On December 1, CONNECT, a premier innovation company accelerator in San Diego that creates and scales great companies in the technology and life sciences sectors, announced the winners of its 28th annual Most Innovative New Product Awards. The prestigious competition, which begins in each year in the spring and culminates in the awards ceremony in December, is an annual signature event at CONNECT that recognizes and lauds groundbreaking products released within the last 18 months from San Diego-based innovation companies.
“San Diego’s innovation economy is driven by hardworking companies who, day after day, continue to change the way the world operates. We at CONNECT are honored to recognize the products that alter the global landscape and continue to elevate and highlight the region as a top innovation destination nationwide” said Greg McKee, President & CEO of CONNECT. “The 2015 Most Innovative New Product Awards shine a spotlight on those standout entrepreneurs whose ideas are breathing new life into modern innovation.”
The 2015 Most Innovative Product Award winners faced a rigorous judging process before being selected from a pool of more than 100 nominations across eight categories: Aerospace, Security & Cyber Technologies, Cleantech, Communications & IT, Life Science Diagnostics & Research Tools, Mobile Apps, Pharmaceutical Drugs & Medical Devices, Software & Digital Media and Sport & Active Lifestyle Technologies. From the nominations, the panel selected forty-four semi-finalists, and finally, 24 semi-finalists.
Listed below, in their respective categories, are the eight 2015 Most Innovative New Product Award winners:
Aerospace, Security & Cyber Technologies:
• Ocean Aero’s Submaran – Ocean Aero’s Submaran is an autonomous, hybrid surface and subsurface vessel that is changing how we observe our oceans. This unmanned vessel has the ability to perform long term data-gathering missions, survivable and undetected, without the need to refuel or recharge.
Cleantech:
• Q Factory 33’s B3 Bypass Device – The B3 Bypass is a device that facilitates 625% increases in energy potential of solar, wind, stationary battery backup systems and electrical generators and enables 30% increases in conductivity, five-fold reductions in soft costs and elimination of expensive electrical upgrades.
Communications & IT:
• Mushroom Networks’s VOIP Armor – VOIP Armor is a “Voice over IP” gateway device that automatically heals and works around any network problems that otherwise negatively impact phone calls. You set it and forget it for crystal clear phone calls with unbreakable reliability for your business.
Life Science Diagnostics & Research Tools:
• CureMetrix’s CureMetrix – An image analysis platform that quantifies the qualities of anomalies in images. As a first target, CureMetrix is focused on doing early and accurate detection of breast cancer in mammograms along with reducing unnecessary biopsies.
Mobile Apps:
• Chalk Digital’s Instant Mobile Ad Platform – Chalk Digital offers the only Do-It-Yourself advertising solution (portal and app) that builds locally targeted, affordable campaigns (with mobile optimized landing pages) within minutes. It offers businesses and consumers the ability to build, target and launch their own personal advertisement in minutes that is displayed in thousands of mobile apps based on your location.
Pharmaceutical Drugs & Medical Devices:
• PureWick’s PureWick – PureWick empowers women with safe and simple incontinence management in hospitals, in nursing facilities and at home. A non-invasive, disposable wick comfortably moves urine away from the body. PureWick offers a new standard of care without need for catheters or specialized nurses.
Software & Digital Media:
• Comhear’s MyBeam – MyBeam is a single, portable, wireless 12-18″ sound bar device that produces spatialized, localized, and binaural virtual surround sound. MyBeam delivers a fully immersive audio experience through a portable personal device that replaces headphones. The device commercializes a patent-pending algorithm that sends sound directly to your ears precisely the way your body was designed to receive it.
Sport & Active Lifestyle Technologies:
• Hush’s Hush Smart Earplugs – Hush Smart Earplugs are the world’s first smart earplugs that help people sleep better in noisy environments. Combining a sound machine, earplugs, and smartphone connectivity, Hush allows you to drown out noises that keep you up at night, while simultaneously allowing you to hear the alerts and notifications you need.
To be eligible for the 2015 Most Innovative New Product Awards, the product must have been developed in the San Diego or Baja region, first introduced between March 2014 – August 2015, never nominated for this award before, and generated revenue from sales (except free mobile apps).
The winners were announced tonight, December 1, at the 2015 Most Innovative New Product Awards presentation and dinner at the Hyatt Regency La Jolla at Aventine.
