Two new initiatives have been launched to capitalize on Pasadena's world-class mash-up of science and design institutions and high-tech business innovators: The Design Accelerator, a partnership between Caltech, Art Center College of Design and Idealab to promote cutting-edge design, technology and business strategy in creating start-ups; and Innovate Pasadena, a working group formed to help such entrepreneurs "make it happen," according to co-founder Andy Wilson.
It's not a new idea in Pasadena -- bring together the top alumni and student minds at Caltech and Art Center, tap into existing local start-up business strategies, and watch Pasadena build its reputation as a high-tech, high-design entrepreneurial hub.
It just never quite happened.
"Great intentions" aren't always enough to bring a good idea to reality, Art Center President Lorne M. Buchman said of the Design Accelerator program.
"But this one was relatively easy for a couple of reasons," Buchman said. "There's a line between technology and design that's very hot," Plus, he said, Art Center's connections with Caltech have grown, with popular crossover classes in social and business entrepreneurship.
The Accelerator program, he said, will bridge a critical gap by giving students and alumni an opportunity to develop their concepts into sustainable
and commercial ventures in greater Pasadena.Today's students are "markedly different" even from those in recent years, most of whom saw their careers as joining a company and "soaring within that structure," Buchman said,
"Millenials" are more likely to see themselves creating their own companies, he said.
"Not every student is an entrepreneur, but many are, and they really want to take their ideas to the market." he said. "The Design Accelerator is one way for them to develop the opportunity,"
After what Art Center officials said was an "extensive application process." The Accelerator has kicked off the intensive three-month program with what they describe as "promising early stage, design-driven technology companies from the Art Center and Caltech communities." Startups include a foldable electric bike company, a healthcare company focused on using 3-D scanning and printing to provide custom-fit medical products and a web-based company that allows consumers to custom design their own household products.
Art Center's Mark Breitenberg, a Design Accelerator co-founder with Erik Hovanec, said signs are the program is filling a need.
He recounted how a recent Caltech graduate had put up a poster at Art Center, looking for a "really good designer" for his project.
"It really confirmed we were on to something this younger entrepreneurial generation understands," Breitenberg said. "The younger Caltech students are a lot more savvy about the importance of design."
The first companies in the program will be based in the Pasadena offices of Idealab, a technology-focused incubator.
The company's CEO, Bill Gross, on both Art Center and Caltech boards, and Breitenberg said he played a pivotal role in the collaboration.
As the plans for The Design Accelerator came together, part of Art Center's 2011-2016 Strategic Plan, the idea for Innovate Pasadena started as an informal idea about 10 months ago. Tech and business leaders were talking about what the private sector could do to bolster the local economy, according to co-founders Wilson, CEO of Rexler, and Mike Giardello, CEO of Materia -- a Caltech spin-off.
"We put together a pretty good network in the community," Smith said. "We knew about Caltech and Art Center and Idealab, and it was just a matter of really tapping into that, We were able to follow through with quality people throughout all disciplines, it was just a matter of laying out a clear plan."
For now, IP is "100 percent volunteer," Smith said. "We are in the process of developing a budget and sponsorships."
Describing himself as a "serial tech entrepreneur," Wilson said the idea of IP is to promote local collaboration and draw on all the resources of local institutions, including Art Center, Caltech, the city of Pasadena, Idealab, Materia, Pasadena Angels and Rexter, all of which are represented on the board.
All that's needed is the "connective tissue" to bring the city's different entities -- and potential investors -- together, Wilson said.
"Part of the concept here is we're trying to be a catalyst," he said. "This effort has to be led by entrepreneurs, with other entities' support and the support of local government and stakeholders."
Giardello said Innovate Pasadena will drive the collaboration and provide "additional structure and support" to connect "the world-class institutions in our own backyard" and help translate ideas into businesses.
Mayor Bill Bogaard said is was "fair comment" that private business initiatives can be more agile than government when it comes to innovation.
"The innovation and the drive and the creativity comes from people struggling with complicated concepts and trying to translate them into usable products for the 21st century," Bogaard said. "They have so much to offer in time, energy and the inclination to pursue lots of new ideas. The government workload needs to be taken care of."
Bogaard said there is "absolutely no question" that local businesses will be created in the high-tech and science fields through the initiatives.
"But I don't expect to see an operation or any new company bring in thousands of employees -- these are smaller, evolving companies, and there simply isn't the scale of activity in the typical high-tech company at that level," he said.
Still, he said, when Green Dot came to East Pasadena about 18 months ago, they brought several hundred employees with them and there is the potential for scaling up a workforce in time.
Bogaard said the city's economic strategy in the last year has been to promote itself as a center of science and technology.
"This group of entrepreneurs, headed by Andy and Mike, Innovate Pasadena, is intended to offer leadership and momentum ... for the high-tech future in the city," Bogaard said. "Part of it is to get things started, and to coalesce. There's a lot of high-tech entrepreneurs in Pasadena, and someone has to provide an opportunity for the community to draw together."
For more information, go to innovatepasadena.org or thedesignaccelerator.com.
denver post Scandal denver broncos new england patriots Zayn Malik miss america 2013 Oscar Nominations
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.