Pop City

Pop Filter Event of the Week: Three Rivers Film Festival

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT

If it's November, it's time to pick up a Silver Screenie Pass and head to the Three Rivers Film Festival (3RFF). For the next 16 days, channel your inner auteur with films that span international boundaries, experimental methods and regional themes. From a profound portrait of 16-year-old Harlem girl "Precious" to an erotic vampire comedy, we've got your ticket.

Cool Digs: Pittsburgh Architecture Part Two

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT

All across the city, young, visionary architects are helping to reshape the way Pittsburghers think about where and how we live. As one architects says, they're implementing new ideas, improving neighborhoods and proving that good design is sustainable. Not to mention creating very cool spaces for living.

A Taste of Peru in the Strip

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT

A fairly new Peruvian polleria in the Strip is attracting a lot of attention for its signature dish of marinated and roasted chicken. Meet the young and spirited owner from Peru, Shelbin Santos, who insists on an authentic experience and delivers.

Pop Filter Event of the Week: Calendar of Creepy

Wed, 28 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Whether you're sewing an elaborate getup or planning an 11th hour run to Costume World, don't get caught dead staying in this weekend. Not sure which spooky spots to hit first? Relax, we've got your calendar of creepy and cool all mapped out. So just boo it.

What Cleveland Has that Pittsburgh Wants

Wed, 28 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT

When New Girl proposed writing a travel story about Cleveland, we countered with this idea: what if we did a feature on great things going on in Cleveland that aren't happening in Pittsburgh? In the interest of raising our game, we want to know what other cities are doing that we could get going here. So in that spirit, take a closer look at our closest city and see what there is to love and emulate. This could turn into a series. Next up: Baltimore or Detroit?

Pop Video: Washington's Landing

Wed, 28 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Want to see one of the most unusual and appealing real estate developments in Pittsburgh? Check out Washington's Landing, a brownfield redevelopment on an island within view of downtown. With bike paths and boats and kayaks, it offers something out of the ordinary, with views to die for.

PPG Paints: The Color's the Thing

Wed, 28 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT

What better time to feature a story on paint colors than this colorful time of year? And who better to do it than our color-obsessed writer, Beth Evans, who focuses on the amazing things going on at PPG Paints. Not only can they predict color trends years out but now, through online surveys, they can also determine your color personality. Our writer was humbled at their accuracy.

Pop Star: Esther Barazzone

Wed, 21 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Can the education of women contribute to the economic development of Pittsburgh? Esther Barazzone, president of the 140-year old Chatham University, says it can. To make it happen, she is promoting diversity in leadership, adding graduate programs and campuses where women can achieve their potential. The newest, Eden Hall, is being remade into a laboratory for renewable resources--a New Economy place for 21st Century problems.

Pop Filter Event of the Week: book talk with Franklin Toker

Wed, 21 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Pittsburghâand a stunning new book about its environsâis ready for its close-up. Called "the great architectural guide that every great American city deservesâand few possess" by The Wall Street Journal, Franklin Toker's Pittsburgh: A New Portrait is the subject of a free and illustrated lecture tonight at Oakland's Carnegie Music Hall. Learn more about our city's storied buildings, neighborhoods and heritageâand all that makes this town so livable.

The Magic of Mentoring

Wed, 21 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Their stories are many, and inspiring. Read about the people who are mentoring our kids and the new program to attract more mentors for sixth-graders throughout Pittsburgh. If you, too, want to make a difference, this is a great way to do it.

Photo Slide Show: Shepard Fairey Plasters Pittsburgh

Wed, 21 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Check out the latest street art of Shepard Fairey murals around town, captured by Pop City photographer Brian Cohen, then head to the Warhol to see Fairey's new exhibition, Supply and Demand.

Pop Filter Event of the Week: Shepard Fairey at The Warhol

Wed, 14 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT

By now, you've spotted them popping up around town: bold graphic murals in red, black and white tones. From stickers of André the Giant to iconic Obama posters, the work of Shepard Fairey has created great buzz. This Saturday, catch the Pittsburgh installment of Fairey's first museum show, meet the artist behind the provocative images and hear Shepard (aka DJ Diabetic) spin classic 80s tunes at The Warhol.

Where the Jobs Are: Westinghouse

Wed, 14 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT

In the midst of the recession, there is at least one nuclear-bright spot when it comes to hiring in the region and that's Westinghouse. In a profile on the corporate recruiter, Lisa King-Washington dishes about what it's like to work for Westinghouse and how they're now hiring thousands of people in many different kinds of jobs.

Culture Club Cool

Wed, 14 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT

The artsy, innovative Culture Club continues at the Carnegie Museum of Art with the second event this Thursday, October 15. In this creative twist on the happy hour, Culture Club brings together art lovers for drinks and socializing. For only $5 you get admission and two drink tickets and, of course, great art.

PodCamp Pittsburgh 2009: Wrap up

Wed, 14 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT

The fourth annual PodCamp unconference was sold out and drew thousands to its live video stream. For those attending, it was "a social media high." If you missed it, no worries. Our Pop City Buzz editor fills you in through this report.

Mayor Ravenstahl faces challenges... the election, it seems, is not one of them

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT

The New York Times featured a profile of Mayor Luke Ravenstahl on Nov. 1, just a day before Tuesday's election, which stated, "Mr. Ravenstahl is expected to win."

