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• 1. [Article] Open Source Medical Solutions

  Open Source Medical Solutions is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to the development of medical technologies through open source principles. OS Medical is dedicated to developing low-cost ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Open Source Medical Solutions Author: Alshafi, Rami, King, Joseph Year: 2012 Open Source Medical Solutions is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to the development of medical technologies through open source principles. OS Medical is dedicated to developing low-cost medical devices. The first device, currently in development, is the Blind Vision Project. Worn as a conventional pair of glasses, the BVP utilizes ultrasonic sensors to perceive physical objects, transmitting their proximity with massaging motors connected to the earpieces of the glasses. The device’s range can be easily adjusted to facilitate indoor or outdoor use. The device is powered by a lithium-ion battery, which is recharged with a standard USB cable. 3 million Americans are currently blind and 25 million suffer from impaired vision. Blindness can lead to a variety of other health conditions such as depression, diabetes and high cholesterol. Globally, 40 million are blind and 285 million visually impaired. In developing, lack of mobility can dramatically shorten life expectancy. The BVP will strive to increase the mobility and improve the life of blind people around the world. Both blind people and advocacy groups have expressed interest in the BVP, though similar devices have failed to catch on in the past. The failure of similar devices is generally attributed to a lack of functionality or unwieldy appearance. Competing devices are currently in development by Oxford University, Brainport Technology and potentially Apple Computers. By harnessing the power of open source development, OS Medical will strive to become the preeminent assistive device design community. OS Medical is committed to adhering to open source principles. All design specifications and IP will be published freely. Thriving open source communities exist to support software applications such as Linux, Mozilla and Drupal. Open source hardware communities are growing quickly. OS Medical will be the first open source community dedicated specifically to medical devices. Production of devices will be performed in partnership with electrical engineering classes at universities. The BVP will be delivered as a kit, which will be assembled by students as they learn basic engineering skills. Completed kits will be donated to blindness advocacy organizations for distribution to users. The BVP would replace the kits currently used, which have minimal social value and are generally thrown away or salvaged for parts at the conclusion of the class. OS Medical is currently in discussions with Prof Phillip Wong to develop a pilot program in conjunction with his Electrical Programming class. In 2013, OS Medical would like to provide the BVP to users free of cost. With an initial goal of 200 devices, OS Medical will require $30,000 in start-up funding. This will provide for the components of the device and administrative costs for the website which would support the OS Medical community. OS Medical would like to develop additional devices to serve other disabilities by 2015 and grow to serve 4,000 users by 2017. OS Medical will strive to both supply devices and serve as a cornerstone in the open source medical device community. OS Medical will serve as a conduit connecting disability advocacy organizations, educational institutions and open source developers to facilitate the design and distribution of the next generation of assistive devices. Rami Alshafi is the founder of OS Medical and will serve as Executive Director. He is currently completing a Master’s Degree in electrical engineering at Portland State University. He is assisted by Joseph King, a recent graduate of the Portland State MBA program, who will sit on the OS Medical Board of Directors. Title: Open Source Medical Solutions Author: Alshafi, Rami, King, Joseph Year: 2012 Open Source Medical Solutions is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to the development of medical technologies through open source principles. OS Medical is dedicated to developing low-cost medical devices. The first device, currently in development, is the Blind Vision Project. Worn as a conventional pair of glasses, the BVP utilizes ultrasonic sensors to perceive physical objects, transmitting their proximity with massaging motors connected to the earpieces of the glasses. The device’s range can be easily adjusted to facilitate indoor or outdoor use. The device is powered by a lithium-ion battery, which is recharged with a standard USB cable. 