Fall 2011 i&E by Shannon Carr

O K L A H O M Aâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; S A D VA N C E D T E C H N O L O G Y M A G A Z I N E

FA L L 2 0 1 1

Innovators & Entrepreneurs

THE ENLIGHTENING WORLD OF ACCESS OPTICS Access Optics co-founders Pam and Bob Hogrefe

A CRITICAL COG Manufacturing Alliance provides expertise, assistance to industry

ACCESS TO CAPITAL i2E investments lead to capital for Oklahoma entrepreneurs

INSIDE

i&E Profiles CalTech Global, LLC The Galley Next-Gen Wind, LLC Monscierge

4 6 8 10

Assembly Line

The Oklahoma Manufacturing Alliance is a critical cog in the growth and success of the state’s small and medium sized manufacturers.

Cover Story

Broken Arrow’s Access Optics engineers optical lenses used in surgical instruments thousands of times a day worldwide.

Access to Capital

i2E investments resulted in additional capital investment received by 27 portfolio clients in FY2011

innovators & Entrepreneurs is produced by i2E, Inc., manager of the Oklahoma Technology Commercialization Center. For more information on any content contained herein, please contact i2E at 800-337-6822. © Copyright 2011 i2E, Inc. All rights reserved.

Partners

INSIDE

i&E Profiles CalTech Global, LLC The Galley Next-Gen Wind, LLC Monscierge

4 6 8 10

Assembly Line

The Oklahoma Manufacturing Alliance is a critical cog in the growth and success of the state’s small and medium sized manufacturers.

Cover Story

Broken Arrow’s Access Optics engineers optical lenses used in surgical instruments thousands of times a day worldwide.

Access to Capital

i2E investments resulted in additional capital investment received by 27 portfolio clients in FY2011

Partners

ABOUT i2E i2E’s award winning suite of venture advisory services, access to capital and entrepreneurial development programs are all designed to help us accomplish our mission: home grown economic development by nurturing high growth companies in Oklahoma. In the past year we have enhanced the services we provide by adding new employees to carry out our mission and tapping new sources of funding that will allow us to deepen our positive impact upon Oklahoma’s economy. With a $1 million grant from the Federal Economic Development Administration and matching funds from five local partners – the Greater Oklahoma City Chamber, the city of Oklahoma City, the Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation, the Oklahoma Business Roundtable, and Presbyterian Health Foundation – i2E offers expanded venture advisory services to even more Oklahoma entrepreneurs beginning at the earliest stage of their companies’ development. And we teamed with the Oklahoma Department of Commerce and the U.S. Department of Treasury to offer more than $13 million in investment capital to the state’s emerging high growth companies. Appropriated by the Treasury Department through the Oklahoma Commerce Department and managed by i2E, the Accelerate Oklahoma! initiative creates three separate funds that target companies at different stages along the business lifecycle. We recently refocused the Technology Business Finance Program to provide funding through the Manufacturing Innovation Fund for Oklahoma manufacturers who want to innovate or expand with production of a new product or improve an existing product. i2E now offers access to capital opportunities to Oklahoma’s high growth companies from six distinct investment funds, as well as the SeedStep Angels network of investors. i2E’s role in developing new entrepreneurial talent for Oklahoma also is evolving. We are preparing for the eighth annual Donald W. Reynolds’ Governor’s Cup business plan competition that will add new opportunities for more teams to compete for cash prizes. We also expanded the number of i2E Fellows who gained valuable experience while contributing their skills to emerging Oklahoma companies. Our services are evolving, but the bottom line is we continue to help innovative, high growth companies succeed in Oklahoma.

i2E TEAM

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

The i2E management and staff is composed of professionals with extensive experience in technology commercialization, business development, venture investing, finance, organizational.

Roy Williams Chairman, Greater Oklahoma City Chamber

Tom Walker President and CEO David Thomison Vice President, Investments Rex Smitherman Vice President, Operations Wayne Embree Vice President, Entrepreneur Services Sarah Seagraves Vice President, Marketing Tom Francis Director, Investment Funds Josh O’Brien Director of Entrepreneurial Development

Jonathan Adamson Argonaut Private Equity Howard Barnett, Jr. OSU - Tulsa and OSU-CHS Leslie Batchelor The Center for Economic Development Law James Bode Bank of Oklahoma, N.A. Michael Carolina OCAST Bob Craine TSF Capital, LLC Steve Cropper Phil Eller Eller Detrich, P.C. Suzette Hatfield Crawley Ventures

David Daviee Director, Finance

David Hogan HoganTaylor, LLP

Mark Lauinger Venture Advisor

Phil Kurtz Benefit Informatics

Richard Rainey Venture Advisor

Hershel Lamirand, III Oklahoma Health Center Foundation

Sonja Wilson CFO-In-Residence Casey Harness Business Analyst Kenneth Knoll Manager, Concept Funds Scott Thomas IT Manager Grady Epperly Marketing Manager Michael Kindrat-Pratt Coordinator, SeedStep Angels Jay Sheldon eMedia Specialist Jim Stafford Communications Specialist Katelynn Henderson Events Specialist Cindy Williams Investment Assistant Jennifer Buettner Executive Assistant Apryl Gober Administrative Assistant

www.i2E.org facebook.com/OKGOVCUP twitter.com/i2E_Inc

Michael LaBrie Secretary, McAfee & Taft

Merl Lindstrom ConocoPhillips, Inc. Dan Luton OCAST Scott Meacham Crowe & Dunlevy Fred Morgan The State Chamber Mike Neal Tulsa Metro Chamber David Pitts Stillwater National Bank Mark Poole Summit Bank Stephen Prescott OMRF Darryl Schmidt BancFirst Sheri Stickley OKBio Wes Stucky Ardmore Industrial Development Authority Dick Williamson TD Williamson, Inc.

A Letter From the President If you have ever undergone an arthroscopic surgery, chances are the optical device the surgeon used to see inside your body contained lenses manufactured by Broken Arrow’s Access Optics. For more than a decade, Access Optics has quietly been engineering and producing tiny optical lenses from a small, non-descript manufacturing facility. Along the way, it has built a reputation as a major player in the surgical device industry, supplying optical lenses for five of the world’s 10 largest companies that make endoscopy equipment. Now, the company is expanding, planning to build a 20,000 square foot manufacturing facility in Broken Arrow and hiring up to 30 new employees. In this edition of i&E magazine, we profile Access Optics and how it grew from the husbandand-wife team of co-founders, Bob and Pam Hogrefe, to a company that sells its devices to customers in 15 countries. You will find the story beginning on Page 12. Also in this edition, we profile four other i2E client companies that are working to commercialize innovative products. Oklahoma entrepreneurs such as Next-Gen Wind (Page 8) and CalTech Global (Page 4) have created technologies that tackle the nation’s thirst for energy in novel ways. Next-Gen Wind has created a low-to-theground wind power generator that uses a unique cone shaped turbine that actually accelerates the velocity of the wind by up to 80 percent to turn an electrical generator. The company has developed a working prototype that is generating electricity west of Oklahoma City as I write this. CalTech Global has created a solution for a different energy problem. It has developed a patented granular filter media that removes foul-smelling and dangerous hydrogen sulfide that is present in many of the natural gas wells drilled in the U.S. and worldwide.

