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Ivy Tech Grad Crowned Venture Champion

2011-09-19T00:00:00-04:00

A recent Ivy Tech Community College−Northeast graduate is launching a swimwear company after winning an inaugural venture competition. Olivia Fabian will receive nearly $30,000 to start Ofabz swimwear. Launch: New Venture Competition was created by Ivy Tech-Northeast and the Northeast Indiana Innovation Center to promote economic development and job creation.

Swimwear Idea Wows Panel

Paul Wyche The Journal Gazette — 2011-09-19T00:00:00-04:00

Churubusco woman outdoes dozen rivals in Ivy Tech contest

IPFW researchers toil to find huge answers

Kevin Leininger — 2011-07-19T00:00:00-04:00

FW campus medical studies may boost city's reputation, create jobs.

Keep eyes on future, acclaimed SACS told

Devon Haynie — 2011-07-08T00:00:00-04:00

An education consultant says Southwest Allen County Schools is one of the strongest districts in the state but that it may need to adjust its priorities to maintain that position.

Ivy Tech Program Aims to "Launch" Student Startups

Doug LeDuc — 2011-06-16T00:00:00-04:00

Four area residents who have completed the business development class at Ivy Tech

Community College-Northeast have started using what they learned to compete against each

other this summer — before they attempt to survive against more seasoned competition in the

business community.

Small Device The Result of Big Dreams

Rick Farrant — 2011-06-16T00:00:00-04:00

When Herb Schwartz left his research and development management job at DePuy

Orthopaedics Inc. seven years ago, he also left behind all the data and ideas he’d helped

generate at the global orthopedic device maker.

Why Business Incubators?

2011-06-06T00:00:00-04:00

For the new breed of entrepreneurs who inhabit Richard Florida’s Creative Class world, place takes on a special meaning: It’s a community of inventors, innovators, small business owners, scientists, freelancers and the next generation of serial e n t r e p r e n e u r s launching their first ventures — all banded together in pursuit of success.

BioPoly Receives CE Mark Approval to Market Knee Product in Europe

2011-06-02T00:00:00-04:00

BioPoly LLC, has received official notice of its CE mark for its partial resurfacing knee product line, allowing the company to market these products in Europe, according to company officials. As a result, the company is planning to launch the BioPoly™ RS Partial Resurfacing Knee Implant system in Europe later this year.

Allied plans to add 22 jobs

Sherry Slater — 2011-05-27T00:00:00-04:00

Local tech company offers online bill-paying system

Solstice Medical

2011-05-19T00:00:00-04:00

Solstice Medical Receives Patent for Gamma Sterilizable RFID Tag

BioPoly receives $2.5M in additional financing

Written by Staff Reports — 2011-05-04T00:00:00-04:00

Fort Wayne-based BioPoly LLC, a subsidiary of Schwartz Biomedical, has secured another $2.5

million in equity financing, bringing the amount raised for the company’s first orthopedic product

to $8.1 million, Chief Financial Officer Sabra Rowley said.

Team talks up business

Paul Wyche — 2011-04-25T00:00:00-04:00

Plan for website with topical chats wins competition

Northeast Indiana Entrepreneurs Celebrate

Gerry Dick — 2011-04-14T00:00:00-04:00

Seven Fort Wayne-area entrepreneurs say winning Purdue University's Startup Weekend competition will provide a "life changing" boost to their business plan.

Grabach.at Takes Top Honors at Indianapolis Startup Weekend Competition

2011-04-11T00:00:00-04:00

Grabach.at, a webcam company that connects people with similar interests so they can chat and share ideas online, received the top prize in the Indianapolis Startup Weekend held April 9 and 10.

Venture-plan contest meets reality TV

2011-03-03T00:00:00-05:00

James Tolbert’s brainstorm could pay off big for one lucky local entrepreneur. We’re talking 50 G’s and a whole new career. Tolbert, Ivy Tech Northeast’s business administration program chairman, can’t shut off his active imagination, even while watching mindless reality TV.