The piece chronicles Mayor Ravenstahl's achievements--from streamlining snow removal and cutting Pittsburgh's work force by 2 percent--as well as his challenges--such as repairing the city's pension system.

The article also makes sure to swoon over the fact that Pittsburgh "has done fairly well in replacing its steel industry with jobs in education, health care and a variety of 'green' businesses."

Click here to read the complete New York Times article on Mayor Luke Ravenstahl.

Carrier may restore daily regional flights to and from Pittsburgh

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Pittsburgh International Airport may see more service to smaller cities starting the first quarter of 2010.

Gulfstream International Airlines, a Fort Lauderdale-based airline, is in negotiations with the Allegheny County Airport Authority to add nonstop service to six to eight cities, including Harrisburg and Du Bois.

"Pittsburgh has been without nonstop flights to the state capital since September 2008, when US Airways discontinued the service," the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette article states.

Click here to read the complete Pittsburgh Post-Gazette article on Gulfstream International Airlines.

Pittsburgh Artist of the Year is a bird of a different feather

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Keystone Edge, Pop City's sister publication the covers the state of Pennsylvania, highlights Pittsburgh Center for the Arts "Artist of the Year" Tim Kaulen.

The 43-year-old artist, whose work has a decidedly avian motif, has collaborated with everyone from Massaro, P.J. Dick and Trumbull construction firms to grad students from Chatham University's landscape architecture program to achieve his pieces that make use of raw and reused materials and greenery

"The bird that Kaulen's work most resembles may be a phoenix, that mythical symbol of rebirth and renewal," writes Christine H. O'Toole. "Over a 15-year career in Pittsburgh, he's rescued dozens of artifacts from the region's industrial past and transformed them into giant urban sculptures. It's recycling at its grandest, with local companies handing over their gritty two-ton scraps to the artist for free."

Click here to read the complete Keystone Edge article about Tim Kaulen.

Pittsburgh: Most improved city of the past 15 years?

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT

The Lonely Planet's 76-Second Travel Show attempted to do an episode in Pittsburgh awhile back, but apparently was thwarted by a Kenny Chesney concert. The 76-second video, posted last week, has some nice views from the Point, but what we love most about it is the written introduction around it.

"Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, has to be in the running for the most improved city of the past 15 years," it states. "Once known for its smoke-belching factories, the riverfront is alive with pedestrians, boaters with beers, a couple stadiums and nearby you can walk past street art and visit the Andy Warhol Museum. Well worth a day and a half, more if you take a side trip to nearby Fallingwater, the Frank Lloyd Wright-built house over a waterfall 90 minutes southeast."

Most improved city of the past 15 years? We'll take it.

Click here to read the Lonely Planet blog post and view the video.

Pitt alumni celebrate sit-in that led to strides toward diversity

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT

The New Pittsburgh Courier did a piece on the University of Pittsburgh's African American Alumni Council (AAAC) celebrating the 40th anniversary of a sit-in that led to progress at the university.

On Jan. 15, 1969, about 50 students "took over the university's computer centerâ¦ [and] called for an increase in Black faculty, enrollment and overall representation, ultimately leading to the establishment of the Department of Black Studies later that year."

The article continues, "Today, the university has 13,000 African-American alumni and at the opening of the homecoming celebration, the AAAC announced a $3 million financial aid campaign to support diversity students."

The action of those students 40 years ago is credited as the driving force behind the eventual creation of programs such as the University Community Education Project and the School of Engineering IMPACT Program, which helps Black students pursue opportunities in the sciences.

Click here to read the complete New Pittsburgh Courier article on the sit-in.

Could Heinz Field become America's national soccer stadium?

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Local blog Inspire Pittsburgh makes a pretty convincing argument for Heinz Field being a contender for America's national soccer stadium.

"We have the right stadium at the right price," blogger "Doc Steel" writes. Meaning: "Heinz Field is still a new stadium and relatively large at 65,000 seats. It is located right along the Allegheny River across from Downtown, soon to be connected by the city's light rail system. Most importantly, the stadium can truly rock, as anyone who has ever been to a Steelers game at Heinz Field can attest to."

Click here to read the complete Inspire Pittsburgh blog post on Heinz Field.

South Side's Jupe Boutique pops up in People magazine

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Jupe, a South Side boutique co-owned by Pittsburgh natives Cara Moody and Amanda (Plesco) Hall, gets a blink-and-you'll-miss-it moment in People magazine's Stylewatch feature.

The shop is named as the place to pick up a Necessary Objects brand "boyfriend jacket" to be oh so on-trend. Yes, the.

Click here to see Jupe Boutique name-dropped in People magazine.

Braddock mayor John Fetterman named a top Brave Thinker of our time

Wed, 28 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Not only did Braddock's mayor John Fetterman make the Atlantic's list of "Brave Thinkers"; he made the monthly magazine's cover, and beat out fellow Brave Thinkers such as the Prime Minister of Zimbabwe, the founder and CEO of Facebook and President Barack Obama for that very spot.