For Moncierge (Page 10) and The GalleyTM (Page 6), the target markets are not energy, but hotel lobbies and the household kitchen. Moncierge has developed Web-based software that powers video touchscreens and allows hotels to update easily update information about local events and restaurants. Moncierge differentiates itself from competitors because the information is not advertising based, which provides more reliable recommendations for hotel guests seeking food and entertainment. The GalleyTM has literally remade America’s kitchen. The company has developed a unique workstation that includes sliding trays and work areas that brings food prep, cleanup and even cooking to one location in even the smallest of kitchens. Elsewhere in the magazine, we feature the Oklahoma Manufacturing Alliance and the way its Manufacturing Extension Agents help Oklahoma’s small- to medium-sized manufacturers. The key take away from this story: Oklahoma manufacturing industry is flourishing, and we’re proud that the Alliance is an affiliated partner with i2E. I urge you to spend some time with this edition and read about some of the many innovators who are working to create jobs and wealth in Oklahoma. It will brighten your day.

Duane Wilson LDW Services, LLC Don Wood Norman Economic Development Coalition Summer 2011 i&E

i2E TEAM

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

The i2E management and staff is composed of professionals with extensive experience in technology commercialization, business development, venture investing, finance, organizational.

Roy Williams Chairman, Greater Oklahoma City Chamber

David Daviee Director, Finance

David Hogan HoganTaylor, LLP

Mark Lauinger Venture Advisor

Phil Kurtz Benefit Informatics

Richard Rainey Venture Advisor

Hershel Lamirand, III Oklahoma Health Center Foundation

www.i2E.org facebook.com/OKGOVCUP twitter.com/i2E_Inc

Michael LaBrie Secretary, McAfee & Taft

Duane Wilson LDW Services, LLC Don Wood Norman Economic Development Coalition Summer 2011 i&E

Proﬁles CalTech Global, LLC

SOUR GAS, SWEET SUCCESS

ydrogen sulfide is a poisonous gas that smells like rotten eggs and can be present at various concentrations in producing natural gas wells throughout the world. So noxious is hydrogen sulfide, or H2S, that gas produced from wells where it is present in concentrations above 4 parts per million is called “sour gas.” It must be removed before it can be transported and sold for commercial use, usually by running the gas through a filtering compound that must be frequently replaced. Sapulpa, OK-based CalTech Global has developed a new state-of-the-art granular filter media called Sulfabate for removing hydrogen sulfide from natural gas. Sulfabate is the result of nine years of research and development by CalTech Global founder and Chief Executive Officer Mike Callaway. “The strategic advantage of Sulfabate is how the iron oxide substrate is manufactured to create Sulfabate,” Callaway said. “It is those patent-pending processes that differentiate Sulfabate from any other filter media available today.” Sulfabate has been demonstrated to filter out H2S for at least three times longer than current competitive products. The positive financial impact for well operators is substantial, because producers can operate longer without having to halt operations to change out the filtering media. “This material is very cost effective, easy to clean out, is 4

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environmentally friendly and customers really like it,” Callaway said. “We’ve been selling the product for the past year, and it’s really starting to take off.” Callaway is a chemist who worked in H 2S removal in an energy chemical industry career that spanned more than a quarter of a century. Not satisfied with a filtering process that was essentially unchanged for more than 100 years, he began exploring ways to create better materials. Sulfabate was the result. The CalTech Global compound has the appearance of a dark gravel material that filters out hydrogen sulfide as gas is forced through it. The process converts the toxic and corrosive H2S into elemental sulfur, which is not hazardous. “Only incremental improvements had been made until now,” Callaway said. “Through CalTech Global’s R&D efforts, our new product has raised the bar with an exponential improvement in performance.” Sulfabate’s long lasting effectiveness in filtering H2S eliminates frequent gas processing down time to change filtering media and reduces both labor and production costs for energy producers. “Once a customer tries Sulfabate and realizes the cost savings, they never go back to the old method,” he said. “We’ve grown by a factor of 5 this year and could easily grow by the same amount in 2012.”

“Rare is the occasion that a game-changing product intersects with an extreme growth industry. Our biggest challenge will be our ability to keep up with demand.”

Mike Callaway President and CEO Year started: 2005 Location: Sapulpa, OK Employees: 2

– Mike Callaway

Rising worldwide demand for natural gas as an alternative to gasoline and other hydrocarbon products has created a growing market for CalTech Global. “Rare is the occasion that a game-changing product intersects with an extreme growth industry,” Callaway said. “Our biggest challenge will be our ability to keep up with demand.” A $228,000 Applied Research grant from the Oklahoma Center for the Advancement of Science and Technology is helping CalTech Global scale up its production of Sulfabate to meet growing demand. The company also won the 2010 Tulsa Entrepreneurial Spirit Award, and the $30,000 prize that came with the award. Callaway came to i2E on the recommendation by a volunteer member with SCORE, a partner agency with the U.S. Small Business Administration that mentor’s entrepreneurs. “It was the best $1,000 I ever spent,” Callaway said. “I won the Tulsa Spirit Award because of i2E’s mentoring and venture advice.” As more energy companies turn to Sulfabate to filter out dangerous hydrogen sulfide and its foul odor from natural gas, Callaway can take a deep breath and savor the sweet smell of success.

Product or technology: CalTech manufacturers a patented granular filter media called Sulfabate for removing hydrogen sulfide (H2S) from natural gas streams so that the gas can be transported and used commercially. Market: CalTech markets Sulfabate to small to medium sized oil and natural gas producers. Future plans: With growing market demand for Sulfabate, CalTech plans to scale up production and hire more people to meet the demand. Funding: Originally self funded, CalTech has received grant funding that includes $130,000 Oklahoma Nanotechnology Applications Project award and a $228,000 Oklahoma Applied Research award, both through OCAST. It also won a $30,000 prize as the Tulsa Entrepreneurial Spirit Award winner for 2010. Successes: The company has a roster of what founder Mike Callaway calls “very satisfied, happy, paying customers,” with others on a waiting list as the company scales up production. www.caltechglobal.com

CalTech Global founder Mike Callaway works with granular iron oxide material that is used to filter out hydrogen sulfide from natural gas. Fall 2011

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Proﬁles CalTech Global, LLC

SOUR GAS, SWEET SUCCESS

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“Rare is the occasion that a game-changing product intersects with an extreme growth industry. Our biggest challenge will be our ability to keep up with demand.”

Mike Callaway President and CEO Year started: 2005 Location: Sapulpa, OK Employees: 2

– Mike Callaway

CalTech Global founder Mike Callaway works with granular iron oxide material that is used to filter out hydrogen sulfide from natural gas. Fall 2011

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Proﬁles The Gallery

“We are already in the black, just with the quiet beginnings of marketing The Galley in our local area. This could really be big.”

