Magnet and NorTech Announce the Innovation Accelerator Program
CLEVELAND, Jan. 14 /U.S. Newswire/ -- Two of Northeast Ohio's major economic development organizations, MAGNET, the Manufacturing Advocacy & Growth Network, and NorTech, the Northeast Ohio Technology Coalition, today announced they are working together on a program designed to stimulate innovation and growth in the region's small and midsize manufacturing companies.
(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20070328/DCW084LOGO )
Called the Innovation Accelerator, the program seeks to engage manufacturers looking to grow their business by adding new products and services, leveraging ideas from employees, vendors, customers and competitors and exploring new technologies capable of making their products stronger and more effective.
"Companies who work with MAGNET and NorTech through our Innovation Accelerator program will be exposed to proven strategies capable of helping them develop ideas that will increase their competitiveness and profitability which will bring jobs and growth to our regional economy," said MAGNET President Dr. Fatima Weathers.
"The partnership between NorTech and MAGNET to bring the Innovation Accelerator to manufacturers in Northeast Ohio leverages the strengths of both organizations. Through its many years of service to manufacturing companies, MAGNET understands the challenges facing manufacturers today and is poised to address those challenges, while NorTech has been driving growth in the region's technology sectors through innovation and entrepreneurship. The Innovation Accelerator will combine the expertise of these two organizations and bring new momentum to our manufacturing sector and result in economic growth in the region," said NorTech President Dorothy Baunach.
The Innovation Accelerator program will be introduced at a launch event to be held on Thursday, February 7 at 8 a.m. at the DoubleTree Hotel in Independence. Speaking at that event will be Dave Karpinski, VP Technology Innovation, NorTech; Stephen Brand, Innovation Fellow, NorTech; Dan Adams, President, Advanced Industrial Marketing; Charlie Brez, VP Innovation Alliances, Nine Sigma, Inc.; Chad Cook, President, Bright Side, Inc.; Sayan Chatterjee, Professor of Policy and Chair, Marketing and Policy Studies, Weatherhead School of Management, Case Western Reserve University; Joe Glick, Senior Consultant, Newry Corp; and Ed Nolan, VP Product Development and Engineering Services, MAGNET.
Four additional workshop sessions will be held following the launch. A session on March 6 is titled Immerse Yourself in Your Customers. April 3 is Create and Foster a Culture of Innovation. May 1 is Differentiate Your Products. June 5 is Open Innovation. Additional workshop sessions will be scheduled beginning in September 2008.
For further information on the Innovation Accelerator program, visit http://www.innovationaccelerator.com.
SOURCE MAGNET
Contact: Greg Krizman of MAGNET, +1-216-432-5311, greg.krizman@magnetnetwork.org; or Kelly Coolbaugh South of NorTech, +1-216-241-8458, ksouth@nortech.org