Minnov8

Showcasing Minnesota Technology Innovation

Minnov8 Redesign Launches

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Ole Wolla (front) with two of his workers at his Tioga, ND blacksmith shop (circa 1895)

Ole Wolla (front) with two of his workers in his Tioga, ND blacksmith
shop in about 1895. Ole was Steve Borsch’s maternal great-grandfather.

We’ve been hard at work in the shop hammering out a new website design. The goal was to have our website be easier to read and also to use.

One key criteria was to make it fully responsive in its design. So now whether you’re on an iOS or Android smartphone or tablet, Chromebook, or one of them there old fashioned desktop or laptop computer thingys, your experience with our website should be great.

The only exception is if you refuse to give up Windows 95 running Internet Explorer 5.5 and you’re still using a 300 baud modem (like Phil). Probably won’t have a great experience!

Let us know what you think in the comments below about what else you might like us to do in order to make Minnov8 work better for you.

Digi’s New XBee® Wi-Fi Cloud Kit

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digi-kitDigi International today announced their new XBee® Wi-Fi Cloud Kit which “Brings the Internet of Things to Everyone.” Their objective with this ‘kit’ is to “Add cloud connectivity to any device or sensor–create your own Internet of Things ASAP.”

Check out their press release below and go to the “XBeeCloud” and see examples here.

New XBee® Wi-Fi Cloud Kit by Digi International
Brings the Internet of Things to Everyone

Add cloud connectivity to any device or sensor–create
your own Internet of Things ASAP (#IoTASAP)

MINNETONKA, Minn., Nov. 19, 2013 /PRNewswire/ — Digi International (NASDAQ: DGII) today released the XBee® Wi-Fi Cloud Kit, a development kit that allows anyone to build, connect, and control their own Internet of Things. The kit recently won an Editor’s Choice ribbon at World Maker Faire New York 2013.

Built around Digi’s new XBee Wi-Fi module, which wirelessly connects devices to the cloud, the kit integrates with Device Cloud by Etherios™ using a sample internet-based application, and includes a new development board with sensors, actuators, a USB cable, and a variety of electronic prototyping parts for creating custom circuits.

“The new XBee Wi-Fi Cloud Kit is the fastest and easiest way to explore and develop devices and circuits that connect to the Internet of Things,” said Rob Faludi, chief innovation officer and author of Building Wireless Sensor Networks. “Through its straightforward integration with Device Cloud by Etherios, makers, educators, electronics engineers, software designers, and innovators of all kinds can now create their own Internet of Things through easy-to-use web applications.”

The XBee Wi-Fi Cloud Kit features a sample web application that lets users remotely activate various outputs on the development board including LEDs, a vibration motor, a bar graph gauge and an audio buzzer.

In addition, users can build their own circuits on the development board to sense temperature or light, switch on and off other devices via a relay, turn on and off additional LEDs and more. The web application code is open-source, available for anyone to download and use as a learning tool.

The XBee Wi-Fi Cloud Kit is now available for $149 MSRP. For more information or to buy your kit, visit: http://www.digi.com/xbeecloud. See examples here and take part in the conversation on Twitter with the hashtag #IoTASAP.

About Digi International

Digi International is the machine-to-machine (M2M) expert, combining products and services as end-to-end solutions to drive business efficiencies. Digi offers the widest range of off-the-shelf M2M hardware. Etherios, a division of Digi International and a Salesforce.com platinum partner, helps organizations of all sizes achieve their business goals with capabilities encompassing advisory, CRM, wireless design and M2M services. Etherios also offers cloud-based products, Device Cloud by Etherios and The Social Machine. Together, Digi and Etherios offer the only complete end-to-end M2M solution. More information can be found atwww.digi.com and www.etherios.com.

All brand names and product names are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective companies.

SOURCE Digi International

Copyright 2013 PR Newswire

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Tedx Comes South of the River

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IMAG0230Lakeville saw it’s first Tedx on Monday night…and Lakeville was impressed. Ok, not all of Lakeville saw it, but about 150-200 of its residents did. In case you’re not familiar with Tedx, it’s the local, independently organized version of the popular Ted Talks that have been popularly educating audiences, and YouTubers, on everything from driverless cars and neuro-science to global warming and conservation through using only one paper towel to dry your hands.

