GSA Technology Council

Clemson University this week kicks off the inaugural EnterPrize Awards presented by CertusBank, a three-city, three-week roadshow and competition that showcases MBAe student ventures. The roadshow provides graduating students enrolled in the specialty MBA program, which has created an innovation pipeline for entrepreneurs, a public platform to pitch concepts in return for up to $40,000 in seed funding.

Students competing in the Clemson EnterPrize Awards will present to a five member panel of judges in Charleston, Atlanta and Greenville on May 16, 23 and 30. Prize funding will be awarded based on the quality of presentation, viability and practicality of the idea as well as the concept’s opportunity for monetary and societal impact.

“The EnterPrize Awards investor roadshow further differentiates the Clemson MBAe from other programs nationally,” said Greg Pickett, associate dean of Clemson at the Falls. “Designed as a capstone to our experiential-based curriculum, the roadshow provides promising student ventures access to the resources and capital they need to succeed.”

Several proposed concepts have already attracted the attention of investors, including:

• Dabble, a mobile application created by Brendan Lopes, Josh Lopes and Carlisle Kennedy, that helps college students discover new activities and experiences;
• Upkeep Charlie, an iPhone App developed by Stefan Hahn in partnership with The Iron Yard that connects homeowners with network of vetted home service professionals; and,
• Tarian Orthotics, a medical device venture founded by Riley Csernica that is commercializing a breakthrough shoulder brace designed to accelerate dislocation recovery.

The ventures are the result of Clemson’s one-year, intensive, experiential MBA program where students enroll with an idea, apply rigorous business principles and graduate with a market-ready business.

The EnterPrize Awards are open to the public and include networking receptions in Charleston and Atlanta. A gala is scheduled to follow presentations in Greenville, recognizing graduates and their extensive network of professional mentors.

via Clemson MBAe

A seasoned auto industry executive with more than three decades of experience will lead one of the world’s foremost automotive research campuses into an exciting new era of research and collaboration.

Frederick M. Cartwright, who spent 30 years in the automotive industry with General Motors, has been appointed executive director of the award-winning Clemson University International Center for Automotive Research. His appointment is effective April 1.

Cartwright’s extensive experience includes design and development of advanced powertrains for commercial and military vehicles, management of GM’s hybrid bus program and numerous new business-development initiatives involving other auto manufacturers.

Among other executive positions, he previously was vice president for alliances and new business development for General Motors Europe in Rüsselsheim, Germany. Most recently he was director of new business initiatives based in Detroit.

In this role, he was responsible for development of new technology and product-based initiatives, including establishment of multiple alliances. He has a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology and a Master of Business Administration degree from Butler University.

Cartwright’s industry-centric experience will help steer CU-ICAR to a new chapter of growth and excellence, said John Kelly, Clemson University vice president for economic development. He will prove an exciting and valuable member of the team, he said.

“Since opening five years ago, CU-ICAR has become an international model for economic development,” Kelly said. “The campus has an enviable list of transport-related industry partners. With Fred at the helm, those relationships will only strengthen and more are sure to join.

“Fred’s appointment will not only further CU-ICAR’s mission, but help enhance the reputation of Upstate South Carolina as the go-to place for business,” Kelly said.

The campus has garnered more than $250 million in public and private investments and created more than 700 jobs. CU-ICAR boasts 19 campus partners and every year hosts hundreds of guests from around the world.

Cartwright said his focus will be to maintain momentum.

“CU-ICAR has a talented and dedicated team that has positioned the campus as a world leader in transportation research,” Cartwright said. “Its reputation for economic development and automotive research is known far beyond South Carolina’s Upstate.

“Its list of partners, from BMW Manufacturing Co. and Michelin North America Inc. to Sage Automotive Interiors and, most recently, EcoDual Inc., speak to the high regard CU-ICAR’s students, faculty and staff are held. I am eager to start work and excited to become part of such an energetic business community.”

Interim CU-ICAR director John Boyette said Cartwright will make Greenville his home and he quickly will become an asset to the community. The region enjoys a vibrant business climate, which is vital to its success, he said.

“Fred can draw on a wealth of experience from working relationships around the world,” Boyette said. “What he brings to the table will benefit us all.”

via CU-ICAR

One of the nation’s foremost centers for automotive innovation has partnered with a market leader in technology research and development to advance commercial availability of natural gas engine systems for heavy duty diesel trucks.

The Clemson University International Center for Automotive Research (CU-ICAR) and Beaufort, S.C.-based EcoDual Inc. will focus their combined resources on conversion of diesel engines already on the road to natural gas operation and reduction of exhaust emissions.

