Marketing : Innovation + Job News

The state and five universities are spending upwards of $5.8 million to help startups move from a concept to a company.  

Senate Bill 239/House Bill 442 establishes the Maryland Innovation Initiative Fund under the aegis of the Maryland Technology Development Corporation, or TEDCO. The bill passed the Maryland House and Senate and awaits the signature of Gov. Martin O'Malley, who is expected to sign it. 

“Maryland has premiere research universities but it ranks low on technology transfer,” Brian Levine, vice president, government relations, Tech Council of Maryland, says of the fund, which is intended to remedy that situation.
 
To participate in the fund, five universities are contributing to it. Johns Hopkins University, University of Maryland College Park and University of Maryland, Baltimore will each contribute at least $200,000 per year. The University of Maryland, Baltimore County and Morgan State University will contribute at least $100,000 per year. The state has allocated $5 million to the fund, which will begin operating July 1.
 
Calling the fund “a great benefit for the state,” Rob Rosenbaum, TEDCO’s president and executive director, says. “We have so much research but commercialization is needed. We have to stimulate that activity.”

TEDCO is establishing an office to administer the fund. The fund helps technology concepts reach the startup phase by providing marketing and supporting the the technology transfer offices that already exist at the participating universities.
 
Rosenbaum says the fund intends to work with 40 projects per year that will result in 12 to 15 new companies. Startup companies initially generate 2.5 jobs on average, with salaries the first year of more than $75,000 per job.
 
Rosenbaum says that “all policies of the fund have not yet been defined” but the hope is that the startups it helps stay in Maryland.
 
Ronald Wineholt, vice president of government affairs of the Maryland Chamber of Commerce, says the legislation provides better coordination of the universities’ transfer efforts. “Now that it’s under TEDCO, it’s a state-wide effort rather than an individual university,” he says.
 
Sources: Brian Levine, Tech Council of Maryland; Rob Rosenbaum, Maryland Technology Development Corporation (TEDCO); Ronald Wineholt, Maryland Chamber of Commerce
Writer: Barbara Pash

It would be hard to find a more unlikely theme but, nonetheless, the gb.tc (formerly, Greater Baltimore Technology Council) is hosting its first local “fail conference,” officially titled Bmore Fail.
 
The event takes place on Fri. April 20 from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. at an indoor soccer field, the Clarence Du Burns Area, 1301 South Elmwood Ave., Baltimore.
 
“The idea is to create an environment where risk-taking is okay and safe to do,” says Sharon Paley of gb.tc. “To succeed in business, you have to be prepared to fail.”
 
Bmore Fail welcomes entrepreneurs, investors, developers, designers, students, artists and others in the innovation and creative communities. Activities for “communal sharing” include a “failure wall,” where attendees can write about their personal experiences, and a “fail off,” where stories of failure and redemption will be told and the audience will vote.
 
“We’re saying, ‘This happens to everyone,’ so let’s come together and learn from each other’s mistakes,” says Paley, who expects 300 people to attend Bmore Fail.
 
The agenda is still tentative. There will be speakers, question-and-answer periods, breaks and a performance by the Baltimore Improv Group.
 
Talks will be on: “Virtues of Failure” by Ron Schmelzer, Bizelo; “Psychology of Fear of Failure” by Dr. Daniel Wagner, clinical psychologist; “Extreme Consequences” by Joe Bocuzzi, airline safety expert, and Dr. Paul Foster, GBMC; “Taking the Plunge” by Tracy Gosson; “Capital Failure” by Rob Rosenbaum, TEDCO; “Security Failure” by Hart Rossman, Cyber Security Services & Solutions at SAIC; “Learn to Fail” by Andrew Coy and Pat O’Shea; and “Peaks and Valleys” by Bryan Sivak, CIO for State of Maryland.
 

 
Source: Sharon Paley of gb.tc
Writer: Barbara Pash

The Republican Party primaries kicked off the 2012 election season. State and local campaigns will soon follow and when they do, CampaignOn is ready. Officially launching next month, the campaign management company offers a software package and professional services to candidates who are running for office and incumbents who are seeking re-election.
 
Company President Herbert Sweren says four candidates – in state, county and legislative races – have already committed to CampaignOn, although he declines to name them until they formally declare for office.
 
CampaignOn is a joint venture with Weiss PR Associates. In addition to Sweren, the company’s team includes Barry Silverman, Weiss PR managing partner; Dennis Rasmussen, former Maryland State Senator and Delegate and former Baltimore County Executive; and Robert Infussi, Jr. All have extensive experience in political campaigns.
 
The company’s software package is tailored to the candidate and his or her voting district. Professional services range from marketing and public relations to brand creation and donor/volunteer letters. The company works with candidates of all parties.
 
