On Tuesday, March 12, MOJO Agitator Mary Meehan presented at the 2013 What’s Next Boomer Business Summit. Her presentation topic was “Global Trends Shaping The Boomer Market.”
Mary Meehan is the co-founder and CEO of Panoramix Global, a unique research consultancy designed to help companies understand an increasingly complex consumer living in an increasingly dynamic global marketplace.
You can view her presentation below:
MOJO Minnesota, The Carlson School of Management, Drivetrain, and MHTA are proud to present Selling To Large Companies, the inaugural Enterprise School event. Minnesota’s got a lot of large companies; more than you’d expect for our population. We’ve also got an abundance of small, creative-class service businesses. This event is to help teach small companies how to earn large company business.
Enterprise School puts leaders from large Minnesota companies’ business-line and sourcing organizations in a room to talk about how they decide whom to work with, what makes a vendor credible, how they evaluate risk, and the mechanics of working with their sourcing systems.
Confirmed panelists and presenters come from Medtronic, Pearson VUE, UnitedHealth, and Thomson Reuters. Additional panelists to be announced as they’re confirmed.
For additional event details and to register ($10.00), click here.
Agenda
The specific agenda is still being finalized, but is expected to be in three parts:
(1) A panel of business unit decision makers
(2) A set of lightning talks on the the how specific companies’ sourcing systems work
(3) A session on how to negotiate with big companies.
Confirmed Panelists and Presenters
Dan Grigsby, CEO at Drivetrain (Organizer)
Margaret Anderson Kelliher, President and CEO at Minnesota High Tech Association
Kevin Oakman Director, Enterprise Sourcing at UnitedHealth Group at United Healthcare
Clarke Porter, Vice President & General Manager, Credential Management at Pearson VUE
Mike Ryan, Senior IT Director at Medtronic
Debra Thill Sevelius, Vice President Sourcing at Thomson Reuters
Additional panelists will be announced as they’re confirmed. Stay tuned by following @MOJOmn on Twitter and checking back right here on the MOJO Blog for updates.
Location
Hanson Hall
Carlson School of Management
1925 4th Street SE
Minneapolis, MN 55455
What are you waiting for? Register today!
The U.S. Small Business Administration will host a series of webinars in recognition of the seventh annual National Entrepreneurship Week: February 16-23, 2012. The emphasis will be on how the next generation of small business owners can leverage crowdfunding as an alternative finance option to start and grow their businesses.
WHEN: February 19-21, 2013, daily at 3:00 p.m. (ET)
WHO: Webinar topics and presenters listed below.
To register for the following webinars, visit the MOJO Events Calendar.
Topic: Crowdfunding – Pros and Cons
Tuesday, February 19 at 2:00 p.m.
Jay Goth, Business Consultant
TriTech Small Business Development Center (SBDC)
Topic: Crowdfunding Innovation
Wednesday, February 20 at 2:00 p.m.
Kevin Lehman, CEO and Co-Founder
Three Revolutions
Topic: Kickstarting an Urban Farm
Thursday, February 21 at 2:00 p.m.
Ryan Finch, General Manager
Raleigh City Farm
photo credit: eveos via photopin cc
We would like to introduce you to Kelly Henry, the newest addition to our MOJO Agitator team. Kelly cares deeply about the Twin Cities community and is passionate about early-stage companies. Kelly came to MOJO in the spring of 2011 as an intern and has remained involved in supporting our mission to bring Minnesota’s rich innovation heritage back into national prominence. She is impressed by how MOJO “effectively supports innovation in Minnesota with little or no budget.”
When asked what she enjoys most about working with MOJO Minnesota, Kelly replied, “I enjoy the diverse and creative group of people MOJO brings together.” She is excited about becoming an Agitator and continuing to support the entrepreneurial community in Minnesota.
Kelly specializes in refining ideas and making ideas become a reality. She is currently working at The Learning Bank, a Minneapolis-based startup. Kelly received her BA from Bates College and her MBA from the University of Minnesota, Carlson School of Management.
What time is it? It’s time to get you pumped up about what’s in store for 2013. To do so, here is a recap of a dynamic year in 2012 in which MOJO sponsored:
- Startup School for Minnesota Legislators: We brought together state senators and legislators for a wonderful discussion about business and policy in Minnesota.
- Crib Crash: We hosted a great networking event with early-stage, student-run companies at the University of St. Thomas Schulze School of Entrepreneurship.
- MOJO Mixers: We hosted two speed-dating and mentoring events for local entrepreneurs.
- Ecumen Partnership: We created an “aging power” technology business award contest in partnership with Ecumen. This is set to launch next January!
- Launched the MOJO Monthly eNewsletter: We started to grow our MOJO community. Don’t forget to sign-up!
- Launched the NEW MOJO Minnesota website: We got a new look. What do you think?
- Active Leadership in Regional Business Plan and VDO Initiative: We look forward to continuing our active leadership role in the community in 2013.