In addition to the eight companies honored for their outstanding new products, the William W. Otterson Award was awarded to the RQ-4 Global Hawk, developed by Northrop Grumman. Get here more info about white-collar crime. The award is CONNECT’s highest honor given to technology or product that has demonstrated a significant impact on society and on our quality of life.
The RQ-4 Global Hawk is a high-altitude, long-endurance (HALE) unmanned aircraft system (UAS) designed to provide military field commanders with comprehensive, near-real-time intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR), plus detection of moving targets over a large geographical area for battle management, targeting and situation awareness of enemy actions. The superior performance of the Global Hawk’s system significantly enhances the U.S. military’s ability to prevail in all types of operations from sensitive peacekeeping missions to full-scale combat.
Finally, JP Morgan Chase & Company announced a major grant to the CONNECT Foundation. Brennon Crist, Managing Director at JP Morgan Chase & Company, presented a $230,000 check to CEO Greg McKee to support CONNECT in the development of small business clusters in San Diego.
“Serving almost 70,000 small businesses in San Diego County and as one of the nation’s top SBA lenders, JP Morgan Chase & Company has a great vantage point to see the innovations and creativity of American enterprise, which fuels our continued strength and future global competitiveness,” Crist stated. “We understand that many entrepreneurs are tackling some of the world’s biggest problems, which is why we support start-up accelerators like CONNECT who are making a dramatic difference in the way small businesses work and how they succeed.”
For more information on CONNECT’s Most Innovative New Product Awards, please visit connect.org.
ABOUT CONNECT
CONNECT is a premier innovation company accelerator in San Diego that creates and scales great companies in the technology and life sciences sectors. By creating an environment in which entrepreneurs and C-suite executives have access to the people, capital, and technology resources they need for success, CONNECT has assisted in the formation and development of more than 3,000 companies since 1985. Widely regarded as one of the world’s most successful organizations linking entrepreneurs and C-suite executives with the resources they need for the commercialization of innovative products and services; our program has been modeled in more than 50 regions around the world.
###
CONNECT’s 2015 Most Innovative New Product Awards
Press ReleaseOn December 1, CONNECT, a premier innovation company accelerator in San Diego that creates and scales great companies in the technology and life sciences sectors, announced the winners of its 28th annual Most Innovative New Product Awards. The prestigious competition, which begins in each year in the spring and culminates in the awards ceremony in December, is an annual signature event at CONNECT that recognizes and lauds groundbreaking products released within the last 18 months from San Diego-based innovation companies.
“San Diego’s innovation economy is driven by hardworking companies who, day after day, continue to change the way the world operates. We at CONNECT are honored to recognize the products that alter the global landscape and continue to elevate and highlight the region as a top innovation destination nationwide” said Greg McKee, President & CEO of CONNECT. “The 2015 Most Innovative New Product Awards shine a spotlight on those standout entrepreneurs whose ideas are breathing new life into modern innovation.”
The 2015 Most Innovative Product Award winners faced a rigorous judging process before being selected from a pool of more than 100 nominations across eight categories: Aerospace, Security & Cyber Technologies, Cleantech, Communications & IT, Life Science Diagnostics & Research Tools, Mobile Apps, Pharmaceutical Drugs & Medical Devices, Software & Digital Media and Sport & Active Lifestyle Technologies. From the nominations, the panel selected forty-four semi-finalists, and finally, 24 semi-finalists.
Listed below, in their respective categories, are the eight 2015 Most Innovative New Product Award winners:
Aerospace, Security & Cyber Technologies:
• Ocean Aero’s Submaran – Ocean Aero’s Submaran is an autonomous, hybrid surface and subsurface vessel that is changing how we observe our oceans. This unmanned vessel has the ability to perform long term data-gathering missions, survivable and undetected, without the need to refuel or recharge.
Cleantech:
• Q Factory 33’s B3 Bypass Device – The B3 Bypass is a device that facilitates 625% increases in energy potential of solar, wind, stationary battery backup systems and electrical generators and enables 30% increases in conductivity, five-fold reductions in soft costs and elimination of expensive electrical upgrades.
Communications & IT:
• Mushroom Networks’s VOIP Armor – VOIP Armor is a “Voice over IP” gateway device that automatically heals and works around any network problems that otherwise negatively impact phone calls. You set it and forget it for crystal clear phone calls with unbreakable reliability for your business.
