iMedia

"Shoot for the Moon, not the tops of trees"

The new book Googled: The End of the World as We Know it, demonstrates that innovation is by its nature unpredictable and powerful. Christian Science Monitor :

Ken Auletta, an author and a longtime columnist for the The New Yorker, documents the meteoric rise of Google from its humble beginnings through its multibillion-dollar profits in his latest book, Googled: The End of the World as We Know It. As the latter half of the title suggests, Auletta’s work is more than just a history of Google and a biography of its principals. It is rather a tripartite inspection of modern technological innovation, the decline of traditional media (print journalism, music CDs, etc.) and its revenue stream (advertising sales), and the ways in which Google serves as a flash point for many of the successes and controversies surrounding the Digital Age.

The unofficial motto of the organization known for its unorthodox workplace and tens of billions in revenue is "shoot for the moon, not the tops of trees." Just as Google rose to challenge Microsoft and its business, the company's ambition and size doesn't make it invincible either, but it does show just how one well executed breakthrough innovation can change everything.

Putting microgravity, orbital research within reach

[Cross-posted from the Kentucky Space blog] At a recent meeting in Lexington, Managing Director for Nanoracks, Jeffrey Manber, described the idea behind the use of Nanoracks to host Cubesat-sized modules with individual science and research experiments - called Cubelabs - on the International Space Station. This brand new project will bring microgravity research within reach of many more organizations.

There really is no useless knowledge

Appearing at the IdeaFestival, A.J. Adams, author of The Year of Living Biblically, The Know it All and The Guinea Pig Diaries, talked at length about his life-as-experiment and the idea that there really is no useless knowledge. Jacobs spoke at the IdeaFestival last week in Louisville. A live account of his presentation is here.

"What's very dangerous is not to evolve"

In touting his new hit product, Kindle, Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos may indeed be channeling his inner Steve Jobs. The device might do for text what the iPod has done for music. But there's a much bigger lesson to be learned, according to Fast Company: "What's very dangerous," Bezos concludes, "is not to evolve."

Kentucky companies vie for financing to commericalize UK, UL research

At the YoungStartUp Ventures forum in New York City, Kentucky has two companies pitching today for Series B financing - AllTranz, commercializing technology from University of Kentucky, and ApoImmune - commercializing technology from University of Louisville.

The Kentucky Science and Technology Corporation has invested in both companies through the Kentucky Enterprise Fund and both are clients of the Innovation and Commercialization Centers - Von Allman Center for Entrepreneurship in Lexington and the Enterprise Corporation in Louisville.

Matt McGarvey
Vice President, KSTC

Seminar: Developing viable business strategies

Today, Dr. Jeryl Schreiner, founder of  IdeaFoundry, in Pittsburgh, is leading a seminar for 60 clients of KSTC and the ICC offices. The seminar, being held in Louisville, is focused on the development of a viable business strategy. In her tools, Dr. Schreiner is helping high-tech companies from around the state integrate all aspects of strategy development - business model, product, positioning, sales, operations.

Matt McGarvey, VP, KSTC. 

Paul Saffo: U.S. entering "creator economy"

In the latest BusinessWeek innovation podcast, futurist Paul Saffo describes the emerging creator economy and traces its origins to the crushing success of the consumer economy. It's brief, so have a listen.

Steinbeck's economic theory

What would John Steinbeck have to do with the current economic malaise? Plenty, if Justin Wolfers is be believed. From agency theory to behavioral economics, economics is finally coming to grips with human desire.        

Wayne

Kentucky Innovation: Commercializing 3D Scanning and Nanotechnologies

From visualization technologies to nano-templates, participants at the April 2009 Kentucky Innovation and Entrepreneurship Conference describe the technologies that they hope to commercialize.

iMedia Kentucky TV: Targeting Genetic Sources of Mental Illness

Speaking at the recent Innovation and Entrepreneurship Conference in Louisville, Kentucky, Dr. Mark Brennan talks very briefly about his work at SureGene targeting the genetic markers of mental illness. While many people in attendance raised their hands when he asked during his session if they knew someone with cancer, many more raised their hands when asked if they knew someone who had been diagnosed with a mental illness.