“Campaigns find it challenging to know where to go to get these services and then pay for each separately. We have it all in one package,” says Sweren.
 
CampaignOn’s pricing varies. “A gubernatorial race will be more expensive than a county council race. There’s more work state-wide versus local,” says Sweren, adding, though, that the aim is to make the pricing within the means of the campaigns’ fund-raising.
 
CampaignOn currently has two interns from Towson University. More may be added as the election season progresses.
 
Source: Herbert Sweren, CampaignOn
Writer: Barbara Pash

Clapp Communications is having a busy spring. The Lutherville marketing agency is moving to a larger office, adding new clients and employees. 

The company has added several new clients to its roster, including the Milton Inn. The agency will handle branding, social media and graphic design for the historic Sparks restaurant. To keep up with the influx of new work, Clapp Communications added two employees in February and will add more staff in early March.

Formerly known as Barb Clapp Advertising & Marketing, the company decided on a name change in November as it celebrated its 10^th anniversary. The name change was intended to better reflect the firm's current purpose. Along with the name change has come expansion for the company, both here in Greater Baltimore and in a new market. The firm is expanding its Lutherville office next month. In November, it added a second office in Charlotte, North Carolina. 

Writer: Amy McNeal
Source Colleen Riopko, Barb Clapp; Clapp Communications 

Render Perfect Productions Inc. is changing its focus from straight video production for businesses and individuals to full service media and website production. The Towson based will now offer media production, web design and web marketing services instead of just video production.

“We have shifted our services from video production to value-added video production,” says Nikc Miller, director of post production at Render Perfect Productions. “This means that instead of simply doing video for those groups that need it, we pay attention to our clients goals and create a strategy for their video so they can get more sales. This involves getting their video more exposure via landing pages, social media, Google ad buys, whatever.”

Render Perfect is still offering video production services, but has added several services to its menu. The company is promoting video landing pages for websites, Facebook pages and other online use. The web design team has the capacity to do website coding in HTML, Cascading Style Sheets, Flash, JavaScript, jQuery, and more. The website marketing arm offers branding, search engine optimization and social media management. The company has been ramping up its service offerings for the last 12 months to complete a transformation from strict video production to a media and marketing shop.


Writer: Amy McNeal
Source: Nikc Miller, Render Perfect Productions Inc.

Incite Creative Inc. has added new clients, expanded services and hired new staff as the company celebrates 12 years in business this year.


“We are reaching back out to those [clients] that are less active to evaluate what was done, what needs to be revisited or enhanced," says Dina Wasmer, president of Incite Creative. "We're also continuing to provide mentoring services to a variety of organizations and support entrepreneurs."

Incite Creative recently formed a new relationship with Baltimore artist Stephanie Levine and her company, PaintPrints by Stephanie. The organization's branding, logo design, marketing materials, social media and public relations are being handled by Incite Creative. Stephanie Levine was recently honored for her work as an artist and a person with disabilities at the Hadassah Medical Center’s 6^th annual CELL-A-BRATE event.

Incite has also expanded in two areas. Incite is now offering extended services in social media management and search engine optimization. Incite has added services in both areas to more accurately measure the effectiveness and consistency of clients' search engine rankings and social media outreach.

“Many companies and organizations are latching onto social media as a marketing tool but find that after they create their pages, they can't keep up with the posts," Wasmer says. "Consistency is king along with acquiring and engaging a following in order to establish and maintain a thought leadership positioning."

Incite Creative recently added three staff members, and is currently hiring freelance graphic designers and copywriters.

Writer: Amy McNeal
Source: Dina Wasmer, Incite Creative Inc.

The distressed real estate market is offering an opportunity for growth for ProGymSystems. The Baltimore based company is launching a new venture to open fitness studios in office properties with a high vacancy rate.

“Fitness and healthy living aren’t only hobbies for the fit crowd or bodybuilders. They are becoming the lifestyle of choice for the mainstream,” says ProGymSystems Director W. Thomas Sjolander.

The company sees the current real estate environment as an opportunity for expansion, and is marketing their new concept to property managers looking to attract new tenants to highly vacant properties by offering upgraded amenities.
“Many office buildings have high vacancy rates,” Sjolander says. “ Amenities like a free fitness center will help attract new tenants and even retain current tenants.”

ProGymSystems typically designs gyms for hotels, private clients and multi-housing properties. The company has designed gyms at the Saratoga Lofts in Baltimore and TownPlace Suites at Arundel Mills. ProGymSystems has approached several area property developers with the new concept, including Corporate Office Properties Trust, JBG Rosenfeld, Chesapeake Property Management and St. John Properties.

