This week two incubator tenants, the Center for Sports Skills Measurement & Improvement and AVtick,  launched Rockethub Crowdfunding campaigns. Each campaign can be found using the following direct links:

The Center for Sports: http://www.rockethub.com/projects/24875-moneyball-for-the-masses-support-the-democratization-of-youth-athletics

AVtick: http://www.rockethub.com/projects/20155-do-you-want-ticks-not-the-kind-you-think-but-the-good-ones-from-avtick

Business Profile

AVtick’s mission is to evolve the social media and networking experience for today’s mobile-centric lifestyle. AVtick wants to bring the sound of audio and our voices to our mobile-based social interactions, and more importantly, make our personal interactions become easier to share, our lives happier, and more personable. Essentially, an audio-and-voice based social media and networking experience.

History

AVtick moved into the Incubator Spring 2012. The company’s goal is to create and build their first mobile application iteration, slated for iPhone and more importantly, to help launch the entrepreneurial journey that will lead to good things for everyone involved. A product that will be engaging and add value to consumer’s lives, build a workforce of highly creative and talented employees, and improve the connectivity and social experiences of all of us involved.

News

Michael Manthey recently launched a RocketHub crowd funding campaign to raise the seed capital to fund the first iteration of the iPhone Application, with long-term goals to build out the product, and roll it out to other operating systems such as Android and iPad. To view AVtick’s crowd funding campaign, please visit www.tinyurl.com/avtick.

AVtick will be accepting intern applications this fall, for the following spring 2014 semester. As AVtick gains traction, the company plans to slowly and intelligently hire talented employees who will contribute over time.

Founder

Western NY native and graduate from Niagara University, Mike Manthey is a first-time entrepreneur.  Manthey was born with Nager Acrofacial Dysostosis syndrome.  Recognizing his own struggles with communicating face-to-face, Manthey hopes to raise the bar with effective and personal communication on a mobile platform.

Contact: Michael Manthey

214 Central Avenue
Dunkirk, NY 14048
Email: mmanthey@avtick.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/avtick

The SUNY Fredonia Technology Incubator welcomed its first tenant in April 2010 and has spent much of its time since then marketing itself as a destination for exciting young businesses.

But with the maturation of several of those businesses, the incubator is preparing to make a distinct but subtle shift, director Robert Fritzinger said this week.

“The story we’ve been telling is about the incubator and the success we’ve had acquiring projects in it,” Fritzinger said. “Now the story’s about the businesses.”

Three businesses in particular are blazing the trail toward autonomy – and might soon fill Fritzinger’s greatest hope for the initiative: moving from the incubator’s space in downtown Dunkirk into nearby buildings. They include the Center for Sports Skill Measurement & Improvement LLC, iKoss and Silicon Wolves Computing Society.

All three are “running hard, running fast,” and either have customers or potential customers who are bringing in revenue from out-of-state, Fritzinger said.

The incubator recently held two events promoting its businesses. The first, a community open house, was attended by 250-300 people. The second was a visit from state Sen. Catharine Young, R-Olean, to celebrate a $100,000 state grant to support the incubator.

Fritzinger said the incubator has 15 tenants right now and is about 60 percent full. It is currently processing about eight applications and will likely accept three or four as tenants, he said. He emphasized that filling the building is not the incubator’s primary concern – filling the community with healthy young businesses is.

“If we just wanted to rent space we would have been full two years ago,” he said. “If that were the case, we would have maybe been a threat to other real estate operators in town. We’re grooming the operators who we think are their next tenants.”

By Dan Miner, Business First
WKBW-TV
http://www.nbcnews.com/id/51659277/ns/local_news-buffalo_ny/#.UXmlR6KNlvI

The SUNY Fredonia Technology Incubator hosted its first annual open house on Tuesday, April 9. Seven of its current entrepreneurs gathered in the facility’s main conference room to present and discuss their businesses, including accomplishments and future plans, with attendees.

Interim Provost Kevin Kearns spoke briefly before handing off to Incubator Director Robert Fritzinger, who discussed the incubator’s dedication to economic development in the area and the tremendous amount of opportunity for students and entrepreneurs.

Many of the tenants discussed early success such as the Center for Sports Skills Measurement and Improvement, which currently has 23 testing centers across the country, with nine more on the way, in addition to the 25 summer tournaments it will have a present at which will expose the Center to over 25,000 athletes.

The certified small, woman-owned firm iKoss Consulting has hired eight employees to date, with plans to hire 15 more over the next several months. The company specializes in human resource-related projects for Fortune 1000 companies within the food service, hospitality and retail sectors.

The incubator’s first graduate, Textivia, was represented by co-owner Dave Christopher, who shared his company’s future plans to steadily grow and hire within the area. Textivia graduated and moved into Dunkirk office space in October of 2012 and has since hired five employees to serve its more than 100 clients.

Other Incubator businesses that showed off their accomplishments last week included AVtick, Silicon Wolves Computing Society, STASH Sporting Goods and V3 Studios.

In addition to community members, Dunkirk Mayor A.J. Dolce and several members from the Chautauqua County Industrial Development Agency, including Director Bill Daly, were in attendance. From the campus side, attendees included President Virginia Horvath, faculty from the School of Business, Department of Mathematical Sciences, and Department of Computer and Information Sciences, and staff representing the offices of Admissions and Career Development as well as the divisions of Academic Affairs and University Advancement. Students representing various academic disciplines also attended, in addition to current interns.

“This project exists for one specific reason,” said Fritzinger. “…If a community does not invest in…new technology-oriented businesses in the community, it runs the risk of losing its youth. We’re affiliated with a great college…and it creates an opportunity for us to make an investment here, build those types of businesses, and then capture our kids and keep them here and turn the tide and start to rebuild the area. That’s what we’re dedicated to; that’s what we’re going to keep working on.”

The incubator regularly welcomes prospective tenants as well as input from the community. If you missed the open house and would like to learn more about the facility, feel free to call 716-680-6009 to make an appointment.

The Incubator offers its client entrepreneurs access to a unique facility, business resources, technology expertise as well as a range of highly qualified faculty, technology experts, business professionals and mentors. Research shows businesses graduating from an incubator significantly increase their probability of long-term success. Companies typically spend two to three years in an incubator and then graduate when they meet milestones that allow them to operate independently and expand.

Thank you to everyone who attended the first annual Incubator open house. We were thrilled by the tremendous display of support from the college and community and we’re excited to see everyone back next year!

President Virginia Horvath and Interim Provost Kevin Kearns mingling with Incubator tenants.

Director Robert Fritzinger welcoming open house attendees.

Angelo Dimillo, STASH Sports, speaking with an open house attendee.

The SUNY Fredonia Technology Incubator will host an Open House on Tuesday, April 9, from 4 to 7 p.m. All business, campus and community members are invited to attend this event, which is free and open to the public.

• AVtick, whose mission is to evolve the social media and networking experience for today’s mobile lifestyle. AVtick seeks to bring the sound of audio and voices to its mobile-based social interactions, making personal interactions easier to share and lives happier — an audio- and voice-based social media and networking experience. In March, AVtick launched a RocketHub crowd-funding campaign to raise seed capital to fund the first iteration of its iPhone application, with long-term goals to build out the product and roll it out to other operating systems such as Android and iPad.
• The Center for Sports Skills Measurement and Improvement, a company which helps athletes to improve, parents to stay informed, and coaches to explore information on the nation’s top athletes, all in one place. The company currently has 23 clients in 11 states.
• Dunkirk Bioenergy (DBE), a renewable energy company developing a system that utilizes anaerobic digestion technology to produce renewable energy, heat and soil products from organic waste.  DBE is working with several of the area’s food processing companies to create a centralized alternative waste management system that turns their organic waste into energy.
• iKoss Consulting, a certified small, woman-owned consulting firm. It specializes in human resource-related process and organizational transition services, change management, portal/intranet content writing, and project management support. iKoss focuses on Fortune 1000 companies within the food service, hospitality, and retail sectors. It presently has eight employees as well as clients with operations in all 50 states.
• Silicon Wolves Computing Society, an enterprise-, corporate- and academic-ready, high-performance computing solutions company. The research and development company manufactures the most advanced, professional-grade computer workstations, clusters and supercomputing clusters on the market, emphasizing solutions which are “tailor made” for its clients’ needs. This high-tech start-up relocated to the SUNY Fredonia Technology Incubator from Anaheim, Calif. in the spring of 2012, and has recently begun deploying computing solutions at University of Buffalo’s Virtual Reality Laboratory.
• STASH Sporting Goods, Inc., whose product line includes The LaceLocker®, STASH Z3 Fielding Glove, STASH EPS Glove, QUICK MITT Hitting Gloves, and The Hand★Saver. Its latest product, the LaceLocker®, is a unique storage device designed to give users a sense of shoelace safety, whether they are running, playing a sport or walking. STASH recently signed eight-time NCAA Division II champion and elite distance Hanson Brooks runner Neely Spence Gracey as LaceLocker’s first pro endorser.
• TexTivia, the most recent client to graduate from the incubator — relocating only one block away on Central Avenue into a slightly larger space. TexTivia is an innovative digital and social media marketing agency, and presently has over 100 clients in 12 states. Since graduating from the incubator, the firm has added four employees and over 30 new clients.
• V3 Studios, the incubator’s first student-founded tenant, owned by SUNY Fredonia student Michael Carbone and 2012 graduate Andre Cobham. The video production service provider, which currently has three employees and 11 clients, is finalizing the edit for infoTech Niagara’s 2013 BETA Awards.

Two businesses housed in the SUNY Fredonia Technology Incubator have been named finalists for the 2013 BETA Awards, given by InfoTech Niagara, the trade association of Western New York’s information technology industry. The Center for Sports Skills Measurement & Improvement (Center for Sports) CEO Kevin Morse and iKoss Consulting CEO Jennifer Koss will both participate in the 13th annual award ceremony which honors the best and brightest companies and individuals in the region’s technology community. In all, over 400 technology professionals are invited to the BETA Awards, which will be held March 27 at the Buffalo Convention Center.

“Having two finalists out of Dunkirk this year is excellent recognition for Chautauqua County,” said Incubator Director Robert Fritzinger. “These two companies are among the very best the WNY technology community has to offer and are prime examples of the kinds of entrepreneurs currently housed in SUNY Fredonia’s Incubator.”

The Center for Sports is a finalist in the “Rookie of the Year” category, the same award the SUNY Fredonia Technology Incubator itself was nominated for in 2012. This award is given to a new technology organization launched in Western New York within the past year that shows both the growth and potential to become a leader in their industry. With now more than 23 testing locations throughout the U.S., the Center for Sports helps athletes improve, parents stay informed, and coaches explore information on the nation’s athletes, all in one place. The Center for Sports was also named in the Top 100 University Startups given by the National Center for Entrepreneurial Tech Transfer, earlier this year.

iKoss Consulting CEO Jennifer Koss is a finalist for this year’s “Women in Technology” award. This award goes to the woman-owned business that has grown a business, developed technology or contributed the most to the Western New York technology community. iKoss is a certified small, woman-owned management consulting firm specializing in business process and organizational transition services, change management, portal / intranet content writing, and project management support. The company has developed a reputation for excellence among Fortune 1000 companies by providing targeted client service offerings, quality work products, and outstanding service delivery. It is dedicated to providing immediate value to all of its clients through a dynamic, highly qualified workforce. Its unique employment model attracts high-caliber professionals and promotes flexible working arrangements, which benefit both its clients and consultants.

The SUNY Fredonia Technology Incubator offers client entrepreneurs access to a unique facility, business resources, and technology expertise, as well as a range of qualified faculty, technology experts, business professionals and mentors. Research shows that businesses graduating from an incubator significantly increase their probability of success. Companies typically spend two-to-three years in an incubator and then graduate when they meet milestones that allow them to operate independently and expand.

InfoTech Niagara is “the” trade association of Western New York’s information technology industry. Membership in InfoTech opens the door to a network of hundreds of companies across the nation through their national affiliation. InfoTech Niagara has a directory distributed to over 12,000 business professionals in Western New York, courtesy of Business First.

The Center for Sports Skill Measurement & Improvement, LLC (Center for Sports), a tenant of the SUNY Fredonia Technology Incubator, was recently named by the National Center for Entrepreneurial Tech Transfer (NCET2) as a Top 100 University Startup.  As a result of the honor, CEO Kevin Morse has been invited to attend NCET2’s national conference, sponsored by the National Association of Venture Capital and held in Washington, D.C., in March.  Final scoring of all the nominated companies will be available in early March.

“Kevin has made an incredible amount of progress moving his company forward and has truly earned this spot in the Top 100,” said Incubator Director Robert Fritzinger.  “He’s also a great example of the kinds of entrepreneurs we have in this facility.  Launching a new business is a thrilling and intense undertaking, requiring lots of travel, creativity and hard work, and he’s starting to see the fruits of his efforts.  In addition, people all over the U.S. are learning about the Dunkirk-Fredonia region, thanks to his travels.”

The Center for Sports Skills Measurement and Improvement is the connection between student athletes, parents, and coaches. With now more than 20 testing locations throughout the U.S., the company helps athletes improve, parents stay informed, and coaches explore information on the nation’s athletes, all in one place. The Center for Sports has been housed in the SUNY Fredonia Technology Incubator since July 2011. Visit www.allsportsskillstest.com to learn more.

“I appreciate all that the incubator and the entire SUNY Fredonia institution has done to support our dream of helping athletes reach their potential,” said Morse.

The incubator offers its client entrepreneurs access to a unique facility, business resources and technology expertise, as well as a range of highly qualified faculty, technology experts, business professionals and mentors. Research shows that businesses graduating from an incubator significantly increase their probability of long-term success. Companies typically spend two to three years in an incubator and then graduate when they meet milestones that allow them to operate independently and expand.