Tedx Lakeville was spearheaded not by some local brain trust, board or politician, but by a senior at Lakeville South High School (I know, right!). Dylan Adelman is by no means the embodiment of a stereo-typical high school senior guy. He shows very few signs of ‘senioritis,’ waiting for high school to end so he can celebrate the “Summer of Dylan.” Instead he decided Ted, and its series of short presentations, needed to come to Lakeville and he made it happen. The result was “The Next 100 Years: The Future of Politics, Education and Technology.”

So how did it go? In a word…fantastic. Ok, the placement of a tweet wall to the left of the stage was troubling. If you know me at all, you know I despise the tweet wall during speaking events. It’s distracting, a source of pointless tweets and a trolls playground. Not to mention it’s just plain rude to ask a speaker to present only to enable an insane distraction to their topic and presentation…(Oops, I’m ranting). I’m happy to say, after a few Taco Bell tweets, cooler heads prevailed and the tweet wall was turned off. (Well played, all.)

Topics included presentations from local business leaders. politicians, educators and students. They presented on subjects including, Redefining Failure, The Digital Self, Quality Candidates and Education and more. I was particularly taken with the Discovery Learning presentation by U of M Junior, Anthony Fleck in the first half of the show. However, the second half is where Tedx Lakeville took off.

I was most impressed with the last two presentations of the evening. Betsy Grawe, a teacher in Lakeville, presented “Going Off Script”. It was a great combination of the perception vs. reality of the thinking of that group known as millenials. It included results of a poll of Lakeville millenials compared to national numbers. But more importantly it conveyed the message for them to not follow the script for life that has been presented to them.

Finally, Matt Little, Lakeville’s 28 year-old Mayor presented an incredibly well prepared look at solving our current political gridlock in “Beyond Bipartisanship.” His desire to for each political party to take a more pragmatic view to serve the constituency rather than their own party was very interesting and indicated to me that the mayorship will not be the only stop on his public service journey.

All in all Tedx’s trip south-of-the-river was well put together. It lacked only in preparation and focus by some of the presenters that lead to some disjointed and unnecessarily long presentations. The topics were sound and the execution of the event itself was incredibly well done. Mr. Adelman was a standout as he deftly transitioned from presenter to presenter. This guy is a rock solid speaker and, with the help of his team and advisors, delivered a rock solid event. (If no one has said it to him yet, “This will look great on a resume.)

I can’t wait for the next edition of Tedx Lakeville.

Focus on Mobile at MobiU

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IMAG0225The first ever Mobile University, or MobiU, rolled into Best Buy Headquarters on Thursday evening to talk about the Mobile Path to Purchase with some 50 attendees.

The agenda, presented by Heartland Mobile Council, included panels addressing mobile insights and lessons learned about the use of mobile in the consumer purchasing cycle.

What I was most impressed with was the focus group that was assembled to find out how “real” people use mobile in relationship to their buying habits.

While my first impression was that many in the focus group were perhaps more tech savvy than average, some were from Best Buy, there were enough mainstream consumers to offer some insight. Takeaways from the session included: the use of push notifications are clearly annoying and the first thing the group deactivated after signing up for a retail loyalty program. These notifications included both native and text messages.

Comments also highlighted some disconnect with brands and the technology they use. One participant noted that pricing not always matched between the mobile app and the store. Additionally, when I asked if any ever presented a mobile code or coupon to someone in a store, only to to be met with an unknowing blank stare, there were plenty of “yes” responses. And, while many went on to say that they could eventually find someone who was ‘in the know,’ they really shouldn’t have to.

The best part of the Focus Group panel were the ideas generated by the panelists themselves on what brands like Best Buy, Target and Cub could provide on a mobile platform, including helping locate specific products bia GPS.

The Heartland Mobile Council is a Chicago-based non-profit organization whose mission it is to educate brands on how to use mobile effectively. Founder Hugh Park Jedwill kicked off the evening with some remarks including plans of launching incubators and more events around the country. He emphasized that the MobiU was a “safe learning environment” where brands were welcome to take part, but not sell or make pitches. In fact, he talked so much about that environment and the actual Heartland Mobile Council, it started to sound much like a pitch itself.

All in all, the event was a solid evening of learning and exchanging of ideas. Any organization that can precipitate that kind of interaction on the topic of mobile is great…and needed to effectively capitalize on mobile technology.

