Could Lakewood become a hotbed for entrepreneurial talent? If the new effort Startup Lakewood fulfills its mission, the city will in the near future be home to a fresh new crop of entrepreneurs with innovative business ideas.

Startup Lakewood is a new program formed collaboratively between the City of Lakewood, Lakewood's Chamber of Commerce, LakewoodAlive, and Pillars of Lakewood. The program consists of biweekly brainstorming meetings held in various cafes around Lakewood and led by Mike Belsito, a startup business developer. Startup Lakewood also invites entrepreneurial experts to share insights with would-be entrepreneurs.

The two-hour brainstorming sessions are free and open to all residents of Lakewood.

Startup Lakewood has initiated Startup U, a monthly program at Virginia Marti College of Art and Design to further enlighten Lakewood residents about the ins and outs of startups. The first session takes place April 5, from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m., and looks at resources in Lakewood and Cleveland that are available to newbie entrepreneurs.


SOURCE: Startup Lakewood
WRITER: Diane DiPiero

While the verdict is still out on how powerful the Medical Mart and Convention Center will be to Cleveland's economic growth, the construction that's currently going on is definitely bringing jobs to the area. The Medical Mart reports that more than 200 construction workers are currently on site.

The numbers are impressive for small business enterprise (SBE) companies, with more than 25 SBE subcontractors hired for specific jobs thus far.

Job creation for the construction project is being coordinated by MMPI, the Medical Mart management company; Cuyahoga County; Minority Business Solutions; and Turner Construction Company. Together, these entities have hosted five SBE certification and outreach events, the last of which resulted in 175 interview opportunities for SBE contractors.

There is much work to be done for these employees. Demolition of various buildings is ongoing, with more than 100 trucks hauling away concrete to be recycled each day.


SOURCE: Medical Mart and Convention Center
WRITER: Diane DiPiero

As founder, president and CEO of Quality Electrodynamics (QED) and founder of solar energy company eQED, Hiroyuki Fujita seems to have his finger on the pulse of emerging innovations. He believes in Cleveland's ability to be a major player, especially in bioscience.

At the recent Summit on Leadership at the Union Club, which this reporter attended, Fujita talked about what's still needed to make Cleveland the undisputed leader in healthcare-related industries.

"Cleveland is very strong in biomedicine," said Fujito, who came here from Japan in 1992 to attend Case Western Reserve University. Where Cleveland needs to develop is in the technical areas that support production. "There should be an education program like medical device assembly to train people so they're ready to go," he said.

"The technology is here -- it goes back to the steel industry in Cleveland," Fujita continued. "It's a matter of transforming that talent to help the biotechnology industry."

Fujita also noted that communication between biotech companies and local suppliers would help form important connections. "Local suppliers may not realize that they can help us," he said.

Fujita started QED five years ago. The company, which manufactures MRI coils, has 75 employees and has partnerships with Toshiba and Siemens. QED has been recognized by Forbes and Inc. magazines as one of the country's fastest growing companies.


SOURCE: Hiroyuki Fujita
WRITER: Diane DiPiero

The Global Cardiovascular Innovation Center (GCIC) on the Cleveland Clinic campus has taken another step toward advancing cardiovascular technology with the addition of Irish medical device solutions provider Creganna-TactX. Specializing in the design of minimally invasive innovations, Creganna-TactX has opened its Cleveland office to support local medical device manufacturers while partnering with the Clinic to develop further advancements.

"Our key markets are in cardiovascular, periferovascular and neurovascular technologies," says Randall Sword, business development director for Creganna-TactX. "Our technologies are not readily available in the Cleveland area. Part of our mission is to support local businesses and hopefully grow a presence."

In addition to its headquarters in Galway, Ireland, Creganna-TactX has locations in Campbell, California; Marlborough, Massachusetts; Plymouth, Minnesota; and Singapore. The new Cleveland office "provides us access to the Clinic and their world-class physicians," Sword says. The Clinic's resources could offer input into development and manufacturing to benefit current customers while helping to evaluate new projects to meet future demands, according to Sword.

