News Category: Internet of Things
06.12.20
Stre.me helps employers minimize workforce biases
Excerpt
Given recent events dominating national news, Jack Patton offered an extremely timely presentation when the first five founders to complete the local version of the gBETA business development program met June 9 to celebrate the occasion.
They had started the six-week program together late in April and concluded it by showing off pitches they honed to attract investment in their startups. The event took place virtually as a COVID-19 adjustment.
Patton is CEO of Stre.me, which helps human resources professionals and their employers minimize biases and resulting inequities.
The software-as-a-service platform it developed to accomplish that manages unconscious biases to improve patient satisfaction and outcomes and hospital profitability. But it also could prove useful for other types of employers, such as “law, health insurance, education, retail, banking and municipalities, specifically first responders,” he said in the presentation.
He could not have known when he started going through the gBETA program that tens of thousands of protesters would be clamoring in the streets for justice every night since May 25, when Minnesotan George Floyd died while begging police to allow him to breathe.
“Bias is pervasive, and every person has bias,” Anne Marie Labenberg, the company’s chief equity officer, said in an email after the pitch celebration.
“The recent demonstrations have greatly increased awareness of the effects of unconscious bias on others, specifically related to law enforcement, but also in the everyday lives of minoritized people,” she said.
“You cannot eliminate all bias, but STRE.ME’s system holds individuals accountable to manage their biases, make better decisions, and, in turn, reduce the bias and inequity that exists in all professions.”
06.09.20
Tech Deserves Your Intention Not Your Attention
Webinar Focuses on Innovative Solutions in Healthcare
For Immediate Release
June 9, 2020, Fort Wayne, Ind.—NIIC Connected Health Lab Third Thursday Connections resumes June 18, 2020, 12 p.m. to 1:30 p.m., with a virtual program featuring Jason Pennington, Executive Director, Indiana IoT Lab. He is an expert in the Internet of Things and will present a live webinar titled Tech Deserves Your Intention, Not your Attention.
“Current and emerging technologies have the potential to transform our world. However, technology alone does not solve problems. Today’s best IoT initiatives require our collective efforts, collaborative culture, and willingness to embrace change and create intention,” Pennington said.
There is no charge for the webinar. Reservations are required. Click here to register for the event.
“This webinar is for business leaders interested in how the Internet of Things can lead to breakthroughs in healthcare and advances in public health. As we’ve seen with telemedicine initiatives during the COVID-19 pandemic, innovation can create new opportunities for both patients and health-care providers,” said Jessica Carender, Partner Engagement Manager, The NIIC.
The webinar will address customer-centric outcomes with IoT applications, including innovations in connected healthcare. Webinar participants will have the opportunity to ask questions and explore the rewards and challenges of leading an IoT startup company.
Jason Pennington has more than 20 years of experience in process automation, specifically in the area of applying sensors, software and services in a variety of industrial, agricultural, and municipal sectors. He successfully held leadership, management, and business development positions with national and global divisions of Endress + Hauser.
The NIIC Connected Health Lab is strategically located in Fort Wayne and brings together entrepreneurs, innovators, and investment groups to develop new markets and products in healthcare technology. For more information, visit niic.net/iot.
About The NIIC
467 new products launched, 189 patent applications submitted or granted, and 2,290 jobs created—that is what entrepreneurs have achieved through The NIIC since its inception two decades ago. The NIIC has also connected Northeast Indiana companies to attract $91 million in grants and capital.
The NIIC is a non-profit, vibrant entrepreneurial community designed to advise entrepreneurs to plan, launch, and grow successful business ventures. The NIIC bolsters innovative companies to move ideas into action. The NIIC is located in a designated U.S. Small Business Administration HUB Zone. In April 2018, Indiana Governor Eric Holcomb designated The Northeast Indiana Innovation Park Campus as an Opportunity Zone through the U.S. Treasury. The NIIC is the country’s only ISO9001:2015 registered business incubation and acceleration program. TheNIIC.org. Click here for The NIIC press kit.
04.05.20
The NIIC Connected Health Lab
As appaered in Business People magazine, April 2020
The NIIC Connected Health Lab (CHL) Program provides resources, tools and support for innovative entrepreneurs who want to be a part of how the Internet of Things (IoT) is changing and improving the health industry.