"The Atlantic has always aspired to challenge its readers, and its times, by giving voice to some of the most provocative thinkers of their eras. Brave Thinking... can be unsettling. But it drives society forward," the article states. "Now, in our first annual Brave Thinkers issue, we have identified a small group of men and women who have risked their careers, reputations, fortunes, and, in some cases, even lives to advance ideas that upend an established order."

Fetterman is described as a "a young and heavily tattooed giant with a public-policy degree from Harvard and a mountain of ambition," and called "brave" for "luring artists to a dying steel town," which the writer says could totally fail, or could serve as a model for other similarly post-industrial towns.

Click here to read the complete Atlantic magazine feature on Mayor John Fetterman.

Dear Mr. President: Support small businesses impacted by the G-20

Wed, 28 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT

We love Franktuary for many reasons. The Downtown lunch spot is unbeatable when it comes to veggie dogs done up Chicago-style; organic, grass-finished, local beef dogs; and ice cream floats that turn any ordinary afternoon into a celebration. Now, Franktuary's owners are doing the impossible and making the eatery even cooler by reaching out to President Obama (again). They invited Obama to visit Franktuary during September's G-20 summit, and were understanding when he didn't make it... but for Franktuary's owners, the dialogue with the President is far from over.

A month may have passed since the G-20 rolled into and out of town, but independent Downtown businesses are still feeling the effects, and not necessarily in a positive way, Franktuary's owners say.

In his "Dear Mr. President" letter posted on Franktuary's blog, Franktuary co-owner Tim Tobitsch writes, "The hype and limited access to downtown generated by the presence of your international peers kept approximately 90% of my regular clientele away.. The law enforcement officials stationed downtown, although pleasant and professional, were not permitted to take a lunch break and eat at the establishment of their choosing. The presence of protesters, tourists, and adventurous locals in the Golden Triangle failed to replace even a tiny fraction of downtown Pittsburgh's regular daytime population. Ironically, while trying to fix the global economy with pomp, circumstance, and a Friday morning meeting, those who attended the G-20 Summit managed to kill many facets of a local economy for approximately 72 hours.

"At a minimum, my business lost $500 in sales as a direct result of the entirety of downtown Pittsburgh being turned into a high-security international society club. Admittedly, from a global perspective the amount of money to which I am referring is not very much. However, to a business such as my own it is a staggering loss."

And because Franktuary is more about finding a solution than whining about the problem, they've got an idea: If 20 world leaders were to buy one $25 Franktuary hooded sweatshirt each, that would equal $500--the loss in sales over the two-day summit.

No response from the world leaders yet. But if you want a hoodie, stop by the shop at 325 Oliver Ave., or email tim@franktuary.com.

Click here to read the complete Franktuary blog post.

Great Allegheny Passage: Part history, part nature, part fun house

Wed, 28 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT

The Great Allegheny Passage is featured as a world-class biking destination in the New York Times Travel section. The 132-mile trail, which was built at the cost of $65 million after the rail tracks were abandoned in 1975, saw between 10,000 and 15,000 riders last year.

"[The Passage] is part industrial history lesson, part nature excursion and part fun house, with thrilling and spooky moments: barely lighted corridors through mountainsides, whitecaps on rivers a hundred feet below and the lonely sound of a freight-train whistle," the articles states.

The writer, Dan White, takes a three-day trip on the trail, which stretches from McKeesport, Pa., to Cumberland, Md. (or from Pittsburgh to Washington, D.C. for those less concerned with specifics). White stops along the way for fried haddock in Meyersdale, Pa.; at the 20,000-acre Ohiopyle state park, which isn't far from Frank Lloyd Wright's Fallingwater; and for a Pabst Blue Ribbon or two while cheering and jeering at a televised Penguins game.

Click here to read the complete New York Times article on the Great Allegheny Passage.

Eat'n Park discusses making a difference through local, sustainable food

Wed, 28 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Eat'n Park's director of sourcing and sustainability gives an informative interview to Keystone Edge, Pop City's sister publication that focuses on cool stuff going on around the state.

Jamie Moore tells Keystone Edge about working with community-supported agriculture groups, the importance of cost-effective sourcing decisions, and how Eat'n Park measures its success in going green. The restaurant, founded in 1949, now has 75 locations in Pennsylvania, West Virginia and Ohio, and 15 percent of its food is purchased locally.

Click here to read the complete Keystone Edge interview with Jamie Moore.

City of the living dead: Annual Pittsburgh zombie walk draws 2,000

Wed, 28 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Some days, the mall is dead. Other days, it's undead. And last week, Monroeville Mall was about as undead as they come.

The mall was the site of the famed annual zombie walk, which gets an article, an artful image gallery and a video feature on the Wall Street Journal's site.

"Dozens of cities around the world stage zombie walks, but this area boasts a special connection to the reanimated corpses because it is where [George] Romero, maker of six films with 'dead' in the title, got his start," the article says.

Click here to read the complete Wall Street Journal article on the Monroeville Mall zombie walk.

Mattress Factory among top 10 most powerful museums on Twitter

Wed, 28 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT

The North Side's Mattress Factory is currently ranked as one of the most powerful museum accounts on Twitter, according to Twitter Grader, a tool that looks at factors including the number of followers, the power of those followers and the level to which those followers are engaged.

Other top museum accounts include the Brooklyn Museum, the Smithsonian, the U.S. Holocaust Museum and the Whitney Museum.

