PUDDLE HOPS: Columbus & mobility | Marinus Analytics honored | Scale Up 2021
Smart City Challenge
COLUMBUS, OH—The city has concluded delivery of its Smart City Challenge, demonstrating how safer, cleaner and more equitable transportation options can create opportunity for Columbus residents while helping prepare the region for the future. With $50 million from the U.S. Department of Transportation, the city explored how mobility innovation can help address complex societal problems and help generate economic opportunity.
Tech to help children with autism
DURHAM, NC—Thriving on the Spectrum is developing its first app designed to assist children with autism and their parents. The app will have four phased-in features, the first being a scheduling and self-regulating toolkit. Eventually, the app will offer a communications portal and rewards feature.
Marinus Analytics recognized for AI platform
PITTSBURGH, PA—Marinus Analytics has taken third place in the international IBM Watson AI XPrize. The company uses artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning to help law enforcement combat human trafficking and other crime rings. (Fast Future interviewed Emily Kennedy, one of the company’s co-founders, last month).
Schools solving industry problems
ST. LOUIS—Companies who don’t have the resources in-house for product development often turn to universities. An example is Nidec Corporation, which reached out to Research Enabled, an online portal that facilitates matches between industry needs and research solutions. The portal was created by staff at University of Missouri-St. Louis in partnership with the University of Missouri System and the Southern Illinois University System.
Innovations in the dairy industry
MADISON, WI—University of Wisconsin students have come up with innovations that will help the dairy industry. Students at the Dairy Innovation Hub worked in teams to create pitches involving a cooling pouch to replace milk cartons, a septum ring to monitor cow health and bioactives in yogurt to extend shelf life.
Amazon vet takes role in Memphis
MEMPHIS, TN—Frontdoor, a provider of home service plans, announced that its first senior VP and new chief digital officer is Tony Bacos. Having performed the same roles at Amazon Fashion, Bacos will lead Frontdoor’s engineering, product management, data science, machine learning, user experience, data security and corporate technology teams.
Scale Up 2021
LOUISVILLE-CINCINNATI-INDIANAPOLIS—After five months of strategic mentorship and curated resources for scaling a business, Endeavor celebrated the conclusion of its first cohort of Scale Up 2021 Entrepreneurs. The program provides tailored support and mentorship to high-potential entrepreneurs in Indiana, Kentucky and Ohio.