Life Science Diagnostics & Research Tools:
• CureMetrix’s CureMetrix – An image analysis platform that quantifies the qualities of anomalies in images. As a first target, CureMetrix is focused on doing early and accurate detection of breast cancer in mammograms along with reducing unnecessary biopsies.
Mobile Apps:
• Chalk Digital’s Instant Mobile Ad Platform – Chalk Digital offers the only Do-It-Yourself advertising solution (portal and app) that builds locally targeted, affordable campaigns (with mobile optimized landing pages) within minutes. It offers businesses and consumers the ability to build, target and launch their own personal advertisement in minutes that is displayed in thousands of mobile apps based on your location.
Pharmaceutical Drugs & Medical Devices:
• PureWick’s PureWick – PureWick empowers women with safe and simple incontinence management in hospitals, in nursing facilities and at home. A non-invasive, disposable wick comfortably moves urine away from the body. PureWick offers a new standard of care without need for catheters or specialized nurses.
Software & Digital Media:
• Comhear’s MyBeam – MyBeam is a single, portable, wireless 12-18″ sound bar device that produces spatialized, localized, and binaural virtual surround sound. MyBeam delivers a fully immersive audio experience through a portable personal device that replaces headphones. The device commercializes a patent-pending algorithm that sends sound directly to your ears precisely the way your body was designed to receive it.
Sport & Active Lifestyle Technologies:
• Hush’s Hush Smart Earplugs – Hush Smart Earplugs are the world’s first smart earplugs that help people sleep better in noisy environments. Combining a sound machine, earplugs, and smartphone connectivity, Hush allows you to drown out noises that keep you up at night, while simultaneously allowing you to hear the alerts and notifications you need.
To be eligible for the 2015 Most Innovative New Product Awards, the product must have been developed in the San Diego or Baja region, first introduced between March 2014 – August 2015, never nominated for this award before, and generated revenue from sales (except free mobile apps).
The winners were announced tonight, December 1, at the 2015 Most Innovative New Product Awards presentation and dinner at the Hyatt Regency La Jolla at Aventine.
In addition to the eight companies honored for their outstanding new products, the William W. Otterson Award was awarded to the RQ-4 Global Hawk, developed by Northrop Grumman. Get here more info about white-collar crime. The award is CONNECT’s highest honor given to technology or product that has demonstrated a significant impact on society and on our quality of life.
The RQ-4 Global Hawk is a high-altitude, long-endurance (HALE) unmanned aircraft system (UAS) designed to provide military field commanders with comprehensive, near-real-time intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR), plus detection of moving targets over a large geographical area for battle management, targeting and situation awareness of enemy actions. The superior performance of the Global Hawk’s system significantly enhances the U.S. military’s ability to prevail in all types of operations from sensitive peacekeeping missions to full-scale combat.
Finally, JP Morgan Chase & Company announced a major grant to the CONNECT Foundation. Brennon Crist, Managing Director at JP Morgan Chase & Company, presented a $230,000 check to CEO Greg McKee to support CONNECT in the development of small business clusters in San Diego.
“Serving almost 70,000 small businesses in San Diego County and as one of the nation’s top SBA lenders, JP Morgan Chase & Company has a great vantage point to see the innovations and creativity of American enterprise, which fuels our continued strength and future global competitiveness,” Crist stated. “We understand that many entrepreneurs are tackling some of the world’s biggest problems, which is why we support start-up accelerators like CONNECT who are making a dramatic difference in the way small businesses work and how they succeed.”
For more information on CONNECT’s Most Innovative New Product Awards, please visit connect.org.
ABOUT CONNECT
CONNECT is a premier innovation company accelerator in San Diego that creates and scales great companies in the technology and life sciences sectors. By creating an environment in which entrepreneurs and C-suite executives have access to the people, capital, and technology resources they need for success, CONNECT has assisted in the formation and development of more than 3,000 companies since 1985. Widely regarded as one of the world’s most successful organizations linking entrepreneurs and C-suite executives with the resources they need for the commercialization of innovative products and services; our program has been modeled in more than 50 regions around the world.