Click here to see the complete Twitter Grader report.
Click here to follow Pop City on Twitter.

Pitt's 92.1 WPTS in running for mtvU Best College Radio Station title

Wed, 28 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT

After months of voting and several rounds of narrowing down, the University of Pittsburgh's radio station, 92.1 WPTS, has made it into the top 5 for mtvU's Best College Radio Station in the country. Voting for the 2009 mtvU Woodie Awards continues through Nov. 9, and the winner will be announced Nov. 18.

Other stations in the running include those at Ball State University, California State University: San Bernardino, University of Missouri and University of Puget Sound.

Vote here for WPTS.

Black and gold goes green: Pittsburgh to host World Environment Day

Wed, 21 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Fresh off our G-20 hosting duties, Pittsburgh is now set to host the United Nations Environment Programme's World Environment Day in 2010.

"Civic and corporate officials who announced Pittsburgh's selection for the U.N. event touted it as an opportunity fresh on the heels of the G-20 summit for the city to share its story of transformation from gritty industrial town to a center for high-tech and green industries," writes Joyce Gannon of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.

The event, created by the U.N. General Assembly in 1972, takes place annually on June 5. Activities surrounding World Environment Day--such as rallies, school competitions and arts performances--begin with Earth Day on April 22 and continue until the event.

There will be six regional sites worldwide next year; Pittsburgh will host World Environment Day for North America. It will be the fourth time the event was held in North America. Previous host sites on the continent were Omaha, Neb.; Barrow, Alaska; and Chicago.

Click here to read the complete Pittsburgh Post-Gazette article.

Hot Events: Mobile Art && Code at Carnegie Mellon and a CivicScience app contest

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT

A Mobile Art && Code symposium at Carnegie Mellon and a cool $3,000 contest for a CivicScience-inspired Facebook application highlight this week's events.

Art && Code is an online community and series of events on the artistic and tactical potential of using various forms of mobile media for the democratization of computing tools for artists, young people and anyone interested.

The three day event, Nov. 6 to 8, features practical and arts programming workshops for popular mobile platforms such as the iPhone, Android, Nokia, Smartphones and more, along with an all-day FREE lecture that puts these technologies into the context of contemporary critical, artistic and design practices.

Sponsored through a grant from Microsoft Research, the program is a project of the Carnegie Mellon Studio for Creative Inquiry.

Feeling inspired to build a great Facebook app and a possibly win $3,000?

CivicScience is offering cash and prizes to a team or individual with the best Facebook app using the CivicScience polling, data analysis, user comparison and social networking platform. The winner will be selected by a team of experts including prominent software execs, engineers and venture capitalists.

Selected apps will be used for six weeks; the most down-loaded app wins. First prize is $3000 and a 3-month paid internship at CivicScience. Prizes for runners up include a new Netbook and Android Phone.

Source: Carnegie Mellon University; Civic Science

As billions roll in, BPL Global ready for big "smart grid" energy business

Tue, 03 Nov 2009 14:40:39 GMT

Pittsburgh's BPL Global is emerging as a leader in the bid to help America modernize its aging electricity infrastructure.

With $3.4 billion available through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, BPLG is positioned to help utilities and other companies get to work. Last month the first funds were awarded, targeting private companies, utilities and other partners. The grants range from $400,000 to $200 million.

BPLG was identified by 19 of the 100 grant recipients and will be working in the next two months to secure more contracts as the work gets underway, says Keith Schaefer, co-founder, president and CEO.

"BPL Global will play a pivotal role as one of the leaders transforming the way energy will be delivered," Schaefer says. "We believe that the DOE and others have concluded that we have a proven scalable software answer to manage the distribution of data."

Schaefer believes that the overhaul of the nation's "smart grid" is every bit as historic as when NASA was formed to catapult the nation into space and the national Interstate highway system was created. The "smart grid" includes everything from enhanced monitoring and control of the existing electrical grid to improved consumer energy management. Companies across the country stand ready to take a piece of the stimulus pie.

The funding will create tens of thousands of jobs across the country, including smart meter manufacturing workers, engineering technicians, IT system designers, business and power system analysts, and more. BPLG figures it will quadruple revenues and double its employees in the next three years as business increases. For now, the company will add five more software developers and one IT management employee.

Now it's Pittsburgh's turn to tell its clean energy story to the world. Local leaders and the newly formed U.S. Center for Energy Leadership (USCEL) have set that as a goal.

"Our regional energy industry includes more than 800 firms, contributes more than 10 percent to our regional gross product and supports â directly and indirectly â more than 105,000 jobs," says Kathryn Klaber, executive vice president, Allegheny Conference on Community Development. "The combination of experience and expertise in the Pittsburgh region means that Pittsburgh can do for energy what the Silicon Valley did for computing."

Writer: Debra Diamond Smit
Source: Keith Schaefer, BPL Global

Photo of Keith Schaefer, BPLG, courtesy of the company.

Getting enough zzz's? Pittsburgh sleep center expands, take the sleep quiz!

Tue, 03 Nov 2009 11:53:54 GMT

Pittsburgh needs its sleep. That's where LifeLine Specialty Outpatient Centers comes in.

