November 3, 2011, DETROIT, MI – Civic Ventures–a think tank on boomers, work and social purpose–today announced that Detroit’s Randal Charlton is one of five winners of its 2011 Purpose Prize. This annual $100,000 award honors social entrepreneurs over 60 who use their experience and passion to effectively address societal challenges. Now in its sixth year, the $17 million program invests in social innovators who are making extraordinary contributions in their second half of life. It is the only program of its kind in the nation.

“Randal Charlton has improved the prospects for entrepreneurs throughout Detroit – and the city itself,” said Marc Freedman, CEO and founder of Civic Ventures and author of The Big Shift (PublicAffairs Books). “It’s really good news that Purpose Prize winners like Randal – and millions of others in encore careers – are turning personal passions and decades of experience into invaluable contributions across sectors, continents and generations, often through entrepreneurship.”

In his lifetime, Charlton was instrumental in starting 14 companies, worked as a journalist, tended dairy cows for a Saudi sheik, started a jazz club and consulted for a world bank. For four years, he served as executive director of TechTown, a business incubator and accelerator in Detroit. During his tenure, Charlton, 71, led TechTown’s dramatic growth as a business accelerator that transformed from a nearly empty industrial building into a thriving entrepreneurial hub that supports more than 250 companies. TechTown has trained more than 2,200 entrepreneurs and has helped clients raise $14 million.

On November 1, Charlton transitioned to a new role as executive in residence for BOOM! The New Economy, a TechTown-affiliated venture that offers training, one-on-one mentoring and internships to people over 50 exploring second acts.

“I am humbled and honored to have been selected to receive the Purpose Prize award, which I owe to the entrepreneurial spirit of the people of Detroit and the team I have worked with at TechTown,” said Charlton. “Purpose is that underlying motivation that gives our lives meaning. With this prize, I hope to inspire baby boomers across America to embrace the encore career as an opportunity to redefine their purpose in life and, in the process, change the world.”

Charlton, the four other winners (see below) and 42 new Purpose Prize Fellows will be honored at the 2011 Purpose Prize awards ceremony on Dec. 1, 2011 in Sausalito, CA. The approximately 300 attendees of the invitation-only event will hear from Purpose Prize judges, including NBC’s Jane Pauley and Sherry Lansing, CEO of The Sherry Lansing Foundation and former chair of Paramount Motion Picture Group. The 28 judges – leaders in business, politics, journalism and the nonprofit sector – chose the five winners from a pool of more than 1,000 nominees.

Funded by The Atlantic Philanthropies and the John Templeton Foundation, the Purpose Prize is a program of Civic Ventures’ Encore Careers campaign (www.encore.org), which aims to engage millions of boomers in encore careers combining personal meaning, continued income and social impact in the second half of life.

Short summaries for all of the winners are below. Profiles, videos and photographs are online at www.encore.org/prize.

The other four winners are (in alphabetical order):

Jenny Bowen, 66, Half the Sky Foundation, Berkeley, Calif.

Partnering with the Chinese government to transform the care of hundreds of thousands of orphans in China, the vast majority of whom are girls

Nancy Sanford Hughes, 68, StoveTeam International, Eugene, Ore.

Addressing a top killer of children worldwide by spurring the production and distribution of low-cost, safe and fuel-efficient stoves in developing nations

Wanjiru Kamau, 69, African Immigrant and Refugee Foundation, Washington, D.C.

Easing the transitions of thousands of African immigrant and refugee families and children by addressing mental health, academic and social needs

Edward Mazria, 70, Architecture 2030, Santa Fe, N.M.

Challenging architects, the building sector and policymakers to improve energy efficiency and reduce greenhouse gas emissions

About Civic Ventures (www.encore.org)

Civic Ventures is a think tank on boomers, work and social purpose. The organization introduced the concept of encore careers, which combine meaning, continued income and social impact. The Purpose Prize, funded by The Atlantic Philanthropies and the John Templeton Foundation, is a program of Civic Ventures.

Dear TechTown community,

As you may have heard, Randal Charlton, long-time executive director at TechTown, has announced his retirement from the organization and his plans for the next chapter of his career, which promises to be as engaging as his last.

He is embarking on a journey to solve the entrepreneurial challenge for the Baby Boom generation through an initiative called BOOM! The New Economy, funded by the Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan and implemented in partnership with TechTown, the Luella Hannan Memorial Foundation, AARP Michigan, the Corporation for a Skilled Workforce and Operation ABLE of Michigan. Who better to lead such a journey than Randal Charlton, who started his entrepreneurial life over for the nth time at the ripe young age of 60?