Writer: Amy McNeal
Source: W. Thomas Sjolander, ProGymSystems

In this economy, it's been a challenge for Michelle Ingrodi of Charm City Animal Rescue to raise the funds that her charity needs to provide services for homeless animals in Baltimore.

A recent partnership with Groupon's nonprofit fundraising team -- called G-Team -- helped the animal rescue service find the funds it needs to keep the functioning. CCAR's Groupon event ran for three days and raised $2,060. The nonprofit sold 206 Groupons at $10 each, Ingrodi says.

“We aimed for $300, so this was really huge for us,” says CCAR founder Michelle Ingrodi.

The Groupon effort is just the first of this year's creative fundraising efforts for the animal rescue. CCAR will be raising funds through a tattooing benefit in March and a bull roast in April. The animal rescue also plans to continue the fundraising effort with a 1980's prom themed benefit, a “giant yard sale” benefit and New Year's Eve spay and neuter event.

“CCAR is funded only by donations. We don't have a facility yet, I don't even have a car, so both are very big on our list of items needed,” Ingrodi says.


Writer: Amy McNeal
Source: Michelle Ingrodi, Charm City Animal Rescue

Craft cocktails are the latest trend in the beverage industry.

Liquid Culture, a beverage event start-up in Baltimore, aims to capitalize on that trend by holding events around town that combine an education in craft cocktails with an evening of fun. Craft cocktails are more than just your average rum and Coke. They rely on fresh, locally sourced ingredients, interesting flavor pairings and additives like bitters and syrups.

“I believe this is the perfect time for Liquid Culture because Baltimore, though it is often a bit behind cities like New York and L.A., seems to have caught up with the trends when it comes to food," says Liquid Culture founder Christine Stutz. 

"There are so many great restaurants in the city now, and people are much more adventurous about what they eat. There's a sophistication about food that translates naturally to what we drink. There's evidence that the cocktail movement has finally caught fire here, and we want to be the ones to fan the flames,” Stutz says.

Liquid Culture will be hosting themed food and beverage events featuring specialty drinks created by experts at venues around the city. The events are designed to educate cocktail neophytes about their options. At each themed event, a different kind of beverage will be sampled and attendees can learn about unusual cocktails. Events will be in a variety of locations around the city, with new themes and expert mixologists.

Liquid Culture will be holding their inaugural event, the Valentine themed “Libations for Lovers” on Feb. 1 at the Wine Market in Locust Point.


Writer: Amy McNeal
Source: Christine Stutz, Liquid Culture

CampaignON, a campaign management software company in Towson, has partnered with Baltimore's Weiss PR Associates Inc. to help candidates get their campaign messages out  --- just as the 2012 election season heats up. 

Weiss PR will be providing candidates with a wide range of public relations services, including strategic communications planning, media outreach, public affairs, issue management, community relations, and crisis communications, says Weiss PR President Ray Weiss

Weiss PR has worked with candidates on the state and local level, including PR support for former Baltimore County Executive Dennis Rasmussen when he ran for the U.S. Senate in 2006.

Writer: Amy McNeal
Source: Ray Weiss, Weiss PR Associates Inc.

Advertising banners flying from the back of a plane are a classic sight at the beach, but don't work so well in a crowded metropolitan area. Enter Columbia's Bootcamp Lights. The Columbia start up is taking that concept to a new level with digital banner advertising from a custom-built helicopter that is flown over urban events.

“We take a message, the foundation of any campaign, and we display that message directly above prime locations,” says Bootcamp co-founder Kyle Benham. “We are capable of reaching areas unattainable by other forms of media.”

The company has flown messages for a variety of area businesses specially tailored to their needs. Using a helicopter allows for more precise message locations, as it did with last year's advertising campaign for Scores flown over the U2 concert at M&T Bank Stadium.

Bootcamp Lights celebrated their new social media tool, currently in beta testing, at this year's New Year's Eve fireworks display in downtown Baltimore. Users were able to send their New Year’s greetings to the world using the online tool, Facebook and Twitter. Bootcamp Lights plans to continue developing their social media platform in 2012. The application allows customers to connect with a company and livestream chat on the company's site.

Writer: Amy McNeal
Source: Kyle Benham, Bootcamp Lights

In the wake of consumer frustration with corporate fees, one local credit union is experiencing a period of growth. SECU, Maryland's largest financial cooperative, saw new checking accounts and new members increase by about two-thirds compared with last year.

“With the holidays, we typically see account openings flatten in November and December, but with negative sentiment toward the big banks continuing, we are experiencing a reversal of that trend this year," says SECU President and CEO Rod Staatz.

SECU is ranked among the top 47 credit unions for total assets in the US. As of August 2011, SECU's assets were $2.4 billion.

