THURSDAY, APRIL 20, 2017  |  IN THIS ISSUE  
Head5Innovas Technologies rolls out a better, cleaner ball

Innovas Technologies co-founders Chuck Dirks (left) and Mike Crocker show off the spongy balls used in their company's Helios cleaning system. PHOTO Dave DeWitte
Mike Crocker and Chuck Dirks display a pile of brightly colored spongy balls resembling the Nerf balls children play with, as they discuss their plans to make them "smarter."

Their Coralville-based clean tech company, Innovas Technologies, uses the balls in its Helios Automatic Tube Cleaning System to continuously clean the tubes inside heat exchangers. The next major focus of Innovas is to equip the balls with microsensors that will gather information from inside the heat exchangers and transmit it to a computer-based prognostics system Innovas is developing to evaluate the system's efficiency and predict failures.

"What we're essentially doing is creating a micro, mobile submersible drone," Mr. Dirks said.

The market potential is enormous because shell-and-tube heat exchangers are a technological foundation of the industrial economy. Fluids of one temperature flow through a series of tubes inside a shell that encloses fluids of another temperature. Thermal energy is transferred from one liquid to the other so that it doesn't go to waste.

Over time, heat exchangers lose efficiency because of the buildup of biofilm and mineral deposits, corrosion and failures in valves and pumps that direct and move their liquid contents. Heat exchanger fouling has been estimated to cost the U.S. economy from one-quarter percent to three-quarter percent of GDP.

"Heat exchangers are a black box -- we don't know what's going on inside them," Mr. Dirks said. "We can do infrared imaging to see if heat transfer is optimized, and that's about it."

After eight months of development, the Helios system was introduced in the summer of 2014. It continuously cleans heat exchanger tubes using the rubber, Nerf-like balls, yielding energy savings of 15-20 percent and extending the time between maintenance shutdowns.

To read the complete story, visit corridorbusiness.com (login required). 
Story2SwineTech founders win a Lemelson-MIT Student Prize   

University of Iowa graduate students who founded SwineTech have been selected among the $10,000 winners in the Lemelson-MIT Student Prize competition for the most inventive college students.
 
The Lemelson-MIT Program this week announced the winners of $115,000 in prizes to four undergraduate teams and five individual graduate inventors. Each winning team of undergraduates received $10,000, and each graduate student winner received $15,000. The winners were selected from applicants from colleges and universities nationwide.
 
Matthew Rooda and Abraham Espinoza of SwineTech were selected as a Lemelson-MIT "Eat It" graduate team winner for their company's SmartGuard device. SwineGuard monitors the temperature in the crate and adjusts it to optimize the health environment for the piglet.
 
"The 2017 Lemelson-MIT Student Prize winners show exceptional inventiveness and creativity in solving real world problems," Stephanie Couch, executive director of the Lemelson-MIT Program, stated in a press release. "Through their outstanding accomplishments and commitment to mentoring younger students, these promising inventors are inspiring a new generation of problem-solvers."
 
Along with the Eat It category, student teams were awarded prizes in the categories Use It, Cure It, and Drive It. Screeners and judges assessed candidates on breadth and depth of inventiveness and creativity; potential for societal benefit and economic commercial success; community and environmental systems impact; and experience as a role model for youth.

Students interested in applying for the 2018 Lemelson-MIT Student Prize can find more information here.
 
Iowa Workforce Development Director Beth Townsend 
The Iowa Workforce Development (IWD) Board will increase its number of voting members and add more representation from the private sector.

Presently, the Iowa Workforce Development Board, which facilitates grants and programs designed to help local employers, has nine seats for voting members, all of whom are appointed by the governor. The board also has 12 "ex officio," or nonvoting, members, which include state lawmakers, higher education representatives, a labor union representative and others.

Following Gov. Terry Branstad's approval of House File 572 last week, the board's voting membership under the new structure will include 17 business members, four labor members and two representatives of community-based organizations.

Membership will also include representatives from a Registered Apprenticeship program, Iowa Workforce, Iowa Vocational Rehabilitation Services, the Iowa Department for the Blind, the Iowa Department of Education, the governor, a state senator, a state representative and two local elected officials for a total of 33 voting members. The board will also include 13 non-voting members from various stakeholders.

According to Iowa Workforce Development staff, the legislation brings the board's structure into compliance with requirements from the Federal Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA), which was signed into law by former President Obama in 2014.

In a news release, IWD Director Beth Townsend said the legislation should bring the state closer to a "business driven model," which she said should help the state reach its "Future Ready Iowa" goal of having 70 percent of Iowans with post-secondary education and training by 2025.

"Creating a board structure that includes a majority of business representatives provides Iowa with critical insights and perspectives into future workforce needs," Ms. Townsend said.
Story4Oleson talks transit, parks at Linn Co. State of County address
Brent Oleson, member of the Linn County Board of Supervisors
At Linn County's 2017 State of the County luncheon Wednesday, Supervisor Brent Oleson heralded progress on new infrastructure and efforts to improve regional transit, as well as area parks and trail systems.

