Monday, November 13, 2017

MD&M Industry Connect – Bridging Med-Tech Ecosystems

MD&M trade show floor

The Midwest is like an archipelago of innovation islands, each with its own business ecosystem.  The Midwest I-Corps Node (MWIN) Industry Connect programs help build bridges between geographically distinct innovation communities within and outside the region.  MWIN Industry Connect events leverage existing industry trade shows/conferences so that teams can introduce themselves, pitch their idea to technology decision makers, setup follow-on meetings, acquire feedback on their best path forward, and identify key milestones. This unique program also gives teams the opportunity to connect with like-minded innovators across the Midwest.


Cohort participants & instructors at the
UMN Holmes Center for Entrepreneurship
Recently, the University of Minnesota MIN-Corps site hosted the first MWIN MD&M Industry Connect three-day program for med-tech teams that are exploring commercialization. The cohort was composed of five med tech projects from Purdue University, the University of Michigan, and the University of Minnesota.  The program was taught by Jonathan Fay, executive director of the Center for Entrepreneurship at U-M's School of Engineering, with support from Matthew Lynall, director of experiential learning and management consulting at Purdue's Krannert School of Management, and Carla Pavone, Program Director of MIN-Corps and Associate Director of the Holmes Center for Entrepreneurship.  The cohort’s projects included diagnostic and therapeutic devices targeting cancer, sexually transmitted diseases, and soft tissue calcification.  In addition to attending Medical Design & Manufacturing Minneapolis 2017 , one of the largest med-tech conferences in the US, the participants were introduced to the Twin Cities’ vibrant medical technology ecosystem.

Day One began with an orientation at the UMN Earl E. BakkenMedical Devices Center, where participants learned how to succinctly share their business concepts, as well as how to develop contacts at a conference.  Joe Hale, director of the Medical Devices Innovation Fellows program, also gave our guests a tour of the labs and workshops in the Medical Devices Center facility.  They then spent the evening at the UMN Discovery Nexus, where they learned “What Investors and Licensees are Looking For” from a panel with broad and deep industry expertise.  The panelists included Dan Mooradian, Director of the UMN Medical Device Innovation master’s degree program; Kevin Nickels, Technology Licensing Officer in the UMN Office for Technology Commercialization; and John Dinusson, founder and president of OrthoCor Medical.

Bob Worrell with a cohort team  
Day Two was spent making connections during the day at the MD&M Conference, then making still more connections that evening at a speed mentoring session at Worrell, a top medical product industrial design firm.  About 40 industry experts gathered in Worrell’s collaboration space to hear the participants’ informal pitches.  They then circulated among the projects to share initial impressions, offer connections and give top-of-mind advice.  The participants especially benefited from connecting to Bob Worrell, Founding Principal and President of Worrell Design; Chris Keuhn, co-founder and COO of AdrenaCard, Kevin Anderson, Technology Licensing Officer of the UMN Office for Technology Commercialization, and Greg Molnar, UMN Association Professor of Neurology.  Brandon Bogdalek, Worrell's mixed reality expert, also offered live demos of virtual and augmented reality applications in their Black Box Lab.

Day Three began with the participants continuing to make connections, both at MD&M and UMN.  They completed their immersion by debriefing at the UMN Holmes Center for Entrepreneurship.  Each participant shared new market insights that would fundamentally affect their path toward product-market fit.  The MD&M Industry Connect experience not only helped jump-start five early stage medical technologies, it also connected the Twin Cities more tightly to med tech innovators across the Midwest.


Wednesday, November 8, 2017

Innovating for Impact: Women Innovators Conference

The Women Innovators Conference is a professional development summit designed to help female innovators connect the dots between their ideas and achieving a positive, significant impact. On November 14, 2017, this event will inspire, inform, and connect STEM-trained women students, faculty and business professionals to strengthen and extend the diverse talent pool of women innovators in the Twin Cities. Register Here!
2016 WIC attendeesLast year's conference inspired, informed and connected over 170 women UMN students and industry professionals.  The audience was energized by opening speaker Alison Brown, President of the Minnesota Science Museum and closing speaker Cindy Kent, President & General Manager of 3M Infection Prevention Division (pictured second from left).  Attendee feedback was enthusiastic:
"Do it this way again! This is one of the best networking / professional development conferences I've attended. The sessions felt like the right length, the keynotes were awesome, you brought in an amazing mix of panelists, and you had deliberate but focused networking breaks between each session. The planning was excellent - thank you."
2017 Program - McNamara Alumni Center on UMN Campus
  • Opening Address: “One Italian Class – One Important Box” 
    • Marie Johnson, CEO & Founder AUM Cardiovascular
  • Career Development Breakouts
    • Getting Started (and Getting it Right):  Advice for students and recent grads 
      • Rebecca Luebbert, Coordinator of Career Development, UMN College of Biological Sciences
      • Erin Syverson, Analytic Consultant at Wells Fargo
      • Whitney Moore, Career Counselor, UMN College of Science and Engineering
      • Ximin (Natalie) Huang, Assistant Professor, Supply Chain and Operations
    • Moving on Up:  Considerations for advancing and thriving in established organizations 
      • Stacy Enxing Sing, Venture Partner at Lightstone Ventures, former President of Vascular Therapies at Covidien
      • Silvia Perez, President and General Manager at 3M Drug Delivery Systems Division
      • Jane Davidson, Professor of Mechanical Engineering and Director of the UMN Solar Energy Lab
    • Moving on Out:  Taking the leap to founding or joining a startup
      • Cora Liebig, Founder & CEO at Chromatic 3D Materials
      • Deb Loch, Cofounder and Brewer at Urban Growler
      • Terri Souter, President & CEO at FastBridge Learning
      • Jennie Thomas, Co-founder & COO, Photonic Pharma
  • Innovation Toolbox Breakouts
    • How to Innovate a Product/Technology: Specific examples to illustrate product design methods 
      • Juliana Elstad, President & CEO at Impleo Medical
      • Eve Poeschl, Director of Solutions Design at MentorMate
      • Kate Gallager, Sr. R&D Manager-Cheerios at General Mills
    • How to Innovate a Process/Service:  Specific examples to illustrate process design methods 
      • Susan Dray, Founder at Dray & Associates
      • Kathleen Harder, Director of the Center for Design in Health at University of Minnesota
    • How to Innovate with Influence:  The art of persuasion in presentation & organizational navigation
      • Cynthia Arnold, former SVP Global Technology at Sherwin Williams
      • Maura Donovan, Executive Director of Economic Development at the University of Minnesota
      • Kathy Tune, Managing Director at Fourth Element Capital
  • Closing Address: “If You Want People to Take You Seriously, Don’t Wear Jewelry That Makes Noise” 
    • Lisa Schlosser, CTO of FindLaw at Thomson Reuters
  • Reception and Networking
WIC three pillars