NCET2 is an organization of entrepreneurial universities creating and funding university start-ups, supporting entrepreneurship and providing entrepreneurial education. NCET2 connects investors, economic development organizations, public and private funds and tech transfer professionals in building communities of innovation at universities. NCET2 provides an annual conference for innovation stakeholders to share experiences and create a constructive dialog on how to best work together.

Business Profile

Stash Sporting Goods’ uniquely designed equipment ensures safety and protection of athletes. Stash Sports includes the LaceLocker, Stash Z3 Fielding Glove, Stash EPS Glove, Quick Mitt Hitting Gloves, and Stash Glove & Hand★Saver.

History

After spending 27 years as an athlete, Founder Carol “Stash” Stanley’s first foray into designing sports equipment featured a line of baseball and softball gloves which use “Palmer Padding” to disperse the energy from a sharply hit ball, to reduce painful contusions and bruising to the hand. The STAN-MILL MITT glove is the only one of its kind featured in a permanent collection in the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, N.Y. It was the first to employ the use of padding in a batting style glove and hundreds of professional ball players have used STASH gloves for over 30 years.

News

STASH Sporting Goods recently launched its third major product and, in doing so, has recognized the benefits of aligning itself with Fredonia’s incubator and the university campus.

This latest product, LaceLocker®, is a unique footwear lace storage device designed to make running and competing in sports safer and more enjoyable. For more information about the LaceLocker, visit http://lacelocker.com/.

Founder

The company, which has been in existence since 1981, was founded by Carol “Stash” Stanley, SUNY Fredonia Alumna.

From 1985 until 2000 she was Director of Student Information and Records at Drexel. She has also served the University of Pennsylvania and SUNY Binghamton in their student records areas, coached softball at Ohio State University and SUNY Binghamton (where she formed the varsity softball program and team), and organized, established and trained the Peruvian Women’s National Softball Team.

Stanley holds a bachelor’s degree from SUNY Fredonia with majors in Speech, English and Theater. She also holds a Master of Education degree from SUNY Cortland as well as a Master of Information Studies from Drexel University. In addition to her entrepreneurial efforts, she is currently the Registrar at the University of Virginia, a position she has held since 2000.

Contact: Carol “Stash” Stanley

214 Central Avenue
Dunkirk, NY 14048
Email: stash@stashsports.com

Website: http://stashsports.com/

Linda Niedbalski, of the M&T Bank office in Fredonia, and Joshua Heim (second from right), of M&T Bank headquarters in Buffalo, deliver a check to Dr. David Tiffany, executive director of the Fredonia College Foundation. Joining in the presentation are SUNY Fredonia’s Timothy Murphy (left), director of Development, and Rich Ryan, associate director of Development.

M&T Bank is continuing its longstanding support of SUNY Fredonia with two substantial gifts, made through the Fredonia College Foundation, to benefit the SUNY Fredonia Technology Incubator and the Keeper of the Dream Scholarship and Leadership program.

The Western New York-based bank is providing $75,000 over a five-year period to the technology incubator to help cover general operating expenses. Since its founding, the incubator has admitted 22 tenants, including four that have graduated and relocated to other facilities. At last count, these companies have created 72 jobs. Fifteen tenants currently operate in the incubator, and eight more business opportunities are being evaluated.

At the incubator, which opened three years ago in downtown Dunkirk, tenants receive the support, infrastructure, resources, guidance and expertise necessary to successfully launch a new business.

M&T Bank is also affirming its support of the Keeper of the Dream program with a $20,000 contribution.

The program, established by the SUNY Fredonia Office of Student Affairs, provides renewable $4,000 scholarships to five entering freshman based on high school achievement, community service and a demonstrated commitment to multiculturalism. It has produced numerous campus leaders, Chancellor’s Award winners and outstanding graduates.

Funding of Keeper of the Dream scholarships by M&T Bank began in 2002.

“M&T Bank has a great and continuing commitment to the communities it serves,” said Dr. David Tiffany, executive director of the Fredonia College Foundation. “They have supported our Keeper of the Dream Scholarship for years, and their support for our incubator has been essential to providing the funding needed to assure its growth and success.”

The two gifts were arranged with the assistance of Josh Heim, vice president of Government Banking at M&T Bank’s headquarters in Buffalo; and Linda Niedbalski, vice president-branch manager of the M&T Bank office in Fredonia. The $75,000 incubator contribution is among the largest gifts ever made by M&T Bank to the Fredonia College Foundation.

In addition, M&T Bank supports SUNY Fredonia in other ways, including sponsorship of the popular Walter Gloor Mainstage Series that brings five theatre and dance productions to Rockefeller Arts Center each year.

Carol “Stash” Stanley, ’71, poses with her new LaceLocker product at SUNY Fredonia’s Ruterbusch Run during Homecoming 2012. Stanley’s company, Stash Sporting Goods, is the newest tenant of the SUNY Fredonia Technology Incubator. Enlarge>>

The SUNY Fredonia Technology Incubator has welcomed STASH Sporting Goods, Inc., as its latest tenant. The company, which has been in existence since 1981, was founded by Carol “Stash” Stanley, a member of the Class of 1971, making STASH Sporting Goods the first incubator tenant to be founded by a Fredonia graduate.*

The company recently launched its third major product and, in doing so, has recognized the benefits of aligning itself with Fredonia’s incubator and the university campus. This latest product, LaceLocker®, is a unique footwear lace storage device designed to make running and competing in sports safer and more enjoyable.

“Being associated with the incubator and having contact with the university has been an excellent source for the company,” said Founder Carol Stanley. “As an athlete, I strive to design equipment that provides players with comfort and safety while also helping to improve their game.”

After spending 27 years as an athlete, Ms. Stanley’s first foray into designing sports equipment featured a line of baseball and softball gloves which use “Palmer Padding” to disperse the energy from a sharply hit ball, to reduce painful contusions and bruising to the hand. The STAN-MILL MITT glove is the only one of its kind featured in a permanent collection in the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, N.Y.

LaceLocker is an innovative and unique device which securely stores tied shoe laces. Its simplicity of use (three easy steps) allows users of all ages to tie and wear footwear with laces in a safer manner. Made entirely in the U.S., LaceLocker can be used for activities such as running, ice skating, golf, tennis — any sport that requires some type of laced footwear, making the cumbersome process of double or triple knotting laces (which are harder to undo) a thing of the past. LaceLocker is also a perfect answer for those young ones whose laces seem to always come untied.

“Launching a new product is a significant step for any company in the incubator,” said Incubator Director Robert Fritzinger. “An incredible amount of progress is being made, and I don’t see them slowing down.”

Stanley holds a bachelor’s degree from SUNY Fredonia with majors in Speech, English and Theater. She also holds a Master of Education degree from SUNY Cortland as well as a Master of Information Studies from Drexel University. In addition to her entrepreneurial efforts, she is currently the Registrar at the University of Virginia, a position she has held since 2000. From 1985 until 2000 she was Director of Student Information and Records at Drexel. She has also served the University of Pennsylvania and SUNY Binghamton in their student records areas, coached softball at Ohio State University and SUNY Binghamton (where she formed the varsity softball program and team), and organized, established and trained the Peruvian Women’s National Softball Team.

To learn more about the company, visit www.lacelocker.com, or contact Stanley at stash@stashsports.com.

The SUNY Fredonia Technology Incubator offers its client entrepreneurs access to a unique facility, business resources, technology expertise as well as a range of highly qualified faculty, technology experts, business professionals and mentors. Research shows businesses graduating from an incubator significantly increase their probability of long-term success. Companies typically spend two to three years in an incubator and then graduate when they meet milestones that allow them to operate independently and expand.
*V3 Studios is also owned by two Fredonia alumni; however, its founders were Fredonia students when the company was first formed.

The SUNY Fredonia Technology Incubator has graduated its first tenant since opening its new facility in December 2009. TexTivia, an innovative digital and social media marketing agency, was founded at the incubator. It later expanded, opening two additional offices on the East Coast.  Upon graduation, TexTivia will relocate into nearby office space within the Dunkirk Professional Building, 314 Central Ave., Suite 303.

One of the new incubator building’s original tenants, TexTivia has captured a tremendous number of new customers, generating a ten-fold increase in revenue last year. The company works closely with the Chautauqua County Chamber of Commerce and several other community organizations which have opened countless business opportunities. TexTivia recently designed the incubator’s new website as well.  TexTivia is a Facebook marketing, Facebook application, and social media marketing agency located throughout the East Coast with offices in: Raleigh, NC; Cary, NC; Harrisburg, PA ; Mechanicsburg, PA ; and Fredonia, NY. Visit its website>>

“A large factor in the progress TexTivia has made is owed to the SUNY Fredonia Technology Incubator,” said Co-founder Ray Christopher. “Relocating to the Dunkirk Professional Building is an exciting opportunity to help create a synergy between the incubator and the Dunkirk community.”

The incubator offers its client entrepreneurs access to a unique facility, business resources, technology expertise as well as a range of highly qualified faculty, technology experts, business professionals and mentors. Research shows businesses graduating from an incubator significantly increase their probability of long-term success. Companies typically spend two to three years in an incubator and then graduate when they meet milestones that allow them to operate independently and expand.

“TexTivia has made a tremendous amount of progress in such a short time,” said Incubator Director Robert Fritzinger. “It’s encouraging to see our first incubator graduate expanding within the Dunkirk community.”

The SUNY Fredonia Technology Incubator is a SUNY Fredonia-sponsored economic development initiative that supports entrepreneurs and business start-ups in the technology sector and related industries. Since its official opening in December 2009, it remains ahead of its initial growth projections and, with TexTivia’s departure, now houses 15 start-up companies.

The SUNY Fredonia Technology Incubator will host a free training workshop on Wednesday, Sept. 19, for artists and small business owners titled, “Increase sales with your smart phone.” Taught by several facilitators, including Professor Peter Tucker of SUNY Fredonia, the workshop will focus on everything from processing credit cards to loyalty programs and customer relations. The program is being offered as a result of the increasing prevalence of and growing demand for smart phone and other mobile computing technologies.

According to data from the Pew Research Center published recently in Time Business, almost half (46 percent) of all American adults now own a smart phone.

“The data couldn’t be clearer: mobile is the next frontier in outreach for business owners,” said Tucker, who teaches in SUNY Fredonia’s Visual Arts and New Media department. “Never before has the opportunity been made available to literally reach customers directly through their mobile devices.”

In the three-hour, hands-on workshop, participants will learn strategies and tactics to engage customers and create customer loyalty; learn how to accept credit card payment via Smart Phone applications; develop a customer base offering specials and deals through Foursquare; grow ongoing relationships with customers via Twitter; apply Quick-Response (QR) codes to quickly drive customer traffic to websites or other online platform; and create a system for online sales through mobile tools. The Sept. 19 workshop will be held from 6 to 9 p.m. at the SUNY Fredonia Technology Incubator, 214 Central Ave., in Dunkirk.

Those interested can register at www.myartscouncil.net, or by calling (716) 372-7455. The workshop is being facilitated by the Cattaraugus County Arts Council, SUNY Fredonia and the Southern Tier West Regional Planning & Development Board, and is sponsored by the Appalachian Regional Commission.

Business Profile

The Center for Sports Skills Measurement and Improvement is the connection between student athletes, parents, and coaches from all over the country. Athletes can track academic and athletic progress while showing off their talent to hundreds of coaches across the nation. Parents have the ability to keep track of your student athlete’s progress throughout his or her career. Coaches can find track and follow athletes and filter according to skill, academics, and much more.

The Center helps athletes improve, parents stay informed, and coaches explore information on the nation’s athletes, all in one place.

History

The Center for Sports Skill Measurement & Improvement was inspired by Perry Husband and his pioneering work in bringing objective data to the baseball and softball world. The Center will expand that mission to other sports for the benefit of athletes around the world. The Center for Sports joined the SUNY Fredonia Technology Incubator in July 2011.

News

August 2012, Center for Sports was one of the four companies from the Western Region nominated for the “100 Best University Startups” given by the National Council for Entrepreneurial Tech Transfer (NCET2).

The Center for Sports’ Perry Husband was mentioned in an article on ESPN.com for his growing scientific concept in baseball called “effective velocity”. The idea is that a pitcher establishes the hitter’s “attention” with velocity, pitch selection, and location. Husband has analyzed every pitch thrown in baseball in the past few years. To read the full article, visit http://espn.go.com/mlb/story/_/id/8573782/giants-played-smart- not-lucky-baseball-win-title.

Founder

President and CEO, Kevin Morse, founded the Center for Sports Skills Measurement and Improvement in 2010.

Morse is also the owner of STARS, a membership driven facility founded in 2007, developed around the idea of objective measurement to improve performance. STARS routinely tests arm speed, pitch speed spreads, bat speed, exit speed, line drive consistency, reaction time and foot speed.

Morse is a Certified Perry Husband Trainer in effective velocity and maximizing tee exit speed through swing efficiency.

Contact Info:

Contact: Kevin Morse • President and CEO •

214 Central Avenue, Suite 229
Dunkirk, NY 14048
Email: info@allsportsskillstest.com
Website: http://www.allsportsskillstest.com/

Research shows businesses graduating from an incubator significantly increase their probability of long-term success. We provide our client entrepreneurs with the support, infrastructure, resources, guidance, and expertise necessary to successfully launch a new business. This site gives you an overview of these services and how you can get started growing your own business.

Get the Support you need to be Successful.

Business incubation is a business support process that accelerates the successful development of start-up and fledgling companies by providing entrepreneurs with an array of targeted resources and services. These services are usually developed or orchestrated by incubator management and offered both in the business incubator and through its network of contacts. A business incubator’s main goal is to produce successful firms that will leave the program financially viable and freestanding. These incubator graduates have the potential to create jobs, revitalize neighborhoods, commercialize new technologies, and strengthen local and national economies.  SUNY Fredonia’s Technology Incubator leverages the strengths of New York’s State University system and the businesses and communities of Western New York to provide you with the support to launch and build your business.