The Forest Hills center for sleep disorders has expanded its 5-year-old operation from 10 to 22 centers over the past two years with the purchase of The Washington Hospital sleep clinics, marking the company's emergence as one of the first fully-integrated sleep centers in the region.

LifeLine was originally founded as an outpatient clinic to evaluate sleep disorders and sleep apnea, a disorder that results when a sufferer intermittently stops breathing due to partial or complete closure of the airway. With hospitals today moving away from the sleep therapy business, care for patients is shifting to clinics like LifeLine, explains Dann Scheiferstein, president and CEO.

LifeLine offers a range of stays, in both a hotel and clinical environment, and a full range of services, from evaluation to treatment and care, helping to restore patients to health.

"Testing is really just the front end of the patient experience," says Scheiferstein. "The treatment is the endgame. In most parts of the country treatment and testing is integrated. We are the only provider in Western Pennsylvania that is a full-service sleep company."

LifeLine works closely with Pittsburgh-based Philips Respironics to provide patients the sleep products they need. In addition, the company is forming partnerships with health care providers, such as Excela Health, to provide services. The company employs 65 and plans on more hiring in the future. Scheiferstein anticipates 20 percent annual growth in the next few years with the expansion of the operation.

Suffering from a a lack of sleep? Take the sleep quiz!

Writer: Debra Diamond Smit
Source: Dann Scheiferstein, LifeLine Specialty Outpatient Centers

Photo of Dann Scheiferstein by Kevin Scheiferstein, Courtesy of LifeLine

Eckert Seamans going strong despite the economy

Tue, 03 Nov 2009 14:39:39 GMT

Tough economic times has its advantages.

That's the way Tim Ryan, CEO of Eckert Seamans Cherin & Mellot LLC, sees it. The firm, the 4th largest in Pittsburgh, has been on a growth spurt this year with the addition of six lawyers to its Pittsburgh headquarters; four attorneys joined the Washington, D.C. office this month.

The firm also opened its 11th office in Richmond, Virginia with room for up to 15 people. Eckert Seamans has added more than 45 lawyers during the last 10 months to offices in Boston, MA; Charleston, WV; Harrisburg, Pittsburgh and Philadelphia, PA; Washington, D.C. and White Plains, NY.

What's happening in the legal marketplace now is many firms are outgrowing their partners, Ryan explains. As a result, many firms are imposing substantial rate increases or buying clients out.

"That's where we come in. It's not that we can see around corners, but we implemented innovative measures three years ago that has allowed us to keep our rates in a far more reasonable zone for clients in these trying economic times. Our work has increased dramatically as a result of it."

Eckert Seamans employs 320 attorneys and 350 employees firmwide, with about 40 percent located here in Pittsburgh.

Writer: Debra Diamond Smit
Source: Tim Ryan, Eckert Seamans Cherin & Mellot LLC

Carnegie Mellon's "crash test anti-dummy" named to Brilliant 10

Tue, 03 Nov 2009 13:34:54 GMT

Carnegie Mellon's Andre Platzer, the "crash test anti-dummy," was recently named to the annual Brilliant 10 by the editors of Popular Science.

The assistant professor of computer science, 30, was selected for his work that verifies the success or failure of collision avoidance systems in flight control and railway systems.

With human reliance on a wide range of systems--things like seatbelts and firehoses and medications such as antibiotics--Platzer's work to ensure safety is an innovation so vital "that it's hard to imagine how we got along without it," the magazine says.

"If you design a system, how do you ensure that it achieves its performance goal and doesn't mess up?" Platzer asks. "I take a system, analyze and really prove that nothing can go wrong."

Platzer is among the researchers in the new Institute for Computational Modeling and Analysis of Complex Systems, which is developing new tools for analyzing embedded computer and biological systems. The institute was established this year as part of a $10 million grant from the National Science Foundation.

Source: Andre Platzer, Carnegie Mellon University

Pitt creates unique law program to assist innovators and entrepreneurs

Tue, 03 Nov 2009 13:38:31 GMT

A city at the crossroads of innovation and business deserves a law program that addresses just that.

University of Pittsburgh has created the Innovation Practice Institute, a new program that leverages the region's talent for entrepreneurial enterprise. Begun this fall, IPI offers attorneys an opportunity to interact with young and senior startup executive teams and gain the legal skills needed to identify risks associated with beginning a business.

Pitt is uniquely situated among leading innovators in the country, from medical research to robotics and commercial development. This calls for a special breed of lawyer who has hands-on experience with the challenges of forming new businesses and startup technologies, says Max Miller, director and founder of IPI.

"The marketplace is changing," says Miller. "The Institute is a mindset, an attitude of doctrine and reality. I really believe strongly in immersion; the more you are around the people you're servicing the better you understand their needs."

Miller has been working on the idea for the Institute since he arrived in 2008. He hopes to shape it into a program that not only collaborates with cutting-edge technologies but helps to develop new models for neighborhood economics and social innovation through case study and outside experience.

Two new courses will be introduced each term. This fall IPI offered Commercializing New Technologies and Understanding the Legal Services Marketplace. The ultimate goal is for students to be a part of a pipeline of resources for the business innovation community.

"This program exposes them to people doing really cool things in computer sciences, social enterprises. They are meeting business savvy leaders. There will be thought leaders in this movement who understand the culture of innovation, establish and teach that culture," says Miller.