TechTown has grown to global prominence and local relevance under Randal’s leadership as we have reignited Detroit’s storied entrepreneurial culture, one idea at a time. Restoring hope for a city that had lost it, TechTown supports 250 companies, has trained more than 2,200 entrepreneurs and has helped its client companies raise $14 million in funding.

We are a vibrant, diverse community of dreamers and doers connected to each other through a singular vision of economic independence. TechTown will continue to embrace the dynamism of its past commitments while expanding its important work in a variety of ways.

TechTown will continue the critical task of place-based economic development by expanding programs to support microenterprises and lifestyle businesses, which create a sense of community for Detroiters and independence for the entrepreneurs building them.

TechTown will expand its work into the neighborhoods through its deep and rich partnerships, creating an opportunity for Detroit’s citizens to receive entrepreneurial education in the places where they live.

TechTown will connect its client companies to the procurement demand of Detroit-based buyers, exposing them to opportunities to grow revenues successfully right here, where it matters most.

TechTown will add resources that take advantage of the robust pipelines of high-tech innovation coming out of Wayne State University, the Henry Ford Health System, NextEnergy and the Detroit Medical Center—innovation that is ripe for company creation, job growth and revenue generation.

TechTown will continue to elevate itself as a regional leader. By collaborating with the powerful partners that make up the Southeast Michigan entrepreneurial ecosystem, we will change the face of the Michigan economy and deliver best-in-class support systems to the region’s dreamers, innovators and entrepreneurs.

I am honored to follow a man whose leadership has impacted thousands, not the least of whom is me. I will work tirelessly to grow the body of work Randal started and hope each of you will join me on the next leg of this important journey.

Best regards,

Leslie Smith

President and CEO

TechTown

On October 14, 2011, Randal Charlton officially announced to the TechTown Board of Directors his retirement from the executive director position effective October 31, 2011. The board adopted a resolution to appoint Leslie Smith, current general manager of TechTown, as his successor beginning November 1.

“Leslie Smith has already made an impact on TechTown’s performance, and I’m convinced that she, together with her talented team, will scale TechTown’s operations to make a major difference in Detroit,” Charlton said. “It’s been a privilege to be a part of TechTown’s early development, and I am grateful for the broad support from Wayne State University, the Henry Ford Health System, government of all levels and the foundations that have gotten behind this important initiative.”

Former Wayne State University President Irvin D. Reid appointed Charlton Interim Executive Director of TechTown on April 1, 2007. In 2009 he was confirmed as Executive Director.

Since Charlton first took command of a nearly empty industrial building with just a smattering of resources, TechTown has transformed into a thriving entrepreneurial community. TechTown currently supports 250 companies and has introduced 8,000 Michigan residents to an entrepreneurial culture through events and walk-in sessions.  Additionally, more than 2,200 entrepreneurs have received training through TechTown. To date, TechTown has invested $700,000 directly in early-stage businesses and helped clients raise $14 million in follow-on funding.

Wayne State University President Allan Gilmour, who chairs TechTown’s board, remarked at the meeting, “Last month when Randal Charlton and I spoke at a two-day FOCIS conference on retirement, I realized we had something in common: Neither of us could figure out how to do it properly. We will miss Randal and his experience, but are glad he’ll still be with us on a part-time basis. We certainly wish him well on his next endeavor.”

Upon resigning from TechTown, Charlton will transition into a leadership position with BOOM! The New Economy, a collaborative program funded by the Community Foundation and administered by TechTown, AARP Michigan, Operation ABLE, the Luella Hannan Memorial Foundation and the Corporation for a Skilled Workforce. It enables adults over the age of 50 to engage in Southeast Michigan’s new economy by creating pathways to pursue career changes, entrepreneurship and meaningful volunteer service.

Charlton hopes to continue contributing blogs, interviews and articles.

“Under Randal’s leadership, TechTown has achieved global recognition as a critical economic catalyst in Detroit,” Smith said. “At a time when Detroiters desperately needed hope, they found it at TechTown in the form of a leader who had no boundaries, only the willingness to think beyond the status quo to move Detroit forward with entrepreneurial enthusiasm. We are blessed to have had Randal’s visionary passion at TechTown for the past four years and look forward to many more years of partnering with him to support the baby boomer entrepreneur.