Roger Shollmier President Year Started: 2010 Location: Tulsa, OK Employees: 5

– Roger Shollmier

KITCHEN REVOLUTION

Other models of The GalleyTM followed the 2010 introduction of the original, with 5-1/2 foot and 4-foot “Mini” versions now offered. It also can significantly improve the appearance and functionality of outdoor kitchens that many consumers are creating on the patios of their homes. “People are blown away when they see The GalleyTM,” Shollmier said. “When we demonstrate induction cooking right next to The GalleyTM, the whole thing just makes sense to them.” Consumers can see The GalleyTM in action with nearly a dozen demonstration videos at www.thegalleysink.com. In a year and a half on the market, Shollmier has installed more than 100 of The GalleyTM units in the Tulsa area. “We are beginning to take it nationwide now,” he said. “We have teamed up with Ralph Lackner of Ray Rambo Cabinets, who is distributing the Galley through his dealers throughout the United States. We also have a dealer now in Colorado.” Shollmier came to i2E at the recommendation of a friend to help him formulate the business model for The GalleyTM.

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satile workstation for the kitchen that is much more than a sink, with prep, cleanup and even cook space. Market: The GalleyTM is built for anyone who has a kitchen sink, which is virtually every household in the nation. Future Plans: Shollmier taking The GalleyTM nationwide, working to establish a network of dealers. It was introduced to the SEN buying group on Louisville, KY, and BKBG in Denver recently. Recently introduced models include a 5-1/2- and a 4-foot “Mini.” Funding: The GalleyTM has been self-funded so far. Successes: Shollmier counts the enthusiastic

revolution is brewing in your home, says Tulsa’s cooks working in smaller spaces. Roger Shollmier, a long-time kitchen designer “I kept hearing about small condo kitchens, small lofts and creator of an innovative workstation known and these little apartments of 800 to 900 square feet, and I decided to develop a sink that had cooking, food preparation as The GalleyTM . “In our lifetime,” Shollmier says, “there have been two and serving in one place,” he said. products that have revolutionized how we use kitchens The original version of The GalleyTM is a 7-foot long unit that today: the dishwasher and the microcombines a 16-gauge stainless steel sink, wave. Now, with the introduction of prep and cleanup areas. The Galley’s acTM The Galley and induction cooking, cessories – sinks, cutting boards, colwe believe these are the next two big anders, bowls and drain rack – slide efwaves to hit the American home.” fortlessly from one end of the sink to the Shollmier is a renowned kitchen deother on two tiers. signer and cook who has been dubbed the “No more walking all over the “Frugal Kitchen Guru” by Better Homes kitchen, everything can be done in & Gardens magazine. He has operated one place,” Shollmier said. “And the Tulsa-based Kitchen Ideas for more than rest of the kitchen doesn’t get dirty, The GalleyTM is shown providing space for a cold 35 years, creating more than 3,000 kitcheither.” food buﬀet and installed in a kitchen island. ens along the way. The GalleyTM even offers space for “I love entertaining and I love designing kitchens,” Sholan optional induction burner for cooking. Induction cooklmier said. “That’s been my whole life.” ing is what Shollmier calls the fourth kitchen revolution. It TM Sollmier created The Galley to bring food prep and uses electro-magnetic resistance to cook food without wastcooking into one central location and solve a dilemma for ing as much heat as gas or traditional electric stove tops.

Product or Technology: Innovative and ver-

reception The Galley receives every time it is introduced as the most rewarding milestone, as well as the attention it has received from notable firms expressing interest in distributing the kitchen workstation. www.thegalleysink.com

“We are already in the black, just with the quiet beginnings of marketing The GalleyTM in our local area,” he said. “This could really be big.” With an infectious enthusiasm about cooking, kitchen design and The GalleyTM, Shollmier doesn’t look the part of a revolutionary. But if The GalleyTM joins the dishwasher and the microwave oven as kitchen mainstays, historians may some day credit Roger Shollmier with igniting a revolution in homes across the world. Fall 2011

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Proﬁles The Gallery

“We are already in the black, just with the quiet beginnings of marketing The Galley in our local area. This could really be big.”

Roger Shollmier President Year Started: 2010 Location: Tulsa, OK Employees: 5

– Roger Shollmier

KITCHEN REVOLUTION

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Product or Technology: Innovative and ver-

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Proﬁles Next-Gen Wind, LLC

THE WIND LOW DOWN Editor’s note: Next-Gen Wind, LLC (NGW) is a wind energy research and development company located in the heart of downtown OKC. The company is dedicated to creating the next generation wind energy system that will harness wind’s energy even more efficiently. As an R&D focused company, it is examining all aspects of the wind energy design and generation. The company was initially inspired and focused on evaluating the potential of ground based wind flow and accumulator systems and has since expanded its research into several additional areas such as; generator design, airfoil design, mobilization, and potential tower and scaffolding consideration. To give insight into the company, it is important to understand the history behind the company and how its R&D program has evolved to encompass new innovative designs.

An artist’s concept of the Next-Gen Wind ground level wind turbine that increases velocity of the wind with its unique cone shape.

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he original concept for a cone-shaped, low-to-ground turbine design developed by Oklahoma City-based Next-Gen Wind was conceived on the wind-swept high plains of the Oklahoma Panhandle. As Dr. Scott Calhoon grew up working on a Panhandle farm where he was constantly exposed to the Oklahoma wind, an idea began to form to harness that power. “I felt like in a lot of areas of the country there was plenty of wind at the ground level,” Dr. Calhoon said. “In order to have power generation, you don’t necessarily have to be up on a tower.” Dr. Calhoon later earned a medical degree at the University of Oklahoma College of Medicine and became a surgeon, practicing at Integris Baptist Medical Center. After years of practicing medicine, the idea of developing ground-based wind power surfaced again in his mind while sailing the Mediterranean off the coast of Italy where he saw diesel-powered generators on barges used to provide electricity to island resorts. “They didn’t have any other power source,” Dr. Calhoon said. “I coupled that with the tremendous power that was available with the wind in sailing the ship, and visualized how a system like this would work where you could have wind generation, but have it closer to the ground level. Those beautiful islands were not where you wanted a tower and turbine.” Dr. Calhoon eventually left his medical practice to pursue entrepreneurial interests and his long-held concept of creating a disruptive technology in the Next-Gen Wind power turbines. He founded the company in 2005, securing patents on the design, and now has a prototype of the turbine generating electricity in Canadian County near I-40.

“Where we have a prototype, we have 4-metersper-second wind, which is marginal wind. We’ve been able to increase that to over 7 meters per second, which is the same as the wind in Buffalo, Oklahoma, on a 140-foot tower.”

