.
 
For example, a health and beauty manufacturer with 7,000 distributors, retailers, and salons across 24 countries used Fision to create a centralized online marketing asset repository for sales materials. Each location could build digital and print marketing campaigns and deliver a consistent message, no matter where the salon or distributor was in the world.
 
Over the past four years, Fision has built a number of software-as-a-service products that give clients more clout in streamlining their marketing and communications efforts. Customers can choose customized e-mail marketing, social media marketing, digital asset management, business rule configuration, list management, and other services.
 
Recently, the company made a major move into the mobile space as well, by announcing an agreement with 3Cinteractive, a provider of cloud-based enterprise mobile solutions. That partnership should bring more sales and marketing automation across multiple channels, including messaging, smartphone apps, and mobile web.
 
Currently, Fision has 20 employees, but look for that number to increase as marketing automation keeps catching on, notes Fision spokesperson J.T. Williams. "This is a huge area for growth," he says. "The emergence of marketing automation is a major driver for change within enterprises; it really allows them to be much more effective about their marketing efforts."
 
Source: J.T. Williams, Fision
Writer: Elizabeth Millard

Small companies spend a large chunk of time on customer acquisition and supplier management, but it can be tricky to determine if those external contacts will be a boon to business or a drag on the accounting department.
 
Minneapolis-based Argos Risk intends to turn the process into a streamlined, simple strategy that can benefit any company. The firm provides a monthly subscription service that allows enterprises to monitor the ongoing financial health of customers, suppliers, and even competitors.
 
The tactic lets Argos clients manage risk, and also gives them a tool to determine which customers deserve more credit or more sales efforts directed their way. The software-as-service was designed for small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) in particular, says co-founder Steven Foster, because companies of that size often lack the resources to do extensive risk management.
 
The Argos "stoplight system" gives users a quick indication of potential credit problems, and an alert system kicks in when a customer or supplier starts heading from yellow to red. Foster says, "We've had very good feedback about the system; people really appreciate how helpful it can be when making decisions about their customers or suppliers."
 
Recently, the company introduced another risk-management tool, but this time it's for the SMBs themselves. Argos Risk Defender monitors a company's credit and issues an alert if problems are cropping up. Company president Lori Frank compares it to LifeLock, the identity-theft prevention tool for individuals.
 
"This is an era when identity theft is the fastest growing crime, and businesses aren't immune--far from it," she says. "We're helping to address the problem, and to help companies that may have been compromised."
 
The company is finding strong traction for its products, and expects strong growth in the year ahead, including hiring in some key positions. "We take a field that's complicated and make it easy for our customers," says Frank. "When you do that, you can always find growth."
 
Sources: Steven Foster and Lori Frank, Argos Risk
Writer: Elizabeth Millard

Minneapolis-based technology firm MentorMate continues on its robust growth track, anticipating more hiring when it moves into new headquarters soon.
 
Started in 2001 by entrepreneur Bjorn Stasvik, the company was founded on a signature app, iQpakk, which allows users to create education and training courses on a mobile device. Later, it rolled out SpyderMate, a web-based SEO application for marketers.
 
Despite a challenging economic climate in the past few years, and slow early adoption of mobile tech, MentorMate found its footing and kept on growing. The company expanded internationally, opening offices in Bulgaria and Costa Rica, and Stasvik notes that MentorMate found even more traction when the iPhone debuted.
 
At the start of 2011, the company had 30 employees, but began this year with 115 employees. Stansvik aimed to increase that number to 200 by the end of 2012, and the move to larger offices should help meet that goal. The company will relocate within Uptown to 3036 Hennepin Ave., occupying space once held by advertising agency mono.
 
"Software is permeating society as a whole," says Stansvik. "We see demand only increasing, and we're in a great position to take advantage of that."
 
The company's success is only partially based on innovation, he adds. Also helpful is filling customer need, and excelling at web marketing. He says, "If you have happy clients, the rest can take care of itself. "
 
Source: Bjorn Stasvik, MentorMate
Writer: Elizabeth Millard

The best breakthrough business idea in Minnesota this year is a mobile application that allows care providers, family members, and loved ones to interact with one another throughout the day.
 
Called PreciouStatus, the app nabbed the top prize at the lively Minnesota Cup competition, beating out over 100 competitors in the high-tech division, and about 1,000 entrepreneurs total. PreciouStatus founder Julie Gilbert-Newrai started the company about a year and a half after her husband was hospitalized with a severe brain hemorrhage when the couple's child was just eight weeks old.
 
"I learned firsthand how difficult communication with loved ones can be during times of crisis," she says. "The more I looked at the system at large, it became obvious how broken it was." She mapped out a tool that could provide real-time updates for those in daycare, eldercare, rehabilitation facilities, schools, and other locations.
 
Using the technology, care providers input updates on activities, medication, mood, and other aspects of care. This allows family members to keep up with what's happening without frequent calls to a facility.
 