Writer: Amy McNeal
Source: Rod Staatz, SECU
 

Towson-based CampaignOn, launching in November, will offer people running for office a suite of tools and the expertise of campaign management professionals in one package and at a price that most campaigns can afford.

"We really believe in the candidate who is serious and wants to run the best possible campaign. We're the game changer. This is something that will dynamically change the way that they run their race," says Herbert Sweren, President of CampaignOn.

The company's Campaign Manager Solutions suite offers office seekers several tools for success. Victory Map allows candidates to enter state-obtained information about likely voters into a program that will generate an interactive map detailing the locations and records of likely voters, with 16 options for categorization. VoterMonster makes interactive and updatable campaign sheets for use by workers detailing the locations of volunteers, donors, and signs to be placed for maximum efficiency. Town Hall Live allows candidates to conduct online town hall style Q&A meetings with potential constituents. The software contains additional tools for tracking mailers, spending, sending email, and template messages. The package also includes expert advice from the CampaignOn staff.

Formed by business expert Herbert Sweren, former Baltimore County Executive Dennis Rasmussen, and advertising executive Barry Silverman, CampaignOn aims to make the tools of professional campaigns accessible to even grassroots local efforts.

"An  average client will have a  $50,000 budget, some less. We can save them 60-70% of their operating cost, and they can put that back into things that will help them get elected. We can guarantee that they will be the best educated, best organized candidate they can be if they work with CampaignOn," Sweren continues.

IT solutions for the software were handled by Adventure Web Productions. One of the partners' goals is to use Baltimore-based service providers whenever possible. CampaignOn's Campaign Manager Solutions software launches in November. The company will be launching Chief of Staff Solutions, software devoted to helping incumbents stay in office, in the near future.


Writer: Amy McNeal
Source: Herbert Sweren, CampaignOn

Branches PSP will be handling the regional marketing for an episode of Extreme Makeover: Home Edition filmed on Maryland's Eastern Shore. The Annapolis-based professional services company is working in concert with the Fusion Companies and other businesses to donate services that will make one family's dream of owning the home that they need into a reality.

"The news of actually landing the project was really out of the blue. We had no advance notice, no time to prepare, no time to get a game plan together. Then, we pulled ourselves together, counted to 10, took a deep breath and started with one foot in front of the other. We've been thinking on our feet and making things happen in real time ever since. It helps that everyone involved is for the right reasons. No one is taking on this enormous challenge for profit or personal gains. We all want to do this because we are all about building and strengthening communities," says Shawn Cochran, Owner of Branches PSP.

The company became involved in the EMHE project through a business relationship with The Fusion Companies, one of their oldest clients. Since the launch of the project, and through the build, Branches has helped to rally support and get Maryland businesses to donate to the cause.

"I speak for everybody involved in this project when I say that this will change all of us forever. The people and the businesses that are bending over backwards to help a truly beautiful family find their way home is awe inspiring," continues Cochran.

The next project for Branches PSP will be to launch a website for the Eastport Gallery. The art gallery is dedicated to preserving the work of iconic area photographer M.E Warren, who is best known for photographs of the Chesapeake Bay Watershed, Annapolis, and Baltimore.


Writer: Amy McNeal
Source: Shawn Cochran, Branches PSP

Incite Creative, a marketing and graphic design firm, has added three new staff members. The Baltimore-based company was established by Dina Wasmer and Carl Cox in 2003. The growing firm has expanded its creative and marketing senior staff, and is searching for additional talent.

The three new hires are expected to increase opportunity for Incite Creative in several areas and foster cultural diversity. The firm is looking to expand its hotel and hospitality portfolio with the addition of Nadine Afiouni, a former team member at McCann Erickson Advertising, and a graduate of American University of Beirut, as a new Associate Creative Director. Ms. Afiouni has worked at building several brands in the Saudi market, including Hilton Hotels, The Body Shop, and Fairmont Hotels.

Maria Fuster joins Incite Creative as a new Marketing Strategist. The Notre Dame of Maryland graduate has launched several businesses in real estate and marketing, with specific focus on connecting with the Latino market.

Graphic designer and illustrator Joe Parisi is also joining the team at Incite as an Associate Creative Director. Mr. Parisi's art and design work has been featured in campaigns by The National Aquarium, ESPN, FILA, and the American Red Cross.

Incite Creative is continuing to expand staff as the economy improves. The company is currently looking to add experienced freelance graphic designers and freelance copywriters to its roster. Incite Creative is also accepting reservations for its signature Positioning Workshops, including the Full Bodied and Positioning Lite marketing workshops.


Writer: Amy McNeal
Source: Dina Wasmer, Incite Creative