“I am personally honored to succeed such an iconic executive and pledge to work tirelessly to continue the important work being done at TechTown; and thank Wayne State University and our entire board of directors for their limitless support of our work and commitment to our mission.

“It is more important than ever that the entire region work together to revitalize the local economy, and TechTown understands its leadership responsibilities in that collaborative effort. Through our programming and partnerships, we will continue to incubate and accelerate small business creation and job growth in and around Detroit by offering entrepreneurs access to a full suite of best-in-class services to move their ideas forward.”

Smith joined TechTown as general manager in July 2010. She has contributed to the strategic development of the organization in addition to managing day-to-day operations and serving as the lead liaison between staff, clients, partners and investors.

Previously, she was director of business acceleration for the Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC). At the MEDC, Smith had direct oversight of a $300 million investment portfolio, including state and federal grant and loan programs.

Smith also managed relationships with SmartZones and regional, state and national entrepreneurial service providers including statewide incubation and acceleration services. Prior to that, she was Chief Financial Officer for a privately held real estate firm in Ann Arbor.

Beyond her economic development background, TechTown also benefits from Smith’s extensive experience managing multi-faceted organizational teams, implementing best practices, right seating interactive teams, challenging status quo, building multi-dimensional relationships, raising money in complex economic times, managing national real estate portfolios and overseeing site selection and development.

Paul Angott, Founder, Angott Medical Products, LLC

At the Automation Alley Awards Gala October 14 at the MGM Grand Casino in Detroit, TechTown entrepreneur Paul Angott received the Entrepreneur of the Year award.

Read the Crain’s Detroit Business writeup here.

“I’m elated to win this award,” Angott said. “It really helps raise awareness for my company, and my heartfelt thanks go out to Automation Alley for hosting this event. The support and guidance from TechTown have been invaluable as I grow my business.”

Angott is President and CEO of Angott Medical Products, LLC, a startup in TechTown’s business acceleration program. He  is developing a radiation-free medical device to screen for breast cancer; the test is painless, low cost, convenient, non-invasive, superior in accuracy, and the results are immediate. It has greater sensitivity and, therefore, detects cancer at an earlier time than current technologies. It is estimated that the tester has the potential to save 10,000 lives over time.

Angott’s major accomplishments as an entrepreneur include  launching five companies, which collectively created more than 500 jobs. He is the inventor on 40 patents, raised more than $10 million for his entrepreneurial ventures, and has sold more than $100 million of his patented products. He has taken 30 products from concept to market, and in so doing has successfully built and managed national sales organizations.

TechTown congratulates Paul on his tremendous achievement!

Entrepreneurs, there’s still time for you to participate in the GLEQ Business Plan Competition…and it couldn’t be easier.

You have until December 9 to finalize your executive summary, but you must register to participate by 5 p.m. Friday, October 21.

Register at http://www.GLEQ.org.

The sooner you register for the GLEQ Business Plan Competition, the sooner you can start taking advantage of the support and opportunities GLEQ offers. When you participate in GLEQ, you’re matched with a business coach, invited to attend exclusive events to meet angel and venture investors, given written feedback on your business idea, and you’re in the running for cash prizes.

• All Michigan-based entrepreneurs are welcome. Join the GLEQ competition and you’ll be:
• Matched with a business coach for advice and support as you prepare your plan (coaches are optional − or you can use the coach or mentor you’re working with today),
• Invited to Ask-the-Investors Roundtables where you’ll  meet venture capital and angel investors one-on-one and find out what makes a winning plan and attractive investment,
• Offered no-cost opportunities to attend entrepreneurial networking and educational events around the state,
• Provided with written feedback on your plan from investors,
• In the running for cash awards to be announced at ACE’12 on Tuesday, January 31, in front of an audience of 900+, and…
• Fully prepared to participate in other competitions and presentation opportunities.

DETROIT, Oct. 12, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ — For the first time in history, Detroit business owners will have a unique advantage entering the global marketplace as the result of a newly established partnership between TechTown and the Export-Import Bank of the United States (Ex-Im Bank). Local entrepreneurs can access the services and financial assistance products of Ex-Im Bank, as well as a variety of educational opportunities intended to cultivate knowledge about exporting.

TechTown has joined the roster of Ex-Im Bank’s City-State Partners to increase local export activity and create jobs. For companies that qualify, Ex-Im Bank will also offer financial assistance programs to ease their transition into the international marketplace.

