Download the PDF - School of Engineering Design, Technology ...
Download the PDF - School of Engineering Design, Technology ...
Download the PDF - School of Engineering Design, Technology ...
Create successful ePaper yourself
Turn your PDF publications into a flip-book with our unique Google optimized e-Paper software.
EntrepreneurshipE-SHIP student launchesbusiness in Silicon ValleyAlex Mann, a 2009 finance graduate and engineeringentrepreneurship minor, can feel good in this economyknowing he has job security. That is because Mann, abudding entrepreneur, has successfully conceived his ownbusiness and secured funding for <strong>the</strong> venture—right out <strong>of</strong>college.Mann founded AM Analytics, a social media and marketintelligence platform that aggregates information about aclient’s brand by tracking live conversation through mediaoutlets such as Twitter and Facebook, during his senior yearat Penn State.AM Analytics creates an analysis <strong>of</strong> not only what is beingsaid, but also what <strong>the</strong> catalyst is, why <strong>the</strong> user feels that way,where <strong>the</strong> users are from, and why it matters. The data are<strong>the</strong>n used to generate a visual representation <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> analysisthrough charts and graphs, which <strong>the</strong> client may use torecognize and track trends to allow for more targeted andefficient marketing.“If you’re in <strong>the</strong> fashion industry, for example, a lot <strong>of</strong> yourstrategy is going to be guessing at <strong>the</strong> next hot trends,” saidMann. “If you guess right, you’re going to be successful.If you guess wrong, you’re going lose a lot <strong>of</strong> money onmisdirected marketing.”“But what if <strong>the</strong> fashion industry could track trends before<strong>the</strong>y tip into <strong>the</strong> mainstream?”Through <strong>the</strong> service <strong>of</strong>fered by AM Analytics, clients cansee what <strong>the</strong>ir consumers are saying, where <strong>the</strong>y are from,and what <strong>the</strong>y are talking about for <strong>the</strong> season. One feature<strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> platform includes a generated map that displays <strong>the</strong>concentration and spread <strong>of</strong> trends in cities and across <strong>the</strong>United States, helping marketers and advertisers target <strong>the</strong>irefforts.In August 2009, Mann announced that his company hadsuccessfully secured funding through Berkeley Ventures, astartup accelerator that <strong>of</strong>fers access to mentors and advisers,introductions to investors, incubator space, connections todId YOU KNOw?The <strong>Engineering</strong> Entrepreneurship Minor has its own incubatorprogram, <strong>the</strong> Lion Launchpad, which is funded through angeldonors. Want to get involved and inspire <strong>the</strong> next generation <strong>of</strong>entrepreneurs? Contact Elizabeth Kisenwe<strong>the</strong>r at exk13@psu.edu.local talent and resources, and a year round program to help<strong>the</strong> companies grow.Mann said that his company’s funding will be in <strong>the</strong> form <strong>of</strong>a customized program, including a cash stipend, legal work,advisory, and <strong>of</strong>fice space.Securing this type <strong>of</strong> funding is a huge feat for AM Analytics.According to an article in <strong>the</strong> Daily Collegian, ChrisDoner, executive director at Berkeley Ventures, said that <strong>the</strong>incubator has received “between 300 and 400 requests forfunding, but only about ten to 15 companies have actuallyreceived assistance.”“It was confirmation that someone else believed in this asmuch as I did,” said Mann in <strong>the</strong> Daily Collegian article.“Money talks...that’s idea validation.”Now a Penn State alum, Mann is a star graduate <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong><strong>Engineering</strong> Entrepreneurship Minor and an inspirationto his peers. The advice he would share with o<strong>the</strong>r studentshoping to start a business?“Go do it.”“Ideas are cheap, and many students have <strong>the</strong>m,” he said.“However, most are too afraid to chase <strong>the</strong>ir ideas because<strong>the</strong>re is this predisposition that <strong>the</strong>y will fail miserably.The college system tells us that <strong>the</strong> only path is to get a jobworking for someone else after <strong>the</strong>y graduate. But, it doesn’tneed to be that way.”“There are a lot <strong>of</strong> problems in our country right now, and<strong>the</strong>y’ll ultimately be fixed through entrepreneurs and <strong>the</strong>irideas. If at any point <strong>the</strong>re was <strong>the</strong> opportunity to make acareer out <strong>of</strong> a passion and <strong>the</strong> intent to fix a problem, it’snow.”For more information about AM Analytics, visit <strong>the</strong> companyonline at www.amanalytics.com. To follow Mann in hisentrepreneurial journey, visit his Web site: www.alexjmann.com.