Innovation + Job News

Accupoint Software introduces new features for ISO compliance

Lynne Meyer Thursday, April 25, 2013

The International Standards Organization (ISO) specifies detailed quality management systems that help organizations meet customer and stakeholder needs, as well as rigorous regulatory requirements pertaining to various products. Companies and organizations that pursue ISO certification must complete and maintain these demanding requirements.

Obtaining certification is a lengthy, complex and exacting process, according to Jeff Cianciola, president of Youngstown’s Accupoint Software.

The company recently introduced new features to its InterLink software to help companies with ISO compliance.

“InterLink helps companies manage and administer the tremendous amount of documentation, policies, procedures and instructions required to meet the various ISO standards,” he explains. “Our system takes an integrated approach to managing the health and safety, environmental and quality requirements for ISO certification.”

According to Cianciola, a new calendar is among the software’s updated features. “It allows for integration of audit and training schedules, permits, meetings, projects and management review modules. We also have a new email function, expanded report creation capabilities, drill-down metrics dashboard and a new change control module to track document process modification.” He points out that InterLink is Cloud based, so all of a company’s team members can access it from anywhere.

Accupoint’s target client areas are manufacturing, oil and gas, construction, mining and industrial service organizations.

Cianciola notes examples of ISO requirements in the manufacturing industry. “In the area of document control, manufacturers are required to use the most up-to-date blue prints for a project. Also, if a problem is discovered in any area, there are specific processes to follow to make sure it’s addressed promptly and corrective action is taken so it doesn’t happen again.”

Accupoint Software, which was established in 2007, has six employees and plans to expand by the end of the year.

Source: Jeff Cianciola, Accupoint Software
Writer: Lynne Meyer

Intern in Ohio program launches this week, connects students with internships

Thursday, March 21, 2013

This week, Detroit-based Digerati launched its Intern in Ohio program to the public, which is sponsored by the University of Toledo. Like eHarmony, the program uses an advanced matching algorithm to match students with internship opportunities.

Intern in Ohio is free to both students who are looking for internships and businesses who want to post internships. To register, students and employers visit Intern in Ohio’s website to sign up and create a profile or post internship opportunities. Students fill out a short questionnaire about their preferences, and employers share information about the position. The system then identifies the top seven matches for each student, as well as for each position. When the match is made, both the student and employer are notified, and they must show interest before any contact information is shared.

“We encourage diverse companies—large and small, for-profit and nonprofit, government and corporate,” says Wendy Pittman, director of Digerati’s Classroom to Career. “It’s a great chance for employers to broadcast their company and internship program across the state and reach a larger pool of applicants.”

Only companies in Ohio can post opportunities to the Intern in Ohio website, but all types of internships are welcome. There are posts for marketing, engineering and social media, among others, says Pittman.

The program is open to all students who live in Ohio, whether they’re in-state or out-of-state students. Research shows that not only do internships often lead employment offers after graduation, but that students are more likely to remain in an area where they held and internship.

“This is the first replication of the Classroom to Career technology from Michigan to Ohio,” says Pittman. “Experiential learning is a game-changer; and we’re looking forward to working with smaller communities to make a difference.”

In 2011, Digerati launched its Intern in Michigan program, which has resulted in more than 127,000 matches and introductions between students and employers. Over 1,000 Michigan businesses have posted 4,824 internship opportunities, and 1,049 colleges and universities in the state use the site.

Full disclosure: hiVelocity's parent company, IMG, supplies content to Intern in Ohio on a contractual basis.

By Caitlin Koenig
Follow Caitlin on Twitter

Humtown Products hailed for creative efficiency-based pay rate system

Joe Baur Thursday, March 07, 2013

Humtown Products, a solution provider in the metal casting industry, has been invited to meet with researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) thanks to the Columbiana-based company’s strong performance following the economic collapse of 2008. The invitation from the prestigious research university comes with interest in CEO Mark Lamoncha’s innovative tactics that ultimately saved the company.

Lamoncha’s father founded the company in 1960 when the steel industry was booming across the United States. Needless to say, economic needs have drastically shifted, causing the company to downsize from 220 employees to 17 in 2008. “The whole industry in 2008 was off 70-percent in sales,” explains Lamoncha. “Most companies don’t survive it.”

To Lamoncha, the answer has been to provide his small staff with incentives to increase their efficiency. Following the layoffs, Humtown instituted an efficiency-based pay rate system that calculates productivity as often as 20-seconds. The incentives ultimately saved the company. “In 2012, 26 people put out the same production sales as what 151 did in 2008,” Lamoncha notes, adding that the system isn’t being done anywhere else in the country.

While the system has proven beneficial to Humtown as a company, employees themselves are now able to pinpoint strengths and weaknesses in order to improve their performance, thus generate more income. “[Employees] study their own work habits and improve on them,” Lamoncha explains. “Their body mechanics, their method of movements, and motivation affect their pay rate based on each cycle of operation.” It’s the proverbial “win-win” scenario.

Big picture, Lamoncha hopes his system will help alleviate suffering not just within the Ohio economy, but nationally as well. He sees his pay rate system as an answer to what he describes as America’s low efficiency levels.

“Our biggest focus is on extreme efficiency improvements to reduce cost and sell product, being able to compete and leverage against the market price,” says Lamoncha. “That’s where America needs to be if they want to sell products here and abroad.”

Source: Mark Lamoncha
Writer: Joe Baur

Campus Shift launches nationwide online textbook marketplace

Joe Baur Thursday, January 17, 2013

Campus Shift recently announced the launch of their online textbook marketplace, allowing students across the country to sell and buy used textbooks locally.

Derek Haake, founder of Youngstown-based Campus Shift, says the idea was borne out of his frustration with the amount of money he was spending on textbooks during his undergrad.

“What we’re trying to do is give students a fair price on their books,” he says, noting Campus Shift does not purchase the books themselves, like a University bookstore might. “The marketplace allows student to connect with each other,” and determine a public location to make the exchange, eliminating shipping costs and time.

Haake acknowledges problems with purchasing books off eBay or Amazon, saying the student does not ultimately know what the textbook is really worth. Campus Shift works around that problem. “Our software finds what the book is really worth, so students aren’t in the dark,” he says. And it’s all done without revealing personal information. “Everything is confidential.”

Since launching in December, Campus Shift has seen hundreds of students signing up and listing textbooks on the marketplace. “All in all, we have a little over 175 campuses nationwide,” including California, Texas and Ohio. “Our biggest user base is in Ohio.”

It’s been a long, worthwhile journey for Haake, who started the Campus Shift project in 2006. He notes they’ve been working with the Youngstown Business Incubator “for about the past year,” assisting with presentations for initial seed money.

Excited for what’s next, Haake is asking readers to stay tuned for more in the near future. “We have a couple more software enhancements coming out in the next two to three weeks.”

Source: Derek Haake
Writer: Joe Baur

visualized energy allows customers to see their energy usage, cut costs

Joe Baur Thursday, January 03, 2013

Youngstown-based Visualized Energy is tracking energy usage to help customers reduce costs during peak usage by anticipating them in real time and signaling automated systems to cut back.

Dr. Marv Schwartz, founder of Visualized Energy, says he came up with the idea after talking with an acquaintance in the energy management business.

Schwartz says his acquaintance was in need of cost effective technology that could monitor energy usage. “Basically, what you have to think about is that companies manage all kinds of things,” explains Schwartz. “They manage people, they manage raw materials, finished goods, schedules for manufacturing and shipping, yet when they receive a utility bill, they just pay it.” Schwartz’s solution with Visualized Energy was to show companies what exactly they’re paying for.