Among the projects Mr. Oleson highlighted was the new Linn County Public Health and Child & Youth Development Services building, the design of which is currently nearing completion, according to county communications staff. County supervisors last year estimated that a new joint building for both Linn County Public Health and the county's Child & Youth Development Services would cost about $10 million.

Also discussed was the county's partnership with the cities of Cedar Rapids, Hiawatha, Marion, and other bodies that are part of the Metropolitan Planning Organization to study the feasibility of forming a Regional Transit Authority.

"Public transit is important to all of our communities," Mr. Oleson said, according to the county's copy of the speech. "Not everyone has the luxury of filling up an SUV and heading out to pick up the kids, go to their job, run some errands, or even head to their weekly dialysis appointment at Mercy Hospital."

Mr. Oleson also highlighted the county's approval of a $40 million bond issue in November aimed at improving water quality as well as parks and trails projects, saying that the referendum's 74 percent approval rate signaled strong support from voters.

"That vote is a reflection and a testament to my earlier assertion that this is best conservation department in the state, with the most trusted and respected administrators, board members, and staff from top to bottom."

To read the complete speech, click here.

For followers of the Corridor's tech scene who couldn't get to Des Moines today, Workiva has you covered.

The Ames-based software company will live stream today's event, which will feature leaders together from technology, business, education and government to celebrate tech achievements and recognize the year's best innovations. The event kicks off with a VIP cocktail reception, followed by dinner and the awards presentation and a finally "torchlight" after-party.

At 5 p.m., "Live at the Lounge" interviews will be hosted by TAI President Brian Waller, followed by the awards ceremony at 6 p.m. To view the live stream, click this link today starting at 5 p.m.

This year's award categories include:
  • Software Company of the Year
  • Mobile App of the Year (Internal/Corporate Application)
  • Mobile App of the Year (Stand-alone/Consumer Application)
  • IT Service Provider of the Year 
  • Top Growth Company of the Year
  • User of Technology
  • CIO/CTO/CSO of the Year
  • CEO of the Year
  • Student Innovation of the Year
  • Outstanding Startup Company of the Year
  • Life Sciences Company of the Year
  • Ag Technology Company of the Year
  • Technology Community of the Year
  • Technology Company of the Year (Small/Medium)
  • Technology Company of the Year (Large/Enterprise)
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EventHeadlinesShort-Term Event Planner

April 20
Ribbon Cutting - ImOn Communications, by the Iowa City Area Chamber of Commerce, 4 p.m., 535 Olympic Court, Iowa City. All are invited to help celebrate. Free. For more information, call (319) 337-9637.
 
BizMix, by the Cedar Rapids Metro Economic Alliance and the Marion Chamber, 4-6 p.m., Philips Center, 1317 Seventh Ave, Marion. BizMix is an evening opportunity to get to know the business community while enjoying complimentary hors d'oeuvres and cocktails. Free. For more information, call (319) 377-6316.
 
Women of Influence , by the Corridor Business Journal, 5-8 p.m., Coralville Marriott, 300 E. Ninth St., Coralville. The Women of Influence award is given to women who have made a difference in the Corridor and are representative role models as leaders in their fields and communities. Honorees are chosen by the previous year's honorees. Cost: $65. For more information, contact Ashley at [email protected] or call (319) 665-6397, ext. 311. Register by phone or online at bit.ly/2k15JFe.
 
April 21
Corridor Job Club, by the Iowa City Area Development Group, noon-1:30 p.m., Hiawatha Public Library, 150 W. Willman St., Hiawatha. April's Job Club is Networking with Elise Perea from the Pomerantz Career Center. Free. For more information, contact DaLayne Williamson at [email protected] or Kate Moreland at [email protected]. 
Headlines from CBS2/FOX 28
These news items are provided by CBS2/FOX 28  
 
Iowa City is throwing a block party this summer, and patrons will be able to carry their drink of choice around downtown with them. The Iowa City Council unanimously approved an amendment to its open container ordinance on Tuesday, allowing patrons to the Downtown District's Downtown Block Party on June 24 to carry alcohol beverages around during the bash -- with a few important stipulations. "It is just wine or beer," assistant to the city manager Simon Andrew said Wednesday. "That's what the temporary license that the Downtown District is holding covers, and it has to be in a pre-approved glass that the Downtown District will be selling as well." The district will be closing off an approximately seven-block area of downtown for the party between Iowa Avenue and College Street and Clinton and Linn streets.
 
T hese news items are provided by CBS2/FOX 28 
CBS2 Chief Meteorologist Terry Swails'  Weather First Forecast
 
A cold front associated with a low pressure system has swept through  Eastern Iowa, bringing in some cooler air. The low will progress into the Great Lakes area today with some lingering clouds on the backside and gusty west/northwest winds. There will be some peeks of sun mainly south of Highway 20, but it's going to be a mostly cloudy day. Temperatures will hold in the 50s for much of the area with some low 60s further south.