3 million Americans are currently blind and 25 million suffer from impaired vision. Blindness can lead to a variety of other health conditions such as depression, diabetes and high cholesterol. Globally, 40 million are blind and 285 million visually impaired. In developing, lack of mobility can dramatically shorten life expectancy. The BVP will strive to increase the mobility and improve the life of blind people around the world. Both blind people and advocacy groups have expressed interest in the BVP, though similar devices have failed to catch on in the past. The failure of similar devices is generally attributed to a lack of functionality or unwieldy appearance. Competing devices are currently in development by Oxford University, Brainport Technology and potentially Apple Computers. By harnessing the power of open source development, OS Medical will strive to become the preeminent assistive device design community. OS Medical is committed to adhering to open source principles. All design specifications and IP will be published freely. Thriving open source communities exist to support software applications such as Linux, Mozilla and Drupal. Open source hardware communities are growing quickly. OS Medical will be the first open source community dedicated specifically to medical devices. Production of devices will be performed in partnership with electrical engineering classes at universities. The BVP will be delivered as a kit, which will be assembled by students as they learn basic engineering skills. Completed kits will be donated to blindness advocacy organizations for distribution to users. The BVP would replace the kits currently used, which have minimal social value and are generally thrown away or salvaged for parts at the conclusion of the class. OS Medical is currently in discussions with Prof Phillip Wong to develop a pilot program in conjunction with his Electrical Programming class. In 2013, OS Medical would like to provide the BVP to users free of cost. With an initial goal of 200 devices, OS Medical will require $30,000 in start-up funding. This will provide for the components of the device and administrative costs for the website which would support the OS Medical community. OS Medical would like to develop additional devices to serve other disabilities by 2015 and grow to serve 4,000 users by 2017. OS Medical will strive to both supply devices and serve as a cornerstone in the open source medical device community. OS Medical will serve as a conduit connecting disability advocacy organizations, educational institutions and open source developers to facilitate the design and distribution of the next generation of assistive devices. Rami Alshafi is the founder of OS Medical and will serve as Executive Director. He is currently completing a Master’s Degree in electrical engineering at Portland State University. He is assisted by Joseph King, a recent graduate of the Portland State MBA program, who will sit on the OS Medical Board of Directors. Close

• 2. [Article] Business Plan For Riverside Energy LLC

  In 2008, $5.2 billion was spent on program management and supporting contractors in energy efficiency in the United States[1]. Funding for energy efficiency is expected to increase as the cost of power ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Business Plan For Riverside Energy LLC Author: Smeraglio, Matt Year: 2012 In 2008, $5.2 billion was spent on program management and supporting contractors in energy efficiency in the United States[1]. Funding for energy efficiency is expected to increase as the cost of power production rises. This report focuses primarily on energy efficiency available to dairy farms, located in the Northern Mid-West region of the United States. Dairy farms have seen sharp increases in feed prices, large fluctuations in milk prices, and a steady rise in electricity rates. Of these three, it is easiest for the farmer to lower energy consumption. Riverside Energy will enable farmers to realize maximum potential energy and cost savings by offering custom dairy energy audits. Riverside Energy is proposing to startup as a sole proprietorship energy efficiency company, focusing on the agricultural and industrial markets of Michigan, which was ranked most improved in energy efficiency in a recent study [2]. The primary revenue stream will be providing energy audits to dairy farms, which will help them to lower energy consumption, saving substantial money. The final deliverable from Riverside to the customer will be a detailed Dairy Audit Report, detailing the best ways to save energy, and the expected upgrade costs, dollar savings and payback (return on investment) for proposed upgrades. As the demand for energy increases, there is more and more pressure for electrical utilities to build new power plants. But it is more cost effective for utilities to pay energy consuming customers to use less energy than to build new power plants. This promotes the sale of energy efficient equipment and energy audits. For dairies, there are cash incentives to pay for a portion of auditing services, and for dairy equipment upgrades. This in turn promotes Riverside’s auditing revenue stream. The biggest challenge for Riverside will be to compete against established auditors in the Michigan area, which is a fragmented group of university programs, state programs, small companies, and electric utilities. Riverside hopes to differentiate by establishing itself as both agriculturally knowledgeable and highly skilled in detailed analysis. Five primary marketing strategies have been established, which include selling direct to farmers, presenting at trade shows, enrolling in the Michigan Farm Energy Audit Program, participating in utility incentive programs, and creating partnerships with dairy equipment vendors. The most promising will likely be dairy equipment vendor partnerships, because they have the highest amount of contact with dairies, strong generational relationships, and sell the efficient equipment that riverside will propose for upgrades. It is estimated that each audit will sell for between $1,000 to $2,000 dollars, and that there are a potential of 1,900 dairies available for audits in the region. Riverside hopes to capture up to 67 audits per year, which would yield $120,000 in sales per year, taking 4 years to ramp up to this sales level. Pro forma income statements