This year's Minnesota Cup competition was closely watched, in part because it offered the highest total prize amounts in the Cup's history. One finalist from each division received $25,000 in seed capital ($10,000 in the student division), and runners-up each received $5,000. PreciouStatus will was awarded an additional $40,000 as grand prize winner.
 
"The Minnesota Cup is one venue that tells entrepreneurs to keep going while so many tell you that your business isn't going to work," Gilbert-Newrai says.
 
Source: Julie Gilbert-Newrai, PreciouStatus
Writer: Elizabeth Millard

Now it's down to 19.
 
The eighth annual Minnesota Cup continues to draw attention in announcing the division finalists, whittling the top contenders down to just three companies in each category. The contest features high tech, bioscience and health IT, clean tech and renewable energy, general, and student divisions. Four contenders are competing in the social entrepreneur category.
 
Finalists include OrthoCor Medical, which proposed ideas for noninvasive therapeutic devices to alleviate pain, and PreciouStatus, a mobile application that allows care providers to interact with patients' family members throughout the day.
 
Division finalists will deliver an eight-minute presentation to a panel of judges, and winners will be announced on August 29. The grand prize will be awarded on Sept. 6 at an event held at the University of Minnesota.
 
This year's competition has been closely watched, in part because it offers the highest total prizes in the Cup's history. One finalist from each division will receive $25,000 in seed capital ($10,000 in the student division), and runners-up each receive $5,000. The grand prize winner will get an additional $40,000.
 
Cup co-founder Scott Litman believes that the contest serves as a catalyst for innovation in the state. He notes that selecting the top ideas is always a challenge, since the Cup draws impressive applicants every year. Those who've won in the past or have been finalists went on to attract significant investment, he adds: "Our track record shows the level of intelligent and inspiring entrepreneurs in the state is truly remarkable."
 
Source: Scott Litman, Minnesota Cup
Writer: Elizabeth Millard

Minnesota Cup Final Awards Event
 
September 6
University of Minnesota, McNamara Center
5:00pm - 7:30pm
free
 
One of the liveliest entrepreneurial competitions, the Minnesota Cup has been a source of innovation and fresh ideas since its founding. (Read about this year's finalists here.) In its final awards event, attendees will get to hear elevator pitches from the division winners and hear the announcement of the grand prize winner. The event promises to be an ideal networking opportunity for the state's entrepreneurial community.
 
Work/Life & Flexibility Expo
 
September 13
Minneapolis Marriott Southwest
8:30am - 4:30pm
$50 - $150, depending on registration type
 
As the economy recovers, engaging highly skilled talent will be crucial for all organizations, and employee retention will be vital. This conference offers insight and strategies for building a work environment that attracts the best talent and positions a company for future growth.
 
Minnesota Blogger Conference
 
September 22
Allina Health
Midtown Exchange Building, Minneapolis
9:00am - 5:00pm
free
 
The first Minnesota Blogger Conference, in 2010, was such a success that organizers decided to keep it rolling. The highly popular conference--tickets are released at strategic times, as for a rock concert--will feature speakers who've taken blogging to new levels, including turning their blogs into business opportunities. Last year's sessions also included insights on legal issues, writing topics, and video blogging.
 
Food + Justice = Democracy
 
September 24 - 26
Radisson Plaza Hotel
35 S. 7th St., Minneapolis
Ranges from $85 - $195 depending on registration type
 
A distinctive national meeting, this event brings together food-justice activists with the aim of pushing political leaders to prioritize a fair, just, and healthy food system. Instead of traditional breakout sessions, the meeting features "People's Assembly sessions," connecting attendees with fellow participants in order to craft elements of a national food-justice platform.

Fast-growing online education firm SOPHIA has been ramping up hiring and reach over the past 16 months, and with a new way to "flip" a classroom, it's likely to expand even more in the year ahead.
 
The Flipped Classroom Certificate was introduced in April, and since then, nearly 100 teachers have earned the designation, with another 500 in the process. The professional development certificate involves a relatively new teaching method that reverses or "flips" the traditional homework model.
 
In a flipped classroom, students view multimedia tutorials as homework, then use class time to complete assignments. This gives teachers the ability to provide one-on-one assistance, and to explore a concept more fully if it seems that students are struggling or particularly curious about an aspect of the subject.
 
Since students are online so much of the day, the model allows teachers to capture students' time more effectively.
 
Beyond the certificate, the company provides free teaching and learning tools in a variety of subjects, including math, science, English, humanities, fine arts, and languages. Founder Don Smithmier notes that bringing SOPHIA to the whole world was a goal from the start, and one that the company reached quickly. In just its first two days, SOPHIA saw people logging in for the tools from nearly 70 countries.
 
"We're working in a new category of education, which we call social education," says Smithmier. "It's at the leading edge of learning effectiveness, so there's no path to follow where someone else has led. That can be daunting, to be the first one to forge the path, but it can be exciting, too."
 
Source: Don Smithmier, SOPHIA
Writer: Elizabeth Millard