###
San Diego Biotech Company Dermala Advances to InnovateHER Semi-Finals
Press ReleaseFOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Media Contact:
Lindsay Anthony
Olive PR Solutions
(619) 930-9044
[email protected]
San Diego Biotech Company Dermala Advances to InnovateHER Semi-Finals
Nationwide competition honors companies that impact and empower women’s lives
SAN DIEGO (December 8, 2015) – Today, CONNECT, a premier innovation company accelerator in San Diego that creates and scales great companies in the technology and life sciences sectors, announced Dermala Inc., an early stage biotech company based in San Diego, as the winner of the recent InnovateHER challenge hosted by CONNECT and Hera Labs. The national InnovateHER competition, put on by the U.S. Small Business Administration and Microsoft in an effort to unearth innovative products and services that help impact and empower the lives of women and families, will be held in Washington, D.C. on March 17, 2017 as part of the annual Women’s Summit, where the winning company will take home $40,000.
“It is an honor to be among the semi-finalists in the InnovateHER competition, and I’m grateful for the opportunity to showcase Dermala alongside other companies that are making a difference in the lives of women all over the world,” said Dr. Lada Rasochova, CEO and President of Dermala. “Being a female in male-dominated industry is one thing, but to be leading the charge in positively impacting other women’s lives is truly inspiring.”
Dermala was selected based on its measurable impact on the lives of women and families, potential for commercialization and its ability to fill a need in the marketplace. Judges of the local challenge were local business leaders Silvia Mah, CEO of Hera-Labs; Kim Davis King, Adjunct Professor at San Diego State, former venture capitalist and current angel investor; and Sergio Gurrier, Board Director, Tech Coast Angels.
Founded in 2014 by Dr. Rasochova and Eric Huang, Professor at the Department of Dermatology at UCSD, Dermala is an early stage biotechnology company that uses the human microbiome to develop treatments for chronic skin diseases. Rasochova has been involved in commercialization of pharmaceutical and biotechnology products for the past 20 years. She spent more than 15 years in private sector where she held various leadership and management positions, most recently as the R&D Leader and Director of New Business Development https://www.thelockboss.ie, in Dowpharma division of the Dow Chemical Company.
For more information on InnovateHER, please visit https://www.sba.gov/offices/headquarters/wbo/resources/1465581.
ABOUT CONNECT
CONNECT is a premier innovation company accelerator in San Diego that creates and scales great companies in the technology and life sciences sectors. By creating an environment in which entrepreneurs and C-suite executives have access to the people, capital, and technology resources they need for success, CONNECT has assisted in the formation and development of more than 3,000 companies since 1985. Widely regarded as one of the world’s most successful organizations linking entrepreneurs and C-suite executives with the resources they need for the commercialization of innovative products and services; our program has been modeled in more than 50 regions around the world.
###
Financial Fitness Group Elects Three to Board of Directors
Press ReleaseSAN DIEGO (Dec. 3, 2015) – Financial Fitness Group (FFG) – a San Diego-based company that offers a Software as a Service-based (SaaS) platform to help employees assess, benchmark and improve their personal financial knowledge, while improving productivity and reducing risk for their employers – has added three members to its board of directors.
“As the company continues to grow, we needed to add additional depth and diversity of skills to the company,” says Andrew Meyer, CEO, Financial Fitness Group. “Their expertise in online learning, human resources and benefits, and growing early stage enterprise SaaS software companies complement each other and FFG’s objectives.”
Deb Karstetter is an accomplished executive and recognized leader in the employee benefits industry. She was the past president of the International Foundation of Employee Benefits Specialists, and vice chair of the Council of Employee Benefits Executives (CEBE). Karstetter was also executive vice president at ABD Insurance & Financial Services, and division president at Minet Insurances Services. She is the founder of Executive nSight, where she provides leadership consulting to developing organizations for sustained growth and profitability. Karstetter is also an angel investor with The Angels Forum, a venture capital firm specializing in investments in seed and early stage companies.
Patrick Quirk is a C level software executive who has been CEO of multiple software companies, effectively leading them through high growth and exits. High-profile companies he’s worked with include Emptoris – an IBM Company – GoldenGate Software, Oracle, Keynote Systems, PeopleSoft Corporation and JDA (formerly i2 Technologies). He was also CEO of Achievers – a leader in the employee recognition market. Quirk was previously on the board of Plex Systems during their acquisition by Francisco Partners.
Rick Hernandez founded “I Drive Safely,” a wholly owned division of eDriving, LLC, the leading provider of online driver education and behind-the-wheel driver training in the U.S. He led the company as managing director for 16 years, before successfully exiting. Hernandez is also a member of Tech Coast Angels, the largest angel investor network in the U.S. and the number one source of startup funding in Southern California.