Best-Kept Secret in Town

Kevin Leininger — 2011-01-04T00:00:00-05:00

Kevin Leininger: Could Innovation Center hold secret to success?

NIIC takes a stake in student businesses

DOUG LEDUC — dougl@fwbusiness.com — 2010-12-31T00:00:00-05:00

Many useful skills that are fun to develop have a learning curve that can be daunting without a little coaching from a guru in the field. Fort Wayne-based GooRoo builds online communities to help with that.

NIIC Student Venture Lab Client Honor Education named Innovator of the Year

Staff Reports — 2010-11-11T00:00:00-05:00

Women-owned businesses asset to Indiana

Jeanette Dillon — 2010-11-01T00:00:00-04:00

Scott Naltner receives the Distinguished Alumni Award from IPFW’s Doermer School Of Business

2010-10-29T00:00:00-04:00

Congratulations to NIIC Board Secretary Scott Naltner for receiving the Distinguished Alumni award from IPFW’S Doermer School of Business.

Be innovative, seminars urge

Paul Wyche — 2010-10-13T00:00:00-04:00

The chief project engineer for Intellitek Systems of Fort Wayne is offering a series of free Web conferences this month to businesses on navigating a tough economy.

Innovation Center Client Company Announces New Distribution Partnership

2010-09-29T00:00:00-04:00

SCADATA Scientific, LLC, has recently executed an agreement with Precision Systems, Inc., located in Calumet City, IL. This agreement will allow Precision Systems to exclusively distribute Scadata products & services throughout the United States for the Water & Waste Water vertical market.

Fourth Wave treading water

Paul Wyche — 2010-09-29T00:00:00-04:00

Ask about FourthWave and you’re met with blank stares, carefully chosen words and shoulder shrugs.

And these reactions come from those once integral to the technology holding company.

Innovation Center graduate PearlDiver offers health-care data online

2010-08-03T00:00:00-04:00

Fort Wayne-based PearlDiver Technologies has launched a health-care data website for patients and health care professionals that is based on 1.1 billion Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act-compliant patient records, the company announced.

Starting a business: It takes more than just an idea

2010-07-30T00:00:00-04:00

Entrepreneurship is first and foremost a mindset. It is the art of finding creative and profitable solutions to everyday problems. Every successful entrepreneur has been someone who’s been able to identify a problem, an unmet need or unfulfilled want and come up with a solution to it before somebody else did.

Incubator client, Solstice Medical Named One of the Companies to Watch

2010-07-15T00:00:00-04:00

Five northeast Indiana companies are among 41 in the state included in the third-annual “Companies to Watch” list compiled by the Indiana Economic Development Corp. and several other organizations.

Firm helps docs’ financial health

2010-07-09T00:00:00-04:00

Seven years ago, financial planner and recent college graduate Paul Larson was referred to a physician seeking help with his money affairs.

Questa Foundation Investing $500,000 in High-Tech Training

2010-05-11T00:00:00-04:00

Questa Foundation for Education formally announced today that it will invest over a half million dollars from its Questa Scholars 1/2 Back Loan program over the next five years to aid area college students who pursue careers in advanced manufacturing and engineering.

Acquired TrustBearer operation to stay in city

2010-04-30T00:00:00-04:00

The work force of TrustBearer Labs has continued its development of identity authentication systems in Fort Wayne under the direction of its founder, David Corcoran, following its purchase by VeriSign

Michael Kinder and Sons, Inc. Receives National Award for Emerging Growth Center Building

2010-04-26T00:00:00-04:00

Michael Kinder and Sons, Inc. Receives National Award for Northeast Indiana Innovation Park’s Emerging Growth Center Building

Software a family project for 4 Fort Wayne siblings

2010-04-26T00:00:00-04:00

Three brothers and a sister in a Fort Wayne family, all students at Indiana Tech, are an internship unto themselves. They began work last fall on a package of design and animation software that they hope will allow children and teenagers to collaborate on educational video projects powered by their imaginations and broadband Internet connections.