The SUNY Fredonia Technology Incubation Program will help with flexible rental terms for office space, administrative support services, business center, and assistance in the form of coaching, counseling, mentoring and networking.

Chautauqua County business professionals will have easier access to business improvement education through the University at Buffalo’s TCIE (formerly The Center for Industrial Effectiveness) fall 2012 lineup when two programs are offered at the SUNY Fredonia Technology Incubator as part of a new partnership.

The incubator, at 214 Central Ave., Dunkirk, will host the Certified Lean Professional (CLP) course and the three-day ISO 9001:2008 Internal Auditor training. Both are open to individuals from all companies, whether affiliated with the incubator or not.

The 39-hour CLP course introduces participants to the Lean methodology of saving money and reducing waste by identifying unnecessary processes.

During the internal auditor training course, participants learn about the ISO 9001:2008 standard, audit activities and techniques, objective evidence to gather, and expectations of third-party external auditors in determining compliance, in the quest to understand how to assess their organizations’ quality performance.

“We have a group of entrepreneurs and small business operators, and a core of large businesses, that have not been able to avail themselves of this type of education and training locally,” said Incubator Director Robert Fritzinger, referring to Chautauqua County. “With the incubator being the flagship economic development project of SUNY Fredonia, this is an important outreach business activity for us.”

The incubator, which opened in late 2009, currently provides business development, mentoring and office space to 17 start-up technology companies, with the capacity to serve 31. Fritzinger explained that as startups begin to transition out of the building, it is important to align them with resources that spur growth. He plans to build upon SUNY Fredonia’s relationship with UB TCIE, which connects the business community with resources of UB’s School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, through future programming.

The CLP runs from 8:30 to 11:30 a.m. on Wednesdays, Oct. 3 to 17, Oct. 31, Nov. 7 and 14, Nov. 28 to Dec. 19, Jan. 16 and Feb. 13; as well as Friday, Oct. 26. Registrations will be accepted until Sept. 19. The ISO training is scheduled for 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Oct. 23 to 25, with registration until Oct. 9. Registration can be found at www.tcie.buffalo.edu/clp-fredonia/ and www.tcie.buffalo.edu/iso-fredonia/, respectively. To learn more, contact Kerry Lynch at (716) 645-8840 or klynch4@buffalo.edu.

The SUNY Fredonia Technology Incubator and Chadwick Bay Properties, LLC, will host the first in a series of educational events for new and emerging small businesses.

The Small Business Forum will be held on June 21 from 8:30 to 11:30 a.m. at the incubator, located at 214 Central Avenue in Dunkirk. It will feature specialists in the areas of small business administration, small business development, industrial development, taxation and finance, the Department of Labor, and workers compensation.

The forum will be led by Senior Liaison Steve Ingraham from the Internal Revenue Service. It is free, although pre-registration is required, as lunch will be provided.

The workshop topics vary from a general overview of taxes to more specific topics such as financial assistance, government contracting programs and recordkeeping.

“Warren Buffett once said, ‘In the business world, the rearview mirror is always clearer than the windshield,’” said Incubator Director Bob Fritzinger. “This is why we continue to foster a social atmosphere among entrepreneurs. Businesses that overcame challenges can be of great value to other businesses facing those same challenges.”

Fritzinger says entrepreneurs are faced with many challenges, including understanding and fulfilling their federal tax responsibilities, raising money and networking to find the resources they need to be successful. However, being a successful small business owner requires research-based information, technology, educational preparation, and business skills. This forum will bring together industry specialists and professionals to actively address these concerns.

“To succeed as a business owner, you have to have the right tools. This series of workshops is aimed at giving new and emerging businesses the right tools, knowledge and direction to succeed right here in Chautauqua County,” said Tracie Haskin, president of Chadwick Bay Properties, which provides commercial office space to a number of businesses in downtown Dunkirk. “The workshops will also provide a networking opportunity for like-minded entrepreneurs to share ideas, successes, struggles, questions and solutions with others in the same position.”

For registration or to learn more, please contact the SUNY Fredonia Technology Incubator: (716) 680-6009, or e-mail Jennifer Colon at colon@fredonia.edu.

The SUNY Fredonia Technology Incubator is a university-sponsored economic development initiative that supports entrepreneurs and business start-ups in the technology sector and related industries. Since its launch in December 2009, the Incubator is ahead of its initial growth projections and currently houses 16 start-up companies.

Ryan Wolf (right), President of Silicon Wolves Computing Society, explains the extraordinary capacities and potential for his company’s prototype, shown in the lower-right corner, while Dunkirk Mayor A.J. Dolce (left) and Incubator Director Robert Fritzinger look on.

The SUNY Fredonia Technology Incubator announced its newest business, Silicon Wolves Computing Society LLC (SWCS), at an afternoon press conference. SWCS is a consumer-friendly, high-performance computing system developer and manufacturer of the most advanced workstations and computer gaming solutions on the market.  The high-tech start-up company recently relocated to the Incubator from Anaheim, Calif.

“We are thrilled to be in Dunkirk and affiliated with SUNY Fredonia through the Technology Incubator,” said Ryan Wolf, President of SWCS LLC.  “This is a great community, and a renowned university, and we are excited about our opportunities for growth.”

SWCS is a computing solutions manufacturer and integrator that conducts research and development in highly specialized computer workstations, desktops, laptops and servers, and in particular, develops and configures dedicated computing solutions for Cloud, Virtualization, High Performance Computing (HPC) and Reconfigurable Computing (RC) environments.

Silicon Wolves Computing Society recently celebrated its one year anniversary on March 9, having had a successful year as a new scientific computing solutions company.  SWCS works to offer the most advanced computing resources to the academic research, forensic and scientific communities.  This is the first manufacturing company to partner with the SUNY Fredonia Technology Incubator.

“The Incubator is all about attracting companies which are poised for substantial growth, and helping them through the process while providing them access to the resources that a nearly 6,000-student institution such as SUNY Fredonia can provide,” said Robert Fritzinger, Director of the Technology Incubator. “I see a strong fit between Silicon Wolves Computing Society, the SUNY Fredonia campus, and the Incubator, and I am anticipating a successful partnership.”

The SUNY Fredonia Technology Incubator is a university-sponsored economic development initiative that supports entrepreneurs and business start-ups in the technology sector, and related industries. Officially opened in December of 2009, the Incubator is ahead of its growth projections and currently houses 16 start-up companies. According to a recent report by the Rockefeller Institute in Albany, N.Y., the Western New York Region provided 70% of all pure start-ups in the entire state, with SUNY Fredonia’s incubator providing nearly half of these, state-wide.  A recent study by the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation, shows that start up firms are responsible for all net job growth in the U.S.

To learn more, visit www.siliconwolves.net or contact Ryan at wolf@siliconwolves.net.

Robert Fritzinger, director of the SUNY Fredonia Technology Incubator

Robert Fritzinger, director of SUNY Fredonia’s Technology Incubator, has been named a director of the SUNY Research Foundation Patents and Invention Policy Board.

The purpose of the Patents and Inventions Policy Board is to “define SUNY’s intellectual property and commercialization policy objectives and to develop and interpret such policies in furtherance of SUNY’s strategic goals.”

“It’s a great honor to be working on the SUNY Research Foundation Patents and Inventions Policy Board alongside other distinguished SUNY professors, researchers and administrators,” said Mr. Fritzinger.

The Research Foundation’s mission is to work with the academic and business leadership of campuses to support research and discovery at SUNY through effective and skillful administration of sponsored projects and proficient transfer and sharing of intellectual property to benefit public and economic growth. They deliver high quality, focused and well-organized service to faculty and staff, sponsors and the SUNY research community.

Fritzinger has been the director of the SUNY Fredonia Technology Incubator since its new building opened in late 2009. He is a SUNY alumnus, having earned a bachelor’s degree in Computer Science from the University at Buffalo in 1976, and a master’s degree in Counseling Psychology from the same institution in 1979.

The SUNY Fredonia Technology Incubator is a university-sponsored economic development initiative that supports entrepreneurs and business start-ups in the technology sector, and related industries. Officially opened in December 2009, the Incubator is ahead of its growth projections and currently houses 16 start-up companies. According to a recent report by the Rockefeller Institute in Albany, N.Y., the Western New York Region provided 70 percent of all pure start-ups in the entire state, with SUNY Fredonia’s incubator providing nearly half of these, statewide. A recent study by the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation shows that start-up firms are responsible for all net job growth in the U.S.

SUNY Fredonia and the North Shore Arts Alliance (NSAA) are offering a pilot series of workshops to local artists as part of an initiative to establish an Incubator for the Arts in Chautauqua County. The workshop series was made possible by a grant received by the Center for Regional Advancement (CRA) from the Northern Chautauqua Community Foundation.

The workshops are part of an arts incubator project, titled “The Chautauqua Partnership for the Arts and a Creative Economy (C-PACE),” designed to facilitate the development of the creative economy, the arts and cultural community, and provide emerging artists and organizations with favorable conditions for growth. The effort was initiated by local artist and former Fredonia village trustee Susan Forrester-Mackay. Last July, SUNY Fredonia and the North Shore Arts Alliance joined forces to develop and implement the arts incubator initiative.

“This workshop series is being offered to local artists to help strengthen our arts community and creative economy,” said Jennifer Koss, president of the North Shore Arts Alliance. “By providing local artists with opportunities to better develop their craft and other skills, we can continue and enhance our efforts to strengthen the local economy and cultural opportunities.”

“The aim of this series is to provide local artists with informative and useful workshops to assist them with professional development,” said Chuck Cornell, director of the Center for Regional Advancement at SUNY Fredonia. “By engaging the community and bringing together university and community resources, we will enhance the arts-based economy in the Western New York region.”

Those interested in participating in one or more of the workshops, offered at no charge, can register online at the websites of the CRA www.fredonia.edu/cra or NSAA www.northshoreartsalliance.com, or by contacting Jennifer Colon at 680-6009. Space is limited.

The workshops are as follows:

• “Using Facebook for Your Business: A Hands-On Workshop”
  Thursday, March 22, 7 to 9 p.m., SUNY Fredonia campus, 180 Fenton Hall
  Presenters: Ray Christopher, Chief Executive Officer, Textivia, Inc.
  Jonathan Woolson, University Webmaster, SUNY Fredonia
• “Build Your Free Website: A Hands-On Workshop”
  Sunday, March 25, 3 to 4:30 p.m., SUNY Fredonia campus, 106 McEwen Hall
  Presenters: Professors Jason Dilworth and Peter Tucker
  Department of Visual Arts and New Media, SUNY Fredonia
• “How to Photograph Your Work: A Hands-On Workshop”
  Saturday, April 21, 1 to 3 p.m., SUNY Fredonia Technology Incubator, 214 Central Ave, Dunkirk
  Presenter: James Hoggard, Professional Photographer
• “Selling Your Work on Etsy”
  Wednesday, May 2, 7 to 9 p.m., SUNY Fredonia Technology Incubator, 214 Central Ave, Dunkirk
  Presenter: Nicole Hohenstein, Artist & Etsy site owner
• “Basic Legal Issues for Artists”
  Sunday, May 17, 6 to 8 p.m., SUNY Fredonia Technology Incubator, 214 Central Ave, Dunkirk
  Presenter: Donald Michalak, Attorney at Law

As a means of revitalizing communities, the white paper “Creative Placemaking,” an initiative of the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA), advocates community-based efforts to provide “training grounds for area youth; they incubate the next generation of creative workers” and to “nurture entrepreneurs and expand the ranks of self-employed artists and designers who market their creations far afield.”

In line with “Creative Placemaking,” C-PACE is being supported by SUNY Fredonia and the NSAA to create and develop entrepreneurs in the arts; provide opportunities for Fredonia graduates, students, faculty and staff; develop a stronger cultural community; and impact economic development in the region. The principal objective is to advance creative growth by equipping nonprofit cultural groups and arts entrepreneurs with the skills, tools and business environment necessary to meet short- and long-range objectives through an integrated facility and organizational development services.

Since its founding in 1997, the Center for Regional Advancement (CRA) has been a major catalyst for regional collaboration, governance innovations, community outreach and economic development. The mission of the CRA is to engage the intellectual and analytical human resources of SUNY Fredonia to enhance the region’s governance and economic development capacity. The North Shore Arts Alliance is a New York not-for-profit organization seeking to foster an environment where art strengthens the community’s image, economic vitality, and quality of life. It is a cooperative marketing, promotional, and membership organization working on behalf of artists in Chautauqua County. NSAA works with local art galleries, arts organizations, festivals and events to help promote and enhance a variety of art related events.

Incubator Director Robert Fritzinger

The SUNY Fredonia Technology Incubator has been named a finalist for the “Rookie of the Year” BETA Award, given by InfoTech Niagara, the trade association of Western New York’s information technology industry.

This year marks the 12th annual award ceremony honoring the best and brightest companies and individuals in the Western New York technology community. Over 400 technology professionals are invited to InfoTech’s BETA Awards dinner tomorrow evening at the Buffalo Convention Center.

“It is a great honor for the university, as well as a tribute to the hard work and innovative spirit of the entrepreneurs at the incubator, to be nominated for this award,” says Robert Fritzinger, Director of the SUNY Fredonia Technology Incubator. “I am very excited about the potential of the current and future start-up businesses in the program.”

“The Incubator’s nomination for this award is great recognition for Chautauqua County,” added Todd Tranum, President & CEO at Chautauqua County Chamber of Commerce & Manufacturers Association of the Southern Tier. “Great things are happening over at the SUNY Fredonia Technology Incubator, which means greater opportunity for economic growth and jobs in the community.”