Comcast and $9.95 per Month Internet

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If you are reading this post chances are you enjoy internet access and likely have broadband at home. In fact, 58% of United States homes have high speed internet connections (see this PDF from the International Telecommunications Union 2013 report) and this access—whether fixed broadband or mobile—is no longer optional. It’s become a primary way for an accelerating number of us to connect, socialize, find jobs, signup for services, access knowledge and a whole lot more.

Fortunately there is an affordable program to connect low-income families (with students at home) to the internet for just under $10 per month. A program now in its third year, Internet Essentials is delivered by Comcast, costs only $9.95 plus tax per month, provides access to a low-cost computer (a laptop for $149.99 plus tax); and has online training.

Undoubtedly this program was a key “give” on Comcast’s part during the negotiation when they were vying to acquire NBC Universal, but the numbers of families who have signed up nationwide are over 220,000!  Of that there are already 5,200 families in Minnesota benefitting from Internet Essentials and let’s hope more signup and participate this year.

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COMCAST’S INTERNET ESSENTIALS CONNECTS MORE THAN
220,000 LOW INCOME FAMILIES TO HIGH SPEED INTERNET AT HOME
Comcast Celebrates Year Three of National Program to Bridge the Digital Divide
More than 5,200 Twin Cities Families Have Enrolled in Internet Essentials

St. Paul, Minn. – Sept. 12, 2013 – With the start of the new school year, Comcast is launching the third year of its Internet Essentials program, the nation’s largest and most comprehensive broadband adoption initiative for low-income families.  As a result of the first two years of the Internet Essentials program, more than 220,000 families, benefitting an estimated 900,000 low-income Americans nationwide, now have a broadband connection at home.

More than 5,200 Minnesota families currently participate in the Internet Essentials program and 300 families have joined in recent months.

Today at the Minnesota Children’s Museum in St. Paul, Comcast along with civic and community leaders will kick off the program’s third year.

Family Open House and Internet Essential Sign-Up
Thursday, Sept. 12, 5:00 – 8:00 p.m.
Children’s Museum of Minnesota
10 West Seventh Street, St. Paul, Minn., 55102

The company is hosting similar community events in 23 states across the country to raise visibility about bridging the digital divide in America and connecting more families to the Internet.

“This type of fast Internet access is absolutely essential for students to do their homework and for parents to stay in touch with teachers and information.  It also supports so many activities that we take for granted, such as finding and applying for jobs, researching a health condition, or paying a bill,” said Mary Beth Schubert, Vice President of Corporate Affairs for Comcast Twin Cities Region.

“This event is about continuing to build momentum and raise awareness among the families that can benefit from the Internet Essentials program.  It also is about thanking partners in the community that are helping us to make progress toward narrowing the digital divide in America,” added Schubert.

Comcast Enhances Internet Essentials Program for 2013
To increase enrollment and continue to help close the digital divide in America, Comcast continues to enhance Internet Essentials. This year the program includes:

  • Increased Speed – For the second time in two years, Comcast has increased its broadband speeds for Internet Essentials customers up to 5 Mbps downstream and up to 1 Mbps upstream. On September 1st, Comcast will have more than tripled the download speeds for Internet Essentials customers since the program’s launch.

  • Streamlined Enrollment – Comcast has further streamlined the enrollment process by expanding the instant approval process for families whose students attend schools where 70 percent or more of the students are eligible to participate in the National School Lunch Program.

  • Expanded Eligibility – Comcast has expanded program eligibility criteria for the second time, to include parochial, private, cyberschool, and homeschooled students.  Now, nearly 2.6 million families nationwide are eligible for Internet Essentials.

  • Created an Online Application Tool – On InternetEssentials.com and InternetBasico.com, it is now easier and faster for a family to apply for Internet Essentials.  This convenient online request form is available in English and Spanish and can be accessed through any Internet-enabled computer, tablet, or smartphone. It can be used by families on computers at community centers, local libraries or at a friend’s to request an application.

  • Introduced Internet Essentials Opportunity Cards – Our community partners are now able to help connect low-income families to the Internet by purchasing Opportunity Cards that can be used toward the cost of paying for Internet Essentials service.

In Minnesota, Comcast is working with community-based organizations in Minneapolis and St. Paul to spread the word about Internet Essentials and provide digital literacy training. These organizations include: Neighborhood House and the Hmong American Partnership.