Through CHL, entrepreneurs at all levels can find the support they need to break down the startup process and be successful. In addition to access to The NIIC’s assets, the program also helps entrepreneurs in digital health through its five-phase IDEAS process.
- Ideation
- Discovery
- Entrepreneurial Mindset
- Activation
- Space & Services
With digital health industry revenues predicted to be over $135 billion in the coming years, we partner with our members to pursue these new and dynamic opportunities.
The CHL helps tech business builders find their places in this changing industry and how their products or solutions can make positive changes in health. The CHL offers custom-designed lab facilities and monthly events with industry thought leaders and networking with like-minded individuals.
These events, Third Thursday Connections, have included an entrepreneur that designed an app that helps patients improve their health and a company that designed a platform to follow post-acute patient treatment to improve patient care and lower costs.
Health IoT is growing every day, and the CHL is committed to be a valuable resource to those who want to be successful in this rapidly changing industry.
NOTE: THIRD THURSDAY CONNECTIONS ARE ON HOLD DUE TO COVID-19 PANDEMIC. STAY TUNED FOR MORE INFORMATION.
03.31.20
NIIC Navigator® Academy—Virtual, Global Resources and Tools—Available for Small Businesses
The NIIC and The Academy by Breakthrough4Business Partnership Propels Launch
For immediate release
March 31, 2020, Fort Wayne, Ind. — Recently, the Northeast Indiana Innovation Center (The NIIC) launched a new virtual resource center (https://niic.net/virtual-resource-center/). It provides access to virtual business building tools and enhanced services to support Indiana’s entrepreneurial community while all combat the spread of COVID-19. Through a partnership with The Academy by Breakthrough4Business, the new NIIC Navigator® Academy portal offers a suite of virtual services for small businesses. This expanded offering of The NIIC provides additional ways to keep learning, linking, and collaborating as early-stage companies pivot, evolve their business models, and restart their businesses.
“Our partnership with Breakthrough4Business reflects our shared vision to level the entrepreneurial playing field and gives access to proven resources and encouragement to business builders. We recognize and celebrate the role small businesses play in restarting and growing our economy—locally and nationally,” said Karl R. LaPan, NIIC President and CEO.
The New NIIC Navigator® Academy builds on the online learning management system available through The NIIC. For the next 12 months, The NIIC is waiving sign-up and membership fees its advance level (valued at $97 per month per person) to any company, organization or micro-entrepreneur in Indiana to support their efforts to reset and reimagine their business and to assist them in activating their business. “The NIIC is a fortunate recipient of a technical assistance grant from U.S. SBA’s Prime Program. One area of focus is to launch and grow accessible resources to support microenterprises directly through The NIIC OPENS Program,” said LaPan.
To join this online community and have the opportunity to connect to a broader network of business builders and scaling organizations globally, visit http://www.niicnavigator.academy/. “As part of our commitment to preparing vulnerable early-stage companies for the new normal, we are pleased to bring important business-building support services—forums, online tools, curated videos, webinars, and a resource library to interested and motivated business builders, existing companies or non-profit organizations in Indiana,” said LaPan.
Steven Dixon, Founder of The Academy by Breakthrough4Business, stated, “In these unprecedented times, the need for action, connections and learning has never been greater. To ease the disruption, confusion, isolation, and loss of momentum that some business builders and entrepreneurs have experienced, we are collaborating with leading entrepreneurial centers to offer a highly dynamic and connected platform to support the global entrepreneurial community.”
The Academy provides a highly curated set of tools and resources to enable entrepreneurial companies and business builders to access:
- world-class business podcasts;
- tools to be more productive and profitable;
- support to enhance and grow an online presence;
- library access to motivational and inspirational business-building videos; and
- access to a forum to ask questions and get advice.
About The NIIC OPENS Program
To learn more about the NIIC OPENS program powered by the U.S. SBA, please visit our web page at: https://niic.net/inclusive-entrepreneurship/opens/.
About The NIIC
467 new products launched, 189 patent applications submitted or granted, and 2,290 jobs created—that is what entrepreneurs have achieved through The NIIC since its inception two decades ago. The NIIC has also connected Northeast Indiana companies to attract $91 million in grants and capital.
