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Elon Musk was once asked who his greatest inspiration was. You, like most people, might have expected his response to be Nikola Tesla… But surprisingly, Elon’s answer was actually Thomas Edison.  And there’s a good reason for that… you see, lots of people like to associate Edison with a bad connotation. Especially for ruthlessly dominating Tesla in the business world from his strategic business tactics. However, Elon realized something important, it’s not just being able to invent great products that change the world… But being able to push those ideas, products, and services out into the world.  That’s why Thomas Edison was his ideal role model… because Edison succeeded where Tesla fell flat. Edison strived in his ability to build a business, exchange value for money so his ideas could live on for decades, and scale his business up to affect millions of lives.
His business spirit, paired with his natural innovation turned Edison into a world changer.
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When most people think of Bill Gates, they think of this super-genius billionaire who is always successful. Well, as you are about to see, that is not exactly true. You see, back in 1970, Bill and his partner Paul Allen had started their first business: Traf-O-Data. Bill and Paul worked closely with many electrical engineering students and faculty members at the University of Washington, hoping to create a device that automatically read traffic tapes (Back in 1970, manually reading these tapes was tough work).  Well, after years of sinking time and money into this business, Bill thought he was going to have his first big break...
An official from the county office was scheduled to see a demo of Traf-O-Data. How exciting right? A chance to finally push his product into the market. So one day, the official walked into the lab, and the demonstration started. The lights on the device lit up. Everything seemed to go well… but then: CRASH! How would you like to use what some call “market fishing” to find the best market fit for your business?  A big mistake lots of novice entrepreneurs make is choosing the wrong target market. You can spend a ton of time and energy creating a great product. You have developed an invention or service that you are really proud of. And you think you’re customers are going to love it, too. But then you spend loads of time and money trying to sell it... And it falls flat. No sales. Not even a dime. *Cue the violin music*  What the heck happened?
The number one reason for startup failure is due to a lack of product-market fit. How to Avoid Failure What I’m about to share with you is a simple way to discover the best possible customer for your business. Plus, if you follow these steps, you’ll end up with a solid set of validation data that you can share with investors, and maybe convince them why they should bet on your company, too. It’s getting close to the end of the semester!
It’s exciting that’s it’s almost over right? But frustrating because you’ve got so much going on… All the projects, exams, and homework you have to do… It all seems to pile up. Stressing you out and making it harder to focus on your ideas. It’s a problem lots of student entrepreneurs suffer from. So what do you do? How do you get your school work done… and make progress as a student entrepreneur? A common problem I hear from ambitious students and entrepreneurs is they’re feeling overwhelmed every day. Too many meetings, too many tasks, and too many things to accomplish. Especially if you’ve got huge goals as many of you do… it sucks feeling like you’re not making enough progress.  So ask yourself...
Even though I'm busy, am I being productive? In this post, I’ll share with you a sweet tip on how you can make more progress without feeling overwhelmed… Let's get to it! “I constantly see people rise in life who are not the smartest, sometimes not even the most diligent, but they are learning machines. They go to bed every night a little bit wiser than they were when they got up, and boy does that help, particularly when you have a long run ahead of you.” – Charlie Munger
Want to know the “secret weapon” billionaires like Warren Buffet use to fuel their success? Their biggest piece of advice… Adopt A “Growth Mindset.” What’s a growth mindset? You’ve seen people who are stuck in the same place for years… doing the same tasks each day. People like this seem to be like robots running on autopilot… By Dan Shingler
Akron's got another software startup that appears to be gaining traction, although treading water — in a good way — might be a better way to put it. Fontus Blue, which moved into the downtown Bounce Innovation Hub in June, doesn't make the sort of app most people will ever use, though millions may taste its results. The company's offering, Decision Blue, is a subscription-based software as-a-service product that helps water-treatment plants address issues and produce water that consistently exceeds testing requirements by providing treatment formulas and regimens based on real-time modeling.  Faculty researchers in The University of Akron’s (UA) College of Engineering – now in its 106th year – earned $10.9 million in research grant funding in the 2018 calendar year.
The grants were awarded by diverse government entities, industry partners and foundations for projects ranging from improving cancer treatment to making it safer to drive America’s roadways. “UA’s College of Engineering is home to world-class faculty conducting cutting-edge and transformative research that cuts across all sectors: manufacturing, automotive, environmental, transportation, biomedical, structural, chemical and more,” said Craig Menzemer, Ph.D., interim dean of the College. “I’m proud of the pioneering research my colleagues have devoted themselves to, which is a testament to the College of Engineering’s strong reputation as the premier engineering school in Northeast Ohio. Our faculty’s research will have an enormous impact on the way we live and work. All of this is happening right here, at The University of Akron.”  By Sue Walton, Crain's Cleveland
After years of laying the groundwork, a local startup has launched its first products to consumers, hoping buyers will help company officials figure out where its work will best stick. Akron Ascent Innovations (AAI), which Crain's first profiled two years ago, last month launched sales of its ShearGrip-brand fiber-based, dry-adhesive products online. The products, which for now include repositionable bulletin boards, sticky-note paper and photo paper, among other things, are born from technology that uses electrospun nanofibers to create a super-strong dry adhesive. The fibers have a small enough diameter to grab surfaces to hold on tight, but can still peel away without damaging surfaces, the company says.  By UA Online Newsroom
Former Biomimicry Fellows Dr. Emily Kennedy and Dr. Bor-Kai (Bill) Hsiungsuccessfully completed the prototyping and testing of a hedgehog-inspired impact protection technology, using funding provided by the University of Akron Research Foundation’s Spark Fund. This marks the successful completion of the second of six projects funded by the Spark Fund, starting in 2017. Kennedy and Hsiung also collaborated with Dr. K.T. Tan, assistant professor of mechanical engineering; Nathan Swift, recent Case Western Reserve University graduate; and Douglas Paige, an industrial design professor at the Cleveland Institute of Art. |
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