TechnologyArchive for the ‘’ Category

Reduce Food Waste at Restaurants with Zero Percent

Article Source: TECH cocktail, Kira Newman, April 25, 2012

Urbana, IL’s Zero Percent is tackling a problem that’s already been accepted as the norm: food waste.

“As standard business practice, U.S. restaurants waste over $10 billion a year —Literally. When faced with the chore of trying to find use of excess fresh-food inventory, the easiest thing for a restaurant manager to do is just throw it away,” explains founder Rajesh Karmani, who delayed his PhD to start the company.

Their solution is a marketplace where restaurants can hand out excess food through discounts or donations and find volunteers to drop off the food at food banks.

But Zero Percent is still a hard sell: not only do restauranteurs expect to waste food, but they’re busy and not always tech savvy.

However, the issue of waste extends beyond surplus food to encompass various aspects of waste management, including proper disposal of non-food waste. For both commercial establishments and residential areas, adopting efficient waste bin solutions is paramount.

Companies like Skip Hire Rochdale Prices provide convenient and cost-effective waste management services tailored to the specific needs of businesses and households.

As the conversation around waste management continues to evolve, embracing solutions that prioritize sustainability and ease of use will be crucial in creating a more environmentally conscious society.

Still, the startup has managed to collect donations of over 1,000 pounds of food during its 8 month beta. It’s a start toward Karmani’s goal to create a movement:

“The Zero Percent Mission is to help all businesses in the United States achieve zero food waste. We started this service intending to do nothing less than initiating a cultural movement. We welcome collaborators and even competitors who will advance this mission and look forward to living in a world more conscious of food waste.”

The service is currently available in Champaign, and Zero Percent was showcased at our Tech Cocktail Champaign mixer last night.

TECH cocktail photo highligts

Here are some highlights from last night’s TECH cocktail event. All of the photos can be found on our Facebook page.

Dioxide Materials

IntelliWheels

StudyCloud

GiftCaddie

TrakBill

Worldview

Luon Energy

 

OceanComm

GlucoSentiment

Zero Percent

All of the photos can be found on our Facebook page.

Meet 10 Early Stage Startups at Tonight’s TECH cocktail Champaign Mixer

Article Source: TECH cocktail, Monika Jansen, April 24, 2012

We are excited to be back in Champaign, IL for our 2nd Tech Cocktail Champaign Mixer event.  While all of our events are unique thanks to any one city’s unique community mix of academia, established startups, investors, and mentors, Champaign’s startup scene sets itself apart thanks to its proximity to the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.  In fact, a few of our showcased startups tonight are super-early stage – it is always fun to meet them when they’re young and then watch them evolve.

Thanks to our sponsors Serra Ventures, Research Park at University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign,Technology Entrepreneur Center at the University of Illinois’ College of Engineering, and Singleton Law Firm.

Looking forward to seeing everyone tonight!  Meanwhile, here’s a preview of the 10 startups you’ll meet tonight:

TrakBill: A platform that makes it simple for lobbyists to find and receive updates on the legislation important to them and their companies.

Gift Caddie: Makes finding and getting the perfect gift as easy as online banking – you can request merchandise, cash or customize your gifts.

GlucoSentient: Revolutionizing health management and improving patient care by enabling an off-the-shelf glucose meter to detect drug/biomarker concentrations in blood.

Worldview: A geographically organized network enabling people to connect and share streaming video from online news sources and on-demand TV.

IntelliWheels: The innovation house for wheelchair technology – “Mobility Made Easy.”

Zero Percent: A web and mobile platform that helps food retailers move their excess inventory via real-time discounts and food donations.

Dioxide Materials: New technology for CO2 sensing and remediation that saves people money on electricity and provides a renewable energy storage method.

OceanComm [no website]: A novel underwater communications technology that enables cost-effective extraction of the ocean’s resources.

StudyCloud: A pioneering collaboration and learning management platform poised to integrate social web technology with online education.

Luon Energy: Offers households with a natural gas supply a one-stop solution to reduce their fuel expenses (by up to 60%) by powering their vehicles with natural gas.