The Cleveland office will initially be staffed with one or two part-time employees. "We'd like to grow that as soon as possible," Sword says. "Our intention is to try to grow to a small lab that can work with the Clinic and their physicians and support local small businesses in development."


SOURCE: Randall Sword
WRITER: Diane DiPiero

When you grab a quick cat nap during the day, you run the risk of either sleeping too little so that you're yawning in front of your co-workers or sleeping so much that you snooze right through your 2 p.m. sales meeting.

Local inventor Jonathan Husni wants you to get the ideal 20 minutes of quality sleep so you can be your productive self. Husni's Power-Nap Machine is a pocket-sized media player that produces inaudible sound waves that induce REM sleep -- the short, deep rest that accounts for about 90 to 120 minutes of a good night's sleep. While the sound waves work their magic, the user hears only a pleasant waterfall. At the end of it, the Power-Nap brings "the user to a refreshed state of heightened wakefulness," Husni says.

The nap machine is part of the Power Nap group of sleep products that includes CDs filled with computer-generated sound waveforms. Power Nap line of products was created by Acendex, a Beachwood-based network technology firm. Husni is president and founder of Acendex.


SOURCE: Jonathan Husni
WRITER: Diane DiPiero

Part internship, part scholarship, part co-op: The New Pathway program recently launched by Cleveland State University paves the way for students to earn funds for college while teaming up with a local company that may become their employer upon graduation.

New Pathway is part of CSU's "Engaged Learning" endeavor, which seeks to create hands-on approaches toward education and career development. A major goal of New Pathway is to engage area employers in the educational and career-transition processes.

Students who take part in the New Pathway program connect with local businesses or organizations that sponsor students for internships and help them transition to permanent employees upon graduation. While doing so, students earn funds for their tuition.

CSU President Ronald Berkman says that New Pathway creates a win-win situation by helping students pay for school and develop careers while helping employers nurture talented individuals. Dennis Lafferty, whose resume includes 14 years as vice president for government and community affairs for the Greater Cleveland Partnership, serves as executive-in-residence of New Pathway.

The new CSU program has the potential to impact many students while driving the local economy. At this early stage, CSU has no hard numbers regarding students who could be involved or the number of jobs that could translate into, according to Joe Mosbrook, director of strategic communications for CSU.


SOURCE: CSU
WRITER: Diane DiPiero

Two Cleveland organizations aimed at drawing area teens toward an interest in employment and business have joined forces. E CITY Cleveland (which stands for Entrepreneurship: Connecting, Inspiring and Teaching Youth) and Y.O.U. (Youth Opportunities Unlimited) united earlier this year to pool their resources and heighten their outreach.

E CITY's entrepreneurial programs were completed by more than 300 teens last year.  Y.O.U.'s offerings, which include mentoring and job placement, made a difference for more than 4,600 teens in Cuyahoga County, many of whom were considered at-risk or in danger of not completing their high school studies.

The offerings of each organization are unique so that, when combined, they provide a full package of opportunities for young adults ages 14 to 19 to pursue their interests and develop life skills.

Y.O.U. and E CITY will focus on integrating volunteers and sharpening their combined offerings. Another goal of the merger is to develop additional programs for children in the City of Cleveland and elsewhere in the region.


SOURCE: Y.O.U.
WRITER: Diane DiPiero

Slow and steady may win the race, but a quick oil-change company is winning kudos for its sustainability practices. Cleveland-based Lube Stop has been recognized nationally for its formal sustainability program and its re-refined oil change service, EcoGuard. The latest recognition comes from the Institute for Sustainable Development's Green Plus awards, which named Lube Stop a Medium-Size Business of the Year recipient.

This award recognizes a company's ability to affect triple-bottom-line sustainability practices. Lube Stop's sustainability efforts revolve around a five-step process: strategy development, ongoing waste reduction, sustainable operations, individual initiatives and public awareness.

