Minnov8

Showcasing Minnesota Technology Innovation

Launch a Start-up With U of MN Tech

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MNcup-logoThis just in from Minnesota Cup: Entrepreneurs and business executives are invited to a free entrepreneur event hosted by the University of Minnesota – Office for Technology Commercialization (OTC).  The purpose of this event is to educate local entrepreneurs on how to work with the OTC. The event will explain the process for technology licensing and how to build start-up companies based on University of Minnesota research.

Date: Tuesday, March 26, 2013 from 5:00-7:30 PM

Location: Maroon & Gold Room, McNamara Alumni Center (200 Oak Street S.E., Minneapolis, MN 55455)

Agenda:
5:00-5:15 pm – Registration and Networking
5:15-5:20 pm – Welcome and Opening Remarks
5:20-5:45 pm – How to work with the U of MN – OTC
5:45-6:30 pm – Panel Discussion

  • Moderator: Doug Johnson, Office for Technology Commercialization
  • John Bergstrom, Early Learning Labs
  • Ken Shain, SMART Signal Technologies
  • Bill Faulkner, Ascenix
  • Eric Madson, Embomedics

6:30-7:30 pm – Networking with Refreshments and Hors d’oeuvres

Register Here

Mobile March 2013 Agenda Announced

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mobile-march-2013The final agenda for Mobile March 2013 has been released for the 4th annual conference. Keynoted by Bob Schukai, Global Head of Mobile Technology at Thomson Reuters, the event also features multiple tracks including Mobile Strategy, Mobile Business, Mobile Development and Mobile Gaming. Mr. Schukai’s keynote will highlight best practices for business model development, and creation & deployment of world-class user experiences.

The conference will take place at the Earle Brown Heritage Center in Brooklyn Park on March 21st.

“We’re honored to be offering insight from thought leaders that have successfully made those thoughts reality,” said Mobile March organizer Linda Cummings. “From business to development, the day will cover the full range of mobile capability for both the enterprise and the consumer.”

Registration for Mobile March is now open via the Mobile March website or directly through Eventbrite.

Registration Now Open for Mobile March 2013

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The date for Mobile March, the annual Twin Cities mobile conference has been set for March 21st, 2013 at the Earle Brown Heritage Center in Brooklyn Park. Now in its 4th year, the conference features multiple tracks with sessions on mobile app development, mobile advertising, strategic planning, mobile education, marketing, design, user experience and, new this year, mobile game development.

The conference organizers have also announced Bob Schukai, Global Head of Mobile Technology at Thomson Reuters, will keynote the event. Other speakers will be announced closer to the conference after an open call for speakers closes.

No question mobile is “the tail wagging the internet dog” as more and more of us get connected. But don’t believe us, take a peek at Mary Meeker’s latest internet trends report entitled, “2012 Internet Trends Year-End Update.” In it she reveals her latest update showing the explosion in mobile device use around the world and how it is shifting and disrupting more of what we learn, how we communicate, shop and buy. Whether you make money with mobile or just use it to stay connected, we invite you to join us for Mobile March.

Tickets can be purchased at the Mobile March website or Eventbrite. The cost of registration prior to January 15th is $85. Full PR follows.

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: December 11, 2012

4th Annual Mobile March Set For March 21, 2013

The Twin Cities’ premier mobile event to present multiple tracks including business, development and gaming.

Minneapolis, MN – The Organizers of Mobile March have announced the date for the 4th annual conference. The date for the Twin Cities’ premier mobile event is set for March 21st, 2013 at the Earle Brown Heritage Center in the Minneapolis suburb of Brooklyn Park. Long known for presenting top level speakers and seminars at a fraction of the cost of most events of its kind, Mobile March 2013 will include tracks of learning that address development, mobile advertising and strategic planning as well as mobile education, marketing, design, user experience, and more. New this year is a track dedicate to mobile game development and the use of gaming in mobile business.

Organizers have also announced that Bob Schukai, Global Head of Mobile Technology at Thomson Reuters, will keynote the event. Schukai is responsible for overseeing the development and execution of the mobile growth strategy globally for Thomson Reuters and is a noted speaker on the topic of mobile technology. The keynote address will anchor an agenda that will draw heavily from an open call for presenter submissions underway http://mobilemarchtc.com/be-a-speaker/.