Tech Park Leader Named to Bank Board

Grabill Bank — 2010-04-15T00:00:00-04:00

Karl R. LaPan has been named to the Board of Directors of Grabill Bank, announced Michael C. Marhenke, Chief Executive Officer and President. LaPan replaces John D. Auld, who currently serves as Director Emeritus.

Software a family project for 4 Fort Wayne siblings

2010-04-10T00:00:00-04:00

VeriSign Acquires TrustBearer

2010-04-06T00:00:00-04:00

On April 1, 2010, VeriSign, Inc. completed the acquisition of substantially all assets of TrustBearer Labs, LLC.

IntelliTek launches business social networking product

2010-03-19T00:00:00-04:00

A Fort Wayne software company that just started renting space at the Northeast Indiana Innovation Center said it won’t be charging user fees for its software and it is adding a business social networking product to its family of business management tools.

Fort Wayne tech firm drops software user fees

Paul Wyche — 2010-03-16T00:00:00-04:00

A tech startup is revamping its business model by nixing software user fees. Intellitek Systems of Fort Wayne made the announcement Tuesday.

20 new jobs come to Northeast Indiana

Kim Yonick — 2010-03-16T00:00:00-04:00

Company announced new innovations

Students move into NIIC venture lab

Staff Reports — 2010-03-05T00:00:00-05:00

Two ventures that were started by Indiana University-Purdue University Fort Wayne students are the latest occupants at the Northeast Indiana Innovation Center.

Of mouse and men: Disney veteran talks leadership

2010-02-24T00:00:00-05:00

Lee Cockerell keeps all of the thank-yous from people he’s mentored in a computer file titled “Lee Praise.”

Incubator turns up effort to attract tech companies

Bowdeya Tweh — 2010-02-10T00:00:00-05:00

Gregory Boyan hopes the new year will bring more technology-based firms to the small-business incubator he leads.

PearlDiver poised for growth in 2010

Rick Farrant — 2010-02-05T00:00:00-05:00

Fort Wayne-based PearlDiver Technologies Inc. is poised for growth in 2010 on a number of fronts, said Rob Young, vice president of business development.

Schwartz Biomedical secures $2 million

2010-01-14T00:00:00-05:00

A Fort Wayne biomedical firm announced Tuesday that it had secured $2 million in equity funding for its latest technology.

IPFW, Taiwan team for tech Program lays the foundation for new business ventures

2011-09-29T00:00:00-04:00

Global Alliance to Stimulate Region’s Economic Development

2011-09-29T00:00:00-04:00

• 1st Global Alliance for Technology Transfer and Entrepreneurship (GATTE)

• First global partnership of this size to be created

• Establishes network to stimulate northeast Indiana economy

• Coincides with the 1st Indiana-Taiwan Technology Transfer and Entrepreneurship Summit taking place this week at IPFW

Students recognized for creativity at Youth Entrepreneur Symposium

Huntington University Press Release — 2011-10-28T00:00:00-04:00

HUNTINGTON, Ind.— On Oct. 25, Huntington University hosted the fifth annual Youth Entrepreneur Symposium. Sophomores, juniors and seniors from Huntington North High School along with HU students participated in the day-long event. Steve Franks of the Northeast Indiana Innovation Center was the facilitator for the day.

PYPline Receives Innovation Award

Barry Rochford, Greater Fort Wayne Business Weekly — 2011-11-09T00:00:00-05:00

NIIC Student Venture PYPline, LLC won the Emerging Company category in the 2011 Greater Fort Wayne Business Weekly's Innovation Awards.

Cirrus ABS Receives Innovation Award

Rick Farrant, Greater Fort Wayne Business Weekly — 2011-11-09T00:00:00-05:00

Cirrus ABS was honored with the 2011 Professional Services category Innovation Award at the Greater Fort Wayne Business Weekly's annual Innovation Awards.

Honor Education profiled at Innovation Awards

Linda Lipp, Greater Fort Wayne Business Weekly — 2011-11-09T00:00:00-05:00

At the 2011 Greater Fort Wayne Business Weekly Innovation Awards, 2010 Innovator of the Year Honor Education (a NIIC Student Venture Lab company), was profiled.