Writer: Debra Diamond Smit
Source: Max Miller, IPI

Pittsburgh companies raise $78M in venture funds this quarter

Wed, 28 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Eighteen Pittsburgh companies raised $78.27 million in venture capital in the third quarter of 2009, a show of strength that has again bucked the national trend.

Nationally, $4.8 billion was invested in 637 deals in the third quarter of 2009, a 17 percent increase in terms of dollars but a three percent drop in the number of deals compared to the second quarter of 2009. The increase was driven by several large rounds in the Clean Technology sector and a strong showing by Life Science companies, according to the MoneyTree Report and the National Venture Capital Association (NVCA).

Innovation Works played a significant role in all but two of the companies that received funds. Sixteen are IW portfolio companies. The deals included both direct and indirect follow on investment received from outside or out-of-town investors.

"This shows how strong our pipeline is in the region for innovation and technology," says Matt Harbaugh of IW. "There's a continuum of funding from the earliest stage through the (larger) VC funds."

IW was active in nine deals totaling $27.55 million this quarter. The companies included Alung Technologies, $2.5 million; Blue Belt Technologies, $2.4 million; Silicon Vox, $200,000; Compliance Assurance, $100,000; Bueda, $50,000 and four undisclosed companies.

Other companies included Vocollect, $15 million; Plextronics, $15 million; Avere Systems, $7.63 million; Dynamics Inc. $5.70 million; Thermal Therapeutics Systems, $2.75 million; Carnegie Speech, $2.65 million; ShowClix $57,000; Knopp Neurosciences $20,000 and Glucose Sensing Tech, renamed VyTrace, $150,000.

Of the total, nine are IT firms, seven are Life Sciences and two are Energy firms.

"In a tough national economic environment, Pittsburgh is fairing very well and I think it speaks to the quality of the deals here and tremendous deal flow," says Rich Lunak, president and CEO of IW. "While we've been impacted, we're in many ways performing better than the rest of the country."

Writer: Debra Diamond Smit
Source: Rich Lunak and Matt Harbaugh, Innovation Works; Emily Mendell, NVCA

IW Chairman Ron Bianchini, president and CEO of Avere Systems
Photo courtesy of Innovation Works

Clearcount closes on $3.4M; PLSG awards $750,000 to startups

Wed, 28 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT

In Life Sciences news, ClearCount Medical Solutions received $3.4 million in Series B financing and the Pittsburgh Life Sciences Greenhouse closed on $725,000 in direct investment in five startups.

ClearCount, makers of RFID-tagged surgical sponges, will continue to focus on sales with the hiring a national sales team and a software engineer, says David Palmer, president and CEO. The round was led by Draper Triangle Ventures and Midwestern-based Network Partner of Draper Fisher Jurvetson. ClearCount's received $4.1 million from Draper Triangle last October.

PLSG invested in five companies in the 3rd Quarter of 2009:

    • $200,000 in NeuroInterventions, Inc. to support prototyping a family of catheters for deep vein thrombosis, carotid stenting, traumatic brain injury and stroke patients.

    • $150,000 in Blue Belt Technologies to support preparation of their robotic handheld surgical tool for the FDA process and prepare for a full market release.

    • $150,000 in Vytrace Inc., formerly Glucose Sensing Technologies, to support development of a catheter that allows clinicians to continually monitor blood glucose levels in an Intensive Care Unit (ICU) setting.

    • $125,000 in ThermalTherapeutic Systems to develop a hyperthermic perfusion technology, a portable device to heat and circulate warm, sterile fluids during medical procedures.

    • $100,000 in Almedtrac to assist with the marketing of software for clinical trials management.

"This widely recognizes the fact that life sciences may be as close to recession proof as you can get," says John Manzetti, PLSG president and CEO. "It's a growing field. The need for health care is not going down."

In addition, two prominent executives have joined the PLSG Executives in Resident Program, Dave Mawhinney and Stephen A. Bollinger. PLSG has moved 31 executives through the EIR program since its inception, 20 of who remain in the region in senior executive positions.

Writer: Debra Diamond Smit
Source: John Manzetti and Lynn Banaszak Brusco, PLSG

Rhiza Labs joins Google to help Amazon tribe save its homeland

Wed, 28 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Rhiza Labs is working with an endangered tribe in the Amazon rainforest to save their homeland.

The South Side firm was asked by Google and the Amazon Conservation Team (ACT) to develop a platform that gathers data on "rugged" mobile devices and creates detailed maps, which will be used to chart the Surui territory in Brazil. Armed with the technology, the tech-savvy tribal leaders plan to put the maps on Google Earth to prove irrefutably that illegal mining and logging is taking place on their 600,000 acres.

"For thousands of years this tribe has been known as one of the fiercest in the Amazon," says Josh Knauer, CEO. "They ate their enemies! Cut down by disease, they traded their bows and arrows for laptops. Now they are using the Internet as a tool in the fight to save their rainforest."

The Surui, pronounced su-roo-wee, was 5,000 strong up until the 1960s when it first came into contact with outsiders during a highway construction project. The following decade brought disease, poverty and continual fighting, nearly decimating the population. Their numbers dropped to 290 but is back to 1,300 today.