predict a break even after 23 months, with estimated startup costs at $26,700. Funding for this startup will be comprised of owner investment and a small bank loan. Riverside believes it has found a niche in the energy efficiency market through dairy energy audits. Though prospects are promising, further details on additional revenue streams and development of key relationships should be pursued before launch. Riverside could be ready for launch in 6 months to a year. Title: Business Plan For Riverside Energy LLC Author: Smeraglio, Matt Year: 2012 In 2008, $5.2 billion was spent on program management and supporting contractors in energy efficiency in the United States[1]. Funding for energy efficiency is expected to increase as the cost of power production rises. This report focuses primarily on energy efficiency available to dairy farms, located in the Northern Mid-West region of the United States. Dairy farms have seen sharp increases in feed prices, large fluctuations in milk prices, and a steady rise in electricity rates. Of these three, it is easiest for the farmer to lower energy consumption. Riverside Energy will enable farmers to realize maximum potential energy and cost savings by offering custom dairy energy audits. Riverside Energy is proposing to startup as a sole proprietorship energy efficiency company, focusing on the agricultural and industrial markets of Michigan, which was ranked most improved in energy efficiency in a recent study [2]. The primary revenue stream will be providing energy audits to dairy farms, which will help them to lower energy consumption, saving substantial money. The final deliverable from Riverside to the customer will be a detailed Dairy Audit Report, detailing the best ways to save energy, and the expected upgrade costs, dollar savings and payback (return on investment) for proposed upgrades. As the demand for energy increases, there is more and more pressure for electrical utilities to build new power plants. But it is more cost effective for utilities to pay energy consuming customers to use less energy than to build new power plants. This promotes the sale of energy efficient equipment and energy audits. For dairies, there are cash incentives to pay for a portion of auditing services, and for dairy equipment upgrades. This in turn promotes Riverside’s auditing revenue stream. The biggest challenge for Riverside will be to compete against established auditors in the Michigan area, which is a fragmented group of university programs, state programs, small companies, and electric utilities. Riverside hopes to differentiate by establishing itself as both agriculturally knowledgeable and highly skilled in detailed analysis. Five primary marketing strategies have been established, which include selling direct to farmers, presenting at trade shows, enrolling in the Michigan Farm Energy Audit Program, participating in utility incentive programs, and creating partnerships with dairy equipment vendors. The most promising will likely be dairy equipment vendor partnerships, because they have the highest amount of contact with dairies, strong generational relationships, and sell the efficient equipment that riverside will propose for upgrades. It is estimated that each audit will sell for between $1,000 to $2,000 dollars, and that there are a potential of 1,900 dairies available for audits in the region. Riverside hopes to capture up to 67 audits per year, which would yield $120,000 in sales per year, taking 4 years to ramp up to this sales level. Pro forma income statements predict a break even after 23 months, with estimated startup costs at $26,700. Funding for this startup will be comprised of owner investment and a small bank loan. Riverside believes it has found a niche in the energy efficiency market through dairy energy audits. Though prospects are promising, further details on additional revenue streams and development of key relationships should be pursued before launch. Riverside could be ready for launch in 6 months to a year. Close

• 3. [Article] Business Plan for Bolt and Brush Print and Paint House

  EXECUTIVE SUMMARY One Line Pitch: A boutique paint and textile retailer selling an edited palette of paints and a unique line of textiles to customers having a penchant for locally produced, environmentally ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Business Plan for Bolt and Brush Print and Paint House Author: Griffis, Sarah, Miller, Sarah Year: 2012 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY One Line Pitch: A boutique paint and textile retailer selling an edited palette of paints and a unique line of textiles to customers having a penchant for locally produced, environmentally friendly products for the well lived and well loved home. Business Summary: We offer professional architectural color consulting services, specifying our own tested and edited palette of premium paint colors. Our line of paints coordinates directly to a line of modern textiles, screen-­‐printed locally in Portland, Oregon. The paints are sold by the quart or gallon and the textiles are sold by the yard in our Pearl District retail location. Look out for our tote bags, pillows and other textiles for the table as well. Product/Services: Bolt and Brush will offer professional, architectural color consulting services and a premium line of environmentally friendly paints for retail sale. A line of textiles, designed and screen-­‐printed locally, will also be sold by the yard. Other ancillary products made from the same yardage sold in the store like tote bags, pillows and textiles for the dining table will