Rookie of the Year is BETA’s newest award, given to a new technology organization launched in Western New York within the past year that shows both the growth and potential to become a leader in their industry. According to InfoTech Niagara, to be nominated for a BETA Award is an honor for any organization, as it signals it has been recognized among the very best that the region’s technology community has to offer.

The SUNY Fredonia Technology Incubator is a university-sponsored economic development initiative that supports entrepreneurs and business start-ups in the technology sector, and related industries. Officially opened in December of 2009, the incubator is ahead of its growth projections and currently houses 16 start-up companies. According to a recent report by the Rockefeller Institute in Albany, N.Y., the Western New York Region provided 70 percent of all pure start-ups in the entire state — with SUNY Fredonia’s incubator providing nearly half of these, state-wide. A recent study by the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation shows that start-up firms are responsible for all net job growth in the U.S.

InfoTech Niagara is “the” trade association of Western New York’s information technology industry. Membership in infoTech opens the door to a network of hundreds of companies across the nation through their national affiliation. InfoTech Niagara has a directory distributed to over 12,000 business professionals in Western New York, courtesy of Business First.

Initiative to Focus On Economic Development

SUNY Fredonia and the North Shore Arts Alliance have joined forces to establish an “incubator for the arts” in Chautauqua County. The chief goal of the project, titled, The Chautauqua Partnership for the Arts and a Creative Economy (C-PACE), is to facilitate the development of a regional approach and economy within the arts and cultural community. C-PACE will provide artists and organizations throughout the county with favorable conditions for growth. The effort was initiated by local artist and former Fredonia Village Trustee Susan Forrester-Mackay.

“This initiative is aimed at developing the arts-based economy and cultural tourism sector of our county’s economy,” said Lesley Williamson, director of the North Shore Arts Alliance which produces the popular Chautauqua-Lake Erie Art Trail. “By strengthening existing arts-based businesses and providing professional development services to individual artists, I believe we can have a major impact on the local economy.”

“SUNY Fredonia is widely known — well beyond our region — for its visual and performing arts programs,” added Chuck Cornell, director of the Center for Regional Advancement at SUNY Fredonia. “By engaging the community and bringing together university and community experts and resources, we will enhance the arts-based economy in Western New York through additional business start-ups.”

The C-PACE goals include creating and developing entrepreneurs in the arts, providing opportunities for SUNY Fredonia students, graduates, faculty and staff, develop a stronger cultural community, and impacting economic development in the region. The principal objective is to advance creative growth by equipping nonprofit cultural groups and arts entrepreneurs with the skills, tools and business environment necessary to meet short- and long-range objectives through an integrated facility and organizational development services.

In addition, C-PACE will provide a valuable potential resource for the technology start-ups currently housed in SUNY Fredonia’s Technology Incubator in Dunkirk. “Many technology start-ups rely heavily on video and graphical content,” said Technology Incubator Director Robert Fritzinger. “Where technology and the arts intersect lies new and exciting opportunities to grow businesses and create new, high-paying jobs in Western New York.”

C-PACE will be an art-based business incubator that will provide services, such as access to resources, workshops, workspace and mentoring in a supportive environment to aspiring and existing entrepreneurs in the creative industries, fine and applied arts. By fostering innovators in the creative sectors of the economy, it can help grow new, sustainable, dynamic and visionary businesses. C-PACE, for example, could assist new and existing creative enterprises with business, technical and creative workshops, and work and exhibition space, giving them the skills they need to know and operate within the early critical stages of their development. Together with SUNY Fredonia, faculty members may provide workshops, discussions, case studies, and basic strategic management concepts.

Since its founding in 1997, the Center for Regional Advancement (CRA) has been a major catalyst for regional collaboration, governance innovations, community outreach, and economic development. The mission of the CRA is to engage the intellectual and analytical human resources of SUNY Fredonia to enhance the region’s governance and economic development capacity.

The North Shore Arts Alliance is a New York not-for-profit organization seeking to foster an environment where art strengthens the community’s image, economic vitality and quality of life. It is a cooperative marketing, promotional and membership organization working on behalf of artists in Chautauqua County. NSAA has also worked with the art galleries, arts organizations, local festivals and events to help promote and enhance a variety of art-related events.

SUNY Fredonia’s Technology Incubator is the new home to The Center for Sports Skill Measurement & Improvement, LLC. The Center’s mission is to help athletes of all levels reach their potential by providing a baseline, sport-specific skill measurement through its network of independent testers. Currently, the center offers test centers in eight states and is focusing initially on baseball and softball players, but has plans to expand into many other sports, including hockey, football, lacrosse, tennis, golf, soccer and field hockey, as well as additional locations, in the near future.

“It used to be that athletes could test their individual athletic skills (40-yard dash, pitch speed, etc.), but they had no way to know how they measured up against their peers,” explains the center’s founder, Kevin Morse. “Data was available, but there was no real follow-through. Now, with our system, any athlete — youth through adult — can know where they stack up against people their age, coast-to-coast.”

Thus, for example, a 15-year-old baseball or softball pitcher can test his or her fastball speed and see where he or she stacks up against other 15-year-old pitchers across the nation.

“With that information, players can begin the process of continually improving their skills, and climbing their respective leaderboards with the recognition and satisfaction that comes with reaching relevant and measurable goals,” Morse adds.

Morse compares his program to a global positioning system (GPS), which first finds one’s location before it determines the best route to reach a destination. “We do the same thing,” he says. “An athlete needs this baseline data in order to know if they are improving. Without it, they are simply guessing and hoping.”

Morse brings a unique combination of baseball training and coaching experience to the center, as well as a graduate degree in International Business and over 15 years of practical, executive-level experience. He is joined by a partner, noted pitching and hitting expert Perry Husband. Based outside of Los Angeles, Husband is a former Division II All-American and has over 15 years of research, teaching and training experience. He has spent much of his time and energy developing programs to measure and maximize ball speed off the bat (exit velocity). Also assisting the center is B.J. Salerno, a four-year starting catcher at St. Bonaventure University (Division-I, Atlantic-10). Morse and Husband have been collaborating and beta testing the program for two years at Morse’s Falconer, N.Y.-based baseball and softball training facility, Southern Tier All-Star Sports, which is home to the region’s test center.

To date, the company has established testing centers in Virginia, North Carolina, Western New York, Kentucky, Missouri, California, Pennsylvania, Ohio and Colorado, and has recently fielded inquiries from Florida, Texas, New Jersey and Rhode Island.

With each new center, the comparative data points available to athletes grow substantially. However, for those hesitating to begin the process until more centers are added, Morse points out the full benefits to the athlete. “The leaderboards are the icing on the cake,” he says. “The boards help motivated and talented players get recognized by college coaches and professional scouts. But, the real value for any athlete lies within the power of the baseline test result.”

Morse explains that testing these skills, combined with solid research-based training, will help players rapidly improve their numbers, and with them, their results on the field.

“A one mile-per-hour (mph) improvement in [bat] exit speed equals five to seven feet on a fly ball,” he says. “Imagine how different a season could be if your son or daughter adds 7, 8 or 10 mph to their exit speed.”

The center is the 14th tenant to join the incubator since it opened 21 months ago. Morse aspires to collaborate with SUNY Fredonia faculty on sport-specific research and provide exciting, valuable experiences to students through paid internships. He is thrilled to be a part of the incubator and its vision to bring companies together to work and grow.

“I believe SUNY Fredonia and Robert Fritzinger, the incubator’s executive director, are developing a unique model that encourages collaboration and, at the same time, respects the demands and needs of each individual entity,” Morse attests. “In a few short months, the incubator has been a catalyst for some explosive growth and opportunities for my company. It is the best move I could have made.”

Fritzinger also sees the strong fit between the two. “The Incubator is all about attracting companies which are poised for substantial growth, and helping them through the process while providing them access to the resources that a nearly 6,000-student institution like SUNY Fredonia can provide,” Fritzinger says. “Morse’s venture has a huge potential market, a declining cost structure, and taps into several trends at the same time. It’s cool. Very cool.”

To learn more, visit www.allsportsskillstest.com or contact Kevin Morse at (716) 490-2138

Senior Michael Carbone, co-founder of The Raphy Report, will host a series of workshops at the SUNY Fredonia Technology Incubator this semester.  The workshops, which are all free, are designed to help fellow students and community members gain a better, broader sense of various software products and other technological tools to broaden their skill sets and improve their overall marketability.

The first workshop, which will take place on Monday, Feb. 6 at 6 p.m., will focus on Adobe After Effects, a high-performance software product that allows users to create visual effects and motion graphics. Students and amateur filmmakers are encouraged to attend, and to bring their own laptops, if they have them.

To learn more or to register, visit the facebookgroup at https://www.facebook.com/events/301408183245219/.  SUNY Fredonia’s Technology Inubator is located at 214 Central Avenue in downtown Dunkirk.

Raphy Report creator/producer Michael Christopher Carbone, left, and Andre Cobham, founder/director.

The Raphy Report, a student-run, multi-topic news show produced by TRR Productions, has recently settled into the SUNY Fredonia Technology Incubator. TRR Productions is the first organization in the Incubator operated solely by SUNY Fredonia students.

TRR is a web-based program targeted toward SUNY Fredonia students, featuring brief video segments on a variety of topics. These include health and fitness, movies, local, worldwide, and campus news, sports, music, downtown nightlife, video games, internet videos, technology and more. The producers are always interested in new topics that will grab the attention of the audience. This semester they have added a political segment to inform students on the upcoming presidential election and the related primary candidates.

Now that the organization has found a home at the Technology Incubator, production is booming. The incubator promotes economic growth in Western New York by supporting entrepreneurship and the development of new, innovative, technology-based companies into successful business ventures. The move has allowed TRR Productions to create the quality of work that they have always strived to produce.

While TRR Productions began with only a handful of hosts and a few students interested in TV and digital film production, it has grown to over 50 interns pursuing such majors as graphic design, business, public relations, journalism, accounting, theater, art and computer science. TRR Productions gives Fredonia students the opportunity to experience their work ambitions in a real-life setting prior to graduation.

The SUNY Fredonia Technology Incubator has generated a great deal of positive energy in the Western New York business community since it opened last December. Today, it’s adding some more.

Apex Offshore Wind, LLC (Apex Offshore), a national developer of wind energy facilities that delivers clean, renewable energy, has selected the incubator to house a new regional office as it expands its business from its Charlottesville, Va. headquarters. The incubator’s proximity to the wind-friendly Lake Erie shoreline gives the company a strategic advantage as it expands both its development and production initiatives.

“We are delighted to welcome Apex as our newest tenant,” said Incubator Director Robert Fritzinger. ”They are the second tenant from outside of the state to select out facility, which gives us a great deal of confidence that the business community is recognizing the many advantages and attributes that this facility and its affiliations can offer a young, growing entity.”

Apex was formed in 2008 by a management team that has been in the wind business since 2000. The company also has offices in Erie, Pa. and Poughkeepsie, N.Y. The Apex management team has completed over $1 billion in wind power facilities in Colorado, Kansas, New York, Texas, Wyoming and the Netherlands. Its track record includes $22 billion of structured finance transactions completed for wind and conventional energy projects.

“We are delighted to be opening our Dunkirk office in the SUNY Fredonia Technology Incubator,” said Timothy M. Ryan, President of Apex Offshore. “Our office is strategically located near the Dunkirk Harbor which we hope will become a hub for new business development among companies interested in participating in the wind energy supply chain.”

Apex marks the 10^th tenant to occupy space in the incubator, and a complement to the Fredonia Shale Institute, which provides an educational resource to landowners, local officials and concerned citizens seeking information about natural gas exploration and production in western New York and northwestern Pennsylvania.

“We are starting to see clusters of businesses within certain industries attracted to the incubator, and energy is certainly one of those sectors,” added Fritzinger. “Our access to the winds and waters of Lake Erie, our proximity to natural gas-rich lands, and the expertise we provide with our academic research resources at SUNY Fredonia make this a particularly attractive proposition for entrepreneurs.”

Apex also represents the first incubator tenant that is an expansion office of an existing company, as opposed to the headquarters of a new, start-up business.

To learn more about Apex Offshore Wind, visit www.apexwind.com, and to learn about opportunities within the SUNY Fredonia Technology Incubator, visit www.fredonia.edu/incubator or call (716) 680-6009.

Left to right: Alex Brown, Nicole Szydlo, and Clint Marriott are new hires at SellingHive, one of the new companies in the SUNY Fredonia Incubator. “This is exactly the kind of growth we envisioned when we originated the incubator concept years ago,” said SUNY Fredonia President Dennis Hefner. “I’m thrilled to see SellingHive as the first incubator tenant to hire and expand to such a substantial extent, and look forward to working with them to nurture their continued development.”

SellingHive is growing and expanding its operations in Dunkirk as the company prepares for the launch of its new social networking software this summer. Last week the company filled three full-time positions with young professionals who graduated from universities in western New York, including two from SUNY Fredonia.

SellingHive is one of the resident firms in the SUNY Fredonia Incubator.

New Marketing Manager is Nicole Szydlo, a Fredonia resident who welds SellingHive’s marketing and communications team. She is a 2006 SUNY Fredonia graduate with a communication and arts administration degree. Ms. Szydlo will oversee the company’s website at www.SellingHive.com and its national affiliate program.

“SellingHive is a great option for a young professional who wants to stay in the area and raise a family,” she says. “The potential for future growth and career development made SellingHive an exciting choice for me.”

New Sales Consultant Clint Marriott is a graduate of Canisius College and holds an MBA from St. Bonaventure University. He will be SellingHive’s sales consulting team leader, working with its members to grow sales. Mr. Marriott resides with his family Lake View, N.Y.

New Technology Project Manager Alex Brown, a native of Victor, N.Y., is a 2011 SUNY Fredonia graduate in Computer Information Systems. He has experience in systems administration and web programming. Mr. Brown will be coordinating the development of SellingHive’s web software as well as new mobile versions for the iPhone and Android operating systems.