Much of the region around the tribe's 600,000 acres has been cut down and burned by logging companies, says Knauer, who visited the homeland earlier this year. With hundreds of timber mills around them, and thousands of illegal logging jobs at stake, the tribe is under pressure to sell their land.

The elders have tasked Chief Almir, 35, with saving the tribe.

Almir was sent to college where he learned the value of a business plan. The tribe's strategy is to put the homeland on the global carbon offset marketplace where, like cap and trade, a company will pay the tribe to preserve its land for the right to pollute elsewhere.

The tribe stands to make tens of millions, says Knauer.

"We were brought in because we have easy to use tools to help communities collect data," says Knauer. "It has been such a major success that the Amazon conservation tem is bringing us in to do other projects in the Amazon."

Watch YouTube for the Surui story, "Trading Bows and Arrows for Laptops."

Writer: Debra Diamond Smit
Source: Josh Knauer, Rhiza Labs

Image courtesy of Rhiza Labs

Carnegie Mellon develops algorithms to find astrophysical phenomena and dark energy

Tue, 27 Oct 2009 14:41:22 GMT

Carnegie Mellon University will share a $1.6 million grant to study space and the final frontier: astrophysical phenomena and the nature of dark energy.

No longer are astronomers concerned with what they themselves see through the lens of a telescope. Astronomic data-gathering today involves amassing vast data sets, images of space, which has generated an overwhelming amount of material for astronomers, says Jeff Schneider, associate research professor in the School of Computer Science and leader of the initiative.

Using data from one of the most powerful telescopes in the world, researchers are assisting the astronomers by developing algorithms that methodically point to possible discoveries in all the cosmological data.

"Our algorithms will sift through the data for new objects and patterns that no one ever knew existed, patterns you wouldn't be able to discover without the computer," says Schneider. "We're hoping to discover more about the nature of dark energy, no one knows what it is."

The researchers will use data from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey, a New Mexico telescope that during its first eight years of operation amassed a dataset that includes 930,000 galaxies, 120,000 quasars and 460,000 stars.

Carnegie Mellon will work on the three-year grant from the U.S. Dept. of Energy with researchers from Johns Hopkins University and the University of Washington.

Writer: Debra Diamond Smit
Source: Jeff Schneider, Carnegie Mellon University

Image courtesy of Carnegie Mellon University

Lessons From the G20

Tue, 27 Oct 2009 18:45:15 GMT

Was the G-20 good for Pittsburgh?

David Shribman, executive editor of the Post-Gazette, Lauren Lawley Head, editor of the Pittsburgh Business Times, and Tracy Certo, publisher and editor of our own Pop City, reflected on the lessons learned from the summit during an Economic Club of Pittsburgh luncheon.

Here's what they had to say:

Pop City's Buzz section, a compilation of media sources, saw a significant uptick in the number of stories about Pittsburgh before during and after the G-20, from magazine and newspaper articles to television and websites.

"The message about Pittsburgh was overwhelmingly positive and it was consistently positive, telling the story of transformation, eds and meds, researchers, entrepreneurs," said Certo. "We had an overwhelming opportunity to be on the political stage and we took advantage of it."

Lawley Head noted that the summit catalyzed the local community in a unified effort to convey our story to the world. "There was an immense cooperation of organizations in sending out the message--Pitt, CMU, UPMC-- especially in selling the eds and meds story. The G-20 Partnership reached out to international companies."

Shribman, a self-confessed "skunk at a garden party," noted that hosting the G-20 was a good move, but the community suffered losses, the downtown suffered from complete dislocation and significant civic questions, such as public gathering, were raised.

"It looked like a police state. We rolled over and played dead and let the federal government take over for two days," he said.

All panelists lamented the security configurations that prevented journalists in the convention center from exploring the city.

Despite the negatives, consensus was it was a great learning experience for Pittsburgh and the city is now better prepared to take advantage of the next opportunity.

Global Pittsburgh has since received twice as many inquiries from international countries who are interested in bringing delegations here, said Tom Buell, panel moderator. World Environment Day is a win for the region, giving Pittsburgh a chance to stage the festivals and celebrations that it should have had during the G-20.

Pittsburgh is poised to build on the momentum as it turns its focus toward making the region an energy hub, said Certo. "We're in a better position to move forward now on all these fronts â talent attraction, energy hub efforts and regionalization."

Writer: Debra Diamond Smit
Source: David Shribman, Post-Gazette; Lauren Lawley Head, Pittsburgh Business Times; Tracy Certo, Pop City

Carnegie Mellon's TechBridgeWorld takes solutions to developing nations

Tue, 27 Oct 2009 16:18:38 GMT

Carnegie Mellon's TechBridgeWorld, a program that creates and uses the latest tech solutions to help the people of developing countries around the world, will present its annual showcase this Thursday from 5 to 7 p.m. in the Perlis Atrium in Newell-Simon Hall.

This year, the project's 5^th anniversary, focuses on the theme of Student Experiences. Most of the projects are developed abroad, such as the Braille Tutor, a small device that connects with a computer through a USB that helps blind students to write Braille.

Others are created here for the Pittsburgh community, says Ermine Teves, project assistant. TechBridgeWorld collaborated with the Western PA School for the Deaf to create DeSIGN, a game that tutors deaf children and teaches them American Sign Language.