“We tie into the revenue meters that we supply, and we monitor utility use over time,” he explains. “So instead of having one data point a month – your bill – we give you real time data on a 15-minute interval basis.”

Clients of Visualized Energy, typically large manufacturers, have access to the user-friendly systems by logging into its website. On the site, energy usage is broken up by month, highlighting average and peak usage. Users can click on a month to see a daily breakdown, and then click on a day to see usage broken up into 15-minute intervals. The detailed display allows companies to ensure their systems are automatically turning on and shutting down at programmed hours of operation. Schwartz estimates $160,000 in savings with previous companies they’ve caught wasting energy outside of hours of operation. “One in the Youngstown area cut their electric bill by 40 percent,” he notes.

Besides cutting costs, Visualized Energy’s technology has helped companies receive energy efficiency grants. Considering the longstanding and immediate impact Schwartz’s startup has had, it’s hard to imagine the venture is just one of his many roles in and around Youngstown.

“I’m also Chief Scientist at the Case Connection Zone,” says Schwartz. “And I’m the Chief Science Officer at the Youngstown Business Incubator, as a way of giving back.”

Source: Dr. Marv Schwartz
Writer: Joe Baur

via680's Ving software is transforming email with bundled multimedia exchanges

Lynne Meyer Thursday, December 13, 2012

According to a special report prepared by Youngstown's via680 on the state of email communications, business professionals send and receive 112 emails a day, on average, but 42 percent of them are ignored, and 50 percent are misunderstood.

“Email has evolved very little over 20 plus years from being a one-way delivery of text,” says Brad Gant, via680’s vice president of marketing. “When you send out an email, you wonder: Did they get it? Did they view it? Did they understand it? And are they working on it?”

To address these questions and combat the high level of ignored and misunderstood emails, via 680 developed Ving, a new web-hosted email service that, the company says, is “transforming email from being a one-way delivery of text to a dynamic two-way exchange of information.”

According to the company's website, the software application enables users to “create, distribute and track attention-grabbing, multi-media messages, including videos, documents, audio files, pictures and surveys.” These communications “packages” can then be sent through email, social media or text messaging.

The claim that Ving is “transforming email” is a bold assertion, however, and Gant acknowledges that other email providers, like Constant Contact and iContact, also enable users to deliver videos, photos and surveys and receive responses to them.

“It's true that some email providers let you send out a survey and an html email, and others let you attach videos and photos,” he says. “But they can’t bundle together all the elements of a multi-media message, including videos, documents, audio, pictures and questionnaires, and send them all out at one time, which you can do with Ving.”

Another advantage Ving offers, according to Gant, is the ability to track individual recipients’ interaction with each different element at a “granular level.” “I can see who opened each element and at what time,” he explains. "Other email services, like ConstantContact for example, only offer aggregate data about open rates, bounces, click-throughs and responses."

The two biggest users of Ving are in the fields of human resources and education. “Human resource and C-level professionals are turning to Ving to improve internal communications, automate compliance tracking and enhance new-employee orientation,” Gant reports. “Educators are using it to enhance learning in the classroom, create media-rich assignments, communicate with parents, recruit students and improve internal communications.”

Via680 is a portfolio company of the Youngstown Business Incubator. Established in 2010 with four employees, it currently has 12. It started with nine clients and now has 1,265, the largest of which is Northern Illinois University.

Source: Brad Gant, via680
Writer: Lynne Meyer

the learning egg receives $50,000 from innovation fund to enhance lightning grader web app

Joe Baur Thursday, December 13, 2012

The Innovation Fund has awarded $50,000 to North Jackson-based The Learning Egg. Funds will be used to improve their web-based application, Lightning Grader.

“[Lightning Grader] allows teachers to quickly and easily create a learning assessment, grade 100 pages a minute, and generate an analysis of student performance,” explains Elijah Stambaugh, CEO at The Learning Egg.

He says he got the idea when he was teaching middle school math at National Heritage Academy in Youngstown. “I was frustrated with reaching kids, understanding what they knew and what they didn’t.” Stambaugh’s frustration led to a meeting with the Youngstown Business Incubator (YBI) during the summer break of 2010. “With YBI’s amazing encouragement and business acumen, I was able to take my dream of making teaching more effective into reality.”

Feedback from teachers has been equally amazing. With teachers subscribing to the app from Alaska to Texas (32 states in total), Stambaugh says learning professionals are “finding they rely on the 14 real-time reports as a way to measure and improve achievement among students, teachers and their respective states.” Lake Catholic High School in Lake County, Green Local Schools in Summit County, Lorain County Educational Service Center and Canfield Middle School in Mahoning County are among Ohio schools currently using Lightning Grader.

Now Stambaugh hopes to use the Innovation Fund award to make some improvements on his product.

“The Learning Egg will enhance its feature set and continue school integration across the country,” he explains. “[We’ll] also continue to integrate with other educational applications, such as books, content providers, professional development groups, and assessment solutions.”

Before long, Stambaugh hopes to refocus on building web assessment technology, so teachers can use any means to assess students. “The Lightning Grader solution is the only all in one solution for assessment.”

Source: Elijah Stambaugh
Writer: Joe Baur

tech belt energy innovation center announces $3.1 million warren headquarters

Joe Baur Thursday, November 29, 2012

The Tech Belt Energy Innovation Center (TBEIC) has announced a $3.1 million plan to renovate the Kresge Building in Downtown Warren for their headquarters. The building will serve as a mixed-use facility for early stage companies in the field of energy technologies.

Launched in 2009, TBEIC has secured funding from the United States Department of Energy, the State of Ohio Board of Regents, and local corporate and private groups in the City of Warren and surrounding Trumbull County. Their mission to attract and cultivate talent nationwide is finally coming to fruition.

“[TBEIC] is working to increase high-impact technology businesses and career opportunities in the Mahoning Valley by establishing a shared resource center and technology business incubator focused in the energy and natural resource industries,” explains Dave Nestic, Chief Executive of Regional Operations, adding the group’s hope to be a national draw. “The shared resource center will be available to entrepreneurs and existing industry participants from all over the country seeking access to TBEIC’s specialized equipment and infrastructure.” The idea stems from the belief that increased interaction among entrepreneurs increases the likelihood of success.

Nestic says the decision to locate in Downtown Warren was a strategic move to allow their startups to be surrounded by the amenities of a city – restaurants, parks and summer events. “This makes for a good, creative working environment for engineers and technologists,” he says, adding, “Warren is located in a region central to five Northeast Ohio research universities and two Pittsburgh universities, all within about an hour drive or less.”

When complete, the 39,000 square foot building will house a business incubator/accelerator and a technology center focused on grid-connected technologies.

Nestic sums it ups, saying, “TBEIC will be a powerful business attraction tool for the Mahoning Valley for startups and industry participants playing in the energy and natural resources space.”

Source: Dave Nestic
Writer: Joe Baur

jumpstart's entrepreneur expo showcases 'what's next in neo'

Karin Connelly Thursday, November 15, 2012

Developing Cleveland area businesses showed off their ideas, technologies and talents at the 2012 Northeast Ohio Entrepreneurial Expo and JumpStart Community Meeting on Tuesday, November 13 from 1 to 5:40 p.m. at CSU’s Wolstein Center.

“The theme is, ‘What’s next Northeast Ohio,’” says Samantha Fryberger, JumpStart director of communications. “The idea being, a lot of companies are really early in their development.”