Lube Stop has 37 stores in Northeast Ohio and more than 240 employees. The company adopted its sustainability program in 2007


SOURCE: Lube Stop
WRITER: Diane DiPiero

As the saying goes, "you've got to spend money to make money." With a new $35 million award in tax credits from the U.S. Department of Treasury, Cleveland Development Advisors (CDA) plans to spur economic development in the city by financing projects that lead to more business opportunities.

CDA, an affiliate of the Greater Cleveland Partnership, was one of six entities in Ohio to be awarded this latest round of federal tax credits. CDA plans to use the award to focus on economic development in the areas of technology, business and industrial expansion and retail, residential and hospitality projects.

In a statement released by CDA, Mayor Frank Jackson called the federal tax credits another sign that Cleveland's economy is growing. "Tax credit financing, afforded by the allocation, together with local bank commitments and city investments, will make high-profile job-producing developments feasible in our neighborhoods and downtown," Mayor Jackson said.

Past awards from the Treasury Department resulted in the financing of 20 projects that, according to CDA, generated 2,800 jobs, 390,000 square feet of office space, and 450,000 square feet of industrial space in Cleveland. The East 4th Street neighborhood, Capitol Theatre in the Detroit Shoreway neighborhood, Arbor Park Plaza in the Central Neighborhood and the UpTown project in University Circle all have benefited from CDA's investment in federal tax credits.


SOURCE: CDA
WRITER: Diane DiPiero

It all started with pencils.

Faber-Castell was founded 250 years ago in Germany as a pencil manufacturer. Today, the company produces professional art supplies sold around the world. Cleveland is home to Faber-Castell USA, which in 1999 acquired Creativity for Kids, a Cleveland company that makes  activity kits for children.

In spite of an onslaught of electronic gadgets and high-tech toys, Faber-Castell USA and Creativity for Kids have remained lucrative and kept an 80-person staff. "We have had two record-setting years in 2009 and 2010," says Jamie Gallagher, CEO of Faber-Castell USA.

How does the company stay sharp? "We have a nice portfolio of product lines that enable us to be diversified during challenging times," Gallagher says.

Creativity for Kids helps Faber-Castell build brand awareness in the United States, according to Gallagher. Often, this is accomplished by combining products from the two lines into a single kit. For example, Creativity for Kids' Do Art Drawing Power, which teaches children sketching and drawing techniques, includes Faber-Castell Color Grip EcoPencils.

Gallagher says the goal of Faber-Castell USA is to deliver "opportunities for creativity and self-expression while highlighting the importance of quality. Despite difficult times, we haven't compromised that or tried to reinvent our brands."

That doesn't mean Faber-Castell USA isn't interested in growing. The company recently launched a line to expand interest in papercrafting for adults. "The product line, Design Memory Craft, features products that make designing with color simple to do," Gallagher says.


SOURCE: Jamie Gallagher
WRITER: Diane DiPiero

Last October, Cleveland's ViewRay unveiled a research radiation therapy system to the medical device community. Now comes word that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted ViewRay clearance for its radiotherapy treatment planning and delivery software, a key element of the radiation therapy system.

This is a critical step toward FDA approval of the system, according to Gregory M. Ayers, M.D. and Ph.D., president and CEO of ViewRay. "It's exciting to see such progress with a product we believe will offer an advancement in radiation therapy," he says.

Combining MRI and radiotherapy delivery, the system provides a continuous MRI during radiation treatment. This helps doctors to see exactly where the radiation is going and to deliver precise treatment.

A recent $20 million Series C financing will help ViewRay in the final stages of development for commercial distribution. For now, the ViewRay system is only used in non-human settings.

A team of physicians and researchers leads the privately held medical device company. ViewRay is currently in growth mode and building its staff in quality assurance, software engineering, clinical science and sales.