The project has traveled to India, Tanzania, China and Zambia and plans to go to Bangladesh this summer.

"TechBridgeWorld's Interactive event showcases examples of how technology innovations are bridging divides and making a difference in under-served communities around the world," says M. Bernardine Dias, founder and director.

The event is free and open to the public.

Source: Ermine Teves, TechBridgeWorld

And the winners are...Tech 50 Awards celebrate local innovation

Wed, 21 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT

The Annual Tech 50 Awards won rave reviews for its campy cabaret with dancing girls and clever show tunes that touted the region's winning companies.

Oh yeah, a few companies won too.

Each year the Pittsburgh Technology Council scours the region for companies that demonstrate strong growth, product or sales success, financial strength, innovation and good citizenship. The winners were honored on Thursday at the David L. Lawrence Convention Center during a lively, toe-tapping program.

Energy company BPL Global took home two awards including best Green Technology and CEO of the Year for Keith Schaefer. BPLG beat out contenders Cardinal Resources, Eaton Corp., Epiphany Solar Water Systems and Fossil Free Fuel.

"To be in the green space is really cool and helping us grow," Shaefer told the audience.

Bright Innovation won in the newest category, art and technology, against some strong contenders including deeplocal, Bally Design, Mattress Factory and SimOps Studio. ANSYS won for High Rise, another new category that applauded stalwart tech companies that have managed sustained growth over the long haul.

Other winners included Universal Electric Corp. for Advanced Manufacturing; Vivisimo for IT; Net Health Systems for Life Sciences; Bossa Nova Robotics as the Rising Star and Guru.com as Service Provider.

"What a nice change of pace from your normal droll award ceremonies," commented one of the finalists. "I definitely would give it two thumbs up!"

Writer: Debra Diamond Smit
Source: Pittsburgh Technology Council

Image courtesy of The White Lens Photography/ Pittsburgh Technology Council

Biosafe launches a microbe-killing H1N1 facemask

Wed, 21 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT

BIOSAFE, a Pittsburgh company that manufactures antimicrobial-fighting polymers, is helping to create a facemask that is effective against the spread of influenza and the H1N1 virus.

The "Ultra Sensitive" facemask actually kills harmful microorganisms including MRSA, Staph and Influenza A strains that settle on the surface of the mask, thereby reducing the risk of cross contamination. The masks will be made by Crosstex, a Long Island, NY, company and division of Cantel Medical Corp. They will be sold in select markets outside of the U.S.

While the BIOSAFE additive has been approved by the EPA, the flu-fighting masks are waiting FDA approval before they can be sold in the U.S. says Donald Wagner of BIOSAFE.

Most facemasks work by simply filtering airborne germs. BIOSAFE's antimicrobial disrupts the cell membrane of the target organism upon physical contact, inhibiting its ability to infect surrounding cells, Wagner says.

"This takes a simple mask that's inexpensive and easy to distribute to places with smaller budgets," explains Wagner. "It could be a great tool to prevent the spread of infection."

BIOSAFE's patented antimicrobial defends against bacteria, fungi, mold and yeast and provides a barrier of protection for an assortment of products including medical equipment, keyboard covers and plastics. Read the Pop City story.

The worldwide market for antimicrobials is $6 billion. The product is totally green, Wagner adds, is non-leaching, has no volatile organic compounds (VOCs), heavy metals or polychlorinated phenols. A PLSG company, BIOSAFE was founded by Pittsburgh optometrist Harry Morgan who originally hoped to use the technology for contact lenses.

Writer: Debra Diamond Smit
Source: Donald Wagner, BIOSAFE

Image courtesy of BIOSAFE

Latest Alpha Lab startups increase region's digital density

Wed, 21 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT

An invitation to an Alpha Lab open house is a show and tell for startups taken to a new level.

This month the third crop of Alpha Lab companies offered potential investors and inquisitive others a preview of the latest innovations in software, entertainment and mobile technology. About 120 people attended the South Side event to hear from six companies.

Briefly, there's CloudFab by GearHeadz, which hopes to do for manufacturing what cloud computing has done for computing by sharing resources and selling the idle time of digital manufacturing equipment. Frustrated by the lack of online restaurant sophistication? Fooala has launched an online restaurant ordering system that is already delivering hot menus. See the Pop City story here.

There's LeftRight Studios, creators of cool games and unique branded game components for mobile phones. Its first iPhone app, smackBOTS, is already available. Carnegie Mellon spinoff NavPrescience is developing a GPS system of the future, smart technology that knows where you want or need to go before you do.

Vivo is already well-known locally as the live video startup that has streamed local government live. Now it's targeting the publishing industry and has landed some big clients including Harper Collins and American Booksellers. (See the Pop City story here.) And finally, Zipano, a Carnegie Mellon-inspired security platform, offers a unique way to keep online information secure.

"For many companies this is the first time they've formally presented to an audience," says Jim Jen of Innovation Works. "It's a good way to introduce them and boost momentum."

Alpha Lab is helping to increase the density of digital startups in the region, says Sean Ammirati, CEO of mSpoke and an AL board member. "The physical presence (of everyone here) makes it easier for our stories to be told; it gives everyone connecting points."

Writer: Debra Diamond Smit
Source: Innovation Works