The NIIC is a non-profit, vibrant entrepreneurial community designed to advise entrepreneurs to plan, launch, and grow successful business ventures. The NIIC bolsters innovative companies to move ideas into action. The NIIC is located in a designated U.S. Small Business Administration HUB Zone. In April 2018, Indiana Governor Eric Holcomb designated The Northeast Indiana Innovation Park Campus as an Opportunity Zone through the U.S. Treasury. The NIIC is the country’s only ISO9001:2015 registered business incubation and acceleration program. TheNIIC.org. Click here for The NIIC press kit.
About B4B (Breakthrough4Business)
Headquartered in Australia, B4B Academy (https://www.b4b.academy/) provides online business coaching, training, education and mentoring services to all stages of a business through an innovative online platform and portal that curates podcasts, books, tools, mentors, coaches and other resources to support and empower a vibrant global entrepreneurial community.
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03.24.20
Business Builders Adapt to Changes from COVID-19
Innovation Center Adapts with them, bolstering virtual business support
For immediate release
March 24, 2020, Fort Wayne, Ind.—In the wake of changes to daily lives due to COVID-19, business builders seek new ways to continue to operate their businesses. The Northeast Indiana Innovation Center (The NIIC) and Women’s Entrepreneurial Opportunity Center (WEOC) are right there with them. NIIC and WEOC continue to support the Northeast Indiana entrepreneurial community while all combat the spread of COVID-19.
“We recognize the disruption and uncertainty existing with our clients, community, and world as we manage through these unprecedented times. To help guide business builders through this, we created a virtual business center that includes resources, tools, and information that may prove useful. Visit https://niic.net/virtual-resource-center/#covid for more information on our programs and services. We now offer many of our tools and services in a virtual format. We are creating new content for our existing online tools, like NIIC Navigator® Online Tool Set, to address the new challenges facing entrepreneurs. We remain available to business builders. Whether it is to help maintain their confidence, rethink business models, or pivot to new models as applicable,” said Karl R. LaPan, President and CEO, The NIIC.
“It’s important that entrepreneurs know they are not alone, especially during these difficult times,” said Leslee Hill, WEOC Director. “That’s why we created new, regular office hours through our online communities. We are partnering with local experts who are volunteering their time to provide guidance and an ongoing community of support.”
Virtual resources available include:
- Regular virtual office hours—Topics will include general questions and answers format about current business challenges. Participants will help drive the discussion as well. Local experts will team with WEOC to advise on topical issues. Hill leads the WEOC virtual office hours on Tuesdays and Thursdays, 9:00 a.m. to 9:30 a.m., on the WEOC Facebook page.
- One-to-one business tele coaching—personalized business coaching continues through teleconference with WEOC and NIIC professional business coaches.
- Mastermind Groups—These groups continue to meet virtually every week or at the discretion of master mind participants.
- Virtual training/webinars—WEOC 2020 events are being delivered virtually and started last week. The Connected Health Lab Third Thursday Connections are being rescheduled and will be offered virtually. Please visit Org/our-events for event details. The training webinars will be recorded and available on The NIIC YouTube Channel and TheNIIC.org.
“We invite you to stay connected with us through our online communities (NIIC Facebook, WEOC Facebook, NIIC LinkedIn, WEOC LinkedIn, NIIC Instagram, WEOC Instagram, NIIC YouTube) and to subscribe to our e-newsletter for updates. Select NIIC staff members remain available to clients and small business owners, and we urge you to contact us via email if needed (go to https://niic.net/about/our-people/ and click on the person’s email address). That includes Tammy Allen, Mike Fritsch, Leslee Hill, Rachel McNeely, and me,” said LaPan.
About The NIIC
467 new products launched, 189 patent applications submitted or granted, and 2,290 jobs created—that is what entrepreneurs have achieved through The NIIC since its inception two decades ago. The NIIC has also connected Northeast Indiana companies to attract $91 million in grants and capital.
The NIIC is a non-profit, vibrant entrepreneurial community designed to advise entrepreneurs to plan, launch, and grow successful business ventures. The NIIC bolsters innovative companies to move ideas into action. The NIIC is located in a designated U.S. Small Business Administration HUB Zone. In April 2018, Indiana Governor Eric Holcomb designated The Northeast Indiana Innovation Park Campus as an Opportunity Zone through the U.S. Treasury. The NIIC is the country’s only ISO9001:2015 registered business incubation and acceleration program. TheNIIC.org. Click here for The NIIC press kit.