SellingHive has also filled several part-time positions and will be joined by more than 20 student interns as well for the Fall semester. The company expects to continue hiring over the coming months and offering additional internships in computer science, business, marketing, communication and design. All available positions will be posted on www.SellingHive.com after the software is launched.

“SellingHive represents exactly what we are striving for – recruiting and retaining young talent in Chautauqua County. Opportunities for young professionals are integral to the overall success of our local economy, and I’m excited to see what comes next from SellingHive,” Jennifer Reinhart, Executive Director of IMPACT – Young Professionals of Chautauqua.

In order to accommodate growth, SellingHive increased its occupancy in the SUNY Fredonia Technology Incubator by tenfold in July. The company plans to continue expanding in the facility and expects to occupy nearly one third of the Incubator by the fourth quarter of 2011. SellingHive’s Dunkirk facility will support its North American clients and coordinate global operations.

“This is exactly the kind of growth we envisioned when we originated the incubator concept years ago,” said SUNY Fredonia President Dennis Hefner. “I’m thrilled to see SellingHive as the first incubator tenant to hire and expand to such a substantial extent, and look forward to working with them to nurture their continued development.”

SellingHive is a new kind of social network that provides tools to connect sales professionals and companies, while providing a secure environment to meet, negotiate and close business. SellingHive helps companies to grow their sales by cost effectively reaching new customers and markets, while allowing sales professionals to increase their income by maximizing the value of their contact list.

SellingHive, a startup company located in the SUNY Fredonia Incubator, recently awarded three SUNY Fredonia student interns the “Intern of the Year” Award. Kaitlin Dafgard, Paul Jackino and Thomas Storm were selected out of 14 interns to receive the award based on the quality of their work or project, their impact on the company and their ability to go above and beyond what was asked of them as interns.

Dafgard worked to create navigational icons and screen designs for SellingHive’s web application. Along with the “Intern of the Year,” Dafgard received a $250 award for her work at the company. Storm and Jackino received a $125 award each for their work at SellingHive; Storm developed an advertising campaign for the company, while Jackino created audio/visual materials for SellingHive’s website, including an audio tutorial.  Visit the website at www.SellingHive.com .

“Our SUNY Fredonia interns have done great work for us this year and it was difficult to choose just three who made the greatest impact on our company. The three we chose are outstanding examples of the professionalism and work ethic we’ve experienced from our interns in general,” said Bob Richardson, Executive Vice President of SellingHive.

SellingHive has an extensive internship program open to students at SUNY Fredonia and other area colleges. The company had 14 interns in during the spring semester and will have as many as 28 interns working during the fall semester. “Although we’re a technology company and we do have computer science internships, we also have many opportunities for business, marketing, communication and design majors and we still have many openings for the fall,” said Richardson.

Tracy Collingwood, Director of the Career Development Office at SUNY Fredonia, states, “Interning for a start-up organization offers a unique set of opportunities for students to apply their knowledge and classroom learning in a fast-paced, real world work environment. It’s a win-win situation – interning for SellingHive offers students invaluable experience and hands-on training while achieving important work for the organization and surrounding community.”

Dafgard and Storm recently graduated from SUNY Fredonia this May; Dafgard with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Graphic Design and Storm with a dual Bachelor of Fine Arts in Graphic Design and Animation. Jackino will be finishing his senior year at SUNY Fredonia as a Communications major. He plans to return to SellingHive as an intern for Fall 2011, while Dafgard and Storm continue to do freelance work for the company.

SellingHive is a new kind of social network that provides tools to connect sales professionals and companies, while providing a secure environment to meet, negotiate and close business. SellingHive helps companies to grow their sales by cost effectively reaching new customers and markets, while allowing sales professionals to increase their income by maximizing the value of their contact list. For more information on SellingHive,

Robert Fritzinger

Robert Fritzinger, director of SUNY Fredonia’s Technology Incubator, was elected to a one-year term on the board of directors of the Business Incubator Association of New York State, Inc. He was also elected secretary of the board for the ensuing year.

The non-profit association has 38 members operating more than 50 physical facilities and virtual programs statewide. Its members are business incubators in the higher education, economic development, government and private sectors. The association was established in 2005 and is governed by a nine member board of directors, with a mission to expand the resources available to incubator-based enterprises, to work with policy-makers, to promote the entrepreneurial activities of incubators in the state, and to network business incubators, developing companies and other interested parties.

Mr. Fritzinger was named director of SUNY Fredonia’s Technology Incubator in November 2009. For the past 22 years, Mr. Fritzinger has been involved in the creation, development, day-to-day management, financing and sale of multiple high-technology companies, including Voice Technologies Group, a cutting-edge telecommunications vendor which he successfully sold to Intel Corp. in 2000. A resident of Amherst and Dunkirk, N.Y., he is currently chairman of the board of Zenhire, Inc., a search engine technology innovator which operates in the human resources industry along with such companies as Monster, CareerBuilder.com and LinkedIn. Zenhire has relocated into the incubator, setting the stage for full- and part-time employment as it grows.

SUNY Fredonia’s Technology Incubator offers client entrepreneurs access to a unique facility, business resources, and technology expertise as well as a range of highly qualified SUNY Fredonia faculty, technology experts, business professionals and mentors. It has also provided internship opportunities to current Fredonia undergraduates through its client entrepreneurs.

From right, Entrepreneurship Contest winners Sean Lewis, Andrew Haynes and Ashley Walker, were honored as the top three winners of the inaugurual event at the Technology Incubator on May 12.

On May 12, SUNY Fredonia’s Technology Incubator honored three students who showcased creative ideas, technological innovations and potential new business concepts, all in hopes of winning a cash prize — as well as the chance to work with the incubator to advance their ideas and possibly become future tenants.

The first annual Entrepreneurship Contest was designed to raise awareness of the nature and culture of the incubator among the student body. It was open to students of any academic discipline, and drew an amazing 46 student proposals — more than double the number which organizers originally anticipated.

The three winners, Sean Lewis, Andrew Haynes and Ashley Walker, were selected from a group of eight finalists. The 46 entries were judged by a six-member panel which included Incubator Director Robert Fritzinger; School of Business Dean Russ Boisjoly; Associate Vice President of Graduate Studies and Research Kevin Kearns; SellingHive Co-founder Robert Richardson; Lake Shore Savings Vice President Brian Lydic; and Incubator Project Staff Assistant Jennifer Reinhart.

The winning propsoals were as follows:

• First: “ShoMoh,” by Sean Lewis, a junior Business Administration major

  Shomoh is a crowd-sourced comparison-music engine which helps users and artists find, upload and share music locally. Knowing where and how to find or upload new music is hard, as the vast majority of local artists and music goes unrecognized. Lewis’ ShoMoh fosters communities where sharing, rating and listening to local artists is made fun and easy through social recognition, competition, and monetary rewards. Local artists pay monthly subscription fees to broadcast their songs on an onsite radio, driving fan base and listeners to the site. Broadcast radius and frequency will drive pay-per-click advertising. Additional music-related advertisements exist to further an artist’s potential.

• Second: “Fetch,” by Andrew Haynes, a senior Interdisciplinary-Music Business Major

  Fetch is for those who believe the regional hospitality industry is due for a new face. Haynes hopes to rethink and recreate the hotel experience by developing a digital concierge that is accessible through kiosks, smartphones, laptops and televisions. The service will connect guests to the “buzz” of the hotel, allowing them to request services and interact with other guests. More importantly, it connects them to Western New York. Fetch believes technological tools can be more productive for a traveler. Server directories, mobile bandwidth and GPS technologies can be very effective at capturing local culture. The Western New York region is filled with treasures that aren’t well enough known because brochures, flyers and video ads can’t capture them in the right light. “Fetch is about exposing these gems to the user,” says Haynes. “It’s about delivering our way of life.”

• Third: “Minds of Odyssey,” by Ashley Walker, a senior Business Marketing major

  The Odyssey of the Mind program is a well-known international educational program that provides creative problem-solving opportunities to students from kindergarten through college. Team members apply their creativity to solve problems that range from building mechanical devices to presenting their own interpretation of literary classics, and compete at a regional, state or global levels.  ”Minds of Odyssey” is Walker’s concept for a website which fills a void in the current program by creating a centralized portal to link all of the current efforts by providing an accessible medium to potential users. It would allow users to upload/view pictures and videos of the competition and performances, share their comments, questions, concerns, reactions and thoughts regarding the performances, and facilitate the expansion of the program as well as the site itself. Walker plans to attend the 2011 World’s Competition in College Park, Md., acquire footage and photos, develop a sign-in linkage with Facebook, visit nearby schools and colleges to promote the site, encourage participation in the program, and develop a submission box for users to offer their original ideas for Minds of Odyssey logos.

In addition to the incubator, the Entrepreneurship Contest was sponsored by Lake Shore Savings, the Chautauqua County Industrial Development Agency, the Dunkirk Chamber of Commerce, the Lawley-Tradition Agency, and incubator tenants SellingHive and Textivia.

The SUNY Fredonia Technology Incubator will host a free video screening by the senior SUNY Fredonia communication students on Wednesday, May 18.

“These films focus on many aspects of social life, environmental issues, and spiritual issues in Western New York,” says Nefin Dinc, associate professor of communication at SUNY Fredonia.

Dinc has been working with the students on their projects and will introduce the event, which runs from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. There are three films in total, each running around 20 minutes on average.

Following the screening of the three videos, there will be a question and answer session with the students. Any questions about the event should be directed to the Incubator staff by phone at 716-680-6009, or email at incubator@fredonia.edu.

One film, “SoulDrum,” by students Andrew Porter, Lindsay Goodwin, and Nicholas Gunner, is a journey into the World Beat Drum Circle in Lily Dale, N.Y.  “SoulDrum explores the spiritual side of drumming,” says Gunner. It does more than this, however, showing two Fredonia students’ exploration of their own spirituality and a search for meaning though music.

Another film, titled “Current Alternatives,” by students Matt Cole and Bob Parasiliti, is a short documentary that focuses on a family’s struggles to live off of the grid while simultaneously maintaining a farm.  “The film exposes the hardships and benefits gained from removing yourself from the national electric grid,” says Dinc.

The third film, created by Thomas Arendt, Joe Lopez, Don Moreno, and Timothy Huten, is titled “Move.” This documentary looks at the creative elements of moving through urban space. Documenting the Parkour/Freerunning community of Rochester, N.Y., and professional team from Pittsburgh, Pa., this film explores the positive aspects of becoming directly involved with one’s own environment.

All three films were produced as part of the students’ senior capstone project, which produces both documentary and fiction works. Dinc says the students hope that the public takes an interest in these documentaries that address local topics.

The department of communication at SUNY Fredonia is home to six majors. In addition to the documentary/fiction video production major, degrees are offered in audio/radio production, communication studies, journalism, media management, and public relations.

A sample of the more than 40 current student interns gather at the SUNY Fredonia Technology Incubator. The students represent a variety and growing list of majors that are as diverse as the incubator tenant companies.

An internship at the SUNY Fredonia Technology Incubator provides a level of student excitement that is difficult to match.

“It’s an adrenaline rush,” Incubator Director Robert Fritzinger says of the atmosphere that students encounter when working alongside owners of developing technology firms at the incubator.

After all, these are budding entrepreneurs — visionaries advancing ideas for new products or services — who are literally mortgaging their futures for the opportunity to launch their own cutting-edge businesses. More than 40 students have already seized the opportunity to join them at this innovative facility located just minutes from campus and home to 11 firms only one year after its doors officially opened.

“This is the beginning step for these students. They could put themselves in an employment position, depending on the quality of their work and how successful the company becomes,” said Incubator Project Staff Assistant Jennifer Reinhart, a member of SUNY Fredonia’s Class of 2010. “It’s about taking the initiative. Students can network, gain necessary experience, and jump into the real world, including employment.”

Incubator tenant SellingHive, a second-generation social networking site designed to enable sales people and businesses to collaborate and create business opportunities, is hosting 14 interns this semester. The students are divided into four teams that work on web design, market research, graphic design and business communications. SellingHive is helping its interns exchange credit hours for real-world business experience while achieving important work for the company.

Laura Culhane, a senior Visual Arts & New Media major, is a prime example. She won a logo design contest sponsored by SellingHive last semester and is now interning with the company and leading other interns on marketing and graphic design projects.

Likewise, Vincent Rizzo, a senior majoring in Computer Information Systems and Business Management, is the webmaster for SellingHive and also leads a group of interns working on website development. SellingHive has 12 other internship positions, and expects to offer even more as the business grows.

Another large student presence can be found at TexTivia, a tenant which has 13 interns gaining hands-on experience in marketing, public relations, computer science and graphic design. TexTivia offers a free text-to-win game to connect local businesses, charities and fundraisers to people in a fun, interactive way.

Two intern positions are currently available with Dunkirk Bio-Electric in web design and marketing, and there’s a strong potential for more that would offer students multi-dimensional experiences encompassing biology, business and communication. A renewable energy company, Dunkirk Bio-Electric is developing a facility that turns food and other organic waste into electricity, compost and soil products.

Haledyne, another bio-tech startup, is developing air sterilization products for use in hospital settings that can prevent the spread of disease and infection. It is gearing up to compile a comprehensive study of a new lighting system at two health-care facilities – Brooks Memorial Hospital, Dunkirk, and St. Joseph’s Hospital Health Center, Syracuse. Beginning in March, many interns will have the opportunity to compile data for this significant study.

These companies are diverse and at the forefront of innovation in such fast-growing areas as clean energy, social media and mobile application development, Fritzinger said.

Not only are students gaining an actual understanding of business operations and organizational management, they’re also witnessing the process of entrepreneurship —how to transform an idea into business development, with all the risks associated with innovative startups.