SOURCE: Gregory M. Ayers
WRITER: Diane DiPiero

For Jonathan Husni, founder and president of Cleveland-based IT development firm Acendex, It's not enough to sit back and reflect on how his company emerged from the recession relatively unscathed. The fact that Acendex had no layoffs and managed to gain an impressive list of clients over the last few years motivates Husni and his team to set impressive goals for 2011.

"We are focusing on making raving fans of a number of new customers this year," says Husni. "Acendex anticipates double-digit growth in 2011 spurred by the onset of the economic recovery in the region -- particularly in the manufacturing sector -- which is empowering companies to take a second look at the way their information management solutions can be leveraged as competitive assets."

Thanks to "unprecedented demand" for a host solution for cloud computing, Acendex is advancing a new application of what it calls "Get Your Own Cloud!"

Advancements such as these have encouraged Husni to build up his IT team to meet existing and new customer needs. "Our take-no-prisoners approach to the cloud computing solution has won favor from the word go," Husni says, "and we are staffing up to meet customer demand for our outsourcing services."

In 2010, Acendex took on a number of new projects, such as providing an IT infrastructure with VOIP for Flack Steel, a Cleveland steel distributor.


SOURCE: Jonathan Husni
WRITER: Diane DiPiero

Rachel Talton, Ph.D. was one of the entrepreneurs invited by the Obama Administration to attend Tuesday's Winning the Future Forum on Small Business. Talton, co-founder of Cleveland-based Trust, a marketing and management consultant agency, and founder and CEO of Fairlawn-based Synergy Marketing Strategy & Research, joined about 20 other small business owners and entrepreneurs in a discussion on entrepreneurism. They had the ear of President Obama himself, who took the time to listen in on various breakout sessions during the forum.

"President Obama was very engaged in intensive and substantive conversation," says Talton. She and her fellow entrepreneurs in the group shared with the President a list of ways that the administration could help both small and large businesses thrive: access to capital, formalized mentorship programs, access to capacity-building services and less onerous processes for doing business with the federal government.

Talton says she was encouraged to hear that Steve Case, co-founder of AOL and a career entrepreneur, will be taking a lead role in President Obama's Council on Jobs and Competitiveness. "The initiative will be quasi-government. Decisions will be made more quickly -- without much red tape," she says.

Talton was also happy to hear that Obama expects to engage large corporations in mentor-protegee programs. "I think this approach can be truly sustainable," she notes.

The President's "real commitment on this issue [of spurring small business growth to strengthen the economy] can move people within the federal and state government, even those who disagree," Talton says. "He can also attract large corporations to participate, for the greater good and for their own good."


SOURCE: Rachel Talton, Ph.D.
WRITER: Diane DiPiero

President Obama came to Cleveland on Tuesday to hear what small business owners say they need to grow their businesses and thus strengthen the U.S. economy. But the President took the time to praise the region for its growth in biotechnology, sustainability and other innovations.

"Cleveland is a city founded on manufacturing," the President said during his closing remarks on the Winning the Future Forum on Small Business, held at Cleveland State University's Wolstein Center, which this writer attended.

"A lot of people wrote off Cleveland as a shell of what it used to be, but you knew different," the President said to the small business owners and entrepreneurs who had been selected to attend the forum.

The President talked about the united effort of local universities, hospitals and entrepreneurs to advance innovations in biotechnology and clean energy. "They've made Cleveland a global leader in both fields," the President added.

Cleveland's ability to reinvent itself, the President noted, can be an inspiration for other areas of the country, as well as the United States in general. "How will America reinvent itself?" the President asked the audience.

Obama also pointed out the success of several long-standing businesses in Cleveland, including Miceli Dairy Products, which has operated a facility on E. 90th Street since 1949. Miceli's received a $5.5 million SBA loan to build a new factory and expand its production, according to the President. "This will double the output of ricotta cheese and add 60 workers," said Obama, joking that he'd like some cheese samples once the expansion project is complete.