Internet Essentials Gains Momentum
The momentum of Internet Essentials continues to increase.  Since the program’s launch in August 2011, Internet Essentials has enrolled upwards of 50,000 new families every six months.  In the last six months alone, 70,000 new families have signed up.  In addition, Comcast has distributed more than 18,000 subsidized computers; trained nearly 20,000 people; publicized the program in more than 4,000 school districts and more than 30,000 schools; broadcast nearly 2 million public service announcements and partnered with nearly 7,000 community based organizations, agencies, and officials to help spread the word about the program.

 

About Internet Essentials:
Internet Essentials from Comcast is the nation’s largest and most comprehensive broadband adoption program.  It provides low-cost broadband service for $9.95 a month plus tax; the option to purchase an Internet-ready computer for under $150; and multiple options to access free digital literacy training in print, online, and in-person. A household is eligible to participate if it has at least one child eligible to participate in the National School Lunch Program (NSLP), is located where Comcast offers Internet service, has not subscribed to Comcast Internet service within the last 90 days, and does not have an overdue Comcast bill or unreturned equipment. Families that enroll in the program can continue to enjoy the service as long as one child eligible to participate in the NSLP is living in the household.

For more information about Internet Essentials visit InternetEssentials.com for English and InternetBasico.com for Spanish. Educators or third-parties interested in helping to spread the word can find more information at InternetEssentials.com/partner. Parents looking to enroll in the program can call 1-855-846-8376 or, for Spanish, 1-855-765-6995.

About Comcast Corporation:
Comcast Corporation (Nasdaq: CMCSA, CMCSK) is a global media and technology company with two primary businesses, Comcast Cable and NBCUniversal.  Comcast Cable is the nation’s largest video, high-speed Internet and phone provider to residential customers under the XFINITY brand and also provides these services to businesses.  NBCUniversal operates 30 news, entertainment and sports cable networks, the NBC and Telemundo broadcast networks, television production operations, television station groups, Universal Pictures and Universal Parks and Resorts.  Visit www.comcastcorporation.com for more information.

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Media Contact:
Dave Nyberg
dave_nyberg@cable.comcast.com
651-493-5291

PRESS RELEASE
Comcast
One Comcast Center
Philadelphia, PA 19103
www.comcastcorporation.com

 

Listen Up! Tech Cocktail Social is Coming With Something Special for Startups

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Tech Cocktail Social 2013Another Tech Cocktail Social is happening in the Twin Cities this October! You will want to attend to network since these are very fun events and so many key people are in attendance.

That said, if you are a startup there is something special for you at this event so read on…

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TO ATTEND, NETWORK & PARTY

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SOMETHING SPECIAL FOR STARTUPS
If you are a startup that meets the criteria below, you could win a spot to the Tech Cocktail national shootout. Called Tech Cocktail Celebrate, it will be held October 22nd & 23rd in Las Vegas.

Wait…the national event is in Las Vegas?

Yep. You may have heard that the CEO of Zappos, Tony Hsieh, is keen on turning downtown Las Vegas in to a startup hub (see Zappos CEO Bets $350 Million on a Las Vegas Startup Scene) and he’s one of the key speakers and likely had some influence on this city as a location.

But a startup can’t even be considered to show and demo at the national Las Vegas event unless they first win one of the regional Tech Cocktail events like ours on October 2nd (Tech Cocktail Celebrate’s FAQ is here).

The benefit? Being one of the two winners of the Twin Cities event would be your ticket to Las Vegas and the opportunity to compete in the national shootout of startups. At the national event you would be in front of prominent venture capitalists and thought leaders, including Hsieh, but also technology press. Startups will also receive mention on the Tech Cocktail website during the event wrap-up post.

How does our startup get considered?

Pretty simple and here are the criteria:

  • Overall Criteria:
    • Less than 3 years old
    • Raised less than $1M thus far
    • Be an independent company (no subsidiaries)
    • Startups must have a working beta or better product.
  • Regional Event Criteria:

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TO ATTEND AND COMPETE AS A STARTUP

  • When: October 2, 2013 from 6:30-9pm
  • Where: The Open Book – Target Performance Hall, 1011 Washington Avenue, 2nd Floor, Minneapolis, MN 55415 (map)
  • Event page: Tech Cocktail Social Minneapolis
  • Application page: Apply now for inclusion at the Twin Cities Social event.  Please note, unlike Tech Cocktail Mixers, startups will not showcase at the event, but will need to be present in order to win.