For more information about Financial Fitness Group, visit: http://financialfitnessgroup.com/.
About Financial Fitness Group
Financial Fitness Group offers employers a suite of SaaS software applications that deliver powerful, interactive personal finance and investing learning solutions designed to help staff better understand and manage their personal finances. FFG’s programs enable employers to understand the financial health of their employees and its impact on their organizations’ profits and productivity, check out www.actionac.net. Once assessed, FFG’s expertly designed educational content and coursework addresses each employee’s unique situation, effectively improving employees’ financial knowledge and behaviors, while reducing employee turnover, increasing employee usage of benefits and improving employee productivity.
For more information about Financial Fitness Group, visit:
http://financialfitnessgroup.com/.
###
DrinkFly Alcohol Delivery Launches in San Diego
Press ReleaseDrinkFly has partnered with Quality Liquor Store in San Diego to deliver beer, wine, and liquor to thirsty patrons in the city of San Diego. Why leave the house when you can order booze delivered for your netflix and chill nights….. Use coupon code Drink1 for $5 off your first order of $20 or more.
Corporate Directors to Host “BIG THINK” Event on Drones and Their Impact on the Business Community
Press ReleaseSAN DIEGO, Nov. 4, 2015 – Corporate Directors Forum is hosting a special event, “BIG THINK: Topics for the Boardroom and Beyond,” on Nov. 19, 2015. Held at the Hyatt Regency La Jolla, the discussion will focus on drones and the related “perils, pitfalls and promises” the technology brings to the world of business.
The event will be helmed by drone experts Gregory S. McNeal, JD/Ph.D. and William O’Connor. McNeal is founder of drone safety website AirMap, an Associate Professor of Law and Public Policy at Pepperdine University and a frequent commentator for Forbes, and has addressed topics relating to security, tech and crime for outlets including The New York Times, CNN, NPR and the Wall Street Journal. O’Connor, a Morrison & Foerster partner in charge of the law firm’s UAS/Drones Group, focuses on litigation stemming from aviation accidents and product liability issues. Ranked a leading aviation litigation lawyer by Chambers USA, O’Connor represents an array of airlines, aerospace manufacturers and airports.
This event will address the challenges of drones: how to wisely move forward, taking advantage of this immense opportunity, while side-stepping the inevitable unintended consequences. The brave new world is upon us and will affect all our lives and businesses in the coming years. Attendees will have the opportunity to delve into thought-provoking topics including citizens’ rights, emerging technology, data and film collection practices, accidents, surveillance and more. All guests of the event can receive one hour of MCLE and CPE credit.
“What seemed like distant science fiction just a few years ago is here today. We’re excited to have these thought leaders discuss this fascinating new technology and the implications that come along with it,” said Linda Sweeney, Executive Director of Corporate Directors Forum. “As leading experts in their respective fields, McNeal and O’Connor will give our audience an insightful, well-rounded look at the future of drone technology and what it means for their businesses – and their everyday lives.”
The latest edition of “BIG THINK” is open to the public. Tickets range from $60 to $80, including dinner-quality hors d’oeuvres, drinks and self-parking, and can be purchased online, by calling 858-455-7930 or by emailing [email protected].
About Corporate Directors Forum
Corporate Directors Forum, a 501c(6) located in San Diego, is the largest regional association of corporate directors in the U.S. and offers regular, interactive education programs for directors, officers and business leaders. The organization also hosts “Directors Forum: Directors, Management & Shareholders in Dialogue” every January. CDF’s purpose is to help directors, and those who support them, be better directors through director education and peer-to-peer networking. To learn more, visit www.directorsforum.com.
###
Media contact:
Molly Borchers
(W)right On Communications
[email protected]
858/888-0434
Fifth Annual Art of Marketing Conference Scheduled for November 12, 2015
Press ReleaseSAN DIEGO, CA (October 20, 2015) – The San Diego American Marketing Association will host its annual Art of Marketing Conference on November 12, 2015. Now in its 5th year, the Art of Marketing Conference (#SDAOM) has grown to more than three times its original size. This year’s theme, Practical, Agile Strategies, illustrates the next level practices mid- to senior-level marketers will learn at the region’s premier marketing conference.