Dr. Scott Calhoon founder and CEO Year started: 2005 Location: Oklahoma City, OK Employees: 6

– Dr. Scott Calhoon

Wind power as an alternative source of generating electricity has become a multibillion dollar worldwide market, reaching $83.5 billion by 2008. The United States has set a national target of 20 percent of total energy use by 2020 to be generated by wind energy. Oklahoma has a goal of using 15 percent renewable energy by 2015, and 150-foot tall wind turbines are visible across the horizon in much of Western Oklahoma. “We are for tower and turbine, and we believe there are some areas that aren’t as suitable for it,” Dr. Calhoon said. The Next-Gen ground model sits less than 50 feet above the ground and with its unique shape – it looks sort of like a jet engine – it compresses wind as it blows into it and then increases the velocity by up to 80 percent to turn the electrical generator. “Where we have a prototype, we have 4-meters-per-second wind, which is marginal wind,” he said. “We’ve been able to increase that to over 7 meters per second, which is the same as the wind in Buffalo, Oklahoma, on a 140-foot tower.” i2E has been a partner to Next-Gen Wind for much of its existence, providing timely advice and capital through the Technology Business Finance Program. The company also has an EDGE grant that has helped provide revenue for the estimated $150,000$200,000 cost to develop the technology. Dr. Calhoon envisions the Next-Gen Wind systems being adopted to power rural irrigation systems, dairies, feedlots, golf courses, homes or even small communities. “We see a market that includes rural enterprises that use a significant amount of electricity,” he said. “We also believe the oil and gas industry would use the Next-Gen turbines, for instance, in the application of salt water disposal wells; we see a large number of those going in for some of the formations that produce water in Northwest Oklahoma.” Like the winds that inspired it as they swept across the Oklahoma plains, Next-Gen Wind intends to cut a large swath through the power generation industry.

Product or technology: The company has developed an innovative, low-to-the ground wind turbine that increases the velocity of wind that blows into the generator. Market: Next-Gen Wind has identified dairies, feedlots, golf courses, homes, rural irrigation systems and even communities as target markets for the innovative wind turbine. Future plans: Founder Dr. Scott Calhoon envisions the wind turbines also being used by the oil and gas industry. The company also is conducting research into generator design, airfoil design and other areas of wind powered generation of electricity. Funding: Initially self-funded as it developed the prototype, Next-Gen Wind received a $100,000 proof-of-concept award from i2E in 2010. Successes: Next-Gen Wind has completed development of a prototype generator, which is generating electricity at a site along I-40 near El Reno. www.ngwind.com

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Proﬁles Next-Gen Wind, LLC

An artist’s concept of the Next-Gen Wind ground level wind turbine that increases velocity of the wind with its unique cone shape.

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Dr. Scott Calhoon founder and CEO Year started: 2005 Location: Oklahoma City, OK Employees: 6

– Dr. Scott Calhoon

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Proﬁles Monscierge

“It’s almost unbelievable the scale that it could go to,” Robinson said. “We’re looking at a little over 100 employees in the next couple of years, and our revenues could be anywhere from $200 million to $400 million.”

Marcus Robinson, CEO Year Started: 2009 Location: Oklahoma Ctiy, OK Employees: 19

– Marcus Robinson

A TOUCHING BIG SCREEN STORY

arcus Robinson stepped up to a large video screen hanging on the wall of a conference room at the Bricktown offices of Oklahoma City’s Monscierge and touched the logo of a Scottsdale, Ariz., hotel. Seconds later, a menu appeared on the screen that offered a list of events scheduled at the hotel for the day. When Robinson touched one of the events, a map appeared that showed the location of the meeting room within the hotel. “With today’s tech-savvy travelers, people are wanting their information very quickly and they want it to be accurate,” Robinson said as he demonstrated the screen’s capability to provide dining recommendations, real time weather updates and even the ability to e-mail post cards or post them to a Facebook page. Monscierge created the operating software for the touchscreen. It was designed not only for Robinson’s tech-savvy traveler, but also for hotel operators around the U.S. and Europe who are often besieged with questions from information hungry guests. “Our software alleviates the demand on the front desk, which is also traditionally a bottleneck at hotels,” Robinson said. “A lot of guests don’t want to wait in line to ask where is a good place to grab a cup of coffee or a sandwich. By providing this service to them, it increases guest satisfaction and their intent to return to these particular hotels.” In fact, as Monscierge found in its own research and published in a white paper, hotels that have installed its software and touchscreen devices reported an increase in positive concierge and guest interaction. “Monscierge enhances our guests’ experience,” said Kristen Bodmer, Concierge Manager at Hyatt Regency Scottsdale Resort and Spa at Gainey Ranch. “They get it. It makes sense to them.” Founded in 2009, Monscierge entered a market crowded with competitors who could not deliver on a critical aspect of the touchscreen information business: scalability.

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“We’ve developed all of our software in the cloud, allowing it to be scalable around the world,” said Robinson, who began his career working for another Oklahoma City-based software company called Amcat, which develops software that serves the call center industry. “All of these competitor companies have traditionally not approached the business from a scalability standpoint, so that when it came time to put this out in hundreds or thousands of hotels, their model would break down because they didn’t have the infrastructure to support it.” Monscierge installed its first device in 2010 and has since expanded to more than 100 hotels in the United States, Ireland and Great Britain. It has eight pilot projects under way with major hotel chains that could result in an exponential expansion of the business. “If our pilot programs are successful, our pipeline is about 20,000 hotels,” Robinson said. “There has not been any hotel that has said this won’t work.” Another way that Monscierge differentiates itself from competitors is the fact the touchscreens provide true recommendations instead of paid advertising. The company generates revenue from the hotels in which the technology is installed rather than from the sales of advertising, which makes the information more reliable for users. Headquartered in Bricktown, Monscierge approached i2E seeking help in structuring a potential strategic investment in the company. “I’ve been working with Wayne Embree and Kenneth Knoll quite a bit,” Robinson said. “They are both great guys, very helpful, and I have enjoyed very much working them. I’ve received a lot of good advice that has helped. Monsierge is seeking between $2 million to $5 million to support a rapid expansion in the near future. “It’s almost unbelievable the scale that it could go to,” Robinson said. “We’re looking at a little over 100 employees in the next couple of years, and our revenues could be anywhere from $200 million to $400 million.” All it takes is the right touch.

Product or technology: A software application that enables hotel guest to quickly receive and act on information about the hotel, local merchants and the community. The software runs on a large-format touchscreen. Market: Hotels rated 2- to 5-stars in the United States and Europe. Future plans: The company is developing a mobile strategy, taking the software developed for hotels and delivering content via mobile devices so guests can have the same services in their room and take it with them. Monscierge also is expanding to convention centers and potentially retail, hospitals and medical centers. Funding: Monscierge has been self-funded. Successes:

Software was released in early

2010, and the company has since expanded into Europe, including Ireland and the UK. It also has eight pilot projects running with many national hotel brands. www.monscierge.com

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Proﬁles Monscierge

Marcus Robinson, CEO Year Started: 2009 Location: Oklahoma Ctiy, OK Employees: 19

– Marcus Robinson

A TOUCHING BIG SCREEN STORY

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Software was released in early

2010, and the company has since expanded into Europe, including Ireland and the UK. It also has eight pilot projects running with many national hotel brands. www.monscierge.com

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THE ALLIANCE: LIVING PROOF

and more products coming back to this country and being manufactured in the United States and doing so with much greater productivity than in the past.” Founded in 1992 as a state-sponsored affi liate of the Oklahoma Center for the Advancement of Science and Technology, the Oklahoma Manufacturing Alliance provides a broad menu of expertise and resources designed to ensure that manufacturing remains strong in the state. A snapshot of Oklahoma manufacturing reveals that there are roughly 4,500 manufacturers that operate in the state and employ roughly 130,000 Oklahomans, Prucha said. Almost all of them are small- or medium-sized fi rms, meaning they have less than 500 employees. “The number of employees is certainly down from what it was, say 20 years ago, but productivity has increased substantially,” he said. “So, output is substantially higher.” That means that Oklahoma manufacturers are operating much more efficiently in 2011 than they were in 1991, Prucha said.