The expo featured 96 area tech startups as well as 32 support organizations, such as Bizdom, Youngstown Business Incubator, Shaker LaunchHouse, Akron ARCHAngels and Ohio Aerospace Institute. Nine student companies were also featured, one of which will be presented with an award at the event’s close.

The showcase was followed by a panel discussion featuring success stories of area companies that have grown into multi-million dollar businesses. “[These are] some of the biggest success stories who have merged, sold, been bought out or exited,” explains Fryberger.

Goldman Sachs representatives talked about its 10,000 Small Businesses program, followed by an announcement of JumpStart’s newest portfolio companies.

And of course, investors were also on hand to see what the next great thing is in the region. Fryberger says 25 investors attended the event last year, and she expected the same this year.

“It’s a little bit of everything,” says Fryberger. “It’s an opportunity to network. There are some of these companies who could help each other quite a bit. And if you’re very early in development, this is your first opportunity for exposure.”

Source: Samantha Fryberger
Writer: Karin Connelly

ed tech idea challenge grant program launches to support entrepreneurs

Joe Baur Thursday, November 15, 2012

Turning Technologies and the Youngstown Business Incubator (YBI) have launched the Ed Tech Idea Challenge Grant Program to support entrepreneurs with a passion for transforming education through innovation.

“The Ed Tech Idea Challenge Grant is a collaborative effort,” explains John Wilson, Director of Turning Foundation, an organization that aims to discover where the next great educational technology will come from and how the idea can become a marketable reality. Winning applicants of this annual competitive grant will receive up to $20,000 and access to YBI’s intellectual capital in support of starting up a business and developing an idea. The deadline to apply is Friday, December 14th at 4:30pm.

YBI has two of the nation's leading companies in the ed tech field -- Turning Technologies and Lightning Grader. Using compeition to spur innovation is the obvious next step, which Wilson and his staff believe could be the catalyst for invention.

“One of the exciting aspects of this kind of competition is that the truly innovative concepts are not something we are necessarily thinking about at this moment,” he says. “While I’m sure we will see iterations around possible mobile apps and digital content platforms for education, we also anticipate some ideas that are just not on the radar screen right now.”

The collaborative program will thrust aspiring entrepreneurs into the unpredictable waters of starting an enterprise from scratch, giving immediate real-life experience to tomorrow’s innovators.

“The entrepreneur will experience the ups and downs of developing a concept into a marketable product,” explains Wilson. “They will be surrounded by individuals at YBI at different phases of the same experience, and the collective wisdom, experience and support network will be valuable.”

Source: John Wilson
Writer: Joe Baur

two clevelanders recognized in the tie ohio international entrepreneur awards

Karin Connelly Thursday, September 20, 2012

TiE Ohio will recognize international entrepreneurs at its awards ceremony on Thursday, Sept. 20. Two Cleveland business executives, Jose Feliciano and Wayne Duigan, will be honored.

TiE Ohio is a resource for entrepreneurs to network and find mentors for their businesses. This event recognizes immigrant and American-born entrepreneurs who have taken their businesses to an international level.

“Entrepreneurs have the passion, the dream and they are willing to put themselves all in,” says Joe Cole, executive director of TiE Ohio. “We want to reward the entrepreneurs who are going global.”

Jose Feliciano, a trial lawyer with BakerHostetler, will receive the Community Catalyst Award. The award recognizes people who have supported immigrant entrepreneurs. “He’s really been in the forefront of advocacy of the immigrant entrepreneur,” adds Cole. “He has a predisposition to being an entrepreneur.”

Feliciano is the founder and chair of the Hispanic Roundtable, is former chairman of the Hispanic Leadership Development Program, founder of the Hispanic Community Forum and was a founder of the Ohio Hispanic Bar Association. He also hosts the monthly talk show, El Sol de Cleveland. “He’s really been out in the forefront,” says Cole.

Wayne Duigan, director international sales for Horizons, Inc. is nominated for the Global Entrepreneur award. “He has significantly grown Horizons’ global presence,” Cole notes. “They’ve really done a great job in establishing an international presence.”

The event will be held at the Ariel International Center at 5:30 p.m. Mark Kvamme, president and CIO of JobsOhio, will be the keynote speaker.

Source: Joe Cole
Writer: Karin Connelly

new somolaunch competition to award 5k to small business with big idea

Thursday, September 06, 2012

SoMoLend, the Cincinnati-based online peer-to-peer lending site, has launched a new small business competition. The winner gets $5,000 to help fund a new idea.

SoMoLaunch is the lender's first business competition. Participants have until Sept. 30 to apply at the SoMoLend website.
The winning company will receive:

$5,000 in cash
National publicity
A mentoring session with SoMoLend founder Candace Klein

“There are so many talented entrepreneurs out there with fantastic business ideas, but gaining financing might be the hardest obstacle they face," says Klein in an announcement. "We want to encourage innovation and recognize small business owners and their hard work. This is our way of lending a hand to the entrepreneurial community.”

The prize can be used for business expansion, equipment upgrades, promotional materials or other growth needs.
Eligibility is based on a number of factors. Applicant businesses must be incorporated as a corporation or LLC, and submit a loan application.

Other entry requirements include a fully developed business plan, completion of all sections of the SoMoLend application with contributions from all company owners, completed financial statements and financial projections, a viable business model and evidence of research.

By Feoshia H. Davis
Follow Feoshia on Twitter

check ohio first helps companies and organizations buy and sell locally

Lynne Meyer Thursday, September 06, 2012

The Ohio Department of Development wants to help companies and organizations buy and sell their products locally across the state.

Check Ohio First is a free and easy-to-use online program to promote contracting with and between Ohio businesses. “Both suppliers and buyers enter brief profiles into the Check Ohio First directory, which can then be searched by Check Ohio First members,” explains Wendy Boortz, Program Manager. “The program automatically matches buyers and suppliers by industry codes.”

“Check Ohio First celebrates the strength of Ohio businesses,” said Christine Schmenk, Director of ODOD, in a news release. “Ohio buyers like to do business with local companies, and this partnership is perfect for job creation.”

Check Ohio First was launched in October 2011 as a virtual, year-round extension of the Ohio Department of Development’s annual Ohio Business Matchmaker program, an annual procurement event now going into its eighth year.

According to Boortz, Check Ohio First recently added free webinars to the mix. “Buyers educate suppliers on how to do business with their organization, and procurement counselors provide webinars that help businesses get ready for contracting opportunities,” she says. Most of the webinars are recorded and stored in the resource library located on the Check Ohio First website.

“The website also contains a list of upcoming events, and visitors can browse our resource library and link to procurement training and opportunities,” she states.

Boortz notes that Check Ohio First is building a database to reflect private and public users. “We currently have about 350 profiles, including 100 companies that have registered as both buyers and suppliers and 20 as buyers only.”

Source: Wendy Boortz
Writer: Lynne Meyer

great lakes venture fair unites investors and bioscience/IT startups

Karin Connelly Thursday, August 23, 2012

The inaugural Great Lakes Venture Fair will take place at the Cleveland Marriott Downtown October 17-18, on the heels of the National Association of Seed and Venture Funds annual conference. The fair is a collaborative effort between JumpStart, Ohio Capital Fund, Ohio Venture Association, TiE Ohio, CincyTech and TechColumbus and will bring together investors and startups from across the Midwest.

“It’s a chance for the venture capital community to come together and see some of the most promising startups,” explains Carolyn Pione Micheli, director of communications for CincyTech. “According to a study by the Kauffman Foundation, in 2007 all net news job growth came from companies that are less than five years old.” The event is the successor to the Ohio Capital Fund’s Early Stage Summit, which was held in Columbus for seven years.

