MOVABLE improves health and wellness through simple & affordable group-based products & programs. Leveraging the explosion in consumer activity devices, MOVABLE's primary offering is a wrist-worn activity monitor, MOVband, tied to a group activity program, MOVchallenge. MOVABLE's affordable solution inspires individuals to move more and ultimately fosters a culture of health and wellness in the group (including organizations, schools and communities).

Website: http://movable.com/

Moty Avisar and Alon Geri have backgrounds in flight simulation. Dr. Warren Selman is neurosurgeon-in-chief at University Hospitals in Cleveland. Together, the three top minds behind Surgical Theater have developed a surgery rehearsal platform on which surgeons can practice the procedure they are about to perform on a specific patient and use a digital replica of the patient's specific anatomy.

SPR Therapeutics LLC now can sell its flagship product in Europe.

European regulators have given the Highland Heights company the go-ahead to begin selling the Smartpatch nerve stimulation system for use in patients with chronic shoulder pain.

The company will become a tenant of the Great Lakes Innovation and Development Enterprise and leverage the Richard Desich SMART Commercialization Center for Microsystems to develop its technology

Lorain County has attracted a new startup. Guided Interventions, LLC, a company developing a technology to better assess the physiological impact of coronary artery blockages, plans to call the Great Lakes Innovation and Development Enterprise (GLIDE) home while taking advantage of the equipment and expertise at the Richard Desich SMART Commercialization Center for Microsystems.

Guided Interventions is commercializing a product that uses pressure sensors to more easily, effectively and affordably assess the physiological impact of coronary artery blockages. The way in which these sensors connect with a fractional flow reserve (FFR) guidewire is critical to its effectiveness in obtaining FFR measurements during coronary catheterization procedures. Guided Interventions CEO, Dr. Matthew Pollman, a cardiologist and cardiovascular molecular biologist, plans to use the staff of the Desich SMART Center, a MEMS packaging, assembly, and test development foundry, to help integrate and test the sensor.

"I was incredibly impressed by the level of competency among the individuals at the Desich SMART Center," said Dr. Pollman. "There are very few places in the United States where a small company can gain open access to the level of technical support, infrastructure and expertise that is offered at the Desich SMART Center and that was a main attraction for our company."

"To have a startup incorporate in Ohio in part because of the Desich SMART Center validates that this facility is filling a much needed gap in the commercialization continuum and is positioning Lorain County as a hub for MEMS and sensor technology development," said Lorain County Community College president Dr. Roy Church.

Guided Interventions is combining the Lorain County resources with a recently awarded $250,000 investment from JumpStart, a nonprofit venture development organization. With this financial, technical, and infrastructure support, the company intends to launch and scale its operations in Lorain County in the next year, including hiring engineers.

"GLIDE has a track record of success in attracting technology-based companies to Lorain County," said Lorain County Commissioner Ted Kalo. "When GLIDE—an established Edison Technology incubator with tangible results—is then complemented by such innovative resources as the Desich SMART Commercialization Center, the County becomes a beacon to burgeoning startups developing technologies and creating jobs."

GLIDE, which was established by a partnership between the Lorain County Commissioners, the Lorain County Chamber of Commerce and Lorain County Community College, has advised more than 2,600 entrepreneurs and formally mentored over 100 companies that have created new jobs in Lorain County.

Within the same building as GLIDE is a temporary home for the Desich SMART Center, which is a class 10,000 cleanroom equipped with advanced and standard packaging technologies to provide customers with high performance, low-cost manufacturing solutions. The Desich SMART Center has served more than two dozen companies with specific MEMS packaging, assembly, and test needs, and in spring 2013 will move into a 47,000 square-foot facility adjacent to GLIDE featuring class 100 and class 1000 cleanrooms and incubator space.

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About Guided Interventions
Guided Interventions, LLC is a medical device company currently based out of the Great Lakes Innovation and Development Enterprise (GLIDE). Its novel technology helps doctors better assess the physiological impact of coronary artery blockages.

About the Desich SMART Center
The Richard Desich SMART Commercialization Center for Microsystems is a MEMS packaging, assembly, and test development foundry. It develops manufacturable packaging integration solutions for customers developing next-generation MEMS products by leveraging world-class facilities and a highly experienced engineering team to accelerate product time to market.