By virtue of its downtown Dunkirk location, the incubator conveniently links the campus to the outside business world for students. “We want students to spend time at the incubator immersed in challenging, high-octane businesses that complement the educational opportunities on campus,” said Fritzinger. “The incubator is the bridge between both worlds.”

For senior Chris Dean, his incubator internship builds on the one he recently completed at the Rockefeller Arts Center. “The work here is a bit more corporate, a bit more in terms of expanded bookkeeping requirements and more finance, performing the transactions and not just recording them. It is a bit more than I was doing at Rockefeller. I just wanted to expand upon my experiences,” Dean explained.

And that experience could turn into a real benefit for Dean in a highly competitive job market.

“I’d like to think that I bring a different aspect (to a prospective employer) with this experience. My classes are geared to the public accountancy realm, and this is more of the private-sector performance, so now I have an idea of what actually occurs in the companies that I will be consulting,” said Dean, who wants to join a public accounting firm in Western New York after graduation.

Working with these startups, not to mention the relatively new incubator itself, is also giving Dean entrepreneurial experience that may help him stand out during an interview.

He was encouraged to pursue the internship by Dr. Linda Hall, his tax professor, and he subsequently impressed Fritzinger. “I had quite a long interview, an hour-and-a-half. It went really well.”

Another intern assigned to the incubator, Jesse Sherwood, a 2008 SUNY Fredonia graduate now pursuing a master’s degree in English, has significantly advanced the incubator’s website, printed materials and presentations during his tenure. He’s quickly proven to be a valuable member of the incubator team, displaying a strong work ethic and creativity while working collaboratively with tenants.

Dean and Sherwood are gaining expertise in areas they could have never anticipated when they joined the incubator. “You end up learning skills in fields you didn’t expect,” attests Reinhart. “That’s the diverse nature and excitement of this environment. You have to handle things that you’re not prepared to. That’s real life.”

Fritzinger, whose association with multiple high-technology businesses spans the last 20 years, is uniformly impressed with the talent displayed by interns. Not only are their educational and skill backgrounds exceptional, he notes, they’re also “high-character” people brimming with lots of energy and passion.

“The people in the incubator are clearly a sample of what’s happening on campus in general. We turn out a quality product,” Fritzinger said. “There’s a reason why we’re ranked as high as we are.”

All interns will share in the heritage of the incubator, Reinhart said. “Whatever career path students take, they will carry the reputation and the legacy that the incubator is establishing here, and they were here at the beginning.”

Robert Fritzinger will give a presentation and tours at the SUNY Fredonia Technology Incubator

The University at Buffalo Office of Economic Engagement, the Chautauqua County Industrial Development Agency (CCIDA) and the SUNY Fredonia Technology Incubator will hold an event to highlight the business and scientific expertise available to businesses in Chautauqua County.

The program will be held Friday, March 11, from 9 to 11:30 a.m. in the Robert H. Jackson Center, 305 East Fourth St., in Jamestown, and repeated from 2 to 4:30 p.m. in the SUNY Fredonia Technology Incubator, 214 Central Ave., in Dunkirk, which will include a tour of the incubator.

The event will introduce businesspeople to the resources and services available at UB and SUNY Fredonia for businesses seeking to grow and recruit interns and employees, particularly employees with business management or engineering experience.

Chautauqua County IDA Executive Director William J. Daly had attended similar events hosted on UB’s campus and wanted to sponsor one for the companies in his region. “Our companies currently benefit from the graduates and student interns that come through colleges in Jamestown and Fredonia,” he said, “however many are less familiar with the resources of UB — a large research university — and the support offered through the Fredonia tech incubator.”

He added,“We saw this as another way to help these businesses grow, which in turn means more employment opportunities for the residents of Chautauqua County.”

“The university is glad to be part of Bill Daly’s vision for improving the innovation economy of New York State and we are appreciative that he asked us to help,” said Marsha S. Henderson, vice president of external affairs at UB. “Events like these are one way the OEE showcases the university’s resources. The outreach fits well with UB’s mission, and it aligns with SUNY’s strategic goals for economic development and outreach.”

The other partner in planning the sessions was Robert Fritzinger, director of the SUNY Fredonia Technology Incubator, who felt that holding one of the sessions at the incubator and providing a tour would allow businesses to become more familiar with the incubator space. He also recognizes the need to develop a more entrepreneurial culture in Western New York.

“Too many technology entrepreneurs suffer from lack of support. While our incubator offers space and services, the need goes beyond these walls to building a culture that values innovative thinking, whether found in a start-up situation or in the new products and services divisions of our existing industries.”

SUNY Fredonia’s incubator has enjoyed much early success, having attracted 11 tenant companies within its first full year of operation, along with producing two graduates. Currently, more than 40 student interns representing a variety of academic disciplines are supporting these companies and/or the facility itself.

Program participants will include the New York State Center for Engineering Design and Industrial Innovation (NYSCEDII); The Center for Industrial Effectiveness (TCIE), Strategic Partnership for Industrial Resurgence (SPIR); Science, Technology Transfer and Economic Outreach (STOR); UB Career Services; and the State University of New York Fredonia Technology Incubator.

Presentations to be held include:

• “’Decisioneering’ the Future of Product Design,” Kenneth English, deputy director, NYSCEDII.
• “Your Bridge to Excellence,” Gary Simon, director of business development, TCIE.
• “New Technology as a Driver for Growth,” Jeffrey Dunbar, director, STOR.
• “SUNY Fredonia Incubator Status,” Robert Fritzinger, executive director, SUNY Fredonia Technology Incubator.
• “Using UB as a Resource in Your Talent Acquisition and Development Strategy,” Arlene Kaukus, director, UB Career Services.

UB’s Office of Economic Engagement provides resources and expertise to assist local governments, as well as businesses. For more information on the Office of Economic Engagement and how to access the resources of UB, go to www.buffalo.edu/BusinessEngagement/. The office is located in UB’s Downtown Gateway (the former M. Wile building) at 77 Goodell St. in downtown Buffalo.

To learn more about the SUNY Fredonia Technology Incubator, visit www.fredonia.edu/incubator or call (716) 680-6009.

SellingHive and Chautauqua Chamber of Commerce announce their new partnership in using social networking to build relationships for local businesses.

The Chautauqua County Chamber of Commerce announces it has partnered SellingHive Corporation, an internet company based in the SUNY Fredonia Technology Incubator.

SellingHive is a social networking technology that facilitates working relationships between buyers and sellers.

By joining SellingHive’s Affiliate Program, the Chamber will help its members generate new revenue using the SellingHive service when the site launches next quarter, while giving SellingHive the benefit of working closely with Chautauqua County businesses.

“SellingHive solves a problem for many businesses looking to grow or expand into new markets,” stated Todd Tranum, President/CEO, Chautauqua County Chamber of Commerce. “Leveraging social networking technologies, SellingHive connects the maker of a product with sellers and buyers. This platform will help businesses throughout the region identify new opportunities and grow into new markets.”

“As Chambers and Associations seek to add value to their members, we are providing new tools to help Chamber members increase sales,” stated Bob Richardson, Executive Vice President & co-Founder of – SellingHive. “We look forward to the future as we grow our company here in Chautauqua County and help support the members of the Chamber of Commerce.”

“The technology platform that has been presented by SellingHive has the potential to help our company access new customers and reduce our costs of entry to new markets,” stated David Dawson, President, Dawson Metal Company.

“As we look at new product development and opportunities to expand into new markets, the SellingHive presents us with an efficient and cost effective way to access sales support and identify buyers for our products,” stated Chris Lanski, President, Excelco/Newbrook.

“We see the potential to utilize SellingHive to help our company grow and expand our business,” stated Ron Mazany, President, Mazany Contract Interiors. “Identifying and then connecting to new buyers of our products and services is an expensive and time consuming endeavor, utilizing Selling Hive there is potential to make those connections faster and at a lower cost.”
Chamber members receive added value through this partnership since they will be provided with free SellingHive membership until 2012. In addition, Chamber members will receive free training and consultation on how to utilize SellingHive to increase profits through higher sales and cost savings.

SellingHive is a website that helps businesses increase sales by using social networking technology to create connections between sales people and companies. SellingHive provides businesses with tools to organize a comprehensive sales strategy. Using the SellingHive toolkit, companies can expand into new territories, industries or difficult-to-reach prospects without significant upfront investment.

For more information visit the SellingHive website at www.sellinghive.com or the Chamber of Commerce at www.chautauquachamber.org. The Chamber can also be reached by calling 716-484-1101 or 716-366-6200.

After two successful years of organizing events to observe Earth Week, the Sustainability Committee at SUNY Fredonia is expanding its program this year by hosting the first “Connections” Duathlon and Fun Run to take place on Sunday, April 18.

In an effort to “connect people to their environment,” the Connections Duathlon will feature a 14-mile bike ride through the streets of Dunkirk and Fredonia, following a 5K run along the shores of Lake Erie. There will also be the option of a one-mile “fun run” for those seeking to participate at a less strenuous level. The race will start at the SUNY Fredonia Business Technology Incubator, 218 Central Ave in Dunkirk, and end at Memorial Park, on Lakeshore Drive in Dunkirk.

The fun run is open to all ages.The duathlon will be judged on the following individual age brackets: 19 & under, 20-29, 30-39, 40-49, 50-59, 60 & over. Teams are also accepted, and can be registered in all-male, all-female, or co-ed categories.

The duathlon will start at 9:30 a.m., with the fun run following at 9:40 a.m.

“While our first two annual Earth Week series of events have been very successful, I really wanted to take our community engagement and educational outreach activities to a whole new level with Earth Week 2010,” said Chemistry Professor Sherri Mason, chair of this year’s Earth Week. “This duathlon came out of that desire.”

An awards ceremony will take place at noon in the Clarion Hotel Ballroom during the post-race lunch. All duathlon participants (note: fun run participants excluded) will receive lunch for free, but additional lunches may be purchased by non-participants for $10. Awards for the duathlon will be given to the top overall male and female, the top three male and female finishers in each age group, and the top overall male team, female team, and co-ed teams. The fun run will also award its top three finishers, and medals will be given to all participants.

Participants can register online at www.fredonia.edu/connections through Friday, April 16. Late registration will take place from 8 to 9 a.m. on race day at the SUNY Fredonia Technology Incubator. Entry fees are $35 for a single participant or $50 for teams of two, and include a T-shirt and lunch. The fun run costs $10 and includes a youth T-shirt.

“Some of the most effective environmental activists in the world are athletes,” Dr. Mason added. “When people are connected to the environment in physical, tangible ways, it impacts how they think and, more importantly, how they act. One of the purposes of the duathlon is to instill and enhance environmental stewardship through the act of physically connecting to the local area.”

SUNY Fredonia officials and community leaders recently gathered with guests from Japan at the new Business Technology Incubator in downtown Dunkirk to mark the start of a new technology exchange. From Left to Right are: Dr. Hiroko Sato, technology-transfer specialist, KUTLO-Nihonkai Innovation Tech-Transfer; Amy Cuhel-Schuckers, Office of Sponsored Programs, SUNY Fredonia; Jane Russo, M&T Bank; Robert Fritzinger, incubator director; Dr. Yoji Yuki, president and CEO, Niigata Technology Licensing Organization; Bill Daly, director, Chautauqua County Industrial Development Agency; and Dr. Seiya Sato, senior vice president, KUTLO-Nihonkai Innovation Tech-Transfer.

The newly opened SUNY Fredonia Technology Incubator in downtown Dunkirk is poised to serve as a gateway for technology exchanges between Japan and the entire SUNY system with the arrival of Dr. Hiroko Sato, a technology transfer specialist, to begin a four-month training residency.

As a representative of a consortium that works on behalf of 10 technology-focused Japanese universities and two technology licensing centers, Dr. Sato brings an international dimension to the incubator that can facilitate a network between start-up technology businesses here and universities in Japan.

“Dr. Sato will learn about our systems and research opportunities while becoming familiar with our ways of incubating new clients,” said Dr. Kevin Kearns, associate vice president for Graduate Studies and Research at SUNY Fredonia. He indicated that Dr. Sato, who has a doctorate in Economics in addition to expertise in technology transfer matters, will bring a higher level of sophistication in international licensing arrangements and patents to the incubator.

Having a unique Japanese connection in place, with the resulting exchange of information between two countries and two cultures, is viewed as both a triumph for the state-of-the-art incubator as well as a catalyst to fuel the growth of start-up businesses that create new jobs in this area.

“If you can imagine this beautiful facility essentially being the door to Japan, it’s not hard to envision a lot of exciting things happening in the neighborhood in the next couple years,” said Incubator Director Robert Fritzinger. “I’m not sure that I could imagine a more important initiative than putting this relationship in place right now. It’s a real coup for the incubator, the university and the region.”

Assigning Dr. Sato, along with future trainees with these skills that are likely to follow, to the incubator is expected to enhance SUNY Fredonia’s role as an economic engine in the region by advancing innovations developed in faculty research that could ultimately lead to new businesses.

The launch of Dr. Sato’s four-month residency was commemorated last week by a visit to the incubator and SUNY Fredonia campus by Yoji Yuki, president and CEO of Niiagata Technology Licensing Organization and a senior fellow at Niigata University, and Dr. Seiya Sato (no relation to Dr. Hiroko Sato), senior vice president and technology specialist with KUTLO-Nihonkai Innovation Tech-Transfer (NTT), which addresses licensing technology in bio-life sciences. The visit by Mr. Yuki and Dr. Sato culminated in the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between NTT and the SUNY Fredonia Incubator which articulates the objectives of the partnership.

“This is going to be a good start for a big future,” said Mr. Yuki. “We will try to transfer technology from Japan and the U.S. and from the U.S. to Japan, ending up with new, start-up businesses here and also over there. That’s our main goal.”