Blue Water Mortgage Receive 2011 Best of Fort Wayne Award

US Commerce Association — 2011-12-14T00:00:00-05:00

Blue Water Mortgage was selected as the 2011 Best of Fort Wayne Award winner in the US Commerce Association's Real Estate Financing Category.

Solstice Medical Moves to Expanded Space in Columbia City

Fort Wayne Business Weekly — 2012-01-05T00:00:00-05:00

Solstice Medical, a long time client of the Innovation Center, has moved to an expanded space in Columbia City.

Lincoln Financial Foundation Supports NIIC Student Entrepreneurship Programs

Inside Indiana Business — 2012-02-15T00:00:00-05:00

The Lincoln Financial Foundation has granted the Innovation Center $46,600 to support its youth entrepreneurship programs.

Entrepreneurship an Option for Students with Passion

Selena Jankulovska, IPFW Communicator — 2012-02-22T00:00:00-05:00

This article exhorting student entrepreneurship touches on the Innovation Center's programs, our CEO Karl LaPan's early entrepreneurial efforts when he was a student, and Student Venture Lab company Olivia Fabian's OFabz Swimwear.

Saint Francis and Innovation Center Collaborate on 9th Annual Youth Entrepreneurship Symposium

Inside Indiana Business — 2012-02-21T00:00:00-05:00

In collaboration with the Innovation Center, the Keith Busse School of Business and Entrepreneurial Leadership at the University of Saint Francis will be host to the 9th annual Youth Entrepreneurship Symposium on March 20, 2012.

Innovation Center and IPFW partner to Stimulate Technology Transfer with Universities in Taiwan

Inside Indiana Business — 2012-02-23T00:00:00-05:00

The Innovation Center and IPFW have partnered to help bring new technologies to Northeast Indiana for commercialization.

Student Venture Lab Entrepreneur Scott BonAmi Profiled in Ivy Tech Alumni Magazine

Ivy Tech Community College - Northeast — 2012-01-02T00:00:00-05:00

Student Venture Lab entrepreneur Scott BonAmi was recently profiled in the alumni magazine of Ivy Tech Northeast, highlighting his (and his business partner's) work to create PYPline, an online community for Makers

Student Venture Lab Demo Day March 2012

Innovation Center — 2012-03-21T00:00:00-04:00

Entrepreneurs, investor, and community leaders came together March 6 to hear pitches from the Innovation Center's latest Student Venture Lab cohort. Justin Sharpe, Brendan Bogan, and Olivia Fabian presented.

Recap from 9th Annual Youth Entrepreneurship Symposium

Northeast Indiana Innovation Center — 2012-04-02T00:00:00-04:00

Over 100 students attended the 9th annual Youth Entrepreneurship Symposium, a collaboration between the Innovation Center and the University of Saint Francis.

NIIC's Gulya Alexander profiled in Inside Ivy Tech Northeast

Inside Ivy Tech Northeast — 2012-04-10T00:00:00-04:00

The April Issue of Inside Ivy Tech Northeast profiles NIIC's Gulya Alexander.

Stellar School Services to Manage Proposed Charter School

News-Sentinel — 2012-04-28T00:00:00-04:00

NIIC client Stellar School Services, Inc. has been selected to manage the charter operations of Sun Academy's proposed Fort Wayne bilingual charter school.

BioPoly Partial Knee Resurfacing Shows Promise

Petra Rattue, Medical News Today — 2012-04-29T00:00:00-04:00

London Clinic consultant Mr. Dinesh Nathwani successfully performed the world's first BioPoly partial knee resurfacing procedure on the 9th January at The Advanced Therapies Centre, a newly launched clinical trials facility at The London Clinic, which aims to offer patients a range of innovative therapy choices by accessing trials and novel therapies.