About WEOC
2,354 women and immigrants served, trained, and counseled—since WEOC’s formation five years ago. The Women’s Entrepreneurial Opportunity Center (WEOC) serves Northeast Indiana women at all stages of their business ventures. WEOC responds to the unique needs of women entrepreneurs through business growth coaching, training, and entrepreneurial education, connectivity and access to capital. WEOC is funded in part through a cooperative agreement with the U.S. Small Business Administration. As the Host organization, The NIIC also provides supplemental funding and complementary resources. WEOC is an SBA designated Women’s Business Center—one of two in Indiana. For more information, visit www.inweoc.com.
Contact: Tammy Allen, Director, Marketing & Programs, info@niic.net, 260-407-1731
03.04.20
Tech Deserves Your Intention, Not Your Attention
Emerging IoT Trends Topic of Third Thursday Connections
March 4, 2020, Fort Wayne, Ind. — Emerging Internet of Things (IoT) technology has the potential to transform our world. Technology alone does not solve problems. It requires collective efforts, collaborative culture, willingness to embrace change, and intent. This will be the focus of conversation at the Third Thursday Connections event on March 19, 12 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. at The NIIC in Fort Wayne, Ind. Anyone interested in attending is welcome.
Jason Pennington, Executive Director, Indiana IoT Lab, is the featured speaker. “We must move beyond the buzzwords, acronyms, and hype to connect ideas and people to embrace change with intention,” said Pennington. Key topics for the event include customer-centric outcomes and IoT applications; and rewards and challenges of an IoT startup.
Register for Third Thursday Connections by clicking this link. Seating is limited, and registration is required. Third Thursday Connections is a monthly event to convene people, ideas, and resources to discuss emerging tech health. It is brought to the community by the Connected Health Lab Program at The NIIC. The program was formed to complete IoT discovery or research. The lab brings together the pieces and players to evolve innovation through products and services in the space.
Connected Health Lab is funded in part through a cooperative agreement with the United States Economic Development Administration. For more information, visit our website or contact Jessica Carender, Partner Engagement Manager, The NIIC, jcarender@niic.net.
About The NIIC
467 new products launched, 189 patent applications submitted or granted, and 2,290 jobs created—that is what entrepreneurs have achieved through The NIIC since its inception two decades ago. The NIIC has also connected Northeast Indiana companies to attract $91 million in grants and capital.
The NIIC is a non-profit, vibrant entrepreneurial community designed to advise entrepreneurs to plan, launch, and grow successful business ventures. The NIIC bolsters innovative companies to move ideas into action. The NIIC is located in a designated U.S. Small Business Administration HUB Zone. In April 2018, Indiana Governor Eric Holcomb designated The Northeast Indiana Innovation Park Campus as an Opportunity Zone through the U.S. Treasury. The NIIC is the country’s only ISO9001:2015 registered business incubation and acceleration program. TheNIIC.org. Click here for The NIIC press kit.
Contact: Tammy Allen, Director, Marketing & Programs, info@niic.net, 260-407-1731
02.18.20
2020 NIIC Events Offer Practical Insights for Region’s Entrepreneurs
For Immediate Release
February 18, 2020, Fort Wayne, Ind. — Celebrating its 20th anniversary in 2020, The NIIC (Northeast Indiana Innovation Center) will offer a range of workshops and events to educate, train, and connect the entrepreneurial community. The line-up includes focused insights for the biosciences and tech sectors, female founders, and traditionally disadvantaged small-business owners. Event information is available at theniic.net/our-events.
A highlight of the coming year will be the annual IDEAS@WORK Entrepreneurial Movement on April 21, 2020. Each year this event convenes innovators, business builders, and community leaders at the Parkview Mirro Center for Research and Innovation to celebrate and recognize the spirit of entrepreneurship in Northeast Indiana.
New this year, NIIC Connected Health Lab offers Third Thursday Connections. These include a mix of panel discussions, presentations, and workshops with networking. These events convene entrepreneurs, healthcare innovators, and investment groups, to discuss issues around connected health, also known as health IoT (Internet of Things).