Dr. Hiroko Sato’s position is being funded by Japan’s Ministry of Economics, Trade and Industry, along with university consortium members. Among the many objectives of her residency are: learning the day-to-day operation of a university-affiliated technology incubator; becoming acquainted with the role that grants and contracts play in supporting development and transfer of new technologies and supporting faculty and private-sector entrepreneurs; and learning about SUNY Research Foundation policies and procedures that govern technology transfer and intellectual property management. She will work out of an office at the incubator and also serve an internship at the university’s Office of Sponsored Programs.

Near the end of her residency in March, Dr. Sato will develop a plan to increase technology related collaboration between, SUNY Fredonia, other SUNY campuses, Niigata University and Japanese university consortium members. Suggested strategies to increase faculty interaction, research sharing, technology transfer and patent development and licensing will also be included.

Her mission will also focus on helping local entrepreneurs learn about Japanese ways of business.

Dr. Sato will work with incubator clients as they develop products that can be patented or licensed, Dr. Kearns said. “It is our hope that our relationship with the Japanese consortium will open the door to international licensing and patents and open markets for our clients. Her presence is being counted on to further solidify SUNY Fredonia’s collaboration with the Japanese consortium members.” Kearns believes that faculty teaching exchanges may also develop in the future.

Bill Daly, director of the Chautauqua County Industrial Development Agency, joined the informal gathering and welcomed the incubator’s contributions to the region. “We’re making plans for creative ways to bring business in, and certainly this incubator is a classic example of how we will create jobs with innovative technology in this county, which has been somewhat lacking,” he said. “That’s why the general feeling towards this institution here is very positive. We are very fortunate to have them.”

Seven tenants currently occupy the incubator, whose 20,000 square feet of space is designed to accommodate up to 31 businesses.

Mr. Fritzinger said SUNY Fredonia enjoys a “tremendous relationship” with Japanese universities through the efforts of SUNY Fredonia President Dennis Hefner, incubator client relations specialist Richard Goodman and other SUNY Fredonia officials.

Workforce Investment Board Executive Director Susan McNamara (standing) joins a Chautauqua Works counselor in assisting a client in their temporary office space at the SUNY Fredonia Technology Incubator.

The Chautauqua Works Dunkirk office has received a much-needed hand from its newest neighbor — the SUNY Fredonia Technology Incubator — following the devastating late-February fire that resulted in the total loss of the Masonic Temple building it partially occupied.

As of Tuesday, Mar. 2, Chautauqua Works and Department of Labor staff opened its temporary offices at the Incubator, 214 Central Avenue in Dunkirk, where they will accept applications for companies who have specified “Apply at the One-Stop” in their job listings. Applications will be accepted for Carriage House, Cliffstar and Berry Plastics on Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

“The fire last week was devasting for the community, the local business and the residents who accessed services and programs there,” said Workforce Investment Board (WIB) Executive Director Susan McNamara, who also serves as an adjunct faculty member within the university’s School of Business.

“It’s inspiring to experience our small town come together in a time of crisis. We have been awestruck by the assistance provided by [our] board members, DFT [Communications], Senator Cathy Young, President Dennis Hefner, and the city [of Dunkirk], as well as the many private businesses and individuals who have offered assistance and space.”

Dr. McNamara added that the WIB and One-Stop leaders are working diligently to find an alternative Dunkirk location where full services can continue, and she hopes to make an annoucement soon.

Two Chautauqua Works One-Stop Centers operate in Chautauqua County. The Centers provide a network of comprehensive services and labor market information for employers, workers and job seekers. They offer skill assessment; central posting of job and skill needs; access to qualified service providers; financial aid for training and referrals to other education, training and social services.

Students enrolled in the School of Business’ Entrepreneurship class (BUAD 350), led by Professor Sue McNamara, will host an Entrepreneurship Fair on Wednesday, April 28, at 7:00 p.m. at the Fredonia Technology Incubator, 214 Central Ave., in Dunkirk.

The class features 18 students who, throughout the semester, have learned about innovation, marketing, finance and strategies for success via various guest speakers and classroom challenges.

Dr. McNamara’s goal for the class is to inspire students to consider business opportunities based on their innovation and creativity, and the market needs that surround them. She also hopes to build the skills that can add to the students’ success within business, such as an understanding of business strategy, marketing, and selling value propositions.

The class had the opportunity to consult with SUNY Fredonia alumni.  The final project allowed the students to work in teams to take an idea and create a small business concept from it. Now that small idea is being transformed into a reality.

The ideas and concepts on display will include “The ROC,” a burger and hot’s restaurant; “Timoros,” a music store with recording studio; “Triple R,” a campground resort; “Tough Guy Landscaping and Property Management;” “Album Art,” home decor; “Events Us,” a events and party company; “High School Hot Spot,” a club program for youth, and “Learning Ladder,” a child and learning company.

“This is a unique and exciting experience for these students. They are learning real-life business skills that can add to each of their success in the next chapter of their professional life,” said McNamara.

The night will feature each team marketing and promoting their idea through means of creating a prototype and required tri-fold poster board outlining their professional business plan and goals of their concept. Parking is available behind the building and accessed from Washington Avenue.

Kevin Kennedy (left), CEO of new SUNY Fredonia Technology Incubator tenant Advanced Conservation Technology (ACT), is welcomed by, from right, SUNY Fredonia President Dennis Hefner, U.S. Congressman Brian Higgins, and SUNY Fredonia Vice President for University Advancement David Tiffany. SUNY Fredonia President Dennis Hefner watches U.S. Congressman Brian Higgins speak at a news conference at the SUNY Fredonia Technology Incubator. The Congressman announced $150,000 of additional federal funding to support the region’s new economic development initiative, which was reported today to be running six-to-12 months ahead of initial occupancy expectations. New tenant Kevin Kennedy is the first Western New York expatriate to return to the region due to the  SUNY Fredonia Technology Incubator. His start-up business, Advanced Conservation Technology (ACT), has relocated from Philadelphia to be a part of the anticipated economic resurgence of the region. Ray Christopher’s firm, TexTivia, is the first incubator tenant to release a software product, and the first to hire an employee outside of its founding members.

Congressman Brian Higgins (NY-27) met with new tenants of the SUNY Fredonia Technology Incubator on Monday, as he received an update on one of the most creative economic development initiatives in Western New York. The Congressman also took the opportunity to announce $150,000 in funding for the Incubator, which comes in addition to the $147,500 allocated previously.

The new, $6 million, 21,000-square-foot facility opened in late 2009, thanks in part to the much-needed federal funds Congressman Higgins helped secure. Now, less than five months later, it is making a true impact on the region’s business landscape.

“Western New York is well positioned to grow jobs that embrace innovation and, with resources like this technology incubator, we are providing support for tomorrow’s thriving small businesses,” said Congressman Higgins, a member of the House of Representatives Ways and Means Committee. “After only a few months of full operation, this new facility, through the great collaborative effort of SUNY Fredonia and the City of Dunkirk, is already producing results and providing great hope for our economic future.”

Two of the latest incubator success stories were introduced today as examples of this transformation, including one company that has returned to Western New York to be a part of it.

Advanced Conservation Technology (ACT) is a high-tech supplier of environmentally conscious building materials which result in long-term energy savings and other sustainable benefits. Its founders — two brothers who are Dunkirk natives — decided to relocate their business from Philadelphia upon learning of the opportunities the incubator provided. Better still, their business brings a manufacturing element to the region, which means new potential jobs at a variety of levels.

“As former residents of Dunkirk, we were well aware of the challenges the region faced economically, and it’s very rewarding to know that we might have a hand in turning this around for the community,” ACT Chief Executive Officer Kevin Kennedy said.

The affiliation with SUNY Fredonia is particularly attractive to these expatriates, whose products have been concepted and tested via partnerships with some of the top university research centers in the Northeast. Equally enticing was the Western New York climate – especially the winter.

“Winter conditions allow us to test the extremes of our technological parameters,” ACT Chairman Sean Kennedy added. “We market every product based upon research that proves its durability, longevity and compatibility. You just can’t beat a good Western New York winter for that.”

Stories like this are exactly what SUNY Fredonia President Dennis Hefner had in mind when he approached area business leaders and elected officials with this concept several years ago.

“One of our biggest priorities at SUNY Fredonia is making sure the high-quality graduates we are producing have opportunities and incentives to remain right here in our region and contribute what they’ve learned to the benefit of our society,” Dr. Hefner said. “We are constantly looking for strategies to battle the ‘brain drain’ we’ve seen in recent years. Successes like this are proof that it can be done, and I’m thrilled that our new incubator is playing this important role.”

Joining ACT was another new tenant, TexTivia, headed by several local entrepreneurs who create marketing, gaming and contest products for the mobile phone industry. The company is preparing to launch its product, making it the first client in the new incubator to take its software release to market.

“The incubator’s arrival comes at a time for us that couldn’t have been better,” said TexTivia co-founder Ray Christopher, Jr. “The support we have found here has allowed us to get off the ground much sooner than had we remained on our own, and we’re eagerly anticipating the results of our launch.”

TexTivia has also distinguished itself with another first: last week, it became the first incubator tenant to hire an employee outside of its founding members.

“Some of the greatest American business success stories, such as Microsoft, Hewlett Packard, General Electric and Disney, come from those who sought innovation and investment during difficult economic times,” Higgins added. “Small business success is the lifeblood of any growing economy. It provides quality jobs and the infrastructure needed to create the foundation for long-term financial sustainability.”

The downtown Dunkirk building — the first true extension of the Fredonia campus — is attracting interest from a variety of entrepreneurs, many of which have already signed leases and occupied space in the innovative facility. In all, seven companies have moved in and at least three new contracts are expected to be signed within the next month, according to Incubator Director Bob Fritzinger.

“We’ve already received enough applications to completely fill this place,” said Fritzinger of the facility which can house up to 30 start-up entities. “Of course, we won’t do that, because we need to always have space available in case the next ‘Intel’ walks through the door. But we have a deep and exciting pipeline of companies to consider, and I’m confident that we will have many new, economically viable companies in place by year end.”

“As a partnership between federal, state, and local governments, the university, and economic development entities, the incubator provides start-up and spin-off companies with targeted resources and shared, common business functions and services. In return, a tenant company must meet only two criteria: have technology as a significant component of its business model, and be willing to remain in Western New York after it “graduates” and becomes a stand-alone firm.

As part of SUNY Fredonia — the third-largest four-year university in Western New York — the incubator also presents unique opportunities for the campus community as well, including internship and job opportunities for its students, as well as research, teaching and collaboration initiatives for its faculty and staff.

“It’s very exciting and rewarding to see this project coming to life as intended,” Dr. Hefner added. “So much hard work went into this by so many people throughout the community, from university administrators and business leaders to elected officials and area contractors. We are honored to be able to play such a pivotal role in what we hope will become the resurgence in the economic vitality of the region.

Relations between the SUNY Fredonia Technology Incubator and a Japanese technology licensing consortium were underscored recently with a visit from Japanese officials who announced that  Richard Goodman has been named Director of International Affairs for KUTLO-NITT.

Above, left to right, looking at the new branding elements of the KUTLO-NITT Gateway Project are: Yoji Yuki, president of Niigata University;  Hiroko Sato, resident intern; Harry Hitano, president of KUTLO-NITT; and Dr. Dennis L. Hefner, president of SUNY Fredonia. Richard Goodman, left, was named Director of International Affairs for KUTLO-NITT. President Hitano, right, made the announcement.

The KUTLU-NITT Gateway Project at the SUNY Fredonia Technology Incubator was launched in January to connect the resources of SUNY Fredonia and the Kanazawa University Technology Licensing Organization – Nihonkai Innovation Technology Transfer (KUTLO-NITT).

KUTLO-NITT is a consortium of 11 universities and two licensing organizations in Japan created to facilitate the licensing of technology from academia.

It seeks to do the same in the U.S.

At a reception during the international visit on Friday, May 7, Mr. Goodman unveiled new graphics that provide branding for the center’s operations at the incubator.

The logos  and signage were designed by SUNY Fredonia students.

University President Dennis L. Hefner exchanged gifts with the international guests, Harry Hitano, president of KUTLO-NITT and Yoji Yuki, president of Niigata University.

KUTLO-NITT’s activity is approved by Japanese Ministry of Economy Trade and Industry (METI), which funded a training residency at the SUNY Fredonia Technology Incubator for Dr. Hiroko Sato, a technology transfer specialist from KUTLO-NITT.

A free screening of “Gasland” (2010), a Sundance Special Jury Prize winning film on the topic of hydrofracking for Marcellus Shale natural gas, kicks off an environmental film series sponsored by SUNY Fredonia’s Academic Community Engagement (FACE) Center, and the Fredonia Sustainability Committee, together with the University at Buffalo’s “UB Green.”

The film will be screened Thursday, Feb. 3 at 7 p.m. at the SUNY Fredonia Technology Incubator in downtown Dunkirk. Sarah Buckley, founder of Wales POWR (Protecting Our Water Rights), will lead a discussion about the film and the issues it raises for Western New York residents. The event is free and open to the public.

The first in a four-film series on local environmental issues, “Gasland” deals with an issue that is currently under discussion by residents of Chautauqua County, as well as many people across the state and nation. The Marcellus Shale, a potential “gold mine” of natural gas, lies under parts of Western New York and the Southern Tier, but it must be drilled by using a controversial method known as high-volume horizontal hydrofracturing, or “fracking.”

Winner of the 2010 Sundance Special Jury Prize, “Gasland” takes viewers on a 24-state journey to investigate the safety and risks of fracking and the current natural gas drilling boom sweeping across America. On the way, we discover the stories of farmers, ranchers and other residents whose water, health and livelihoods have been affected by fracking and other forms of natural gas drilling.

According to Variety magazine, film critic Robert Koehler claims, “’Gasland’ may become to the dangers of natural gas drilling what ‘Silent Spring’ was to DDT.” Koehler further states that the film “has a level of research, gutsiness and energy that should generate sensational responses everywhere it plays.”