BioPoly knee surgery in combination with anti-inflammatories allows the patient to immediately bear weight on their joint by using a new material, which is a combination of hyaluronic acid and ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene. The material combination is sufficiently strong to take the weight of the body, whilst maintaining a degree of flexibility that other standard metal replacements cannot. It also improves the wear qualities of the prosthesis and has a biologically lubricated surface that effectively interacts with the body's natural tissues.

Technology is tune driving Allied chief

Journal Gazette Article — 2012-05-24T00:00:00-04:00

Think about your iPod.

“In a lot of cases, a lot of technology that’s introduced, it’s not that somebody’s demanding it, (it’s) they didn’t know it was possible,” Ralph Marcuccilli said. “The iPod. There weren’t people demanding to get songs on a little device. Steve Jobs presented it. He said ‘Look, this is what I can give you.’ ”

Lunch delivery service caters to downtown

Jounral Gazette — 2012-05-24T00:00:00-04:00

The kitchen is beautiful. Stainless steel everywhere. And the space? There’s so much of it, making plenty of elbow room for Tammi McKee and her five part-time employees as they make and prepare lunches for between 45 and 65 Fort Wayne professionals each weekday afternoon.

McKee owns Comfort Food Delivered, a catering business that specializes in making and delivering lunches to downtown Fort Wayne and businesses within a five-mile radius of Stellhorn and St. Joe roads. McKee’s business is in the Cole Foundation Conference & Training Center, on the grounds of the Northeast Indiana Innovation Center on Stellhorn Road.

Comfort Food started after McKee, for the first time in her life, found herself unemployed in 2009. She was laid off from a job with the city and, after three months of not working, decided to make a change.

Crowdfunding an alternative for startups seeking capital

Doug LeDuc — 2012-06-08T00:00:00-04:00

Karl LaPan, president and chief executive officer for the Innovation Center, said less than 15 percent of ventures seeking funding obtain angel capital. Less than 1 percent receive venture capital.

“If we are going to grow high-quality jobs and high-potential companies we need to source early-stage funding to get good ideas off the ground. Today, a small number of serial angel investors control the early-stage deal flow,” LaPan said.

With crowdfunding, “I think the pace and rate of startup ventures will accelerate, and more non-venturable firms needing modest amounts of capital can get cost-effective access to capital without diluting their ownership materially or paying too much for the capital.”

Versatile swimwear is local designer’s specialty

Hana Hawash — 2012-07-16T00:00:00-04:00

Article published Jul 16, 2012 by Hana Hawash of The News-Sentinel

Although Fort Wayne is no New York City, people still hear mention of “the Fort” because of talents that have emerged.

To further that cause and support the city's local business owners, Ivy Tech Community College-Northeast holds a contest for entrepreneurs who are Ivy Tech students or alumni who dream of starting their own businesses.

That's how Olivia Fabian, founder of OFabz Swimwear, achieved a strong start. With a $20,000 donation from JB Tool, Die & Engineering and Ivy Tech's continued interest in empowering Fort Wayne through its New Venture Competition, Fabian's dream of being a business owner came true.

Fabian, an Ivy Tech graduate, is from Fort Wayne and grew up designing costumes for figure skaters at home with her mother. These costumes have been sold all around the world, as they are sought-after, custom-designed originals. Fabian continued to design her own version of these costumes by using the same techniques and materials to create her own versatile swimsuits.

FRITSCH joins NIIC

Doug LeDuc, Greater Fort Wayne Business Weekly — 2013-02-15T00:00:00-05:00

The Northeast Indiana Innovation Center has hired a successful entrepreneur who has been an important force behind the growth of Fort Wayne’s technology community.

Mike Fritsch, co-owner of Zoom Information Systems, a tenant at the center, joined the NIIC’s staff late last year to fill an entrepreneur-in-residence position it had created.

NIIC Provides Early Stage Capital Funding & Entrepreneurial Business Assistance to Two Innovative Student Businesses

NIIC — 2013-05-01T00:00:00-04:00

The Innovation Center funds innovative student ventures giving students the opportunity to have an entrepreneurial practice field for testing, validating, and improving their innovative business concepts and business ventures