Amazingly enough, this was all accomplished with no budget, just a group of dedicated folks like yourselves with a deep commitment to innovation in Minnesota. Thank you for your support and contributions to our MOJO Minnesota community . Get ready for another successful year and let the MOJO flow!
photo credit: poolie via photopin cc
Federal Credit Extended AND Minnesota Taxpayers Don’t Need Tax Liability to Get Cash Back!
A guest blog post by Scott Schmidt of the Black Line Group.
As they have done consistently since 1981, Congress passed legislation as part of the American Taxpayer Relief Act of 2012 extending the federal Research & Development tax credit. The new law extends the incentive retroactively back to January, 1st of 2012 and through December 31, 2013. This is the fifteenth extension of the credit since its inception. The new federal legislation also includes minor modifications around the rules for acquisitions and controlled groups.
This is a double win for Minnesota taxpayers. The State of Minnesota also has an R&D Tax Credit for qualifying expenditures taking place within the state (the definition of R&D for the MN State Credit is the same as for federal). What many companies do not realize about the MN State R&D Tax Credit is that it is refundable! This means that even if you can’t use the credits, whether it’s because of no corporate tax liability or due to Alternative Minimum Tax (AMT) limitations commonly experienced by shareholders of S corps, you can request a refund from the state. This is immediate cash that can be very beneficial, especially for early-stage companies where much/most everything taking place is R&D and/or for companies that are investing back into their business in order to compete more effectively.
Minnesota companies make two big mistakes when considering (or not considering) the R&D Tax Credit for tax planning.
- Because they don’t realize how broad the definition of Research and Development (“R&D”) is for tax purposes, Minnesota-based manufacturing and technology companies of all types often mistakenly assume that they do not qualify for the federal or Minnesota State R&D Tax Credits.
- The other big mistake that many companies make is that they assume they cannot immediately benefit because they don’t have a current tax liability or because shareholders are limited by the Alternative Minimum Tax (AMT).
This is not true for Minnesota Companies!
No matter the age of your company, this is great news that can potentially enhance the bottom line for all manner of manufacturing and technology related companies because the tax credit is a dollar-for-dollar reduction of a company’s/shareholder’s tax liability. What qualifies as research and development (R&D) is much broader than commonly realized. Activities and costs associated with developing or improving a product and/or process can potentially generate R&D tax credits. Manufacturers of all kinds including those that design and develop their own products, as well as those (i.e. “job shops/contract manufacturers”) that make parts for their OEM customers, are often unknowingly engaged in research and development. Metal stampers and fabricators, precision machinists, mold builders and plastic injection molders, and tool and die-makers are examples of industries that are regularly eligible for the tax credit, but often don’t pursue the credit because they don’t understand that many of their day-to-day activities DO qualify as R&D. Significant R&D also routinely takes place in software development, medical device and other technology companies, and these organizations may also benefit from the tax incentive.
photo credit: Alan Cleaver via photopin cc
We held our very first MOJO CribCrash at the University of St. Thomas Schulze School of Entrepreneurship on Wednesday, December 5. Entrepreneurs in residence hosted MOJO Agitators, local investors, UST professors, and student entrepreneurs to introduce their startups and showoff their collaborative office space located in the Schulze School of Entrepreneurship at the UST Minneapolis campus.
Much to the surprise and delight of attendees, a group of UST student entrepreneurs hosted the Grand Opening of their new lemonade stand-inspired concept, JeweLEM Jewelry, which was developed out of their Foundations of Entrepreneurship course.
Here are the businesses started by UST students and alumni which are currently operating out of the Schulze School of Entrepreneurship Business Development Offices:
- Anxiety In Teens / Cognific
- Arts App
- DoDrinks
- Elite Medical Scribes
- House of Talents
- Kinchie’s Crepes
- The Social Lights
About the Schulze School of Entrepreneurship
The Schulze School of Entrepreneurship was founded in 2005 thanks to a generous donation from Richard M. Schulze, founder and chairman of Best Buy, and his late wife, Sandra. Since then, the University of St. Thomas has been a leader in entrepreneurship education and outreach. The hub of entrepreneurial activities in the Schulze School is the Lab. The Schulze School of Entrepreneurship Lab is part classroom, part war room, part incubator for nascent businesses. It is the place where UST students turn innovative ideas into sustainable businesses.
On Tuesday, November 13, we brought together entrepreneurs, educators, investors, and state legislatures at our very first MOJO Startup School. The goal for this event was to start a conversation about supporting the startup ecosystem in Minnesota.
We are grateful to the state legislatures that were able to join us: Rep. Tim Mahoney, Sen. Terri Bonoff, Sen. Julie Rosen, Rep. Mike Beard, Rep. Steve Simon, Rep. Ryan Winkler, Rep. Tim Sanders, and Rep.-elect Jerry Hertaus.