This content-rich event features four dynamic tracks: brand management, inbound marketing, paid acquisition, and insights and analytics.
In our keynotes, we’ll hear about Future Trends & Technology from Maxwell Luthy, Director of Trends and Insights at Trendwatching.com, and Inspiring ‘Next Practices’ in Marketing from Russ Klein, CEO of the American Marketing Association.
Klein said, “The AMA’s calling is to inspire original and next practices in marketing science for practitioners, academics and students. I’m honored to share how marketers around the globe are Inspiring Next Practices with the San Diego AMA—a thriving chapter empowering marketers with the resources they require to compete and win in marketing’s evolution.”
Attendees will also hear from these marketing industry thought leaders:
Registration is now open. This full day event will be hosted at the Marriott Del Mar. The cost for the event is $149 for members and $249 for guests. For more information, visit: http://sdama.org/events/2015-art-of-marketing-conference/#overview
About San Diego AMA
The San Diego chapter of the American Marketing Association (AMA) is a professional organization that is committed to developing powerhouse marketers within the San Diego business community. San Diego AMA is the only education and networking-focused organization that provides information, resources, an international presence, and valuable connections in a fun, approachable environment where they can achieve their personal development goals. www.sdama.org
Media Contact:
Rachel Brown, Vice President, Communications
San Diego Chapter of the American Marketing Association
Phone: (619) 402-7825
Email: [email protected]
Guru Launches Audio-Guided Indoor Mapping App For The San Diego Museum of Art
Press Release“We are thrilled to partner with The San Diego Museum of Art to help transform and enhance the learning experience for all visitors. This world-renowned museum features well-known American and international exhibitions and now, with this new app, visitors can elevate their experience like never before,” said Paul Burke, founder and CEO of Guru. “By providing people a platform that empowers them to take charge of their own learning adventure through educational games, fun facts, and customized tour options, we are reinventing the way people interact with cultural institutions.”
The San Diego Museum of Art app features 150 audio tour stops, full mapping of the museum, hours of video, various themed tours and more for both seasoned and first-time visitors to further immerse themselves into the art experience. The app features full beacon enabled technology, including a focus on creative, captivating and approachable content that automatically appears on a smartphone as you walk up to the items, highlighting the history behind the museum’s wide range of collections. Guru integrates consumable knowledge and entertaining factoids within the app breaking down any possible barriers and solely focusing on the stories by serving up pieces of information visitors can easily understand in the most educational and interactive way possible. In addition, users can collaboratively interact with others by posting tips for future visitors, sharing where they have been and mapping visits ahead of time.
“In today’s society, more than half of our visitors carry a smartphone, which makes it essential for us to change the way we distribute information and leverage the advanced solutions of technology,” said Dieter Fenkart-Fröschl, chief operating officer of The San Diego Museum of Art. “We are thrilled to offer our visitors this app, powered by Guru. It allows visitors from all ages to learn more about compelling content surrounding our works of art, exhibitions and the institution’s history. We hope to encourage art education in new ways by offering a solution to our visitors that is accessible from the palm of their hands.”
Once logged in, the app’s technology is able to instantly pinpoint a person’s location as they explore. As users pass through each exhibition, the app lights up with information regarding artists, history, inventors and other hidden secrets waiting to be unveiled.
Guru is in the process of partnering with other museums and organizations locally and internationally to unlock other treasures and mysteries that follow behind each piece or place.
For more information on Guru, please visit: www.theguru.co.
For more information on The San Diego Museum of Art, please visit: www.sdma.org.
###
About Guru:
Guru is an experiential technology company that creates apps and solutions for scenic attractions including museums, parks, aquariums and zoos to change the way attendees experience learning at cultural institutions. Guru’s educational platform utilizes cutting-edge solutions to help users easily navigate and explore a specific exhibit or city attraction in seconds by providing exciting information and various tour options fitting for everyone’s interests. The app, customized for each institution, is easily downloadable and available on iOS and Android devices and serves as an expert tour guide to encourage users to take ownership of their own experiences in a modernized way. The Guru team seeks to bring a fresh perspective on how to approach learning at large establishments and assist individuals in rediscovering historical hidden gems that come with exploring well-known attractions.