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Kim GarretsonTech Cocktail Social – Minneapolis is hosted by Kim Garretson (LinkedIn), now a Research Fellow at the Reynolds Journalism Institute at University of Missouri; Board Member at Twin Cities Public Television; and Founder & General Partner of Ventures at Ovative/Group.

 

CoCo to Open in Uptown

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CoCo, our favorite coworking and collaborative space (both myself and my colleague Phil Wilson are members), has just announced it will open a new location this September in Uptown-BlueSky“the booming Uptown neighborhood of Minneapolis“… and I would add the adjectives “extremely” and “hip” to that. The news was announced late this afternoon at a special happy hour gathering of members — just called this morning — at CoCo in downtown Minneapolis. The Uptown location will be the third for the three-year-old CoCo organization. [Wait, let me get the calculator — that’s one per year! ] The other sites are the original one in Lowertown St. Paul and the second on the trading floor at the historic Minneapolis Grain Exchange, which opened in late 2011.  And, if you’re a member, you can frequent any of the sites.

CoCo Uptown will be located at 1010 West Lake Street, between Hennepin and Lyndale Avenues, and at the junction of Lake Street, Lagoon Street, and the Greenway bike path. “This is an ideal location for many reasons,” said CoCo founding partner Kyle Coolbroth. “We’re close to public transportation and within four blocks of dozens of restaurants, pubs, and coffee shops.”

Artist rendering of the main room at CoCo Uptown.

Artist rendering of the main room at CoCo Uptown.

Formerly an auto repair shop, the 15,000-square-foot space is being completely renovated over the summer. ”We get to start with a blank slate, so we’re taking the opportunity to create surprising new features and valuable amenities for our members,” said CoCo founding partner Don Ball.

Some of those features include:

• The “Garage” – a 3,500-square-foot open space devoted to ideation, prototyping, and presentations for groups up to 100
• A small tap room with craft brews (hold your cheers!)
• A small movie theater, for presentations and pitches
• A billiard room that doubles as a meeting room
• A walkout patio, located within a beautiful green space
• Two large conference rooms
• Seven private booths for phone calls and demos
• A commons area that can be used for 100-person events and meetups

With 160 seats, the new CoCo location will also provide plenty of room for coworking, as well as 24 dedicated desks and nine “campsites,” which seat four to six people each. We know a big question for those of you who drive these things called “cars” (like me, call me crazy) will be parking at the new location, so watch for more information on that forthcoming.

Artist rendering of the Lounge, one of the six meeting spaces at CoCo Uptown.

Artist rendering of the Lounge, one of the six meeting spaces at CoCo Uptown.

Although construction is just getting underway, CoCo is already taking reservations for campsites, with preference given to current CoCo members.

About “The Garage”
The Garage is a large open space designed for groups that want to do deep work in strategic planning, ideation, and product or service development. It will be available for fully hosted and facilitated experiences of one-day, three-day or one-week durations. The Garage can also be reserved for self-led groups. In addition to an inspiring environment, basic amenities at the Garage will include work tables and seating, a stage with projection and sound systems, as well as extensive ideation and prototyping supplies.

CoCo Uptown will feature a private patio, located amidst a larger greenspace.

CoCo Uptown will feature a private patio, located amidst a larger greenspace.

About CoCo
CoCo is a place where entrepreneurs, freelance professionals, small businesses, and corporate workgroups can gather to work, share ideas and team up on projects. For our members, CoCo is an alternative to working from home or meeting at the local coffee shop. CoCo has locations in Lowertown St. Paul and in downtown Minneapolis, on the former trading floor of the Minneapolis Grain Exchange.  For more information, see the web site.

Congratulations to Don, Kyle, and the entire CoCo team on an amazing three years so far! We look forward to the opening of the Uptown site.  See you there!

Fargo Roadtrip: Midwest Mobile Summit

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midwest-mobile-summit-15There are very few reasons for me (a 6′ 5″ guy) to want to drive for four hours. Family is usually the only reason…with Iowa and (gulp) Kansas frequent destinations. With destinations like that, I’m never looking to see more flat terrain like that found heading to Fargo from Minneapolis. However, the lure of the first ever Midwest Mobile Summit was strong enough for me to caffeine up and set out Sunday for the 2 day event.

