UM Dearborn / EO Sponsored E Training

I am proud to say that I helped craft the relationship between University of Michigan Dearborn, the Entrepreneurs' Organization and Jaffe. I want to especially thank Kim Schatzel, William Lekse, Mark Winter from Identity PR and the Entrepreneurs's Organization, the team @ Jaffe, the Detroit Chamber, who spearheaded the grant process locally, and the Department of Labor, who is funding this program, for making this exciting program happen. I am very excited about the prospects for this program and look forward to a successful partnership with University of Michigan Dearborn.

Michigan's Emerging Technology Entrepreneurs' Program

Nine owners of startups or innovation-based businesses looking to expand in Michigan have been approved for the first class of the University of Michigan-Dearborn Product Realization and Technology Commercialization program beginning in October . . . . He also said the school is using the Entrepreneurs Organization, Detroit Chapter to help gather and screen more applicants until Sept. 15. Those not chosen from the original 200 also will get a second look.

Blueprint D Mind Mapping Results

I had the opportunity to facilitate the final session for the Detroit Regional Chamber's Young Professionals' (YP) Organization called Fusion at the Mackinac Policy Conference on Saturday May 31, 2008 at the Grand Hotel.

I utilized a mind map to facilitate the session, utilizing an open source mind mapping tool called FreeMind.

I received a number of requests from attendess for copies of the mind map that was created during the session, so I created this blog posts with downloadable versions of the map. The map can be downloaded in one of two formats below: 1. PDF, 2. JPEG. Note, I could not get the FreeMind format to download properly from the web, so if you want a copy of this version please email me.

• Download FreeMind
  
• PDF Format
• JPEG Format

Social Networked Municipal Wi-Fi

This is a totally different approach to Municipal Wi-Fi, it's all about communicty cooperation.

Meraki empowers individuals to build wireless Internet communities. Meraki provides a level of access that has never before been economically, geographically or technically possible. Instead of a traditional top-down wireless service approach (such as municipal wifi or carrier hot-spots), the company takes a progressive bottoms-up approach that allows everyday people to affordably and cooperatively build a wireless network. In addition, Meraki makes the Internet more universally accessible by providing access even in rural and urban situations where traditional broadband access has failed. Meraki offers accessible, easy, and affordable wireless connectivity for everyone.

How It Works

Meraki’s wireless networking products are based on revolutionary mesh technology. Individuals are able to easily and affordably build and operate cooperative wireless networks anywhere – whether in a home, apartment building, office complex, or across an entire city. With Meraki’s Mini routers and an online dashboard tool to monitor and manage networks, customers without technical expertise can quickly set up an entire wireless network. Plugging a Meraki Mini router into a DSL line instantly creates a gateway. As more Minis are added nearby, the signals stream back and forth to build a web of wireless connections. Known as a mesh, this fabric of signals makes it possible to use just one DSL line to create a cooperative wireless Internet network, bringing access to more people than ever before.

Fund-Raising Goes Peer-to-Peer

I thought this was a brilliant use of the power of network centric cooperation. Came across this company via Business 2.o.

www.fundable.org

What is Fundable?

Fundable.org lets groups of people pool funds to make purchases or raise money. Similar to online auctions, Fundable's pages, called "group actions," are created by people who use this site. Each group action has a description of how much money needs to be collected and what it will do. Once enough pledges (not payments) have been collected, Fundable turns them into real payments and sends the total to the group action's organizer.

No one takes a risk when making a pledge: if a group action expires before reaching its total in pledges, Fundable deletes all pledges and never charges money. This lets you participate in a group purchase or fundraiser without worrying about what other people will do. No one pays until and unless everyone else makes a pledge.

Fundable is still in beta. Please write contact@fundable.org to report bugs.

Fundable Frequently Asked Questions

Fundraising Results

From: Lothian, Laura (MI)
Date: Nov 18, 2005 2:52 PM
Subject: Congrats!!
To: JB Smith

Hi Jonathan,

Hope everything is going well. I just got back from the national Leukemia Cup Regatta training where I learned that you were the 3rd highest fundraiser in the country. (You actually are 2nd if we count the $17,000 you raised for your Herb & Bev.) I was very proud to have Michigan in that list! Thanks for fundraising for the Leukemia Cup this year. Have a great time in Antigua. Don't forget to forward me your flight receipt (and for Herb & Bev as well) so we can reimburse you for the cost of the flights. Enjoy yourself! I am excited to hear about it when you return.

All my best,

Laura (Lothian) Dodd
Campaign Manager
The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society
Michigan Chapter
(248) 582-2900, ext. 3124
LothianL@LLS.org

Serendipitous Connections

Background

I was speaking to the local Executive Director (ED) about an initiative that ADA has started to help corporations encourage healthy choices: i.e. eating habits, exercise and reduced stress. I can not find the exact link on the ADA site to the program, which is frustrating to me. I will eventually find it and this post will make more sense.

Bottom Line

ADA is looking for more corporations to join this program. When I got home and opened my mail, I received a copy of the "Oakland Business Review." On the front page of the newspaper, there is a section entitled "New coalition promotes health awareness - and savings" & "Clarkston firm: Big losers win tropical trip."

I also came across another article in "Fortune," entitled "The (R)evolution of Steve Case," which discusses Mr. Case's ambition to change the way health-care is delivered.

Results

I am sending these articles to the ED, as an example of opportunities to introduce and leverage ADA's program to these organizations.