Prucha served the Alliance as an Extension Agent in Southeastern Oklahoma for six years before he became President of the Alliance in January 2011. He succeeded long-time President Roy Peters, who retired. Prucha was well prepared for his Alliance roles by a 30-plus year manufacturing career in which he managed a Seminole, OK-based manufacturer and the U.S. operations of its subsequent European owner. “Oh, absolutely,” Prucha said of the expertise provided by his manufacturing background. “I can walk into a plant and understand exactly what kind of issues they may be dealing with, whether it is cash flow or production output,” he said. “I have no pretentions that I know their business better than they do, but I’m certainly one who can listen and understand and relate to those problems and help them through some of their solutions.” The Alliance assisted more than 400 Oklahoma manufacturers in 2010 who reported increased and retained sales of $323.3 million, as well as $51.4 million total savings in labor, materials, energy and overhead. Client companies – who pay no fees for Alliance services – also made new capital investments of more than $79 million. One of those client companies

The reports of my death have been greatly exaggerated. – Mark Twain

FOSTERING FRESH, INNOVATIVE IDEAS IS WHAT KEEPS MANUFACTURING ALIVE AND THRIVING IN OKLAHOMA.

he untimely demise of the American manufacturing industry has been declared by various pundits and politicians over the past couple of decades. They all have a similar theme: U.S. factories are all dead or dying. Jobs are going overseas. There’s no future in manufacturing for American workers. “I’m not sure that is totally accurate,” says Chuck Prucha, President of the Oklahoma Manufacturing Alliance, the OCAST-affi liated, not-for-profit corporation that helps small- and medium-sized Oklahoma manufacturers become more successful in the marketplace. “The cost of manufacturing in foreign locations is continuing to increase while in this country our productivity continues to increase, particularly among small to medium sized manufacturers,” Prucha said. “We are seeing more 12

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That’s exactly what the Alliance is attempting to achieve through its statewide network of Manufacturing Extension Agents and Applications Engineers who troubleshoot and provide one-on-one assistance to clients. The Alliance’s 18 extension agents bring a variety of manufacturing experience to their clients, and they work in conjunction with the organization’s six application engineers. Some agents bring supply chain management experience. Others are quality specialists. One is a chemical engineer. “When they meet with a manufacturer, they try to understand what the manufacturer is doing, their product and what their actual needs might be,” Prucha said. “Then we look for service providers to fi ll that need.” Application Engineers provide assistance with manufacturing processes, equipment and product redesign, product testing, plant layout and other specific areas that improve operations. Both the Extension Agents and Application Engineers live in the areas of the state in which they serve.

impacted by Alliance assistance is Choctaw Defense, a subsidiary of the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma that operates factories in McAlester, Hugo and Antlers. The company produces critical parts, equipment – even heavy duty trailers – for a broad range of U.S. military customers. As an Extension Agent, Prucha worked closely with Choctaw Defense, which embraced the Lean Manufacturing concepts advocated by the Alliance, modernizing its production lines and expanding its capabilities. Steve Benefield, Choctaw Defense CEO, said the company was receptive to suggestions by the Alliance in part because its agents bring so much experience to the process. “The Manufacturing Alliance is led by business people who have had profit and loss responsibility and have been responsible for meeting a payroll,” Benefield said. “We appreciate that they bring this experience and understand Fall 2011

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THE ALLIANCE: LIVING PROOF

The reports of my death have been greatly exaggerated. – Mark Twain

FOSTERING FRESH, INNOVATIVE IDEAS IS WHAT KEEPS MANUFACTURING ALIVE AND THRIVING IN OKLAHOMA.

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when helping us work through the real world issues involved in the improvement of our business.” The innovative Lean Manufacturing process helps companies produce more with existing resources by eliminating activities that don’t support the bottom line. That can be overproduction, wasted space, inventory or storage. Lean Manufacturing is one of six areas of emphasis that the Alliance advocates to client companies. “Lean is a continuous improvement process,” Prucha said. “You never end, you never not work with continuous improvement process.” Other areas of emphasis for operational improvement are: Customer focused innovation: “When we talk about that, we are really talking about new product development; innovation engineering,” Prucha said. Workforce development: “The National Association of Manufacturers has a credentialing process to encourage standards of training in different disciplines that the Manufacturing Institute has embraced. We’re going to continue to engage in that area and promote that process of workforce development.”

A worker at the Choctaw Defense factory in Hugo spray paints an ammunition storage container manufactured at the plant.

Supply chain management: “No manufacturer is an island. It’s important that efficiencies are carried all the way through the supply chain from company to company. Improving response time and delivery performance is key.” Global engagement: “At the Alliance, we have ExportTech, which is a program for manufacturers to increase their exports. That’s an area that we can see some potential growth for our clients.” Green manufacturing/Sustainability: “Design and implement waste and energy-use reduction at a level that provides superior cost performance and recognizable customer value.” Workforce development and product innovation are two areas of emphasis about which Prucha is most passionate. The Alliance works closely with the state’s Career Tech system to provide workforce development for manufacturers. “Most of our agents are actually sponsored by Career Tech Centers—along with community colleges—across the state,” he said. “Our agents are often housed at their facilities and work very closely with their industrial coordinators and trainers to help them match up opportunities for manufacturers.” The Alliance supports the New Product Development Center at OSU that was established to help existing and startup manufacturers improve their products, or design new ones for the marketplace. The new Manufacturing Innovation Fund managed by i2E complements the Alliance’s product innovation emphasis by providing loans of up to $100,000 specifically to encourage R&D and introduction of new products or processes by Oklahoma manufacturers. Launched in collaboration with OCAST in August, several manufacturers already have been identified as candidates for Manufacturing Innovation Fund financing. With savvy advice from the Alliance and its roster of extension agents and application engineers, Oklahoma manufacturers are reversing the perception that factory jobs are disappearing from the landscape. “I think what we are seeing is the dynamics of that is changing and manufacturing jobs are much more stable than they were even 10 years ago,” Prucha said. Now days, it’s more about robotics than wrenches. It’s a technological career choice, not just an assembly-line job.” Once again, manufacturing can be a career choice.

Chuck Prucha became President of the Oklahoma Manufacturing Alliance in January after working as a Manufacturing Extension Agent for six years. Before that, he worked in the manufacturing sector for more than three decades. He recently discussed his background and role with the Alliance. Q: I understand you had a long career in manufacturing before joining the Alliance. Will you expand on that? A: I started out in manufacturing over 30 years ago with a company in Seminole, OK. The name of the company was GOFF Corporation. We sold that company in 1991 to a Swiss company. I stayed on a one-year contract for about 11 years after that. Through that process, the Swiss company did a joint venture with a Danish company. After a three-year period, the Danish company bought the Swiss company out in the joint venture. So, for the last year years that I worked there I was in charge of all their North American operations. These companies were primarily in the foundry-related businesses. We built molding machines, abrasive glass cleaning equipment that would be used in the industrial sector.