About GLIDE
The Great Lakes Innovation and Development Enterprise (GLIDE), a physical and virtual incubator on the Lorain County Community College campus, was formed in 2001 through a partnership with the College, the Lorain County Commissioners, and Lorain County Chamber of Commerce. GLIDE has advised more than 2,600 entrepreneurs and formally mentored over 100 companies.

Light up a paint job with the flick of a switch!

A company called Darkside Scientific is blowing minds coast to coast with their new electroluminescent paint they call LumiLor. They're electrifying everything from walls to guitars to motorcycles, and the sky is the limit for what Lumilor's future capabilities could be.

Poly MedTech creates polymer-based wound closure solutions for the surgical wound closure market. Its initial product allows the surrounding skin to bend and flex ensuring better wound closure and the company is creating a wound closure kit to optimize and simplify the application. Poly MedTech's goal is to reduce the pain and application process associated with sutures and staples.

The company received an Innovation Fund grant in November 2012 and is using the funding to optimize the polymer and begin FDA approval.

The Innovation Fund has awarded $50,000 to North Jackson-based The Learning Egg. Funds will be used to improve their web-based application, Lightning Grader.
 
“[Lightning Grader] allows teachers to quickly and easily create a learning assessment, grade 100 pages a minute, and generate an analysis of student performance,” explains Elijah Stambaugh, CEO at The Learning Egg.

Two startup companies — one in Akron and the other in Medina — have each received a $25,000 grant from the nonprofit Innovation Fund, designed to help young companies at the earliest stage of development.

October 29, 2012: The Innovation Fund, founded by the Lorain County Community College Foundation, is headed to Canton to encourage area entrepreneurs to apply for funding. The fund, which is available to entrepreneurs across the 21 counties of Northeast Ohio, averages six awards of up to $100,000 every quarter and its leadership is making a concerted effort to increase the Innovation Fund's activity in Canton.

In partnership with Stark State College, the Innovation Fund is hosting a free informational session on Wednesday, November 14th for all Canton area entrepreneurs to learn about the fund, get advice on applying, and understand funding requirements. The session will be led by Cliff Reynolds, co-director of GLIDE, the Lorain County-based incubator that administers the Innovation Fund.

"We believe there are more entrepreneurs leading high potential, technology-based startups in Canton and the surrounding areas than we are seeing in applications," Reynolds said. "So we're taking some steps to make sure entrepreneurs in this area are aware of the Innovation Fund and how it can help them grow their businesses."

One of the Stark County companies that has seen the Innovation Fund's benefit is Tesla NanoCoatings. The startup, led by president and chief executive officer Todd Hawkins, provides corrosion control coatings to the aerospace, military, petrochemical, transportation, marine, and industrial markets. With a $100,000 award from the Innovation Fund in May 2012, the company purchased capital equipment to generate testing data that will demonstrate the technology's commercial application.

"The Innovation Fund has been instrumental in helping Tesla NanoCoatings begin to reach its potential," Hawkins said. Beyond the investment, Hawkins pointed to the Innovation Fund's process itself as a valuable tool in driving company growth. "The financial tools and entrepreneurial resources provided during the application process helped establish Tesla's strong business model worthy of investment."

Derek Gordon, Assistant Safety and Service Director for the City of Canton, wants to see more stories like this. "We are very encouraged by the Innovation Fund's efforts to reach Canton entrepreneurs and we will continue working with them to get the high potential startups we know are in this area to apply," Gordon said. "The Innovation Fund fills a critical funding gap and can help put this region's entrepreneurs on a pathway to raising more money and ultimately, creating jobs."

The session is being held on Wednesday, November 14, 2012 from 1:00pm to 3:30pm in Stark State College's Business & Entrepreneurial Studies Center. To register, visit the Innovation Fund website.

About the Innovation Fund
The Innovation Fund, founded by the Lorain County Community College Foundation, awards early-stage capital to technology-based companies in Northeast Ohio so they can validate their technologies and business concepts. The funding awards of up to $100,000 fill the capital needs of businesses that are at the earliest stage of development, before they can attract angel and venture capital funding. The Innovation Fund's partners include Ohio Third Frontier, the University of Akron, the University of Akron Research Foundation, Cleveland State University, the Great Lakes Innovation and Development Enterprise (GLIDE), the Lorain County Community College Foundation, Stark State College, Youngstown State University, the Youngstown Business Incubator, and most recently Northeast Ohio Medical University.