The GLVF will only accept 18 startup companies in bioscience and IT to pitch their companies to investors. Other activities at the event include presentations on regional investment activity, and conversations about building future growth in startups and investing.

“In terms of growing fresh new jobs, small companies are the key, “ says Micheli. “The startup community is really important to our economic future.”

Keynote speaker will be Jeff Weedman, vice president of global business development for Proctor & Gamble. The application deadline for companies looking for funding is Aug. 12. Registration to attend is $200 before Sep. 15, $250 after that.

Source: Carolyn Pione Micheli
Writer: Karin Connelly

white house announces $60m 3D manufacturing hub in Youngstown

Joe Baur Thursday, August 23, 2012

Youngstown will once again become a hub for advanced manufacturing -- this time with the 21st century firmly in mind -- thanks to a $30 million federal grant that was announced last week.

Surrounded by White House officials, Congressman Tim Ryan and Senator Sherrod Brown, M7 Technologies President and CEO Mike Garvey announced a $60 million 3D printing hub to be built on the campus of the Youngstown Business Incubator in downtown Youngstown.

Thirty million dollars of the project’s total budget will stem from a competitive White House grant, while public and private partners will pick up the other $30 million. The strategic partnership will develop additive manufacturing (3D printing) for the defense, aerospace and automotive industries. The 3D printing process consists of making three dimensional, solid objects from digital models.

“M7 Technologies was established in 2004 to build strategic partnerships and skillsets to enable our community to participate in 21^st century manufacturing,” Garvey told a room full of business owners, students and media. “Because of this mission, we have devoted ourselves to helping to transition the skillsets of one of our most important resources here at M7 – the people who work here.”

Senator Brown of Cleveland characterized the announcement as a “highly competitive” win, dubbing the Cleveland-Akron-Youngstown-Pittsburgh region as the Tech Belt.

“Youngstown wasn’t competing against Akron,” added Congressman Ryan of Youngstown. “We were all competing against Shanghai, Beijing, Mumbai, and if we didn’t all come together locally as a region, then we would never be able to compete globally.”

Ryan doubled down on Brown’s remarks, saying Youngstown beat out competitors at MIT and Georgia Tech. “I think it is absolutely a signal that this community and this region is back to play and play hard.”

Writer: Joe Baur

youngstown tech startup announces partnership with insurance company

Joe Baur Thursday, July 12, 2012

Youngstown’s innovation narrative gets a new chapter his week. Risk Management Technologies (RMT), a Youngstown Business Incubator (YBI) startup that helps insurance agencies grow sales while mitigating the risk of lawsuits through its software, has announced a partnership with Utica National Insurance Group. Insurance agencies that rely on Utica National for Errors and Omissions (E&O) insurance coverage can use RMT’s patent pending Coverage Review List (CRL) web application to educate potential clients about available coverage options and by doing so, may qualify for up to 5% credit on Utica National E&O premiums.

Daniel Luketic, President of RMT, explains how this works in layman’s terms. “This news is a big deal because our market is independent insurance agencies. Agencies purchases our CRL application. These agencies pay thousands a year in E&O premiums to insure their agencies against E&O lawsuits.”

Think professional liability insurance for the insurance agents.

“Part of our benefit that we can now offer independent agents is hundreds, possibly thousands of dollars of savings on these premiums, now that Utica National has approved our product to qualify for the 5% credit," Luketic continues. "Also, Utica National provides us access to a huge percentage of the independent agencies nationwide, because they have approximately 11,000 independent agencies relying on their E&O program, and all of these agencies are interested in opportunities to save on their premiums.”

The partnership is the result of a two-year journey.

“In 2010, I began to spend time at the Youngstown Business Incubator, exploring options to start a company of my own or join an early stage company,” explains Luketic, who claims he was bitten by the “entrepreneurship bug” during his senior year at Mount Union in Business Administration. YBI provided the networking Luketic needed to get started in a career of entrepreneurship. “I was introduced to Philip Kilpatrick II, an independent insurance agent from Canfield, Ohio who had been working on a prototype for a web application for insurance agents.”

The result was Coverage Review List, proving YBI’s invaluable role to the company’s success.

“YBI is an excellent place to launch a company,” proclaims Luketic, adding, “The ability to lean on other tech entrepreneurs in the building is incredibly beneficial.”

Source: Daniel Luketic
Writer: Joe Baur

youngstown business incubator aims to depict city's industrial history in mural

Lynne Meyer Thursday, July 12, 2012

Big and bold. That’s what the Youngstown Business Incubator (YBI) is going for with its newest project.
YBI has mounted a campaign to fund the printing and installation of a massive 300-foot, 70-window mural depicting the economic and industrial evolution of Youngstown. The mural was created by six graphic design students who are studying at Youngstown State University.

According to Jim Cossler, CEO of YBI, the purpose is threefold. “We want to make sure our campus is a creative, exciting place for all our employees to come to work,” he says. “Second, a lot of people don’t realize we’re a four-building campus. The mural spanning our building will help people understand how much we’ve grown. Finally, Youngstown State University is not only our neighbor, but a very important partner, so we look to engage students in as many ways as possible."

The students have titled the mural “Metamorphosis” because it represents the transformation of Youngstown from a manufacturing city to one with a broader economic base. In order to get the mural printed and installed, YBI needed to raise $7,350, which they did during a 30-day online fundraising campaign.

“A total of 121 different individuals funded the project, and we met our goal,” Cossler notes. “It’s a complex printing process, and we anticipate installation of the mural in either late July or early August.”

Speaking of innovatve technologies ... Thanks to a special see-though fabric and printing technology that is being used, individuals who are working inside of the YBI offices will still be able to see outside their windows once the mural is hung.

Source: Jim Cossler, Youngstown Business Incubator
Writer: Lynne Meyer

international trade assistance center helps mahoning valley companies

Joe Baur Thursday, June 28, 2012

It’s a good time for doing business in Ohio’s Mahoning Valley. In 2010, the Brookings Institute said the Youngstown Metro area ranked No. 1 in export growth, with manufacturing representing 38% of regional exports. $12.1 billion worth of goods and materials were exported in 2010.

Now businesses in the Mahoning Valley region will have the recently launched International Trade Assistance Center (ITAC) to aid in the continual growth of international exports.

Created in May of 2012 thanks to a grant from the Small Business Development Center at Youngstown State University, ITAC will assist companies with export readiness, market research, export compliance, export documentation, export financing assistance and trade mission preparation. The man behind these free services is Mousa Kassis, who will serve as International Trade Advisor after 16 years as an adjunct faculty member in YSU’s economics department. Suffice it to say, he knows the landscape and business of international exports.

“The Valley is coming back,” proclaims Kassis. “Business sentiment is very high,” he adds, citing the discovery of shale gas in the region as a catalyst for renewed interest in Mahoning Valley.

V&M Star, North America's leading producer of seamless tubular products dedicated to oil and gas applications, has invested in a $650 million facility in Youngstown, sustaining hundreds of construction jobs. The mill’s operation is estimated to bring in 350 more jobs by the end of 2012.

The ITAC, explains Kassis, is part of a national effort to double U.S. exports by 2012. “Skilled and productive labor and YSU’s Center of Excellence in International Business are bringing together government, academia and the business sector."