SOURCE: President Obama
WRITER: Diane DiPiero

In 2010, MetroHealth began testing a surgical solution for high blood pressure, became the only Ohio hospital chosen to participate in the Major Extremity Trauma Research Consortium to benefit injured servicemen and women, launched MetroExpressCare to address the needs of urgent care patients, and provided resources for the identification of the first gene associated with age-related cataracts.

All the while, the hospital system has kept its eye on sustainable business practices that resulted in a budget surplus last year. MetroHealth currently has about 6,000 employees.

Revenue over expenses for MetroHealth in 2010 totaled $27 million, and operating income decreased from $37.7 million in 2009 to $23.8 million last year. These numbers are in keeping with the health system's goal of maintaining sustainable business practices, which, according to MetroHealth CEO and president Mark Moran, means being able to support the hospital's mission of providing high-quality and affordable care.

Throughout 2011, MetroHealth will be addressing challenges that include a continuing decline in inpatient volumes and rising charity care. The total cost of charity care provided by MetroHealth last year was up $9 million over the previous year.


SOURCE: MetroHealth
WRITER: Diane DiPiero

Increasing the college attainment rate in Northeast Ohio by just one percent would mean an additional $2.8 billion for the region's economy. That statistic, courtesy of CEOs for Cities, a national civic lab composed of urban leaders, was part of the impetus for leaders of the Cleveland Scholarship Program to change the name of the 40-year-old organization and renew its focus to make college attainable for teens and young adults.

College Now Greater Cleveland, as the organization is officially now known, will continue to assist more than 20,000 students annually through advising, financial aid counseling and scholarship services. Some partners of the organization have stepped in to provide additional funding or opportunities. The PNC Foundation, for one, awarded a grant to College Now for advising services. PNC will also provide financial education programming, and Cleveland Clinic will offer college preparatory programs aimed at minority and disadvantaged students who want to attend college and pursue careers in science, medicine and business.

Other partners of College Now include the City of Cleveland, Cleveland Metropolitan School District (CMSD), Cleveland State University and Tri-C.

College Now connects with local educational institutions to bolster higher education resources. According to Eric S. Gordon, chief academic officer for CMSD, College Now's strengthened focus meshes well with CMSD's own efforts to boost college attendance by graduates of the city's high schools. "CMSD is excited to continue our partnership with College Now to ensure high quality college counseling is available to all juniors and seniors as part of our Cleveland Goes to College program," Gordon says.


SOURCE: Eric S. Gordon
WRITER: Diane DiPiero

The Northeast Ohio Council on Higher Education (NOCHE) is moving forward with its goal of making the region a top-notch talent pool through higher learning. In December of last year, NOCHE held a summit on the Northeast Ohio Talent Dividend, an action plan to increase college attainment. The Talent Dividend is a national endeavor to increase college attendance and graduation in cities, motivated by research indicating that 58 percent of a city's success based on per capita income can be attributed to post-secondary attainment.

According to NOCHE, the Northeast Ohio Talent Dividend has three goals:
1) Improve college readiness
2) Increase retention to degree completion
3) Increase degree attainment among adults with some college but no degree

NOCHE plans to help the region attain these goals by focusing on existing local resources, which include dozens of higher education institutions and 160,000 companies with employment opportunities for college students and college graduates. According to Ann Womer Benjamin, NOCHE's executive director, increasing the talent dividend in Northeast Ohio by one percent can result in $2.8 billion in new income per year, which helps both individuals and the region.

Womer's current mission is to bring awareness of the Talent Dividend and its initiatives to educators and businesspeople in Northeast Ohio. A steering committee for the Talent Dividend consists of a number of education- and business-focused professionals, including Roseann Canfora of the Cleveland Metropolitan School District, Edward Hill of Cleveland State University and Shana Marbury of the Greater Cleveland Partnership. NOCHE will track ongoing progress of the Talent Dividend on its website.


SOURCE: NOCHE
WRITER: Diane DiPiero