Mobile March’s Justin Grammens commented, “Our goal continues to be to bring people from all aspects of mobile together. Those with a technical focus like developers as well as business leaders including CEO’s, marketers, and more can benefit. This year’s addition of a gaming track opens the door even wider.” Grammens continued, “There is much to be learned by different constituencies sharing their knowledge with each other.”

Registration is now open for Mobile March, Thursday March 21st, 2013 at the Earle Brown Heritage Center via the Mobile March website at www.mobilemarchtc.com or directly through Eventbrite. The cost of registration prior to January 15th is just $85.

Speakers interested in presenting may make submission at http://mobilemarchtc.com/be-a-speaker/. Topics on Mobile Business, Business Strategy and Marketing, Mobile Development, Hardware Expertise, and Quality Assurance, Gaming and Game Development, as well as Design including UI, UX, Responsive and Native will be considered.

About Mobile March

Founded in 2010, Mobile March is an event dedicated to exploring the latest in mobile technology and trends. According to founders Justin Grammens, Phil Wilson and Linda Cummings, the name Mobile March not only denotes the month in which it takes place, it also emphasizes the ongoing advancement and growth of mobile technology and the related lifestyle.

By offering content that appeals to mobile developers, business people, and users we hope to facilitate a greater understanding between the constituencies that make mobile happen. Whether you make money with mobile or just use it to stay connected, we invite you to join us for Mobile March.

Event sponsors include: Code 42 Software, Livefront, Fusion Room and Verizon

CONTACT: Phil Wilson
612-743-7860
phil@mobilemarchtc.com

MobCon and Mobile Twin Cities to Dole Out $25,000 Prize for Mobile App

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MobCon, the latest addition to the Twin Cities mobile conference calendar on November 13th and 14th, is teaming with Mobile Twin Cites and Lazard Middle Market  to hand out a hefty prize to a Minnesota mobile app developer.

Dubbed MobDemo, Minnesota developers are invited to submit their mobile applications to be ultimately judged bu the attendees of the MobCon attendees. A cash prize of $5,000 plus a $20,000 credit towards mobile development will be awarded to the developers of the mobile application deemed most “technical, innovative and profitable”.

According to James Williams of MobCon, “We’re proud of Minnesota’s emerging mobile enterprise businesses. We want to take time to show them off and reward one for its outstanding efforts.” Mobile Twin Cities Founder, Justin Grammens said, “Some of our past Mobile 3D demo events really brought forward some exciting mobile developments. Joining with MobCon to showcase these apps and companies as well as awarding such a generous cash prize is a real thrill.”

If you’re a developer that thinks you’ve got the goods to score the loot, apply now to present a mobile application demonstration at MobCon 2012. A committee of judges will select finalists to showcase their applications and MobCon attendees will vote to choose a winner. Deadline for entries is October 15th, 2012.

Great Talk Coming at MCAD on ‘Indie Capitalism and Design Entrepreneurship’

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MCAD has a really cool event coming up on Tuesday evening, September 11.  The best thing of all?  It’s free and open to public. Here are the details: Visiting-Artist Lecture: Tom Gerhardt and Dan Provost, Cofounders of Studio Neat, New York City, Tuesday, September 11, 2012, 6:30 p.m., Minneapolis College of Art and Design, Auditorium 150 (Map: Getting to MCAD.)

Tom Gerhardt (at right in photo) is an internationally recognized artist and designer who works across a broad range of disciplines. As a hardware and software developer at Potion, Gerhardt helped to create interactive installations for some of the nation’s most prestigious museums and retail spaces. And as an artist, his work seeks to reconcile modern man’s dual citizenship in the physical and digital worlds through projects like The Mud Tub, an organic interface that allows people to control a computer while playing in the mud.  Gerhardt and his design partner, Dan Provost (left), created the “Glif,” one of the world’s first crowd-funded commercial products. Gerhardt and Provost also founded Studio Neat, a design practice based in New York City.