Source: Mousa Kassis
Writer: Lee Chilcote

statewide conference highlights polymer industry's growth across ohio

Lynne Meyer Thursday, June 14, 2012

Polymers are big business in Ohio. According to Wayne Earley, CEO of PolymerOhio, “Ohio is definitely a leader in the production and use of polymers.” According to its website, PolymerOhio is an Ohio Edison Technology Center focused on “enhancing the Ohio polymer industry company's global competitiveness and growth.”

Earley’s comments came on the eve of the two-day Ohio Polymer Summit, which was held June 6-7 in Columbus and attended by more than 150 people from throughout Ohio. This was the Ninth Annual Biennial Ohio Polymer Summit.

A presentation on innovation engineering leadership was one of the summit highlights, according to Earley. There was also a segment on shale gas and its impact on Ohio’s polymer industry. “Shale gas is very significant to our industry here in Ohio by lowering energy costs and also lowering the cost of basic polymer materials,” he explains.

Another important session was the introduction of the new computational methods program. “Small- and medium-size companies can’t afford to acquire the software needed for such things as mold design and extruder simulation,” Earley says. “With the assistance of a federal grant, Polymer Ohio is now making these tools available to smaller companies.”

The polymer industry is Ohio’s largest manufacturing industry, he states. “More than 130,000 people are employed in Ohio’s polymer industry. It’s a growing industry here.

There’s high growth in several specific segments, including conductive and electronic polymer materials, polymer nanocomposites, biomaterials and feed stocks and recyclable polymers.”

Earley points out that polymers aren’t just plastic. “They’re also in adhesives, sealants, paints, coatings and composites of other materials.”

He says that Ohio is the world leader in compounding of polymers – combining different materials to achieve a set of specifications. PolyOne in Avon Lake is the state’s largest compounder, according to Earley. “They’re successful because they have the technology and the capabilities to develop materials and compounds that are specific to certain important applications. They’re also very innovative,” he adds.

Source: Wayne Earley, PolymerOhio, Inc.
Writer: Lynne Meyer

50 ohio companies receive export assistance from ohio department of development program

Joe Baur Thursday, June 14, 2012

More than 50 Ohio companies have received export assistance from the Ohio Department of Development’s International Market Access Grant for Exporters (IMAGE) program.

“The Office of Business Assistance leads the initiative to strengthen Ohio’s exporting economy and advance its leadership position in the global marketplace,” says Assistant Deputy Chief of Export Assistance, Wesley Aubihl. “Specifically, export assistance strives to increase international sales of Ohio-made goods and services, creating more and better jobs for Ohioans.”

Designed to increase exports and create jobs, IMAGE helps companies promote their products and services in new international markets. Best of all, IMAGE will reimburse companies a maximum of $6,000 or 50 percent on qualifying expenditures up to $12,000 for activities associated with new international marketing initiatives, such as trade shows and foreign marketing material translation.

Airstream Inc., developers of lightweight travel trailers in Jackson Center, is just one example of a company that has taken off (no pun intended) thanks to assistance from IMAGE grant funds. Explains Aubihl, “[The funds] offset the costs of participating in a State of Ohio-Council of Great Lakes Governors trade mission to Brazil. The trade mission enabled Airstream to meet potential key customers in the Brazilian market.”

Justin Humphreys, Vice President of Sales at Airstream, has credited the Ohio Department of Development with playing a special role in their ability to meet with key players in Brazil to assess the potential of doing business abroad.

Aubihl is hopeful a slew of Ohio businesses will follow in Airstream’s footsteps and experience similar international success. “Since the program began in January, the Ohio Department of Development has awarded 15 trade mission stipends, supported 37 international trade shows, 10 U.S. Commercial Service projects, 20 translations of websites or printed materials, and three export education activities,” he explains. “The participating companies have reported more than $5 million in actual export sales, with additional sales expected over the next 12 months."

Source: Wesley Aubihl
Writer: Joe Baur

virtual software allows high school teams to work together on projects

Lynne Meyer Thursday, May 17, 2012

Imagine students at four different high schools working collaboratively and in real time on a project to create a mechanically-fed birdhouse monitored via the Internet. The bird feeder automatically refills itself, based on a preset schedule.

One school team acts as project manager, while another is responsible for aesthetic design. The third school handles computer programming for refilling the bird seed. The fourth school determines the type and amount of bird seed used.

That example is provided by Julie Michael Smith, executive vice president at Applied Systems and Technology Transfer (AST2), to illustrate its Virtual Collaborative Learning Environment (VCLE).

“VCLE is a hardware and software technology that enables students at different schools to collaborate and communicate on projects in real time using social media, design and visualization," Smith explains. "It’s offered in a private cloud to integrate equipment, people and information in a secure, virtual manner.”

VCLE enables people to use design software to create ideas and develop solutions collaboratively in 2D and 3D environments, according to Smith. “The design can then be prototyped by remotely accessing equipment such as 3D printers, milling machines and laser cutters.”

AST2 has developed a curriculum focused on innovation and creativity that helps students prepare for future jobs requiring skills in science, technology, engineering and math. “Over the past 10 years, STEM careers grew three times faster than non-STEM jobs,” Smith says. “That strong growth is projected to continue.”

The company will begin offering its curriculum and program to several high schools this fall with a goal of making it available to 1,000 high schools by 2016-2017.

AST2 recently landed a potentially multi-million dollar contract award from the Department of Defense’s Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) for its MENTOR (Manufacturing and Experimentation Outreach) initiative.

Source: Julie Michael Smith
Writer: Lynne Meyer

ohio fuel cell coalition seeks to lead ohio's energy future

Catherine Podojil Thursday, May 03, 2012

Pat Valente, executive director of the Ohio Fuel Cell Coalition, is convinced that fuel cells are the future of energy. The OFCC is a group of industry, academic and government leaders who seek to propel Ohio into a global leadership position in fuel cell technology.

Ohio has a competitive advantage in fuel cell technology, says Valente. “We have the supply chain (components), a skilled workforce, and ongoing research on college campuses and in business. We like to say that every fuel cell manufactured in the U.S. has an Ohio component.”

Valente touts the clean energy of hydrogen fuel cells. “The only emission that comes out of the tailpipe is water vapor,” he says, referring to the use of fuel cells in vehicles.

But fuel cells aren’t just for cars, trucks and buses anymore. Honda is working on an advanced fuel cell that could power a conventional household for six days. Stationary fuel cells are in the works that can power a shopping center or a small community, completely off the grid.

In late April, Valente was preparing for the Ohio Fuel Cell Symposium, which took place from May 1st-2nd at Lorain County Community College. “We’re expecting Honda, GM, Daimler, Hundaii, and Toyota,” among others. He thinks government needs to step up with stricter emission requirements, which would further encourage the fuel cell technology.

With a rising middle class in China and India, Valente believes it’s just a matter of time before the oil runs out to power all those cars. “We need wind, solar, fuel cells, a little bit of everything. “

Source: Pat Valente
Writer: Catherine Podojil

etutoring program expands to cover all of ohio

Catherine Podojil Thursday, May 03, 2012

Students at 21 Ohio colleges and universities can currently seek course help through an e-Tutoring program run by the Ohio Board of Regents. Next year, new funding from the Ohio Tech Consortium, eStudent services, and the Ohio State Fund will enable every student enrolled in all 107 colleges and universities in Ohio to access this service.

Karen Boyd, Ohio eTutoring Coordinator, says, “There are other e-Tutoring programs in the country, but Ohio is the only statewide collaborative program.”

According to John Charlton, Deputy Director of Communications at the Ohio Board of Regents, “Ohio is a perfect place for such a program because of our '30-mile promise.' There’s a college within thirty miles of every citizen.”