Website: www.theguru.co
Facebook: theguruapp Twitter: @yourguruapp
About The San Diego Museum of Art
The San Diego Museum of Art is located at 1450 El Prado in Balboa Park, San Diego, Calif., 92101. General Information, (619) 232-7931, Group Sales: (619) 696-1935, Website: http://www.sdmart.org/art-alive-2015 Twitter: @SDMA, Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/TheSanDiegoMuseumofArt
Providing a rich and diverse cultural experience, The San Diego Museum of Art houses the world’s finest art in America’s Finest City. Located in the heart of Balboa Park, the Museum’s nationally renowned collections include Spanish and Italian old masters, South Asian paintings including the Edwin Binney 3rd Collection of Indian paintings, and 19th and 20th century American paintings and sculptures. The Museum regularly features major exhibitions of art from around the world, as well as an extensive year-round schedule supporting cultural and educational programs for children and adults. At The San Diego Museum of Art, exhibition text is always in English and Spanish.
CONNECT to Host Fall Bash in Celebration of 30 Year Anniversary
Press Release“CONNECT is the very definition of a community organization – a place where people come together to make San Diego a better place,” said Greg McKee, CEO of CONNECT. “We’re looking forward to gathering with our friends and fellow San Diegans to mark this special milestone to celebrate our legacy, as well as our future – a continued and renewed commitment to the growth of innovation companies in San Diego.”
Guests at the event will get a first look at CONNECT’s new office space located at 4790 Eastgate Mall, Suite 125 in the UTC area of San Diego. Designed by bkm OfficeWorks and Hollander Design Group, the new CONNECT office physically reflects the organization’s mission of growing the innovation community through collaboration. At the event, CONNECT will also formally debut its new website, redesigned in partnership with MJD Interactive, which highlights the stories of entrepreneurs past and present.
From 5 – 8 p.m. on Thursday, October 29, CONNECT Springboard companies, alumni, and mentors; a deep guest list of innovation luminaries; a host of San Diego dignitaries past and present; and those who support innovation in San Diego will be in attendance. A Halloween theme, live DJ, food trucks, and craft beer will set the stage for celebration while attendees enjoy lawn games, hear company pitches from the best and brightest of San Diego’s growing companies in tech and life sciences, and chat with a veritable who’s who in San Diego’s innovation community.
CONNECT invites the public to pre-register to attend the free event via this link.
For more information about CONNECT, visit connect.org.
ABOUT CONNECT
CONNECT is a premier innovation company accelerator in San Diego that creates and scales great companies in the technology and life sciences sectors. By creating an environment in which entrepreneurs and C-suite executives have access to the people, capital, and technology resources they need for success, CONNECT has assisted in the formation and development of more than 3,000 companies since 1985. Widely regarded as one of the world’s most successful organizations linking entrepreneurs and C-suite executives with the resources they need for the commercialization of innovative products and services; our program has been modeled in more than 50 regions around the world.
###
everyStory, New Cloud-Based Story-Sharing Platform, Launches Today on Android
Press Release“I created everyStory after being diagnosed with colon cancer and realizing my son may never remember my voice or hear my stories. My mission is to make sure every person has a simple and streamlined way to preserve his or her most precious memories forever. By using everyStory, people can now fuse past, current and future – every generation is able to tell a story or use our app to keep family history and legacies living on endlessly,“ said Dave Keene, founder and CTO of everyStory.
Users can import photos from a computer, device photo album or scan physical photos directly into the app using a device camera. everyStory integrates a secure social networking component by having an activity view functionality and by encouraging users to tag photos with people, and/or by location, subject or date. To create an interactive photo-album, everyStory lets multiple users record an audio message on the same photos, in a shared album or within a group. Users can simply tap a tagged person’s name to hear the story that is connected to a specific photo or album.
“Now having the app available for both iOS and Android users, the art of storytelling and preservation of memories has never been easier. Knowing people are image and social driven, users can start creating stories and sharing memories with their loved ones straight from the palm of their hand. We hope to elevate the lost meaning of photos and storytelling with our unique unlimited audio recording, tagging, sharing and activity tracker features,” said Ed Cox, CEO of everyStory.
The everyStory team has plans to implement new sharing, photo and audio features to the existing functionality. The app is free for users and various membership options will be accessible for sign-up no later than early 2016 for users interested in receiving increased storage capabilities.
###
To download and sign up for everyStory, please visit iTunes or Google Play. For more information on everyStory, please visit: http://www.everystory.us.