also be made locally and sold both online and in retail stores. Target Market: Bolt and Brush’s targeted customer, both male and female, is design savvy with a strong appreciation for locally produced goods that are also environmentally friendly. Typically these consumers have at least some level of higher education. They are in the middle to upper middle class income range and despite the economic downturn; these customers are still financially capable of make purchases for premium goods and services. Management: Sarah Miller, Founder and sole employee, having color and textile design experience in multiple industries, a BFA in Textile Design and the near completion of an MBA. Sarah’s natural inclination is towards the arts and design, but steadfast persistence in the practicalities of opening a business makes her a likely candidate for entrepreneurial success in the design field. Sales/Marketing Strategy: Bolt & Brush’s marketing strategy focuses initially on local support, i.e. newspaper and magazine write-­‐ups, radio spots, and word of mouth from satisfied customers of the color consultation process. The company will gain needed brand awareness nationally with a strong on-­‐line presence and personality that taps into the design-­‐centric community . Financial Strategy: We have established a three-­‐year ramp up period of developing brand recognition in the online design community using guerilla-­‐marketing tactics. At the end of the three-­‐year period, once the strength of the brand has been established, we will invest in the overhead of a retail storefront, which will allow for additional avenues for growth. Risk Assessment: The risk involved lies mostly on Sarah Miller and her spouse. $50,000 in seed money is from their personal funds and Sarah would be compromising other career opportunities by focusing her creative energies on growing the business. The risk of failure, otherwise, at this stage is minimal and will affect few. The worst-­‐case scenario would be that customers would not respond to the patterns and colors brought to market. If this occurred, Sarah would shift the focus of her business and reevaluate the company’s direction. Title: Business Plan for Bolt and Brush Print and Paint House Author: Griffis, Sarah, Miller, Sarah Year: 2012 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY One Line Pitch: A boutique paint and textile retailer selling an edited palette of paints and a unique line of textiles to customers having a penchant for locally produced, environmentally friendly products for the well lived and well loved home. Business Summary: We offer professional architectural color consulting services, specifying our own tested and edited palette of premium paint colors. Our line of paints coordinates directly to a line of modern textiles, screen-­‐printed locally in Portland, Oregon. The paints are sold by the quart or gallon and the textiles are sold by the yard in our Pearl District retail location. Look out for our tote bags, pillows and other textiles for the table as well. Product/Services: Bolt and Brush will offer professional, architectural color consulting services and a premium line of environmentally friendly paints for retail sale. A line of textiles, designed and screen-­‐printed locally, will also be sold by the yard. Other ancillary products made from the same yardage sold in the store like tote bags, pillows and textiles for the dining table will also be made locally and sold both online and in retail stores. Target Market: Bolt and Brush’s targeted customer, both male and female, is design savvy with a strong appreciation for locally produced goods that are also environmentally friendly. Typically these consumers have at least some level of higher education. They are in the middle to upper middle class income range and despite the economic downturn; these customers are still financially capable of make purchases for premium goods and services. Management: Sarah Miller, Founder and sole employee, having color and textile design experience in multiple industries, a BFA in Textile Design and the near completion of an MBA. Sarah’s natural inclination is towards the arts and design, but steadfast persistence in the practicalities of opening a business makes her a likely candidate for entrepreneurial success in the design field. Sales/Marketing Strategy: Bolt & Brush’s marketing strategy focuses initially on local support, i.e. newspaper and magazine write-­‐ups, radio spots, and word of mouth from satisfied customers of the color consultation process. The company will gain needed brand awareness nationally with a strong on-­‐line presence and personality that taps into the design-­‐centric community . Financial Strategy: We have established a three-­‐year ramp up period of developing brand recognition in the online design community using guerilla-­‐marketing tactics. At the end of the three-­‐year period, once the strength of the brand has been established, we will invest in the overhead of a retail storefront, which will allow for additional avenues for growth. Risk Assessment: The risk involved lies mostly on Sarah Miller and her spouse. $50,000 in seed money is from their personal funds and Sarah would be compromising other career opportunities by focusing her creative energies on growing the business. The risk of failure, otherwise, at this stage is minimal and will affect few. The worst-­‐case scenario would be that customers would not respond to the patterns and colors brought to market. If this occurred, Sarah would shift the focus of her business and reevaluate the company’s direction. Close