The team subsequently will address challenges associated with optimizing natural gas use in new diesel engines under development by original equipment manufacturers. The team also will research strategies to develop clean combustion engines — a strategic expertise found uniquely in the CU-ICAR faculty — aimed at minimizing the need for costly and cumbersome “exhaust after-treatment.”

“We expect to see a significant uptake in the use of natural gas for heavy-duty vehicles in the immediate future, driven by the projected low prices of this fuel compared to diesel,” said Zoran Filipi, Timken Endowed Chair in Vehicle System Design at CU-ICAR.

“The increased use of natural gas for transportation is the most cost-effective way to utilize the vast quantity of newly discovered domestic reserves,” Filipi said. “This new research relationship with EcoDual is very exciting for us and will unlock the full potential of this technology, including the possibilities to make engines run cleaner.

“This partnership creates outstanding opportunities for our students and faculty to engage in transforming the commercial fleets on the nation’s roads,” he said.

EcoDual’s system allows conversion of a heavy-duty diesel to run on a combination of natural gas and diesel fuels. More than 60 percent of the engine’s power is generated by burning natural gas.

The EPA recently approved the first EcoDual conversion systems for the 15L Cummins ISX, the nation’s most popular Class 8 heavy-duty diesel engine. Development is underway for additional Cummins and Detroit Diesel heavy duty engines.

In dual-fuel operation, trucks maintain the same torque, power and fuel economy as when they run on straight diesel fuel. Systems can be configured for ranges of more than 800 miles on compressed natural gas or liquefied natural gas.

Equally important, there is no “range anxiety” with EcoDual systems, as they automatically run on 100 percent diesel if the natural gas tanks ever run out.

Scott Myers, EcoDual’s chief executive officer said, “CU-ICAR is a key development partner who will help us accelerate next-generation product development and will enable us to broaden our market penetration.

“Our partnership with CU-ICAR provides tremendous faculty expertise and world-class development facilities,” he said. “We look forward to this collaboration.”

via CU-ICAR

Munich-based in-tech Automotive Engineering plans to establish its first North American facility in Greenville County at the Clemson University International Center for Automotive Research. The company provides systems integration testing to global automotive manufacturers. The undisclosed investment is expected to create 20 jobs over three years, in-Tech, the S.C. Department of Commerce, and Greenville Area Development Corp. announced Tuesday.

“We are pleased with the opportunity to open a new location at CU-ICAR in Greenville County, as we believe that South Carolina is rapidly becoming a hub of the automotive world and is an excellent place for our new operations,” in-tech CEO Christian Wagner said in a news release.

The privately held company, which employs nearly 300 associates worldwide, will scale its new South Carolina operations based on customer demand, Wagner said.

“While our initial team will be approximately five individuals, it is entirely conceivable that we may add as many as 20 to 30 additional professionals here as we ramp up our business,” Wagner said.

The company’s new office will open for business immediately and will be under the direction of general manager Michael Ostermair.

“We have long desired to have a presence in the southeastern United States’ growing automotive corridor, and are very pleased to be launching this initial operation here in Greenville,” Ostermair said in a news release.

Since January 2011, South Carolina has recruited more than $5 billion in capital investment and more than 8,000 jobs in the automotive-related sector, according to the S.C. Department of Commerce.

“We’re pleased that in-tech Automotive Engineering has chosen to locate their initial North American operations in Greenville County, and appreciate the valuable roles played by commerce, the city of Greenville and Clemson University’s ICAR team in making this happen,” said Chris Riley, chairman of the Greenville Area Development Corp., in a news release.

Details on hiring plans and specific positions will be announced in early summer 2013.

via intech Automotive Engineering

Clemson University trustees approved a center for excellence in next-generation computing at its recent quarterly meeting in Columbia. The center will establish and nurture public-private partnerships in high-performance computing cloud service delivery, software-defined networking and evaluation of new cloud technologies.

The board also approved a new Social Technologies and Analytics Research Institute, or STARI. It will engage academic and industry partners in funded research to understand social media for organizations. Faculty, students and technology staff across four colleges will collect and analyze data to evaluate the impact of increasing social media messages and improve organizational performance.

The board also gave concept approval for renovating laboratory space and upgrading mechanical, electrical and plumbing systems at the John B. Pitner Center at the Pee Dee Research and Education Center in Florence. This center houses the advanced plant technology program, which provides research for the agriculture-based biotechnology industry in South Carolina.

via Clemson University

As part of its commitment to bolster South Carolina’s manufacturing base, Duke Energy will fund workforce development initiatives in the state to help provide a next-generation workforce in key cluster areas. These initiatives will advance economic development and enhance employment opportunities for South Carolinians, thereby providing industry with a highly qualified pool of employees.