<strong>Engineering</strong> Entrepreneurship CompetitionStudent devise and pitch innovative solutionsAs part <strong>of</strong> ENGR 407 <strong>Technology</strong>-based Entrepreneurship, students are given <strong>the</strong> opportunity to exhibit <strong>the</strong>ir innovative solutions toreal-world problems at <strong>the</strong> annual <strong>Engineering</strong> Entrepreneurship Competition. A panel <strong>of</strong> judges critiques <strong>the</strong> student teams and awardsprizes to <strong>the</strong> top solutions.FALL 2008First Place: Go NowGo Now is an innovative marketing company that utilizes textmessaging to give restaurants and bars <strong>the</strong> ability to instantaneouslytarget <strong>the</strong>ir desired customers through a database for each client and"24/7" text message capabilities. It also allows customers to receivetexts about promotions and deals by joining <strong>the</strong> database through <strong>the</strong>Go Now Web site and by accepting standard text messaging fees.Second Place: SportsGuidesSportsGuides plans to create travel guides for college towns withincollege sports conferences, starting with <strong>the</strong> Big Ten. These guideswould include information contributed by residents and experiencedtravelers that is not o<strong>the</strong>rwise available to traveling sports fans.Third place (tie): eCanvasThe eCanvas is <strong>the</strong> all-in-one learning solution for college students. Itorganizes all learning materials into a sleek, lightweight device. With<strong>the</strong> feel <strong>of</strong> a textbook and <strong>the</strong> technology <strong>of</strong> a laptop, <strong>the</strong> eCanvasrepresents a paradigm shift in <strong>the</strong> way students learn.Third place (tie): Collaborative FurnitureCollaborative Furniture creates furniture combinations. The company'sfirst product, <strong>the</strong> Chable, is a desk and chair combination capable <strong>of</strong>creating different-sized tables as needed depending on <strong>the</strong> size <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong>group. With this product, organizations will be able to both save andearn money by utilizing <strong>the</strong>ir existing space more efficiently.SPRING 2009Information for this semester is unavailable.Students in <strong>the</strong> spring2009 <strong>of</strong>fering <strong>of</strong> ENGR497A, <strong>the</strong> <strong>Engineering</strong>Entrepreneurship capstonecourse, went beyond <strong>the</strong>classroom to present <strong>the</strong>irfinal projects. Instead <strong>of</strong>presenting to <strong>the</strong>ir instructorand peers, <strong>the</strong> students wentstraight to <strong>the</strong> funding source:<strong>the</strong> bank. Students presented<strong>the</strong>ir ideas and businessplans to First National Bankin downtown State College,PA, for a unique, real-worldexperience. Frank Koeinstructed <strong>the</strong> course.FALL 2009Winners:RADeeRRADeeR is a post-market detectionsystem marketed to middleclassindividuals to decrease <strong>the</strong>staggering amounts <strong>of</strong> deer-carcollisions each year. RADeeR usesa combination <strong>of</strong> simultaneouspulsations <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong>rmal and radardetection to pick up objects in <strong>the</strong>path <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> moving vehicle, which will<strong>the</strong>n alert <strong>the</strong> driver <strong>of</strong> those objects.PowerUsThe flagship product <strong>of</strong> PowerUs is <strong>the</strong>GravGen escalator retr<strong>of</strong>it. The GravGen takes any previously installeddown escalator and retr<strong>of</strong>its it to harness <strong>the</strong> gravitational potentialenergy <strong>of</strong> elevated human mass. The process involves <strong>the</strong> removal<strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> old drive motor, and <strong>the</strong> installation <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> transmission/clutchbox, low-power starter motor, sensing and monitoring equipment,and <strong>the</strong> generation unit. This system is analogous to <strong>the</strong> drive/generation equipment present in a wind turbine. These systemsutilize active breaking under varying loads to maintain a constantspeed <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> tread assembly. The entire system will cost <strong>the</strong> customerapproximately $23,000 to install as a retr<strong>of</strong>it and will save over $7,690per year, based on an average 25-foot escalator and electricity cost <strong>of</strong>$0.15 per kilowatt hour.34 | SEDTAPP NEwS | SPriNg 2010 SPriNg 2010 | SEDTAPP NEwS | 35