E-tutoring is offered in accounting, anatomy and physiology, biology, calculus, chemistry, math, and statistics. Most students also seek guidance in writing.

Balee Peth studies marketing and communication at the University of Toledo. She praises the friendly and quick response of her eTutor, who helped her express herself through her writing.

Kyle Steele, a biomed major at Capital University, says, “Even with a science background, it helps me to get advice [with my writing]. You submit your writing and your eTutor reviews it and sends back suggestions for improvement.”

ETutors need not be at the same institution as the student seeking help. For example, three students in China, who currently study online at the University of Akron, use eTutoring for their papers. Next year, two of them will spend the academic year in Akron, where they will attest to the value of the eTutoring program. They will also be able to demonstrate their ability to use technology as teachers when they return to China.

Source: Karen Boyd, John Charlton, Balee Peth, Kyle Steele
Writer: Catherine Podojil

Lightning Grader is game changer for teachers

Sunday, January 15, 2012

Having been a teacher at various Youngstown area schools for several years, Elijah Stambaugh remembers the countless hours he spent just grading student tests.

“Teachers can spend up to a third of their time just grading papers,” he said. “To me, this is a fundamental flaw in the education process.”

Having identified what he perceived to be a problem, Stambaugh set about solving it. What he came up with is an idea for a test-scoring software application that he says is “a real game changer for teachers.”

With assistance from the Youngstown Business Incubator, Stambaugh worked with a team of programmers and engineers to develop a web-based application that enables teachers to create, print, score and analyze their own tests and quizzes.

He launched his company--The Learning Egg--in June 2010 and named his software “Lightning Grader.”

“Lightning Grader lets teachers create a test on our website, print it out for their students and then scan all the completed tests on a copy machine to grade them,” he explains. “And it’s fast--grading up to 30 pages a minute.”

Automating the arduous task of grading is just for starters, however. The software provides several different reports on each student, which enables teachers to more accurately assess each student.

“Our reporting engine has analytics that give teachers a snapshot of each student’s strengths and weaknesses,” Stambaugh said. “This information lets teachers be proactive rather than reactive in their lesson planning. They can spend more time working with students’ areas of weakness, which benefits their students.”

The Learning Egg recently received a $25,000 grant from Great Lakes Innovation Development Enterprise. Stambaugh pre-tested Lightning Grader in three schools in April 2011 and is planning to officially launch the software in February 2012.

By Lynne Meyer

Source: Elijah Stambaugh

Youngstown at the Center of New National Video Education Update

Sunday, January 15, 2012

Students in schools across the country start their day with news and videos from Channel One In New York, and now Channel One is turning to Youngstown to help deliver that content in totally new ways.

Perkins Communications, part of the Youngstown Business Incubator, won a contract with Channel One through Ball State University to upgrade their video delivery using the newest technology available in classrooms, including TV monitors, computers and smart boards, says John Perkins, co-owner of the company.

In addition to developing new software to connect technology devices in each classroom, Perkins is working to align video and computer equipment in schools and make it more interactive for students, he says. For instance, as students watch video about a news event, they can learn about websites posting more information about the event at the same time on their smart board, he says.

These upgrades are part of an initiative from Channel One to bring video technology in line with current Internet technology, adds Perkins.

Perkins was founded in 1999 by Joe Perkins, a former engineer with ABC, FOX and PBS. The company focuses on products and services that target advanced first generation computer and networking applications in education markets.

In addition to the contract with Perkins, Channel One also operates a Network Operations Center in Youngstown for all its Internet video downloads that go out to thousands of schools across the nation, he says.

Perkins has roughly doubled its workers from five to 10 to accommodate the contract, and more growth may be in store as the success of this project becomes well known in the marketplace, says Perkins.

By Val Prevish

Hyperlocal funds help boost Ohio entrepreneurship

Sunday, January 15, 2012

To spur economic development and create jobs in their communities, several Ohio cities have created new, hyperlocal funds that offer attractive financing to entrepreneurs that may have the next great business idea, yet lack the actual cash to implement it. The catch? They must be willing to put down roots and grow their businesses locally.

One example of a growing Ohio business that recently took advantage of such hometown love is ManuscriptTracker, a Wooster-based firm that sells web-based software that automates the peer review process for academic journals. Co-founder Brian Boyer says a $35,000 deferred-payment loan from the Wooster Opportunities Loan Fund made it possible for him to bring his product to market last year.

“We saw lots of potential to grow our business, but funding is very hard to come by for start-up software companies,” says Boyer, a Wooster native. “Thanks to receiving funding last year, we were able to develop a market version of our software, as well as sales resources such as a database, marketing collateral and potential client list.”

ManuscriptTracker’s software organizes and automates peer review tracking for busy academics that don’t have the time or resources to manage the process themselves. The stringent nature of the peer review process, particularly with scientific journals, often necessitates involving as many as 20 individuals in a single review.

“To be published in an academic journal, your work must be vetted by the research of your peers, but that means asking top researchers to set aside their time,” explains Boyer. “We simplify and organize the process and provide helpful reporting forms. We also help academics to track who in their network is quick and knowledgeable.”

With the assistance of the economic development nonprofit Jumpstart, similar hyperlocal funds have also been created in Barberton, Canton and Mansfield.

As the New Year kicked off, ManuscriptTracker had already secured one new client, and Boyer says he’s hopeful that the new software will attract additional clients soon.

By Lee Chilcote

NorTech sets the bar for economic development with its 'cluster' approach, wins national award

NorTech Thursday, December 01, 2011

NorTech clearly has a “Go big or go home” attitude. Its cluster approach to economic development in advanced energy and flexible electronics has supported companies that have attracted $20.5 million in capital, created 171 jobs and generated $10.8 million in payroll in Ohio over a one year period starting in July of 2010.

A “cluster” is a geographic concentration of interconnected businesses, suppliers, service providers, and associated institutions in a particular technology sector.

NorTech, a regional nonprofit technology-based economic development organization serving 21 counties in Northeast Ohio, has tested its cluster model on two industry clusters – advanced energy and flexible electronics. “We provide and connect cluster members to a variety of resources to help them commercialize new products, locate investors, access government funding, form strategic partnerships and funding collaborations,” said Kelly South, NorTech’s senior director of communications.

And now, NorTech has won big for its development innovation. The organization is in the national spotlight for recently receiving a prestigious national award from the State Science Technology Institute (SSTI).

SSTI is a national nonprofit organization that leads, supports and strengthens efforts to improve state and regional economies through science, technology and innovation.

According to a news release, SSTI’s awards program identifies "national models developed by states and regions to accelerate science, technology and innovation to grow their economies and create high-paying jobs."

NorTech received SSTI’s Most Promising TBED Initiative Award, a new category for creative initiatives that address a specific need in a region to achieve economic growth.

The recognition is a very big deal. "The SSTI award brings external validation from national technology based economic development (TBED) practitioners to our work,” said South. “It recognizes our cluster development model as a ‘best practice’ approach to growing regional industry clusters that can be applied to other industries and areas of the country. It’s a great honor to be recognized by our peers."

According to Rebecca O. Bagley, president and CEO of NorTech, "At the federal level, there is a growing recognition of the value of regional innovation clusters as a ‘bottoms up’ approach to creating jobs and making the U.S. more globally competitive."