The move will spur job growth by helping develop a labor force with specific skills in STEM — Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics — and specifically in advanced manufacturing to support South Carolina’s burgeoning manufacturing industry.

Duke will fund the Clemson University Center for Workforce Development with a $4.11 million grant to manage educational, research and outreach activities in support of workforce development and STEM education. The Center for Workforce Development will oversee distribution of these funds to partner institutions that include universities, technical colleges, K-12 institutions institutions and STEM-oriented organizations through competitive grants, scholarships and internships.

The center is well positioned to leverage these partnerships to support and extend Duke Energy’s educational and workforce development initiatives. A series of workshops will be conducted to facilitate this effort.

Duke Energy’s funding, combined with previously announced funding from the U.S. Department of Labor, the Employment and Training Administration and the National Science Foundation, allows Clemson’s center to focus on expanding the talent pool to support workforce needs consistent with Clemson’s land-grant mission in four key areas:

• Improving education, capacity and access through e-learning and virtual reality simulation tools
• Creating career pathways, college affordability and graduation-rate improvement
• Supporting K-12 STEM education initiatives
• Industry cluster networking through outreach and research

Such a systemic approach to workforce and economic development is effective because it is implemented from the lowest levels to the highest levels, said Clark Gillespy, Duke Energy state president — South Carolina.

The Duke Energy commitment is part of Clemson’s The Will to Lead capital campaign, which aims to raise $1 billion to support university priorities, including workforce and economic development.

via Clemson University

Clemson University’s Center for Corporate Learning is hosting the Clemson University Cybersecurity Summit on Friday, December 14, 2012 at Clemson at the Falls in Greenville. The summit will prepare executives to identify their current threat landscape and allow them to take steps to increase security in their corporate environments and create a roadmap to improve protection of their innovation capital.

The summit will feature Peter Allor, Security Strategist, IBM X-Force, who will discuss the current threat landscape through an interactive session. Dr. Kevin McKenzie, CISO, Clemson University, will cover security awareness and upcoming security trends.Summit sponsor and Clemson’s Entrepreneur in Residence for the new MBA in Entrepreneurship and Innovation, Adam Anderson, CEO of Palmetto Software Group, says, “Our goal for this summit is to raise the priority of security initiatives for CIOs in South Carolina and to provide a forum for the thought leaders in the industry.”

“A common thread among organizations is the need to protect their information technology assets,” claims McKenzie. Through collectively gathering those who have the influence to be champions of cybersecurity within their respective companies, this summit will result in an increased awareness and priority for cybersecurity.”

The Clemson University Cybersecurity Summit will take place from 1:00- 5:00 p.m. at Clemson at the Falls immediately followed by a private social networking hour. Registration for this event is required.

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Systems Programmer I - Clemson University
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Preview more open positions on the GSATC jobs board. We encourage you to share it with anyone who may be in the hunt. If you are looking for work, feel free to let us know what you need on our LinkedIn group!

Looking to hire? Post your openings to our job board.

Systems Programmer I
Clemson University is looking for a Systems Programmer I to serve as technical consultant to faculty, staff, and students at Greenville locations to include CU at The Falls, CU-ICAR, and Patewood facilities.

Preview more open positions on the GSATC jobs board. We encourage you to share it with anyone who may be in the hunt. If you are looking for work, feel free to let us know what you need on our LinkedIn group!

Looking to hire? Post your openings to our job board.

Got a business idea that you’d like to run by a team of experts? Want to win part of $20,000 in prizes? Submit your plan now to LaunchPadSC!

Only a few days remain for the LaunchpadSC business concept competition. This is a competition open to all residents of South Carolina or students of South Carolina Universities. The rules are simple. Prepare your business plan in six slides and submit it via the website. Five finalists from each of two sections will be selected and then present to a team of business leaders. The final competition will be held on December 7, 2012 at Clemson at the Falls. The most important deadline right now is October 31. All slides must be submitted by then. Learn more at the website.

Winners are eligible for over $20,000 in prizes:

• Section 1 (Clemson University students) 1st place: $5,000
• Section 2 (South Carolina residents) 1st place: $5,000
• BrightStart™ Bundle of Services (valued at $5,000 per enterprise) for each winner including incorporation docs, business cards, legal, marketing and IT advice for start-up executives
• Introduction to Angel Capital investors (UCAN) and SC Launch funding

Submit your plan: LaunchPadSC