About: everyStory is a cloud-based story-sharing platform that acts as an interactive photo album on a mobile device, available for iOS and Android, allowing users to have access to audio and picture files anywhere, anytime. This multi-faceted system is equipped to record all audio from the storyteller/user as they naturally flip through photos. Users can safely share stories and photos with friends and family, who can then contribute new photos to existing stories or new stories to existing photos. everyStory is passionate about creating the most optimal privacy-focused micro-social network that archives important memories through long-term cloud storage.
Dev Bootcamp Opens its Doors in San Diego; Original Coding Bootcamp Will Provide Talent Pipeline for San Diego’s Tech Economy
Press Release“We can’t wait to hit the ground running in San Diego. The city has been building an economy based on innovation for years, and with such a great community of software companies and developers, San Diego shows all the signs of a city that is about to experience tremendous growth,” said Kevin Solorio, program director of Dev Bootcamp’s San Diego campus. “Prospective Dev Bootcamp students will find the developer community here extremely welcoming and open to mentoring and helping them achieve their goals.”
A new report by the National University System Institute for Policy Research finds that technology companies make up over 11 percent of payroll jobs and over 20 percent of total wages in San Diego. According to Glassdoor.com, there are over 5,500 open coding jobs in San Diego.
“We are confident that Dev Bootcamp will play a critical role in helping our regional economy grow and prosper. Our highly trained and educated workforce is one of the greatest strategic advantages San Diego possesses over other regions, both nationally and globally,” said Erik Caldwell, economic development director, City of San Diego. “Feeding the continued growth of this talent pool is something both business and public policy leaders see as a strategic imperative for our continued economic expansion. We would much prefer to see San Diegans getting trained for jobs in our own tech community rather than companies having to recruit talent from other regions. Dev Bootcamp helps accomplish that.”
Using input from past students, instructors and employer partners, Dev Bootcamp has continued to innovate on the program that effectively takes people with little to no practical coding to job-ready full-stack web developers in a matter of months. The 19-week program – 9 weeks guided remote learning, plus 9 weeks intensive on-site project work and 1-week career preparation – teaches students how to master the technical applications of trending web development languages and to develop the conceptual understanding of software development, so that they can quickly learn new languages as the need arises or as the market changes. Multiple learning modalities such as lectures, pair programming, group projects, and individual challenges are used to optimize student engagement.
The program’s unique “whole-self” approach to learning ensures that its students graduate with not only solid technical skills, but also an enhanced sense of self, and interpersonal skills like practicing empathy, giving/receiving feedback, and projecting leadership confidence, which enable them to work well in diverse teams.
Dev Bootcamp alumni who now work in San Diego attest to the importance of bringing the program to Southern California.
“While I was a student at Dev Bootcamp, I not only learned the tech skills that were part of the curriculum, but I also learned skills to help me adapt to any development environment I might face throughout my career,” said Charlie Dibble, a Dev Bootcamp alumnus currently employed in San Diego. “My current position as a software engineer has me working with an almost entirely different set of technologies than what is taught at Dev Bootcamp, but the immersive experience at Dev Bootcamp prepared me to quickly learn the other tech stack I come across. Bringing Dev Bootcamp to San Diego will bring more people with these skill sets to an already thriving tech community.”
Dev Bootcamp has graduated more than 1,700 students since it was founded in 2012, making it one of the largest bootcamps of its kind. After graduation, Dev Bootcamp focuses on maintaining engagement with its graduates through its active alumni community, inviting many alumni to engage as coaches and mentors for new students, celebrating new jobs that graduates land after the program, and offering perks like tickets to events and conferences.
For more information about Dev Bootcamp’s expansion to San Diego, contact Chris Nishimura at [email protected]. To enroll in a course, visit http://devbootcamp.com/locations/san-diego/.
About Dev Bootcamp
Dev Bootcamp pioneered the short-term, immersive developer bootcamp, a model that transforms beginners into highly employable web developers in a matter of months. The 19-week curriculum teaches the technical skills people need to work as a web developer, but also the functional and emotional skills that are critical to working in dynamic, cross-functional engineering teams. With more than 1,700 graduates to date, and locations in San Francisco, San Diego, Chicago, and New York City, Dev Bootcamp continues to lead the industry through innovation and expansion. Dev Bootcamp is owned by Kaplan, Inc. For more information, visit devbootcamp.com.
# # #