YSU lands record four grants totaling $5.2 million from Ohio's Third Frontier

Youngstown State University Thursday, November 17, 2011

Youngstown State University’s STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) College announced this month it has landed a record four concurrent grants totaling $5.2 million from Ohio’s Third Frontier program. The two work closely to enhance technical education and to provide employment opportunities for students.

“Third Frontier criteria ensures not only that you have good science and engineering but also good commercialization potential,” said the school’s research director, Mike Hripko. “And each of (YSU’s four projects funded by Third Frontier) has demonstrated the promise of commercialization and advancement of the science,”

Founded in 2007, the STEM College received four concurrent grants from the state including a $1.6 million grant which funds a partnership with M-7 Technologies to develop manufacturing equipment.

Another $1 million will go to YSU’s Department of Material Science and Engineering Third Millennium Metals to study a carbon infused copper metallic composite that will reduce wire size and increase conductivity.

A third $1 million grant supports cooperation with Delphi Corporation on aluminum battery cable for use in electric and hybrid vehicles and the final $1 million goes to the Department of Chemistry for its work with Polyflow Inc. on converting polymer waste (i.e., plastic bottles, containers) into fuel. Another $600K is earmarked for capital equipment to support the research.

“Youngstown is a hard-working town, and our students have a good work ethic that’s evident in their interfaces with our business partners,” said Hripko. “We have a reputation for being very business savvy and very manufacturing savvy. The college often works with industries which are indigenous to the region, advanced materials and advanced manufacturing, in particular.”

The university’s STEM College enrolls roughly 2,500 students plus 250 graduate students.

UNCOMN.TV Network showcasing northeast Ohio

Thursday, August 11, 2011

"Flannel Channel." "Hot Shots @ Hot Spots." "Got*City GAME! Cleveland."

Those catchy monikers are the titles of some of the channels of the new UNCOMN.TV Network, established in April by Cleveland's Barb Siss Oney.

UNCOMN.TV is short for "unifying communities," and UNCOMN.TV Network is an online technology company that brings together employers, universities, civic organizations and communities in Northeast Ohio to inform individuals, both locally and globally, about what the region offers.

"We want to attract talent, business and resources to the region by demonstrating the rich economic assets and quality of life in Northeast Ohio," Oney explains.

"I believe that positive community change is possible, and my goal is to find ways for individuals, businesses, organizations, and institutions to collaborate to positively impact Northeast Ohio. It's one thing to produce a great show, but that has a limited life," she notes. "If we are to have an ongoing impact on attracting and retaining talent in Northeast Ohio, however, we need a way to build ongoing engagement."

UNCOMN.TV Network is a combination of relevant content, collaborative marketing and social media.

"We apply the power of traditional TV, the global reach of the web and the interactivity of social networking to deliver information about living, learning and earning in Northeast Ohio," Oney says.

Tune in to the "Flannel Channel," and you'll view programs about regional businesses, educational institutions and organizations that are employing and educating local professionals. The "Hot Shots @ Hot Spots" channel features members of the Cleveland Professional 20/30 Club, Ohio's largest young professionals group, showcasing what they think is "hot" about Cleveland.

Got*City GAME! Cleveland (GCGC) was the first program of the UNCOMN.TV Network. GCGC represents a partnership with more than 150 colleges, universities, businesses and civic organizations to showcase fun locations throughout Cleveland. "Within weeks of launching, GCGC was being watched in more than 1,065 cities in more than 66 countries," Oney says.

There are plans to launch city-specific channels for Cleveland, Akron, Canton and Youngstown. "We'll also have forums, blogs, podcasts, live webcasts of conference keynote speakers and webinars for workforce development," she notes.

UNCOMN.TV Network received funding from Cleveland's Civic Innovation Lab as well as Ohio's Third Frontier program through Great Lakes Innovation and Development Enterprise (GLIDE).

Source: Barb Siss Oney, UNCOMN.TV Network LLC
Writer: Lynne Meyer

WIN's fledgling wellness app designed to help folks follow a healthy diet

Thursday, June 16, 2011

Andrea Trgovcich puts her stomach where her business is. Sort of.

The principal and founder of the Youngstown-based Wellness Integrated Network (WIN) even lost weight while testing her Web and mobile-based application; whether or not she lost sleep is unknown.

"My daughter and I are 'soft' testing this new system. We've both lost weight on it because of the pre-diabetic style of eating, which is six times per day. It's working for both of us and we're not pre-diabetic," says Trgovcich.

The WIN application tracks patients' or consumers' dietary consumption and recommends meals and activities based on medical history, lifestyle, cooking ability, available time and preferences. WIN organizes nutritional data, creates family meals (short of cooking, that is), and collects research data. Trgovcich says the three-year-old startup will target the medical field, but the applications are broader than that.

"It (WIN) has the capability to deal with any kind of nutritional aspect. It could be for an athlete training for a marathon or someone who needs to eliminate certain things from their diet. Or it could be a lifestyle choice," says Trgovcich. "Follow-on phases include grocery store and restaurant integration . . . We're tracking by a simple green, yellow and red light system: if you did it, if you substituted, or you skipped altogether."

"We got some interest right away from people who wanted to invest and thought it was a great idea. We applied to be a YBI portfolio (Youngstown Business Incubator) company right after that." Trgovcich is also getting help from JumpStart in Cleveland for advice on selecting a CEO, a search that is ongoing.

WIN is currently recruiting 40 to 50 patients ages 11-15 for a pilot in partnership with Humility of Mary Health Partners and Ohio University Osteopathic Medical School.

"We want the results published in an official, peer-reviewed journal. We're not just doing a 'proof of technology' at this point."

We are recruiting currently 40-50 patients (children ages 11-15Source: Andrea Trgovcich, Wellness Integrated Network
Writer: Patrick G. Mahoney

Eris grows by showing where money is left on the table

Thursday, November 18, 2010

Friends and business partners Jennifer Wexler and Kelly Bucci have poured their money, talent and time into a software company that helps hospitals catch billing errors that lead to lost dollars.

The pair founded Eris Medical Technologies, housed in the Youngstown Business Incubator, to build on more than two decades of personal experience finding those errors.

"Our software looks at patients' claims and predicts where hospitals have inaccurately charged for services, or services that have not been charged for," Wexler said. "For a very long time Kelly and I travelled together across the U.S. and did this work manually. We reviewed claims and showed clients where they were missing money or had charged insurance incorrectly. We thought, There has to be a better way to do this."

Bucci, who has a background in medical coding, believed she and Wexler could develop a better way. So they quit their jobs, borrowed money on their houses and in 2007 started Eris. Three years later they're still going strong, selling two web-based products: erisRx and assess.

The software is based a proprietary engine that boasts over 375,000 algorithms with code pairing capability. Wexler and Bucci developed the algorithms, and subcontracted an outside software firm to complete development.

The software is out on the market, and the company is working to expand its client base and partner with other companies to reach a wider healthcare provider network. The incubator has been crucial in allowing the self-financed company to grow offering free rent in their early years and access to accounting and other business services.

Sources: Jennifer Wexler and Kelly Bucci, Eris Medical Technologies
Writer: Feoshia Henderson

Youngstown's Via680 wants to change Web communications with "intelliSling"

Thursday, October 21, 2010

Youngstown-based Via680 is taking health care, retail and sales to the next level. And the portfolio company of the Youngstown Business Incubator may soon be changing the way people -- everywhere -- communicate.

CEO Tony DeAscentis points to the company's staple product -- intelliSling -- which he believes will change how people send and receive information over the Web.

The software company that started out in 2007 as Bizveo, is now moving past its streaming-video-only roots.