America’s growing trade deficit and high unemployment rate have raised the export issue to the top of America’s national agenda. In his latest jobs bill, President Barack Obama highlights the importance of increasing U.S. exports as part of a national job creation strategy. According to Ex-Im Bank Chairman Fred P. Hochberg, less than one percent of businesses in the United States export their products. Although Michigan is one of the more active export states due to the automotive industry, small companies rarely export their goods and services abroad, contributing to Michigan’s high unemployment rate.

Since its inception in 2004, TechTown has embraced a global export and foreign business attraction strategy. By acting as an international Soft Landings site, TechTown enables foreign companies to expeditiously set up a Detroit base of North American operations. TechBA, for example, a business accelerator established at TechTown by the Mexican Ministry of the Economy, has been incubating Mexican automotive companies since 2008. The Soft Landings designation has given TechTown the ability to harness the talent and economic potential of companies that already do business internationally, thereby creating a foundation upon which the TechTown/Ex-Im Bank partnership can build.

“We are focusing on job creation,” said TechTown General Manager Leslie Smith. “Our goal is to nurture startup companies through our Thrive program so they are in a position to benefit from Ex-Im’s financial assistance products. This program, in particular, will help our client companies open new markets and obtain the financial support they need to leverage those market opportunities.”

TechTown currently coaches client companies in doing business internationally. TechTown’s Mirafit, for example, is a startup exporting its weight loss supplement to Canada, Hong Kong, the Philippines, Singapore and South Korea, and are exploring the United Kingdom and Africa. Smith noted, however, that TechTown’s partnership with Ex-Im Bank will expand the scope of TechTown’s reach beyond the startup companies with which it is affiliated.

“TechTown is being charged with educating the broader Michigan business community, including established companies,” said Smith. “Eventually, we hope to offer export support services to companies throughout the region.”

That is where the Ex-Im Bank can help. In FY 2010, the bank authorized more than $457 million to help Michigan businesses export. This figure included more than $128 million in small business authorizations. As we approach the end of FY 2011, 69 percent of Michigan authorizations supported small businesses. The Ex-Im Bank is able to provide exporters the financing they need through a variety of products.

Ex-Im Bank’s working capital financing enables U.S. exporters to obtain loans that facilitate the export of goods or services. These working capital loans, made by commercial lenders and backed by an Ex-Im Bank guarantee, provide the liquidity to accept new business, grow international sales and gain a competitive edge in the global marketplace.

Ex-Im Bank’s export credit insurance allows exporters to increase their export sales by limiting international risk, offering credit to international buyers, and enabling access to working capital funds.

Since January 2011, Ex-Im Bank has expanded its outreach to small businesses through the Global Access for Small Business initiative. The initiative is dedicated to dramatically increasing the number of small businesses exporting goods and services to maintain and create U.S. jobs. Global Access is supported by a wide variety of representatives from business, financial and government partners, and is part of President Obama’s National Export Initiative (NEI). Small business owners were given access to these representatives for one-on-one trade counseling at 22 Global Access forums held across the country. In FY2012, Ex-Im Bank will host a forum in Detroit. To learn more about the upcoming forum, go to the Global Access events page.

Chairman Hochberg reiterated the critical link between exporting and jobs. “Through this partnership with TechTown, we have an unprecedented opportunity to educate Detroit’s entrepreneurial community about the benefits of exporting,” he said. “It’s an important first step in introducing the businesses of Michigan to the world.”

About TechTown

TechTown is a community of passionate, diverse people driven by an entrepreneurial spirit to pursue extraordinary opportunities. TechTown guides entrepreneurs on their journey to success by providing counsel and connections to a host of resources, including unique access to Wayne State University’s research and technology assets. While promoting an inclusive culture of optimism, diversity, collaboration and hope, TechTown is fueling business growth and job creation, leading to the revitalization of Midtown Detroit and beyond. For more information, visit www.techtownwsu.org.

About Ex-Im Bank

Ex-Im Bank is an independent federal agency that helps create and maintain U.S. jobs by filling gaps in private export financing at no cost to American taxpayers. The bank provides a variety of financing mechanisms, including working capital guarantees, export-credit insurance and financing to help foreign buyers purchase U.S. goods and services.