MOJO Agitator and former State Rep. John Berns led the official welcome to our legislator participants. MOJO Co-founder Brad Lehrman presented on the fundamental elements of a healthy startup ecosystem and the community resources we have here in our backyard. Following the presentation, MOJO Co-founder Ernest Grumbles moderated two panels: the Startup Panel featured entrepreneurs Parag Shah, Matt Kyle, and Corey Thompson; the Finance and Investment Panel featured angel investors Joy Lindsay, Rick Brimacomb, and David Russick.
We look forward to continuing the conversation at our next MOJO Startup School. A special thanks to John Stavig and the Gary S. Holmes Center For Entrepreneurship at the Carlson School of Management for hosting, and The Social Lights for providing social media support.
View the presentation from the event:
The Minnesota High Tech Association (MHTA) has announced the finalists for the 2012 Tekne Awards. The winners will be announced at the Tekne Awards Gala on Thursday, Nov 1st at the Minneapolis Convention Center.
Companies are selected by independent judging panels for their amazing innovation, honoring those who play a significant role in discovering new technologies that educate, improve lifestyles, and impact the lives and futures of people living here in Minnesota and all over the world.
The event is truly a celebration of innovation and a testament to the creativity and entrepreneurship in our state. The award program promises to be a fun-filled evening hosted by Margaret Anderson Kelliher, MHTA president, and emceed by Don Shelby, author, news anchor and reporter. It will be attended by over 1,000 business and political leaders from across the state as they gather to recognize and celebrate creativity and technology visionaries. If you would like to attend, you can register here.
Companies compete in 12 categories covering the entire spectrum of technology. Categories and finalists for the 2012 Tekne Awards are:
ADVANCED MANUFACTURING: 3M (Saint Paul), Seagate Technology (Bloomington) and Top Tool Co. (Blaine).
CLEANTECH & ENERGY: Biovation Holdings Inc. (Mankato), SheerWind, Inc. (Chaska) and TransUNImission, Inc. (Burnsville).
COMPUTER HARDWARE & ELECTRONIC DEVICE: Imation Corp. – DataGuard (Oakdale), Imation Corp. – RDX Media SecureDataGuard (Oakdale) and Network Instruments, LLC (Minnetonka).
EDTECH: eLumen Collaborative (Minneapolis), St. Cloud State University (St. Cloud) and the University of Minnesota Rochester (Rochester).
INNOVATIVE COLLABORATION OF THE YEAR: Blandin Foundation (Grand Rapids), Digineer (Plymouth) and page10 (Minneapolis).
LIFE SCIENCES AWARD: Established company finalists are: 3M (Saint Paul), Starkey Hearing Technologies (Eden Prairie) and Vital Images, Inc. (Minnetonka). Small-and-growing company finalists are: Cardio3 BioSciences (Rochester), Circle Biologics, Inc. (Plymouth) and OrthoCor Medical (Minneapolis).
MOBILE & COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGIES: MakeMusic, Inc. (Eden Prairie), the Minnesota Governor’s Council on Developmental Disabilities (Saint Paul) and Starkey Hearing Technologies (Eden Prairie).
ROBOTICS & AUTOMATION: PaR Systems, Inc. (Shoreview), ReconRobotics, Inc. (Edina) and Global Robotics Innovation Park (Minneapolis).
SOFTWARE AWARD: Established company finalists are: GE Capital Fleet Services (Eden Prairie), JAMF Software, LLC (Minneapolis) and Open Access Technology International, Inc. (Minneapolis). Small-and-growing company finalists are: Code 42 Software, Inc. (Minneapolis), Savigent Software, Inc. (Minnetonka) and Third Wave Systems, Inc. (Eden Prairie).
STARTUP: Sophia Learning, LLC (Minneapolis) and SparkWeave, LLC (Minneapolis).
TECHNOLOGY EXCELLENCE IN A NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION: GiveMN (Saint Paul), MacPhail Center for Music (Minneapolis) and The Works (Bloomington).
TECHNOLOGY SERVICES & CONSULTING: Established company finalists are: Digital River, Inc. (Minnetonka), PeopleNet (Minnetonka) and Thomson Reuters (Eagan). Small-and-growing company finalists are: Agosto, Inc. (Minneapolis), SWAT Solutions, Inc. (St. Louis Park) and Trissential, LLC (Wayzata).
Congratulations to all of the finalists! For more information about these companies, you can visit the Tekne Awards website.
By: Ernest Grumbles, published in the StarTribune
Minnesota is an innovation-driven state. We enjoy our current quality of life because of the past and ongoing efforts of our fellow citizens to harness creativity, work hard and build things that make a lasting difference – food tech, life science, information tech, clean/green tech, education tech and the list goes on. At MOJO Minnesota, we try to help spread the word about startup events and news in our community. Here a few recent and upcoming MN innovation highlights that are a reminder of our robust technology and entrepreneurship scene.
Minnesota Cup Awards – September 6
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