Q: How did you make the move to the Alliance? A: My wife and I moved to the lake, and after about a year I realized I wasn’t a very good fisherman and decided I wanted to try to find something else to do. So, I saw an ad for the Oklahoma Manufacturing Alliance for an extension agent in Southeastern Oklahoma. I sent a resume, was interviewed and selected for that position. I got the honor and privilege of working for the Alliance in the field for six years. Q: As President of the Alliance, how often do you get out of the office and back into the field? A: I make it a practice to go out routinely. My passion is to actually be out in the field and see the operations and listen to the manufacturers and be on the front lines as much as possible.

ity to run a computer controlled machine or to weld and have the interest in those skills. Those are difficult positions to fill. In the years ahead we need to promote the idea of manufacturing to young people so they can recognize the fact that there are career opportunities in manufacturing and exceptionally good pay in manufacturing. Q: What’s a good day for the Alliance? A: Actually, every day is a good day. I think Oklahoma has great opportunities in the manufacturing sector. We have a great central location, we have a reasonably solid infrastructure. We can ship anywhere in the world from here. Our workforce has a strong work ethic. We have a great career tech system within the state and great higher education opportunities.

Q: What are the biggest challenges that face Oklahoma manufacturers today? A: One of the largest problems I see in the field – and one that’s going to be a problem for a while – is workforce and workforce development; finding skilled employees who have the abil-

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A worker at the Choctaw Defense factory in Hugo spray paints an ammunition storage container manufactured at the plant.

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LIGHT YEARS AHEAD OF THE PACK

“If you’ve had a colonoscopy or endoscopic surgery, there’s about a onein-three chance that the surgeons were looking through our optics to do that,” said Bob Hogrefe, Access Optics cofounder and CEO. Hogrefe and his wife, Pam, founded the company in Broken Arrow in 2000, seven years after relocating to Oklahoma from the Boston area. Bob was a longtime veteran of the operations and R&D side of the optics business, while Pam was experienced in the advertising, marketing and investor relations aspects of the industry. As Access Optics was being founded by the Hogrefes, Bob began to renew old contacts. One company he worked closely with in the past— a leader in the analytical instrument business—was looking to revamp its optics supply chain. Access Optics jumped at the chance, and 11 years later, it still supplies the optics for the entire line of this customer’s analytical equipment.

However, the next opportunity proved to be the defining event in Access Optics’ then short business life. A world-renowned medical device manufacturer had run into serious problems with its newly introduced line of rigid endoscopes. European optics being used in the scope produced images of inconsistent quality from one scope to the next, so the company called Access Optics for help. “It was like an S-O-S, so we got involved,” Hogrefe said. “And, sixty days later we had supplied thousands of high quality imaging lenses—enough to solve the customer’s problem and keep up with their rapid product scale-up demands.” For the past decade, Access Optics’ surgical optics business has expanded exponentially. “We deal with five of the world’s 10 largest companies that make endoscopy gear,” Bob said. “Our whole goal has always been to be good enough for the very best companies in the business, and our customer base proves this.”

The medical device business all comes down to quality. The Hogrefes proudly point to a pair of plaques on the wall of their Broken Arrow manufacturing facility as a key to the company’s success. They are certificates that proclaim Access Optics to be ISO certified to two ISO quality standards: ISO 9001 and ISO 13485. ISO certifications assure potential customers and regulators that the company builds its devices with prevision and thoroughly documents all of its products and procedures. “ISO 13485 is a really significant accomplishment,” Bob said. “It’s significant enough that one of our customers — perhaps the world’s leading endoscopy manufacturer — was pleasantly surprised to find that we achieved this certification in such a short time since it is the highest certification companies in the medical device business can achieve.” Today, Access Optics operates out of a modest 6,000 square-foot building

A Access Optics co-founders Pam and Bob Hogrefe are shown outside their Broken Arrow production facilty.

n engineer at Broken Arrow’s Access Optics connects a fiber optic cable to the back of a surgical illumination module, flips a switch, and suddenly a brilliant light beam radiates from the business end of a surgical device called a rigid arthroscope. He points it at an outstretched hand and a real-time, high-definition motion picture of the waving hand appears on a nearby video monitor, showing every detail right down to his fingerprints. This is how surgeons are able to see when performing precise minimally invasive arthroscopic surgery procedures through tiny incisions in a patient’s body. Thousands of the endoscopic surgeries and examinations are conducted daily, and all of them require a scope: a rigid scope for some procedures or longer, more flexible ones for others. The scope that engineer Igor Lyubchenko pointed at the hand is filled with a series of miniature lenses from Access Optics. The 11-year old company has gained a worldwide reputation for providing surgical optics small enough to sit comfortably on Abraham Lincoln’s eye on a copper penny.

A variety of optical lenses produced by Access Optics are shown.

Technician Lisa Richey conducts a quality control exam of a tiny optical lens at in the production facility of Access Optics.

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LIGHT YEARS AHEAD OF THE PACK

A Access Optics co-founders Pam and Bob Hogrefe are shown outside their Broken Arrow production facilty.

A variety of optical lenses produced by Access Optics are shown.

Technician Lisa Richey conducts a quality control exam of a tiny optical lens at in the production facility of Access Optics.

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Bob Hogrefe attempts to provide some perspective on the size of surgical optics that Access Optics manufactures at its Broken Arrow facility. Hogrefe co-founded the company in 2000 with his wife, Pam.

“A human hair is perhaps 150 to 160 mi-

crons,” he said. “The kind of optical feature that we look at in one of these lenses would be 10 to 20 microns.”

A micron is defined as one millionth of a

meter. A nanometer is one thousandth of a micron or a billionth of a meter.

“So, we are looking at features that are a

fraction of the size of a human hair,” Hogrefe said. “We have some devices here that will measure down to easily a 100th of the thickness of a human hair.”

The company puts thin coatings on some

lenses it produce to enhance light or block heat from damaging tissue when an arthroscope is placed inside a body.

“The coatings we are talking about are a

couple hundred nanometers thick,” he said. “The materials that we use to perfect the seals on our glass-to-metal seal technology are a few tens of nanometers in scale.”

How does the company produce optics at

that scale?

“It’s magic,” Pam said with a laugh. Bob

adds detail, “Essentially the production of optics involves very, very fine machine operations; not in the sense that you would use metal tools to remove material but rather that you use abrasives to change the shape of a glass surface ever so slightly to fit a curve. While the equipment is considerably more advanced, Galileo would be right at home with what we are doing.”