The two just published an ebook on their experience and philosophy of designing and launching crowd-funded products: “It Will Be Exhilarating: Indie Capitalism and Design Entrepreneurship in the 21st Century, As Observed by StudioNeat.”  (Download a DRM-free copy of the ebook at that link, in a bundle of ePub, Mobi, and PDF formats. Also available in the iBookstore and on Amazon.) 

Founded in 2010, Studio Neat launched its first of two successful Kickstarter projects late that year, helping pave the way for a new era of independent hardware manufacturing. It also recently entered the software world with its first iPhone app. “We’ve learned a lot in a short period of time,” say the cofounders, “and we wanted to share this information with the world. So we wrote a book. ”

The book was written to offer guidance and inspiration for those charting a similar path. It covers topics such as running a small business, creating hardware products independently, launching a Kickstarter project, and tips for promoting your products. “Everything is told through the lens of our own experience,” the authors said.

It’s a short read, and I found it very readable and inspiring. “It provides the needed ‘kick’ to start making stuff. There isn’t a better time than now,” say the authors.  Here’s how one famous Internet luminary endorsed the book:

“There is no recipe for passion, no 5-step guide to making your idea real, but there is good, solid advice, and this book is filled with it.” – Clay Shirky, author

Last week, BoingBoing published an excellent post by Glenn Fleishman, a Seattle-based writer, that captures the passion of Tom and Dan: “Indie Capitalism relies on crowds — and you can do it, too.”

Tom and Dan describe themselves simply as “two designers who enjoy making simple things and making things simple.”  The Glif, the duo’s first product, represents a new way of approaching consumer products, and it wouldn’t have been possible without a few thousand people who believed in the designers. “Not too long ago, the Glif was just an idea with nowhere to go,” they said. “We knew it was going to be something people might like, but we needed a way to share it with the world. Typically, if you want to make a physical product (especially an electronics accessory) you have to be, or sell to, a large company — but we didn’t like that idea. We wanted to stay close to the Glif and, more importantly, to our customers. So, after much thought, we decided to put the Glif’s fate into the hands of the masses and begin a Kickstarter campaign to raise the money required to make it a reality.”  (Kickstarter is a web site that connects creators with people who are interested in helping them out.)

“Our contributors on Kickstarter pledged money towards our goal with no guarantee that we would ever be successful,” Studio Neat’s cofounders said. “They took a leap of faith, backed our project, and $137,417 and 5273 backers later, here we are. The Glif became a full-fledged, crowd-funded product.” It was one of the first successful launches of a consumer product on Kickstarter, and, at the time, #3 on the list of most funds raised.

Here are the products of Studio Neat to date:

1) The Glip Tripod Mount & Stand For iPhone 4 and 4S

2) The Glif+ Deluxe package, containing the Glif, Serif, and Ligature

3) The Cosmonaut Wide-Grip Stylus for Touchscreens

4) The Frameographer iPhone App – For Time-Lapse and Stop-Motion Movies

Please join us at MCAD on Tuesday evening to meet these two fascinating designers and entrepreneurs!

UPDATE:  We’ve just confirmed that Tom Gerhardt will be our guest on this Friday’s Minnov8 Gang podcast.

“Your Inner Neandertal” DNA Day Talk

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Do you know why some people are 1 to 4% Neandertal? During her talk Lynn Fellman will explain how your Uncle Ned and maybe you have an “Inner Neander” during her art and science talk on April 28th. Lynn’s presentation is one of many talks at Twin City libraries to celebrate National DNA Days.

The discovery of modern day humans with some neandertal DNA came as a surprise to many in the scientific community (especially when you consider that most depictions of neandertals show them as very ugly and that “mixing DNA” meant modern-looking humans back then were having sex with these knuckle-draggers!).

It came as a surprise to me too, not because some other people have this DNA within them, but because I have had my DNA profile created by 23andMe and recently discovered that my genetics contain an estimated 2.5% neandertal DNA. Maybe that’s why I have a thick protruding forehead and think about living in a cave!  😉

“Your Inner Neandertal” is a 30 minute presentation showing how art can uniquely express science concepts and why some of us may find a little “Neander” in our genes. With examples from “At the Crossroads” video and her very cool DNA Portrait traveling show, Lynn will explain how some genes may be a surprising and generous gift from our ancient and now extinct cousins (and this I gotta hear).