Karen Stahl, Director of Business Development, Moake Park Group, Inc., has attended several workshops offered through WEOC (Women’s Entrepreneurial Opportunity Center) and the NIIC. “I have found great value in the information and topics presented. The staff does an amazing job putting these events together and the presenters always have great insight. The knowledge gained from these events is actionable and I expand my network through discussions with other participants. We are fortunate to have NIIC and WEOC in our community and for all they do to support women business owners and small businesses.”
WEOC continues Caffeinated Conversations Series this year to connect business builders with local business experts to discuss advice about their ventures. WEOC and 1st Source Bank continue collaboration on a leadership series of invitation-only events. SCORE Northeast Indiana and WEOC are co-sponsoring events around digital aspects of business building.
The NIIC is committed to removing barriers for all individuals striving to develop and grow their businesses. This year, The NIIC will offer a series of programs to help disadvantaged small business owners, including minorities and the disabled, to pursue business-building loans and equity funding. These programs are funded in part by grants from the U.S. Small Business Administration Program for Investment in Micro entrepreneurs.
About The NIIC
467 new products launched, 189 patent applications submitted or granted, and 2,290 jobs created—that is what entrepreneurs have achieved through The NIIC since its inception two decades ago. The NIIC has also connected Northeast Indiana companies to attract $91 million in grants and capital.
The NIIC is a non-profit, vibrant entrepreneurial community designed to advise entrepreneurs to plan, launch, and grow successful business ventures. The NIIC bolsters innovative companies to move ideas into action. The NIIC is located in a designated U.S. Small Business Administration HUB Zone. In April 2018, Indiana Governor Eric Holcomb designated The Northeast Indiana Innovation Park Campus as an Opportunity Zone through the U.S. Treasury. The NIIC is the country’s only ISO9001:2015 registered business incubation and acceleration program. TheNIIC.org. Click here for The NIIC press kit.
About WEOC
2,354 women and immigrants served, trained, and counseled—since WEOC’s formation five years ago. The Women’s Entrepreneurial Opportunity Center (WEOC) serves Northeast Indiana women at all stages of their business ventures. WEOC responds to the unique needs of women entrepreneurs through business growth coaching, training, and entrepreneurial education, connectivity and access to capital. WEOC is funded in part through a cooperative agreement with the U.S. Small Business Administration. As the Host organization, The NIIC also provides supplemental funding and complementary resources. WEOC is an SBA designated Women’s Business Center—one of two in Indiana. For more information, visit www.inweoc.com.
Contact: Tammy Allen, Director, Marketing & Programs, info@niic.net, 260-407-1731
01.08.20
Connected Health Lab Event Suggests Innovative Solutions
Applications in Goal Setting and Accountability
Anne Marie Labenberg, MSN, RN, MSM, Founder of RAISE Consulting, and Jack Patton, CEO and Founder of STRE.ME, will lead a discussion titled Connected Health: Applications in Goal Setting and Accountability, which is about the role of innovation in healthcare. The event is on January 16,12:00 to 1:30 p.m., at the NIIC. There is no charge to attend and registration is required. Register for the event on Eventbrite.
“Healthcare treatment and prevention are linked to making behavioral changes and cultivating resources to support those changes. The introduction of innovative technological approaches to goal setting, progress tracking, and achievement can and will enhance the outcomes in healthcare,” said Labenberg. “This innovation will be the future of controlling costs while simultaneously improving outcomes for both individuals and communities. The use of this technology can be used to greatly reduce epidemics, including maternal and infant mortality, as well as the ongoing opioid crisis.”
Patton developed the STRE.ME mobile app to help users set goals, engage accountability partners, receive encouragement, and track daily progress. “Connected technologies like this can be implemented in a wide range of business and personal applications — from empowering healthcare providers to improve their services to encouraging patients to stay on track with preventative and ongoing care,” said Patton.
The Connected Health Lab is the sponsor of the event and is located in the biomedical wing on the NIIC’s campus. “This event has implications for all three focus areas of NIIC’s Connected Health Lab: cost, quality of care, and patient experience. Modifying patient behaviors and medical team interactions have strong potential to broadly impact all three areas,” said Karl R. LaPan, President & CEO, The NIIC. “STRE.ME is one of a growing number of high-tech and bio-science startups incubated at the NIIC. Several health tech companies have launched their businesses at the NIIC, including BioPoly, LLC, Solstice Medical, LLC, and OrthoPediatrics to name a few.”