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that belies the advanced engineering and manufacturing that is ongoing inside. The company works in 15 countries worldwide, throughout Europe, Asia, Australia, Singapore and Israel. “We have had some pretty notable customers visit us here in Broken Arrow. They walked in and felt right at home with our technology, product capabilities, and quality systems. Despite our current size, we are on a level playing field with our world-class customers.” Today, the company employs 20 people, from college-educated engineers to internally trained technicians proficient in the world of precise optics with features at a scale of 10-20 microns—smaller than a human hair. “Precision is high on our list,” Bob said. Added Pam, “It goes to the value that we find in doing business in Oklahoma with Oklahoma employees. Having done business before on both east and west coasts, we know our employees are the best of the best.” The Access Optics manufacturing facility is divided into R&D, testing and Lean manufacturing areas. The company used an Oklahoma Nanotechnology Applications (ONAP) grant of $165,000 to develop a glass-to-metal assembly that can withstand pressure of up to 20,000 PSI. It developed a technique to employ advanced materials that make a seamless material transition between a sapphire window and its metal mount. The company also participated in a second ONAP grant in conjunction with the University of Tulsa. Hogrefe holds one patent and has others in the application stage for medical device technology conceived at Access Optics. As a result of landing a significant new customer contract, and after seven years in its present Broken Arrow location, Access Optics is planning a move by mid-year 2012, but not far. It is building a 20,000 square foot manufacturing facility about two miles east of its current location. The contract will require Access Optics to add up to 30 employees to manufacture extreme optics as well as medical instruments of its own design. The company is working with multiple Oklahoma resources to facilitate the move, including Oklahoma State University, which is providing support for design and layout of the new facility. Hogrefe cited i2E, OCAST, the Oklahoma Manufacturing Alliance and the Tulsa Technology Center for providing expertise that has been key to the company’s growth. “We have found some amazing resources that are available in Oklahoma,” Bob said. “These relationships have been extremely productive. There is no doubt that Oklahoma has a most effective arrangement for assisting growing businesses to realize their objectives.” Access Optics is considering potential investment arrangements managed by i2E as a capital resource to fund forecasted growth associated with its expansion.

Access Optics engineer Igor Lyubchenko demonstrates the high definition video capability of a rigid arthroscopic device using optical lenses produced by the Broken Arrow company. Below: John Hannam examines a small optical lens in the production facility at Access Optics.

“There was no doubt when this opportunity emerged that we should contact i2E for assistance,” Bob said. “The success of Access Optics has already helped to debunk the stereotype of Oklahoma as being an underdeveloped state devoid of leading edge technology,” he said. Does that mean that the new facility will create a certain “wow factor” when future customers visit for the first time? Absolutely. “That ‘wow factor’ is already apparent inside the current facility,” Bob said. When Igor Lyubchenko flipped the video switch on the arthroscope and the waving hand appeared on the screen, a pair of first-time visitors to Access Optics were witnessing the display. One looked up to the other and mouthed the word “Wow!”

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“A human hair is perhaps 150 to 160 mi-

crons,” he said. “The kind of optical feature that we look at in one of these lenses would be 10 to 20 microns.”

A micron is defined as one millionth of a

meter. A nanometer is one thousandth of a micron or a billionth of a meter.

“So, we are looking at features that are a

fraction of the size of a human hair,” Hogrefe said. “We have some devices here that will measure down to easily a 100th of the thickness of a human hair.”

The company puts thin coatings on some

lenses it produce to enhance light or block heat from damaging tissue when an arthroscope is placed inside a body.

“The coatings we are talking about are a

couple hundred nanometers thick,” he said. “The materials that we use to perfect the seals on our glass-to-metal seal technology are a few tens of nanometers in scale.”

How does the company produce optics at

that scale?

“It’s magic,” Pam said with a laugh. Bob

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Bob and Pam Hogrefe, co-founders of Access Optics, were asked to reﬂect on the most exciting products and technologies that have been produced in their Broken Arrow company over the past 11 years. Here is what they said: Peek Lens Assembly: This simple, yet tricky assembly works at extreme pressures to allow complex chemical analyses. “That was the first product we worked on,” Pam said. “The customer knew Bob and did business literally on

Above: Access Optics’ employee Carla Bolin peers through a microscope at a tiny optical lens at the company’s production facility in Broken Arrow. Below: Another Access Optics technician, Scott Hunt, works with another optical lens produced by the company.

his reputation and a handshake.” Added Bob, “They have bought 300,000 elements and never visited our facility due in part, I’m sure, to real six sigma quality.” Glass-to-Metal Seals: This is a sapphire window mounted in a brass or stainless steel element and able to withstand 20,000 pounds per square inch of pressure. It was developed using funding from a $165,000 Oklahoma Nanotechnology Applications Project grant. The company used advanced materials to seal the optical window in its metal housing. “We found a number of things we can do with this, not the least of which is to integrate it into the medical devices that we make,” Bob said. “We may be one of the few companies that have actually productized what we developed under an ONAP grant.” Prototype Lenses for Futuristic Surgical Systems:

Expertise with ultra-miniature optics

has led Access Optics to assist customers at the absolute leading edge of imaging technology. “We are fully equipped and ISO-certified to assist customers who are taking new devices out of the lab and into production.” Bob said. “There is clearly a vital role for us to fill in the future of digital surgical imaging.” 20

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Expertise with ultra-miniature optics

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i2E INVESTMENT LEADS TO FOLLOW-ON FUNDING i2E’s access to capital initiatives continued to have positive impact for Oklahoma entrepreneurs in fiscal 2011, leading to additional investments of $35 million from other capital sources in 27 portfolio companies during the year. i2E’s portfolio attracts investment to the region with more than $650 million in funding. Approximately $580 million of this has been in private investment from venture capital, angels and strategic investors participating in more than 345 financing rounds. In addition, i2E provided critical funding for 11 Oklahoma high growth companies through investment sources that we manage, which is an important step in leading to other capital sources.

Altheus Therapeutics, Inc. is working to develop therapies to treat the two most common forms of inflammatory bowel disease that afflicts about 1.2 million Americans. The Altheus therapy combines two FDA approved drugs in a novel way and has been shown to be highly effective in animal models.

Capacity Sports is developing mobile concussion management software, beginning with the iOS (iPhone) platform, to evaluate concussion symptoms in athletes and reduce the risk of permanent brain injury in sports. The Capacity Sports application will evaluate balance, motor function, reaction time and memory to better manage athlete screening and provide improved information for safe return to play decisions.

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Over the course of the year we made 12 investments in the new businesses, including nine through the Oklahoma Concept Fund and the Oklahoma Seed Capital Fund. The SeedStep Angels group, which we founded and manage, also closed investments in three companies. We’re working to close the capital gap for Oklahoma entrepreneurs through six targeted investment funds we now offer and the SeedStep Angels.

Exerbotics, LLC, manufactures advanced technology equipment and devices for commercial fitness applications such as Collegiate/Professional Athletics, Physical Medicine Rehabilitation and Occupational/ Industrial Medicine. Exerbotics has applied cutting edge technology to bring isokinetic strength training equipment to the commercial market.

Expert TA is an educational software company that has developed a powerful partial credit grading system for engineering and science based collegiate course work. The company provides a Web-based homework assessment application to engineering, physics, and math departments. DermaMedics has developed and markets topical antiinflammatory products to prevent burns in cancer patients and patients undergoing cosmetic procedures, as well as products to treat a variety of common skin diseases such as psoriasis, acne, eczema and rosacea, and skin aging.