Saturday, April 28th at 11 am
Minneapolis Downtown Hennepin Library
This keynote talk for Minneapolis DNA Days
is free and open to the public. Please register (go here).
For more information, parking and directions (go here).

More DNA Days events at area libraries (info here) will cover topics like genetic testing and screening, capturing family health history and tools for collecting the information.

To learn more about multimedia artist Lynn Fellman, someone focused on “illuminating the human genome through art, design and narrative,” check our her site at: FellmanStudio.com

Minnebar 2012: Tech Geek-Out!

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Minnesota’s annual barcamp un-conference, aka Minnebar, returned for a seventh consecutive year on Saturday, April 7, and it was a blockbuster! Held again at Best Buy’s corporate headquarters in Richfield, the event attracted some 1300, the most in its history.

It just keeps getting bigger and bigger — and better!  A pre-party the night before was a new, fun twist this year, held at Vic’s, across the river from Downtown Minneapolis.  On Saturday, some 60 breakout sessions provided a wide array of learning and sharing experiences, along with awesome hallway discussions that were in full swing all day long — from 8:00 am all the way through the closing reception well after 6:00 pm.

Kudos to organizers Ben Edwards, Luke Francl, and Adrienne Peirce of Minnestar.org, and their many volunteers who work so hard to make this event successful. And thanks to all the great sponsors: Code42 Software, Fredrikson & Byron, 8th Bridge, W3i, ipHouse, August Ash, Bloom Health, Barcamp Tour, Split Rock Partners, ChowGirls, and Ech03.

It seems I say this every year, but it’s true (I’ve attended the last six annual events in their entirety):  the level of energy and enthusiasm about Minnesota Tech was more than I’ve ever experienced!  You can just sense the growth and excitement in our tech community. And, if you’re like me, you keep meeting so many more new and amazing people — technology and business professionals who are contributing to great new startups here in Minnesota, as well as to the broader technology industry in our state.  It was a pleasure to behold.  I had so many excellent conversations, trust me — there isn’t enough room in this blog post to tell you about them all <haha>.

But I can show you pics I shot Friday night and all day Saturday, which I posted on Instagram. Here’s a selection of those pics that I put into a Minnebar 2012 Flickr set.

Minnesota Cup Entry Starts Today

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The 8th annual Minnesota Cup has officially launched!

This is Minnesota’s premiere entrepreneural event and past ones have seen stiff competition in every category since there are so many great startups here in our State. To familiarize yourself with this year’s competition, please find several resources below in the embedded document (we compiled the press release, “fast facts” and a good article on the MN Cup for you to review in one place which, if you want, you can also download using the download button in the toolbar below).

Use the “Full Screen” button for the best way to view this embedded doc:

SaaS Camp 2012

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Lief Larson, CEO of Workface, will be holding a single-day event called SaaS Camp 2012.  This inaugural (but hopefully annual) event is focused on education and networking within the developing SaaS community here in Minnesota.

Why this ‘camp’ and why now? Over the last few years, Lief has said he’s had the incredible opportunity to travel to, attend, and speak at numerous SaaS-specific events. Most of what he has learned has been locked away in his head as tacit knowledge. Since “the cloud” and software as services online has become so hot, Lief has been asked by several companies to share some of this information. Like all of us, Lief’s weekday priorities to Workface means that a weekend event would probably be the best forum for the SaaS community.

Lief Larson, CEO of Workface

SaaS Camp 2012 is being tightly packed into a single session-intense Saturday and has been created for SaaS practitioners and businesses embarking on SaaS models.  It will be held at CoCo MSP in the Minneapolis Grain Exchange on Saturday, April 21st, from 9am-4pm.

Thirteen major areas of SaaS will be covered, ranging from pricing models to channel development.  The price is $199, which is being used to cover the facilities costs, catering/lunch, and materials.  It will be limited attendance because Lief is hoping to keep it manageable and more intimate.  Registration info available at: http://saasclass.com/events or http://saascamp2012.eventbrite.com.