This event is for those interested in large-scale public health issues and how innovation in connected health may help individuals and healthcare providers achieve important goals. During monthly events on the third Thursday of each month, Connected Health Lab convenes entrepreneurs, healthcare innovators, and investment groups to discuss issues around connected health, also known as health IoT (Internet of things).
About The NIIC
444 new products developed, 174 patents applied for/granted, and 2,200 direct/indirect jobs created—that is what entrepreneurs have achieved through The NIIC since its formation about 20 years ago. The NIIC has also helped Northeast Indiana entrepreneurs attract $86.8 million in grants and capital.
The NIIC is a non-profit, vibrant entrepreneurial community. We help business builders and entrepreneurs launch and grow successful business ventures. We help innovative companies innovate. We are located in a designated U.S. Small Business Administration HUB Zone. In April 2018, Indiana Governor Eric Holcomb designated The Northeast Indiana Innovation Park Campus as an Opportunity Zone through the U.S. Treasury. The NIIC is the country’s only ISO9001:2015 registered business incubation and acceleration program. TheNIIC.org. Click here for The NIIC press kit.
11.26.19
Emerging Issues in Connected Health Panel, Join the Discussion
November 26, 2019, Fort Wayne, Ind.—Area health technology and business leaders will convene to discuss new developments in today’s health industry at The Northeast Indiana Innovation Center (The NIIC). The event will be Thursday, December 5, 2019, 7 a.m. to 9 a.m.
“The Internet of Things is everywhere, and it is changing everything in healthcare, from patient to provider to product to payer. Its endless opportunities bring healthcare into the digital age,” said John McDonald, CEO, ClearObject.
Jessica Carender, NIIC Partner Engagement Manager, will moderate an expert panel, including:
- John McDonald, CEO, ClearObject, Indiana’s leading Internet of Things (IoT) Systems Integrator. He is a founder and board member of the Indiana Technology & Innovation Association, chairman of the Technology & Innovation Committee of the Indiana Chamber of Commerce, a board member of TechPoint, the Indianapolis Chamber of Commerce, the Indiana India Business Council, and the Social Enterprise Alliance. Additionally, he is a member of the IBM PartnerWorld Global Business Partner Advisory Council, the advisory council for Hamilton Southeastern Schools, the Workforce Alignment council of Ivy Tech Community College, and the Dean’s Council for the Purdue Polytechnic Institute at Purdue University.
- Ethel Massing, MSHI, SHIMSS, Innovation Project Specialist, the Mirro Center for Research and Innovation at Parkview Health, where she leads innovation within Parkview, manages startup company projects, and runs the Datapalooza and Innovation competition series. She is also the current president of the Indiana chapter of HIMSS (Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society).
- J. J. Lane Carroll, FSA, MAA, Head New Solutions Group, Swiss Re, an innovation team dedicated to developing solutions for clients to close the $25 trillion mortality protection gap in the U.S. Carroll is responsible for the coordination of Swiss Re’s strategy related to new underwriting and customer experience solutions that help clients better connect, transact, and retain insurance customers.
“Connected Health is making it possible to deliver more personalized life insurance offerings to ensure that more families are protected financially in the event of the death of a family member,” said J.J. Lane Carroll, FSA, MAA, Head New Solutions, Swiss Re Holdings.
This event is being brought to the community by the Connected Health Lab Program at The NIIC. The program was formed to complete IoT discovery or research. The focus is to bring together the pieces and players to evolve innovation through products and services in the space. This panel discussion is the first of what promises to be many Connected Health Lab events to accomplish that.
Seating is limited, and advance registration is required. Registration cost is $25. Check-in/networking begins at 7 a.m. with the panel discussion beginning promptly at 7:30 a.m. Click here to register.