Emotion Media, LLC. (EMM), provides media services to the $7 billion dollar professional photography market. EMM has developed a proprietary DVD technology that gives photographers a higher quality, less expensive way to present and sell their photos.

Failsafe Hazmat is developing software to assist and support companies that ship hazardous products and materials. Among a daily 800,000 hazmat shipments, approximately 300,000 are classified as posing extreme risk. In a single year, there were 19,277 US hazmat incidents resulting in $72,600,000 in property damage, not including the related litigation costs.

Real Time Rehab, LLC is a Tulsa based company servicing clinicians, physical therapists, chiropractors, sports rehabilitation and occupational specialists, by increasing their ability to improve a patient’s recovery from injury or illness. RTR has created the industry’s first proprietary Software as a Service that provides the clinician with both high quality video and printed materials that instruct a patient on how to perform exercises at home.

Search and Clear had developed a Web-based collaborative software platform for any type of business that depends upon collaboration and communication, such as the entertainment industry, health care, attorneys, information technology, financial institutions and government contractors.

TokenEX is an Enterprise Data Security company that helps merchants reduce their risk and the cost of Payment Card Industry (PCI) compliance, thereby enabling them to focus on their core retail competency, not Information Technology.

Hassco is developing new medical devices for laparoscopic procedures. The company currently holds a provisional utility patent on its flagship device, the Robotic Articulating Laparoscopic System (RAL SYSTEM) which will allow for improved range of motion and faster, more effective surgeries. Fall 2011

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PARTNERS

i2E, Inc. www.i2E.org i2E has been a primary source of concept, seed stage and start-up capital for Oklahoma’s high growth companies for more than a decade. The rigorous approach of our services has built a reputation for producing companies that are well positioned for investment capital. i2E and its partners have developed a series of investment funds that target companies at particular stages of the business lifecycle and also complement Oklahoma angel investors and venture capitalists. We also provide venture advisory and entrepreneurial development services. The results speak for themselves: Clients enjoy job, revenue and capital growth significantly higher than the state average. The state benefits from new globally competitive businesses, high quality jobs and an enhanced quality of life.

OCAST Oklahoma Center for the Advancement of Science and Technology www.ocast.staste.ok.us As the state’s only agency whose sole focus is technology, OCAST is a small, high-impact agency funded by state appropriations and governed by a board of directors with members from both the private and public sector. OCAST works in partnership with the private sector, higher education, CareerTech and the Oklahoma Department of Commerce.

Greater Oklahoma City Chamber www.okcchamber.com The Greater Oklahoma City Chamber works to create valueadded membership opportunities and a business climate that attracts new businesses and enhances growth and expansion opportunities for existing business.

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The Presbyterian Health Foundation is a major contributor to medical research and education in Oklahoma. In 1996, it began the PHF Research Park, believing that a science-based company with patented products discovered in the medical research laboratory of the University of Oklahoma ought to be launched here Oklahoma.

Oklahoma Department of Commerce www.okcommerce.gov The Oklahoma Department of Commerce is the primary economic development entity in the state. Its mission is to increase the quantity and the quality of jobs in Oklahoma. It accomplishes that mission that through the following means: · Business Attraction, Creation and Retention · Community Development · Knowledge-Based Industry Development · Workforce Development, Recruitment and Retention

City of Oklahoma City www.okc.gov The City of Oklahoma City’s mission is to provide leadership, commitment and resources to achieve its vision by offering a clean, safe and affordable City; providing well managed and maintained infrastructure; excellent stewardship of public assets and a variety of cultural, recreational and entertainment opportunities, as well as creating and maintaining effective partnerships to promote employment opportunities and individual and business success.

Oklahoma Manufacturing Alliance www.okalliance.com

Oklahoma Business Roundtable www.okbusinessroundtable.com

The Donald W. Reynolds Foundation www.dwreynolds.org

The Oklahoma Business Roundtable, formed in 1991, is a 501(c)(6) nonprofit corporation. The Roundtable’s mission is to encourage and promote Oklahoma’s economic development. The Roundtable accomplishes this by providing critical private funding in support of the economic development efforts of the Governor and Oklahoma Department of Commerce by encouraging business investment and jobs in Oklahoma.

The Foundation is a national philanthropic organization founded in 1954 by the late media entrepreneur for whom it is named. Headquartered in Las Vegas, Nevada, it is one of the 50 largest private foundations in the United States.

State Small Business Credit Initiative www.treasury.gov/resource-center

OKLAHOMA EPSCoR The Oklahoma Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research www.okepscor.org

The Small Business Jobs Act of 2010 created the State Small Business Credit Initiative, which was funded with $1.5 billion to strengthen state programs that support lending to small businesses and small manufacturers. The State Small Business Credit Initiative is expected to help spur up to $15 billion in lending to small businesses. Under the State Small Business Credit Initiative, participating states will use the federal funds for programs that leverage private lending to help finance small businesses and manufacturers that are creditworthy, but are not getting the loans they need to expand and create jobs.

U.S. Economic Development Administration www.eda.gov This year, the U.S. Economic Development Administration (EDA) marks 45 years of public service, with a mission of leading the federal economic development agenda by promoting competitiveness and preparing American regions for growth and success in the worldwide economy. EDA is an agency within the U.S. Department of Commerce that partners with distressed communities throughout the United States to foster job creation, collaboration and innovation.

Presbyterian Health Foundation www.phf.com

Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation www.omrf.org Founded in 1946, the Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation is one of the nation’s oldest and most respected nonprofit biomedical research institutes. Located in Oklahoma City, OMRF fosters a worldwide reputation for excellence by following an innovative cross-disciplinary approach to medical research.

The Alliance is a not-for-profit organization providing a variety of support to Oklahoma industry. Through a network of Manufacturing Extension Agents and Applications Engineers, the Alliance provides hands-on resources for improving productivity, increasing sales and reducing costs.

U.S. Department of Treasury www.treasury.gov The Treasury Department is the executive agency responsible for promoting economic prosperity and ensuring the financial security of the United States. The Department is responsible for a wide range of activities such as advising the President on economic and financial issues, encouraging sustainable economic growth, and fostering improved governance in financial institutions.

Oklahoma EPSCoR’s central goal is to increase the state’s research competitiveness through strategic support of research instruments and facilities, research collaborations and integrated education and research programs. They are funded through a three-year (FY2005-2008) $6 million Science Foundation Research Infra-Structure Improvement Grant matched by an additional $3 million from the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education. Fall 2011

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PARTNERS

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Fall 2011

Oklahoma Manufacturing Alliance www.okalliance.com

Oklahoma Business Roundtable www.okbusinessroundtable.com

The Donald W. Reynolds Foundation www.dwreynolds.org

State Small Business Credit Initiative www.treasury.gov/resource-center

OKLAHOMA EPSCoR The Oklahoma Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research www.okepscor.org

Presbyterian Health Foundation www.phf.com

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TAKING OFF:

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