"Imagine being able to leave a voicemail, with attachments, video and assessments or surveys -- that you can answer whenever you want," DeAscentis says. "We rebranded the company, the product and our marketing strategy. We are really doing more than pushing a message around. We're moving intelligence around rapidly -- almost slinging it around."

He says email does that also, but adds that emails are not as effective at engaging people, noting they can be "sort of a nuisance. We're really giving people a new tool set, so they can take engagement to a new level."

It's that sort of visionary approach that has helped Via680 become something of a media darling, with a recent feature broadcast by the BBC and ongoing national coverage.

DeAscentis says the health care industry is still the company's No. 1 client. There are about 400 customers using Via680's intelliSling, and 10 people employed with the company. But the with a sales team constantly hitting the pavement, business is only growing.

"We're building a national and international market," he says. "Our goal is not to just employ 25 people. Our objective is to become a technology force."

Source: Tony DeAscentis, Via680
Writer: Colin McEwen

Northeast Ohio sensors industry gets $17-million boost

Thursday, September 09, 2010

The Dayton region may be known as Ohio's sensors corridor, but northeast Ohio's capabilities in sensor technology just got a boost -- and a big one at that.

Last week the Wright Center for Sensor Systems Engineering at Cleveland State University, allocating funds from the Ohio Third Frontier initiative, awarded six grants totaling more than $17 million to universities and other organizations for development and commercialization of sensors and sensor technologies.

The largest of the six grants -- 25 percent of which will be matched by recipients -- went to Lorain County Community College, which will receive $5.5 million to work with R.W. Beckett Corp., Acence and Greenfield Solar Corp., to create a center for sensor commercialization.

The Cleveland Clinic Foundation's Learner Research Institute will receive $2.67 million to lead establishment a new center for sensor and microdevices for biomedical applications, and the Austen BioInnovation Institute is getting $2.6 million to lead development of an advanced instrumentation platform for product development in biomedical areas.

Meanwhile, the Ohio State University is slated to receive $3 million to lead commercialization of terahertz sensors for applications such as medical imaging and homeland security, and the University of Akron will receive $1.66 million to lead commercialization of sensor technologies for clean energy products.

Youngstown State University will also receive $1.66 million, for a collaboration with the Youngstown Business Incubator and M-7 Technologies to create systems for next generation manufacturing and inspection systems.

Some recipients are already predicting new jobs due to the awards.

"Our principal commercial partner, M-7 technologies, is looking to hire an additional 70 employees over five years," says Julie Michael Smith, the Youngstown incubator's chief development officer. "That is the direct employment, and then of course there will hopefully be downstream employment by companies employing this technologies."

She says the grants are good for northeast Ohio and for the Youngstown area, where old-line industries like steel have been battered in recent years.

Sources: The Wright Center for Sensor Systems Engineering and Julie Michael Smith, Youngstown Business Incubator
Writer: Gene Monteith

Akron's Syncro takes pain out of feeding tubes with magnetic Blue Tube system

Thursday, September 09, 2010

A Youngstown-based startup medical device company is changing the way critically ill patients are cared for � and tossing out the notion of a painfully difficult startup process � one innovative feeding tube at a time.

The entire process of starting up Syncro Medical Innovations was made a whole lot easier because of the simple design of the BlueTube, the company's staple product, says Syncro CEO Gary Wakeford. Instead of relying solely on lots of X-rays to guide a feeding tube into the stomach, two powerful magnets do the job. And they do it a lot faster.

One of the magnets is at the tip of the feeding tube, and the other is placed near the patient's belly button, and voil�. "We solve a real problem," Wakeford says. "It's very difficult to insert a feeding tube. We turn a difficult procedure with a low success rate, into an easy procedure with a very high success rate."

People are taking notice. Prestigious customers, including Johns Hopkins Medical Center in Baltimore and the Brooke Army Hospital in San Antonio, have placed orders. The Ohio Third Frontier recently OK'd $490,000 for Syncro through its Innovation Ohio Loan fund.

The BlueTube is currently manufactured in Germany, but plans are in the works to manufacture the product in Ohio by the end of 2010. "Depending on our success, our long-term goal is to do our manufacturing in-house, which could add 30 jobs within three to five years," Wakeford says, adding that there are currently four full-time, two part-time and one intern employed with the company.

"We've really been welcomed here," he adds, noting the company moved to the Buckeye State from Macon, Ga. "This is our headquarters and we plan on always having our base rooted in the Youngstown area."

Source: Gary Wakeford, Syncro
Writer: Colin McEwen

Body heat is key to Youngstown firm's success

Thursday, January 28, 2010

Disney, Abercrombie & Fitch, and Advance Auto Parts know what's hot. This trio of major companies is among many who've tapped Youngstown's SenSource to count "people traffic" through thermal imaging technology.

SenSource was founded in 2002 by President Joseph Varacalli and Vice-President Kevin Stefko. Varacalli, an electrical engineer, has more than two decades experience in sensor manufacturing, while Stefko is a veteran district sales manager.

In SenSource's short life, the company has developed a variety of high-tech counters that track people, retail traffic and pedestrians through body heat. Companies use these counters for a variety of reasons like monitoring staffing needs, measuring the effectiveness of marketing campaigns and identifying effective sales people. SenSource also offers vehicle counters and environmental counters that monitor temperature and humidity.

A number of well-known retailers have used this thermal imaging technology, including Famous Footware, Lacoste, Vera Bradley, Skechers and Vitamin World. Libraries, too, use counters to monitor library traffic.

Disney is one of SenSource's latest clients. SenSource declined to divuldge exactly why Disney is using the product, but it's been reported that one use is to gauge wait times in lines at amusement parks.

"Disney is known for being particular about every detail of its business, making us pleased that they would chose to work with SenSource," says company Marketing Coordinator Jessica Sferra.

SenSource has grown from two employees at its founding to 12, including two hired in 2009 in product support and marketing. The company plans to hire two more sometime this year.

Source: Jessica Sferra, SenSource
Writer: Feoshia Henderson

Turning Technologies turning heads with rapid growth

Thursday, October 22, 2009

Light bulbs often flick on during the darkest times. The light bulb behind Turning Technologies went on after 9/11.

At the time, Mike Broderick was working at a firm that provided businesses with audience response software used in settings like annual meetings. When the Twin Towers fell, U.S. companies immediately canceled events that depended on travel.

"Our business went away for the rest of the year," says Broderick, now Turning Technologies' chief executive officer. "We saw it as an opportunity. We said 'if we sat down with a blank sheet of paper and applied the technology to universities, schools, corporate learning environments, how would we do it?'"

The Youngstown-based firm seems to have done it right. In 2007 -- just five years after Turning Technologies opened its doors -- Inc. Magazine ranked it the fasted-growing, privately held software firm in the country and the 18th fastest over all, with respect to revenues.

Key has been the company's flagship product, TurningPoint, which integrates natively into Microsoft PowerPoint.

"With this technology, everybody in the audience is forced to be engaged," Broderick explains. "Responses are anonymous to others in the class, but the instructor is able to know who responded and how well the entire class understands the material. It can also be used for homework and to reduce paperwork."

Turning Technologies products are now found in 1,800 major colleges and universities and 15,000 to 20,000 K-12 buildings, Broderick says.

While the firm is no longer growing at its previous pace, Broderick expects to add a modest number of jobs this year to his current 150-employee base and to enjoy double-digit revenue growth "for the foreseeable future."

Source: Mike Broderick, Turning Technologies
Writer: Gene Monteith

Youngstown : Innovation + Job News