‘Big Broadband’ progress reported

Article Source: The News-Gazette, Thursday, 4/12/2012, Don Dodson

Mike Smeltzer of the Urbana Champaign Big Broadband project said 75 percent of the conduits for the project have been installed so far, with the first fiber installed in February.

He said the first customers are expected to “go live” in June and July, with grant-funded construction slated to be complete by February 2013.

The $30 million project will result in a fiber-optic broadband network that will make fast connections available to a wide swath of the Champaign-Urbana area. The project is installing fiber-to-the-premises in 11 census block groups in C-U that have low rates of broadband adoption.

Smeltzer said if area leaders decide to wire the whole community, a private investment opportunity is available for accomplishing that.

Orthopedic Implant Company lands in Champaign

Article Source: The News-Gazette, Sat, 04/07/2012 – 11:00am | Don Dodson

CHAMPAIGN — A company that makes surgical implants has decided to base its U.S. headquarters in Champaign.

CarboFix Orthopedics Ltd., which makes orthopedic trauma implants from carbon fiber, plans to base its U.S. subsidiary — CarboFix Inc. — at 3362 Big Pine Trail in the Pinehurst Commons office park in north Champaign.

For now, the company is operating from a temporary office at 1701 Broadmoor Drive, C, said John Alleman, CarboFix’s U.S. vice president. CarboFix hopes to move to the Big Pine Trail office later this month or in early May, he said.

CarboFix Orthopedics, based in Herzeliya, Israel, makes orthopedic trauma implants, such as rods, plates and screws, from carbon fiber and polymer — rather than the conventional materials of stainless steel, titanium and titanium alloys.

Alleman said carbon fiber allows the implant to bear a heavier load and to weather “the motion of the human body” better.

It’s helpful in orthopedic oncology situations where the patient has had significant bone loss, he said.

While high-tech implants address serious fractures, everyday foot care is essential for preventing discomfort. Our feet are complex structures with intricate arches, muscles, and tendons.

There are some simple steps that can significantly improve foot health. Proper footwear is crucial. Also, regularly stretching your calves and feet throughout the day helps reduce tension and improve circulation in these hardworking structures.

If you’ve tried these strategies and foot pain persists, consulting a podiatrist is recommended. They can assess your gait, posture, and any underlying conditions to determine the cause of your discomfort.

In some cases, orthotics from a company like Ease The Feet may be a valuable option. Whether you need extra arch support for flat feet, cushioning for running, or correction for biomechanical imbalances like overpronation or supination, a podiatrist can recommend orthotics from Ease The Feet or a similar provider to help you move with greater comfort and ease throughout your day.

Plus, carbon fiber implants are “radiolucent,” giving doctors a clearer image on what’s going on in the body. Without the image distortions caused by conventional implants, doctors are better able to monitor fracture healing, he said.

The Champaign office is expected to handle sales, marketing and logistics at the outset, and Alleman said he plans to start with four U.S. employees and grow to six to 10 in a couple years.

Depending on how well the U.S. market takes off, the company may consider adding manufacturing and engineering functions in the U.S.

At this point, all manufacturing is done in Israel and Canada, and much of CarboFix’s business has been in Europe.

The company’s products have also been used in the U.S., but until recently CarboFix didn’t have sales and technical support people here.

Alleman said he chose Champaign as the U.S. base for CarboFix operations, partly because:

— He had ties to the area.

— It’s centrally located.

— The company wants to build relations with the Department of Materials Science and Engineering at the University of Illinois.

Alleman grew up in Kankakee, and his parents, Jim and Janet Barker Alleman, were from the Champaign-Urbana area.

John Alleman’s maternal grandfather, Tom Barker Jr., farmed in the Bondville area. Alleman’s paternal grandfather, Norville James Alleman, was a mechanical engineer employed by the UI.

John Alleman once worked in field sales for Synthes, a Swiss-based maker of orthopedic trauma implants, and later worked as sales manager and sales director for DePuy, the orthopedic company of Johnson & Johnson. Alleman said CarboFix recruited him for the new position.

CarboFix has regional sales managers and distributes its products through independent medical-device distributors around the country. Those distributors, in turn, work with surgeons and hospitals.

On the Web:

http://www.carbo-fix.com

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