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November 29, 2012: The Innovation Fund, founded by the Lorain County Community College Foundation, is awarding $375,000 to eight technology-based startup companies. The award recipients, which cross three technology sectors and represent five Northeast Ohio counties, will be using the seed funding to patent their technologies, begin FDA approval processes, build out prototypes and gain early customers.

Darkside Scientific ($25,000 | Medina)
Darkside Scientific, LLC has developed the world's first and only electroluminescent coating technology, LumiLor paint. This patent-pending product is capable of illuminating practically any surface, including metals, plastics, wood, fiberglass, and glass. The company intends to use the funds to build its paint shop training center and develop a library of procedures, troubleshooting guidelines, and FAQs.

MascotSecret ($25,000 | Cleveland)
MascotSecret's online and mobile ticketing technology allows fans to upgrade their seats during the game, supercharging the fan experience and increasing event-day ticket sales. The company is using the funds to further develop its mobile application. MascotSecret is a member of Bizdom, an entrepreneurship accelerator that mentors and funds tech-based startups in the downtowns of Cleveland and Detroit.

Motion Resolution ($25,000 | Rocky River)
Motion Resolution LLC's patented technology is evolving the standard bike pedal by maximizing the leg muscles and creating a new, more efficient pedaling motion. Motion Resolution, which is located at The Incubator at MAGNET, is using the funding to engineer its two remaining prototypes.

Poly MedTech ($25,000 | Akron)
Poly MedTech's initial product, which is based on research conducted at The University of Akron, is a rubbery adhesive coating that keeps wounds closed while letting the surrounding skin bend and flex. The company will use the funding to optimize the polymer and begin FDA approval.

SafeCare ($25,000 | Cleveland)
SafeCare LLC helps eliminate elder abuse in long-term care facilities by monitoring employees monthly against nationwide healthcare and criminal public data sources. SafeCare plans to use the money to build out its product and explore patent protection. SafeCare is a member of Bizdom, an entrepreneurship accelerator that mentors and funds tech-based startups in the downtowns of Cleveland and Detroit.

The Learning Egg ($50,000 | North Jackson)
The Learning Egg has developed a web-based subscription application that allows teachers to quickly and easily create a learning assessment, automatically grade 100 pages a minute, and generate an analysis of student performance. With the funds, The Learning Egg will enhance its feature set and continue school integration across the country.

IGW Solutions ($100,000 | Elyria)
IGW Solutions is a billing and account service provider that allows retail store owners to overcome customer crediting issue barriers. Its web-based software, InStoreFinance.com helps stores capture potentially lost credit sales through self-financing solutions. With the funding, IGW will add stores to its portfolio and develop its go-to-market strategy. IGW is a member of Bizdom, an entrepreneurship accelerator that mentors and funds tech-based startups in the downtowns of Cleveland and Detroit.

Socrates Analytics ($100,000 | Shaker Heights)
Socrates Analytics has integrated data from all existing hospital administrative databases to allow for a data-driven analysis of the entire patient experience, resulting in a unique perspective on information that can be used to improve quality and efficiency. The Innovation Fund money will finance the installation and development expenses to bring on an additional large hospital and one small hospital as clients.

"The companies that receive Innovation Fund money have a clear use for the funds, whether it's to prove out their technologies with a patent or validate their business model by onboarding customers," said Tracy Green, Lorain County Community College's Vice President of Strategic and Institutional Development. "It's exciting to see the Innovation Fund do exactly what it's supposed to, which is to bridge a known financing gap and allow Northeast Ohio's technology startups to continue their growth and eventually become job creators for the region."

Including this most recent round of awards, the Innovation Fund has made 114 awards to 94 companies totaling $6.475 million. These companies have raised $71 million follow-on funding, created more than 300 jobs, and provided more than 150 internships to students.

About the Innovation Fund
The Innovation Fund, founded by the Lorain County Community College Foundation, is Northeast Ohio's most active early-stage fund. It makes awards of up to $100,000 to technology-based companies so they can validate their technologies and business concepts. The Innovation Fund averages six funding awards per quarter and fills the capital needs of businesses at the earliest stage of development, before they can attract angel and venture capital funding. Innovation Fund awards are made with funds from the Ohio Third Frontier, which have been combined with matching support and contributions from the Innovation Fund partners. These partners include the University of Akron, the University of Akron Research Foundation, Cleveland State University, the Great Lakes Innovation and Development Enterprise (GLIDE), the Lorain County Community College Foundation, Stark State College, Youngstown State University, the Youngstown Business Incubator, and Northeast Ohio Medical University.