The Technology Incubator is located at 214 Central Avenue in Dunkirk. To learn more, contact Professor Christina Jarvis at 673-3430 or jarvisc@fredonia.edu.

On Tuesday, Feb. 8, a free screening of, “Addicted to Plastic,” a film that deals with a range of environmental issues and solutions related to the use of plastics, will be the second in a four-film series sponsored by SUNY Fredonia’s Academic Community Engagement (FACE) Center and the Fredonia Sustainability Committee.

A free screening of “Gasland” (2010), a Sundance Special Jury Prize winning film on the topic of hydrofracking for Marcellus Shale natural gas, kicks off the series Thursday, Feb. 3 at 7 p.m.

“Addicted to Plastic” will be screened Feb. 8, at 7 p.m. at the SUNY Fredonia Technology Incubator in downtown Dunkirk. Sherri Mason, professor of chemistry and FACE Sustainability Coordinator, will lead a discussion about the impacts of plastics on the environment, both locally and globally, as well as SUNY Fredonia’s initiatives to reduce the use of plastic bags in our community. The event is free and open to the public.

The film explores the globe to investigate what we really know about plastic beyond its thousands of uses. It also highlights the ways in which our waterways and food chains are affected by plastic debris while offering solutions that will provide viewers with a new perspective about our future with plastic.

In particular, the film explores the North Pacific Gyre—a plastic filled stretch of ocean twice the size of Texas—and its impacts on marine life. From sea animal deaths due to entanglements, to the bioaccumulation of chemicals caused by fish ingesting tiny pieces of plastic, the film presents a sobering look at the ecological and health risks of ocean debris.

The film encompasses three years of filming across 12 countries on 5 continents, including two trips to the middle of the Pacific Ocean. Its point-of-view documentary style along with its wealth of expert interviews and cutting edge solutions to recycling, toxicity and biodegradability, made the film a winner of the Best International Documentary Award at the Barcelona International Environmental Film Festival.

The Technology Incubator is located at 214 Central Avenue in Dunkirk. To learn more, contact Professor Christina Jarvis at (716) 673-3430 or jarvisc@fredonia.edu.

On Tuesday, Feb. 15, SUNY Fredonia will present a free screening of “Fresh” (2009), a documentary that celebrates the farmers, thinkers and business people across America who are re-inventing our food system.

Fresh the movie website>>

The film will be shown at 7 p.m. at the SUNY Fredonia Technology Incubator, 214 Central Ave. in downtown Dunkirk. It will conclude with a discussion by Joshua Curry-Bascome and Sarah Sorci of Chautauqua County Rural Ministry’s Gleaning Project.  The event is free and open to the public, and the third in a four-film series sponsored by SUNY Fredonia’s Academic Community Engagement (FACE) Center.

For the past 10 years the Gleaning Project has been working to provide nutritious food for less fortunate families. Working with local farms to collect leftover crops and teaching volunteers how to create and sustain community gardens, the project has distributed over 650,000 pounds of fruit and vegetables throughout Chautauqua County. Bascome and Socri will speak about their local efforts to innovate food systems and offer audience members volunteer opportunities to work on various initiatives.

Directed by Swiss-born filmmaker and human rights advocate Ana Sofia Joanes, “Fresh” doesn’t focus on the problems with U.S. food production. Rather, it is a reflection of the rising movement of communities and people across America who are building local food networks and encouraging individuals to become more connected with their food.

The film highlights stories of everyday people who offer a practical vision of how to forge healthier, sustainable alternatives to our food system. It showcases the different ways people make a difference with food to benefit the planet’s future. Joanes includes these real-life accounts of sustainability because she made the film, “not to connect the audience with facts and figures or an apocalyptic policy analysis, but with examples of personal initiative and concrete ways to engage
in a new food model.”

To learn more, contact Professor Christina Jarvis at (716) 673-3430 or jarvisc@fredonia.edu. To learn about SUNY Fredonia’s overarching sustainability initiatives, visit www.fredonia.edu/earthweek/.

On Tuesday, Feb. 22, a free screening of the documentary film, “A Sea Change,” will touch on issues regarding ocean acidification and human impacts on our waterways. This is the last in the four-film series sponsored by SUNY Fredonia’s Academic Community Engagement (FACE) Center and the Fredonia Sustainability Committee.

The film will be shown at 7 p.m. at the SUNY Fredonia Technology Incubator in downtown Dunkirk. Biology Professor Michelle Kuns will then lead a discussion about the film and also discuss local environmental issues and encourage people to get involved in sustainability initiatives within the community. The event is open to the public.

“A Sea Change” follows the journey of retired history teacher Sven Huseby on his quest to discover what’s happening to the world’s oceans in the wake of their rising acidity. His quest takes him to Alaska, California, Washington, and Norway, as he uncovers a worldwide crisis that most people are unaware of.

During his journey, Huseby speaks with oceanographers, marine biologists, climatologists, artists and policy experts to discover that global warming is only half the story of the environmental catastrophe that awaits us. Excess carbon dioxide is causing detrimental effects to the oceans’ chemistry and sea life that could eventually affect the fish that one billion people depend upon for their source of protein.

Along with the film’s educational objectives, it also displays a touching portrait of Huseby’s relationship with his grandchild, Elias. As he keeps a correspondence with the little boy, he mulls over the world that he is leaving for future generations.

This is the first documentary to tackle the issue of ocean acidification and has been highly praised by scientists and film critics alike for its beautiful cinematography and accessible presentation of complex scientific idea. The film was also recognized by the Sonoma Film Festival which named it the Best World Documentary.

To learn more about SUNY Fredonia’s sustainability initiatives, visit www.fredonia.edu/earthweek/.

The Technology Incubator is located at 214 Central Avenue in Dunkirk. Contact Professor Christina Jarvis at (716) 673-3430 or jarvisc@fredonia.edu with questions.

SUNY Fredonia current students and recent graduates in search of internships or full-time positions are invited to attend a job and internship expo on Thursday, Sept. 30, beginning at 3 p.m. in the Williams Center Multipurpose Room.

Students and alumni will have the opportunity to speak directly to employers that have internships and/or full-time positions available in technology, business, human services and government, among other areas.

See complete list of employers attending below or by clicking here for further info>>

There is no charge to attend, which is co-sponsored by the Career Development Office and SUNY Fredonia Technology Incubator.

• Alliance Advisory Group, Inc.
• Buffalo Athletic Club
• Campus and Community Children’s Center
• Chautauqua County Chamber of Commerce
• Chautauqua County Emergency Services
• Chautauqua County Rural Ministry, Inc.
• Chautauqua Opportunities, Inc.
• Chautauqua Star
• Children’s Educational Services, Inc. & Little Seeds Preschool
• Cintas
• Disney College Program
• Dunkirk City Court
• Enterprise Rent-A-Car
• Erie SeaWolves
• Fenton History Center
• First Investors Corporation
• Fundamental Wealth Management
• Infinity Visual & Performing Arts, Inc.
• Jamestown Jammers
• Literacy Volunteers of Chautauqua County
• Media One Group, LLC (WWSE, WJTN, WHUG, WKSN, WQFX)
• Otravez Vintage Clothing
• Peace Corps – New York Regional Office
• SellingHive Corporation
• SUNY Fredonia Department of Communication
• SUNY Fredonia Department of Sport Management & Exercise Science
• SUNY Fredonia – Fredonia Academic Community Engagement (FACE) Center
• TexTivia, Inc.
• The Resource Center
• Town of Hamburg Recreation, Senior and Youth Department
• Travelers Insurance
• ValueCentric, LLC
• Wadadda, Inc.

Tech Incubator Director Bob Fritzinger will be joined by tenant companies TexTivia and SellingHive on Dec. 2 for a special presentation about available internships and job opportunities at the incubator.

The owners of two tenant companies of the SUNY Fredonia Technology Incubator, together with Incubator Director Robert Fritzinger, will speak on Thursday, Dec. 2 at 4 p.m. in Room S121 of the Williams Center. Their discussion will be about internships and potential full-time opportunities at the incubator for all majors including Business, Communication, Computer Science and Visual Arts/New Media.

The featured tenants include Bob Richardson, Executive Vice President and founder of SellingHive Corporation. SellingHive is a second generation social networking site designed for independent sales people and the organizations who would like to use them. Also speaking will be Ray Christopher, co-owner and founder of TexTivia, Inc. TexTivia and its subsidiaries are a complete interactive marketing company whose services include text marketing, website development, search engine optimization and a text-to-win platform.

Students interested in finding an internship for Spring 2011 are encouraged to attend, as well as students, faculty and staff entrepreneurs interested in learning how to start their own company or submit an application for office space in the incubator. Students from all majors are welcome.

This event is being put on as part of the Career Development Office’s “Spotlight Series” and is designed to help SUNY Fredonia students find internships and professional positions upon graduation.

More information about the featured companies is available at:

• SellingHive – http://www.sellinghive.com/
• TexTivia – http://www.textivia.com/

David Rutecki (left), M&T’s Administrative Vice President for Government Banking, presents a check to SUNY Fredonia President Dennis Hefner.

M&T Bank has stepped forward with the largest corporate gift to date in support of the SUNY Fredonia Technology Incubator.

The $75,000 pledge is in response to the $300,000 “challenge grant” the incubator received from Buffalo’s Oishei Foundation.

This grant matches $100,000 of giving received per year over each of the next three years to aid the new economic development engine which, less than one year after it officially opened, has 11 tenants and is operating nearly two years ahead of it is original business plan.

Monday, December 06, 2010

SellingHive Co-founder Bob Richardson, one of the newest tenants in the SUNY Fredonia Technology Incubator, addresses a room full of potential student interns at a recent campus Career Development Office event. The company plans to hire numerous interns in the spring semester and as many as eight full-time employees within the next year.

There’s a new tenant in the SUNY Fredonia Technology Incubator, and it’s generating a swarm of activity.

SellingHive Corp. — one of 11 tenants now in the downtown Dunkirk economic development engine less than a year after it officially opened its doors — is creating a social networking site that provides custom-designed toolsets for businesses to increase sales of their products and services.

“With our online tool, businesses can describe, in detail, how they go to market, who they want to sell to, and who the decision makers are within those companies,” explained SellingHive co-founder Bob Richardson. “With that information, our system can help them build relationships with those target companies in unique and different ways that are not available today.”

Richardson and Jon Sanchez, his business partner and friend for over 25 years, joined forces to establish SellingHive, though each has experience starting their own companies in, respectively, the Buffalo area and Northern California. As a result, both are especially aware of the challenges small- to mid-sized companies face when selling a product or service. Syracuse University, where he earned a business degree, initially brought Richardson to upstate New York. He decided to make the region his home 17 years ago after accepting a position with M&T Bank in Buffalo.

“In the long run, we will be able to facilitate sales growth for companies who want to sell their product or service locally or to consumers,” Richardson explained. “But in the short term, we will focus on companies who are based in Chautauqua County who want to sell their product or service to other businesses located outside of the area. So, if a company is ‘exporting’ outside of the county already or would like to in the future, those are the companies we’d like to work with. The idea is we can help them expand their market outside of the county by building a sales network on our site.”

By locating in the incubator, SellingHive has positioned itself to service manufacturers throughout Western New York, while also utilizing key resources – including students in valuable internships – of the university.

Richardson and Sanchez were drawn to the SUNY Fredonia incubator by its director, Robert Fritzinger, and his holistic view of the incubator putting companies together and helping them work together and grow together, as opposed to primarily offering accounting or other basic support services.

“Bob Fritzinger and I have known each other for a long time. When he got the opportunity to work here he told me about his vision for what the incubator was going to be. Comparing that to other options, it sounded like a really good fit for us,” Richardson said.

Additionally, SUNY Fredonia’s commitment to SellingHive was far greater than what was offered by other educational institutions connected to incubators. “We’ve gotten a very high level of support from the campus community for what we’re trying to do,” Richardson said.

In fact, SellingHive’s founders chose SUNY Fredonia and Western New York over Silicon Valley, home of many of the world’s largest high-tech companies, because of the advantages of working closely with Fredonia’s faculty, administration and students, which appeared more readily available than at other university-affiliated incubators.

“We felt like we needed to cultivate a group of students who we could hire and employ in our business, who were both intimately familiar with social networking and had grown up with social networking, text messaging and smart phones,” Richardson explained. “We are going to really work with the university to teach them our business while they are still students. Then, once they graduate, they can potentially become employees and be further integrated into the way we grow our company.”

The company’s hiring plans are very aggressive, starting with a need for a part-time project manager and up to eight full-time employees in the next year. “We expect substantial growth in terms of number of employees,” Richardson added.

“We absolutely love what these guys are planning,” Mr. Fritzinger said. “Right now they appear to be among the most aggressive companies in the incubator, and it’s up to us as a facility, a university and a business region to support them. The opportunities for our students, in particular, are remarkable.”

At present, SellingHive offers three types of internships. Those in website development and project management will assist in creating and testing new web applications; research interns will focus on the international front by gathering information on foreign countries and writing corresponding business plans; and “evangelist” interns (using Silicon Valley lingo) will give presentations about the company to the campus and community.

Several students began serving internships during the fall semester, and many more will be added in the coming spring term.

In addition, being situated in a building comprised solely of startups positions SellingHive “shoulder-to-shoulder” with fledgling businesses that could readily benefit from the service that it provides, Richardson added. Likewise, SellingHive can tweak its own business model based on experiences with fellow incubator startups and how they use SellingHive’s online tools.

SellingHive’s ability to meet significant research challenges will be enhanced by the university affiliation, while some data collected may prove beneficial to SUNY Fredonia.

More than 80 businesses and salespeople have already registered to join the SellingHive network. Their goal is to reach 120 by mid-December. Upon the beta launch of their site, anticipated in the first quarter of 2011, SellingHive will work with members on a daily basis to help them develop their sales strategies and use the SellingHive Tools.