Ex-Im Bank approved approximately $25 billion in total authorizations in FY 2011 an all-time Ex-Im record. This total includes more than 2,500 U.S. small-business transactions. Ex-Im Bank’s authorizations through August 2011 are supporting more than $30 billion in U.S. export sales and 213,000 American jobs in communities across the country. For more information, visit www.exim.gov.

Forever Fresh founder Tanya Allen uses creative workforce engagement to lower production costs.

In this WDIV interview with Paula Tutman, Forever Fresh Founder and CEO Tanya Allen shares how her determination and innovative thinking brought her to success.

Forever Fresh, a member of TechTown’s THRIVE accelerator program for entrepreneurs, manufactures patented, disposable undergarments that are now available in participating Walgreens and CVS stores in Michigan.

Watch the video here.

Learn more about Forever Fresh at http://foreverfresh.com/Default.aspx.

Entrepreneurial Businesses to Compete for $1 Million in Cash, Prizes

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – SEPTEMBER 22, 2011 – DETROIT, MICH. — Semi-finalists have been selected for the Accelerate Michigan Innovation Competition.  The 53 semi-finalist companies will deliver their business pitches to investors on November 16-17 at the Ann Arbor-Ypsilanti Marriott at Eagle Crest for the chance to win cash and prizes.  The Accelerate Michigan Innovation Competition will award more than $1 million in cash winnings, plus in-kind awards to top entrepreneurial businesses.

“More than 300 companies registered for the Accelerate Michigan Innovation Competition and it was a tough challenge to select semi-finalists,” said Skip Simms, senior vice president of Ann Arbor SPARK, on behalf of the Business Accelerator Network for Southeast Michigan, a sponsor of the Accelerate Michigan Innovation Competition. “The majority of the companies are based in Michigan, but we also had applications from California, Illinois, Iowa, Ohio, Kansas, Massachusetts, Missouri, Nebraska New York, Pennsylvania, and Washington as well as international companies from Canada, the United Kingdom, India and the Ukraine.”

“The competition in each of the nine sectors is going to be fierce,” Simms added.  “Thirteen of the 2010 semi-finalists are returning to the competition.  Three of the companies competing this November won their sector prize at the 2010 competition: Accio Energy, The Mackinac Technology Company, and ENRG Power Systems.”

The Accelerate Michigan Innovation Competition focuses on nine sectors that highlight key areas of opportunity for entrepreneurial growth and success: advanced materials, advanced transportation, alternative energy, IT, life science, medical devices, next generation manufacturing and products and services.  The 2011 semi-finalist companies are located in a range of areas across the state such as Ada, Ann Arbor, Detroit, East China, East Lansing, Farmington Hills, Grand Rapids, Grosse Pointe Woods, Lake Linden, Lapeer, Livonia, Midland, Northville, Plymouth, Port Huron, Royal Oak, Saline, Sterling Heights and Ypsilanti.  Three companies from out of state round out the contingent, traveling in from Chicago, Il; Fall River, MA and New Rochelle NY for the competition.

The semi-finalist companies:

Advanced materials

Blue Water Bioproducts

GreenSand

InfiChem Polymers, LLC

InPore Technologies, Inc.

The Mackinac Technology Company

Vinci Technology Corp

Advanced transportation

Current Motor

ECO-Fueling

EcoVElectric

ENRG Power Systems LLC

ParkingCarma

Alternative energy

Accio Energy

Advanced Battery Concepts

Arbor Wind

Climate Technologies Co.

Grid Logic

Metro Ag Services

NextCAT

Spider9

Defense and homeland security

Emitech, Inc.

H3D

nanoRETE

Visotek

Information technology

Are You Human

GPX Software

i3D Technologies Inc.

Practical EHR Solutions

TherapyCharts

White Pines Systems

Life science

ApoLife

BioPhotonic Solutions

DeNovo Sciences

NEXTGEN Metabolomics

ONL Therapeutics

Phrixus Pharmaceuticals

RetroSense Therapeutics

Syzygy Biotech

Medical devices

Advanced Cooling Therapy

Blaze Medical Devices

OcuSciences

Retia Medical

Shoulder Innovations

ULTrA

Next generation manufacturing

ePack

Fusion Coolant Systems

North Coast Industrial Imaging

SenSigma

Products and services

Algal Scientific Corporation

Applied Engineering Technologies

ArtJen Conplexus

FamilyMint

Llaamasoft

Nutriinfo

To qualify for the Accelerate Michigan Innovation Competition prize monies, businesses must make a commitment to locate and grow in Michigan.  These companies must also be past proof of concept and in the commercial stage of business development.