About The NIIC
The NIIC is a non-profit, vibrant entrepreneurial community. We help business builders and entrepreneurs launch and grow successful business ventures. We are located in a designated U.S. Small Business Administration HUB Zone, and in April 2018, Indiana Governor Eric Holcomb designated The Northeast Indiana Innovation Park Campus as an Opportunity Zone through the U.S. Treasury. Formed in 1999 by a consortium of community and government leaders and organizations, The NIIC was recognized by Entrepreneur magazine in 2013 as one of the top four under-the-radar incubators in the country. This basically means Entrepreneur magazine, with the help of International Business Incubation Association, picked four U.S. incubators to highlight, and we were one of them. In their words, we “stand out in a state not always perceived as small business friendly.” The NIIC is the country’s only ISO9001:2015 registered business incubation and acceleration program. TheNIIC.org. Click here for The NIIC press kit.
Media contact: Tammy Allen, Director, Marketing & Programs – The NIIC, info@niic.net | Telephone: 260-407-1731
08.19.19
Connected Health Lab Adds Staff, Near Term Focus—Furthering Partner Engagement
August 19, 2019, Fort Wayne, Ind.—Staffing has begun for the Connected Health Lab, forming to strengthen and diversify Indiana’s health-related markets. The long-term vision is to help make Indiana a recognized global leader in health IoT (Internet of Things).
Jessica Carender is the new Partner Engagement Manager, and Larry Rottmeyer, Ph.D., is the new Business Development Analyst. “This is an ambitious endeavor, and the addition of Jessica and Larry to our team is integral to further partner engagement of the lab. That is our primary focus for the coming months, as we collaborate with our partners and build the network for entrepreneurs to test and commercialize projects,” said Mike Fritsch, Senior Entrepreneur in Residence and Director of Revenue Development, The NIIC.
Prior to joining The NIIC, Carender served as a business development manager at a major health network that also focuses on home health. She’s a graduate of Indiana University Bloomington with a Bachelor of Arts, a double major in Telecommunications and Sociology. “The variety of clients served through The NIIC combined with The NIIC team creates an innovative environment that inspires you to think outside the box and beyond. That’s exactly what’s needed for the Connected Health Lab,” said Carender.
Rottmeyer’s previous work before joining The NIIC focused on new program design, business creativity, new revenue streams and talent development. He also served as a marketing professor and business school dean for five universities, including designing new programs and learning experiences. “I enjoy high-energy, creative, fast-paced business environments that offer new learning experiences and growth opportunities. What attracts people to The NIIC will also attract them to the connected health lab. It includes people who want to be engaged in initiatives that are innovative, disrupting and important,” said Rottmeyer.
Funded by a three-year $1.5 Million grant (including matching funds) Connected Health Lab is part of the Economic Development Administration (EDA) 2018 Regional Innovation Strategies (RIS) Program. Founding partners include The NIIC, Indiana Economic Development Corporation (IEDC), Clear Object, Indiana Tech, Purdue University Fort Wayne, Parkview Mirro Center for Research and Innovation, Vision Tech Partners Northeast Indiana, Northeast Indiana Regional Partnership and Greater Fort Wayne, Inc.
Capital Access Partners include Elevate Ventures Northeast Indiana, VisionTech Partners and Indiana University Research & Technology Corporation.
Training and Education Partners include WorkONE and Clear Object.
Outreach & Marketing Partners include Indiana Economic Development Corporation, Northeast Indiana Regional Partnership and Greater Fort Wayne, Inc.
Connected Resource Partners include Indiana Tech, Indiana IoT Lab, Purdue University Fort Wayne, Parkview Mirro Center for Research & Innovation and Parkview Health.
About The NIIC
The NIIC is a non-profit, vibrant entrepreneurial community. We help business builders and entrepreneurs launch and grow successful business ventures. We are located in a designated U.S. Small Business Administration HUB Zone, and in April 2018, Indiana Governor Eric Holcomb designated The Northeast Indiana Innovation Park Campus as an Opportunity Zone through the U.S. Treasury. Formed in 1999 by a consortium of community and government leaders and organizations, The NIIC was recognized by Entrepreneur magazine in 2013 as one of the top four under-the-radar incubators in the country. This basically means Entrepreneur magazine, with the help of International Business Incubation Association, picked four U.S. incubators to highlight, and we were one of them. In their words, we “stand out in a state not always perceived as small business friendly.” The NIIC is the country’s only ISO9001:2015 registered business incubation and acceleration program. TheNIIC.org. Click here for The NIIC press kit.