I was excited to be heading to an event with a very grassroots vibe.  Jake Joraanstad and Ryan Raguse of Myriad Devices were responsible for putting this event together that attracted some 150-200 to downtown Fargo and it appears to have been a resounding success.

The multi-site format showcased mobile technology, strategy and industry tracks and three different downtown locations. The Fargo Theater, with it’s nostalgic feel, including an organ front and center, provided homebase for keynotes as well as the setting for the strategy track. The event even started  with the organ rising to the stage. After some brief remarks we were all treated to ‘feats of yo’ from John Narum, Yo-Yo World Champion at 11 years old. It was a nice way to get everyone engaged.

The Sunday keynote from Ryan Raguse set the tone with a dramatic smashing of the “box” that represented pre-mobile technology. The rest of the day and , for that matter, the rest of conference presented an array of topics. Some presentations were ok at best but most were above average and some simply crushed it. (Johnathon Rademacher of Sundog and Livefront‘s Mike Bollinger were the clear standouts.)

Screen Shot 2013-05-03 at 1.12.55 PMMany real world mobile experiences were shared throughout the Industry track. While finance and heavy equipment may not be sexy industries that represent a category that has plenty of need and opportunity for mobile solutions.

For a first-time event this was huge. Not only was there plenty of local talent  in attendance but plenty made the trip from outside the state. The chance to enjoy strolling from the historic theater to more modern and artistic spaces provided a nice transition. There was a clear passion for mobile and plenty of opportunity to learn. I look forward to next year. I can even visit my son since is heading off to NDSU in the fall. (See, family is once again I drive for hours across the plains of the heartland.)

*Many of you know I’m co-founder of Mobile March and am happy to see the birth of another mobile event with such a community focus.

Minnesota Cup Application Process Now Open

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mncuplogoThe ninth annual Minnesota Cup competition – the largest statewide new venture competition in the country – will close its application window on May 17 at 11:59 p.m. Entrepreneurs, inventors and small businesses have two weeks to enter their breakthrough business ideas on Minnesota Cup’s website for a chance to compete for $200,000 in prize money.

The competition is free to enter and encourages entries from a wide range of business ideas in six divisions – Energy & Clean Tech, General, High Tech, Life Science & Health IT, Social Entrepreneur and Student. Entrepreneurs advancing in the competition will have the opportunity to advance business ideas, gain exposure, learn about resources available to entrepreneurs, be paired with mentors, meet members of the Cup’s review board – and win cash prizes if their idea is judged to be among the best entries.

Submissions must contain a description of the product or service, explanation of the market size or opportunity, a sales and marketing overview, brief operating plan and high level financial projections and assumptions.

For more information and to enter, please visit www.breakthroughideas.org.

What Comes First in Fargo – the #MidwestMobileSummit or the Spring Floods?

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MidwestMobileSummit-logoThey’re both coming soon! And they may actually be arriving about the same time. But, no worries, the first-year Midwest Mobile Summit will be held April 28-29 in downtown Fargo ND, which I’m told is a pretty safe area of town from the rising waters that come every spring to this city partially bordered on the Red River.

But if you really want to find out when the floods might arrive — well, it turns outH2O-1
there’s an iOS app for that.  Its name?  Why, H2O Fargo, of course!  And it became available a couple of weeks ago in the App Store, just in time for the inevitable rising waters.

I learned about the app when I met with the guys from Myriad Devices, a mobile app development shop that’s the lead sponsor and organizer of the Midwest Mobile Summit. They developed the flood app as a public service for their community, and Jake Joraanstad, CEO, told me the app was approved by Apple in only one day! I guess they understood the urgency of the situation. (Screenshots of the app shown.)

H2O-2The MIdwest Mobile Summit has big support of the local community, and will draw a large representation of the area’s significant technology industry, including angels and VCs, Microsoft and ex-Microsoft managers, NDSU officials, and a strong mobile development community.  Read more about the the schedule, speakers, and sponsors at the event site — and how to obtain tickets. You can purchase Day One, Day Two, H2O-3or both days. Overnight accommocations for Sunday, April 28, are availabke at the nearby Radisson downtown (info at event site). Several speakers and attendees are coming from the Twin Cities. See you there if you can make it!