The competition will be held from November 15 – 17 at the Eagle Crest Conference Center in Ypsilanti, Michigan.  The Finals and Gala Awards Celebration will be held the evening of November 17 at the Henry Ford Museum in Dearborn, Michigan.

About Accelerate Michigan Innovation Competition

The Accelerate Michigan Innovation Competition is an international business competition offering more than $1 million in cash awards, plus in-kind awards of services, staffing and software. In addition to the prizes from the competition, entrepreneurs will have access to Michigan’s robust entrepreneurial ecosystem, which includes wet labs, incubators, and access to talent from the world’s leading research universities.  The Accelerate Michigan Innovation Competition is a collaborative effort of the Business Accelerator Network for Southeast Michigan, the New Economy Initiative of Southeast Michigan and Accelerate Michigan.  For more information, visit www.acceleratemichigan.org.

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Safe and effective fiber-based Mirafit offers hope for tackling obesity in Midwest

DETROIT, Aug. 15, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ – After years of research and testing, a dietary supplement developed by a pair of Wayne State University professors will now be made available to the public through Meijer stores in Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois and Kentucky. Mirafit is an all-natural, stimulant-free weight loss supplement derived from corn fiber, which does not contain allergens.

Mirafit was created by Joseph Artiss and Catherine Jen. Each Mirafit tablet taken with a meal can safely bind and remove nine grams of dietary fat or 81 fat calories, resulting in a reduction of approximately 3,500 calories per week, or the loss of one to one and a half pounds of body weight per week.

“Obesity and related medical conditions such as heart disease, diabetes and strokes have become epidemic,” said Jen, one of the principals of ArtJen Complexus USA, LLC, the Wayne State spin-off company she founded with Artiss in 2009 to manufacture and distribute Mirafit. “As a novel research breakthrough with no unwanted side effects, Mirafit has the potential to make a critical difference in body weight and blood lipid management.”

Meijer to sell Mirafit weight loss supplement

Jen, professor and chair of Wayne State’s Department of Nutrition and Food Science, with Artiss, associate professor in the Department of Pathology in the School of Medicine, discovered the fat-binding effect of the fiber while conducting research on Type II diabetes. Laboratory rats consuming a high-fat diet with the Mirafit supplement stopped gaining extra weight and showed no diabetic symptoms.

ArtJen has since emerged as a university success story.  After the Mirafit technology was licensed to ArtJen, the company joined Wayne State’s research and technology park, TechTown, where Jen and Artiss evolved from scientists into scientists/entrepreneurs.

“We didn’t know much about starting a company when Cathy and I founded ArtJen,” Artiss admitted.  ”TechTown was instrumental in educating us about the process and providing the support and resources we needed to get Mirafit into the marketplace.”

Artiss noted that TechTown’s “entrepreneurial champions” coached them in key areas — applying for and securing funds, identifying strategic partners and executing ArtJen’s business plan.  TechTown went so far as sponsoring Jen and Artiss to participate in a selective entrepreneurial boot camp offered by a collaborating high-tech incubator, Ann Arbor Spark.

As a retail supplier for Meijer, ArtJen is now poised to extend Mirafit’s retail distribution footprint to include thousands of consumers who want convenient access to the product for its health and weight-loss benefits.

About The Creators
Catherine Jen, Ph.D., FTOS is professor and chairwoman of the Department of Nutrition and Food Science at Wayne State University.  She is conducting a federally funded study on childhood obesity and is on the steering committee of the Obesity Summit organized by the Department of Community Health for the State of Michigan.

Joseph Artiss, Ph.D., FACB, is associate professor of pathology in Wayne State University’s School of Medicine. He is the author/co-author of 65 refereed articles, 15 review articles, eight chapters and 23 patents/patent applications.

Watch TechTown entrepreneur Sri Rao as he perfects the art of the pitch at the DEMO Fall 2011 conference for emerging technology in Silicon Valley, which attracted hundreds of entrepreneurs from around the world. Rao received a scholarship from AARP to present at the conference.

Rao founded SenseAide, which uses a combination of video chat with web tools and internet based well-being sensors deployed at a senior’s residence. The software and hardware tools assemble a 24-hour online care community for each client at significantly lower costs.

Read a VentureBeat profile of SenseAide, or visit the company’s website to learn more.