As our host, Ivy Tech Community College has been working to migrate the Small Business Development Center, SEED Corp., and inVenture onto their telephone system. The migration has now been completed and we have a new telephone number!  Please note that one number is now used for all of our companies.  This number is 812-330-6272.

Source: Inside Indiana Business

Bloomington Company Launches Interactive Hazardous Training Tool

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. (July 25, 2008) - Information In Place Inc., a developer of interactive training tools, announced today the launch of its computer-based training module that provides interactive hazardous materials training and mobile practice drills.

The Bloomington-based company, which designed the interactive module to supplement basic workplace hazardous materials training, is using a $100,000 matching grant from the state's Small Business Innovation Research program to improve and commercialize the product.

"Indiana is committed to increasing the amount of federal research dollars coming into our state as we work to diversify the economy and grow more high-growth, innovation-focused companies in Indiana," said Nathan Feltman, Secretary of Commerce and chief executive officer of the Indiana Economic Development Corporation.

The module consists of several hazardous materials response scenarios that can be downloaded and played on the computer and also contains practice drills that can be accessed by mobile phone. The drills allow trainees to practice knowledge of important signs and terminology needed for hazard recognition. The technology delivers immediate feedback and varies questions according to whether they are answered correctly to ensure that users retain the information.

"The core idea is to use authentic missions as the basis for a course," said Sonny Kirkley, chief executive of Information in Place. "The students play the simulation-games to solve the missions and perform other activities to learn things they need to know to accomplish the mission. The goal is for students to know the content but also to know how to solve real world problems at the end of the training."

The module also includes scenario-based games that simulate real-world hazardous materials incidents. The simulations are part of a growing initiative to use interactive game technology for non-entertainment applications in training, education, health and public policy.

"Trainees are inundated with so much data and they don't know why it's useful," Kirkley said. "What we're trying to do is make the information more relevant and interesting. The games help trainees cognitively respond to situations and enhance those parts of the course that aren't effective and that don't engage students already."

Founded in 1999 as a spinout of the Indiana University Center for Excellence in Education, Information in Place works with researchers at Indiana University and Purdue University to develop its software. The Johnson Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation at Indiana University's Kelley School of Business named the company one of Indiana's most innovative companies in 2005, 2006 and 2007. The company also scored accolades from Military Training Technology magazine as one of the global top 100 companies in the military training industry from 2003 through 2007.

The IEDC provides proposal-drafting assistance and a dollar for dollar match to companies successful in obtaining Small Business Innovation Research and Small Business Technology Transfer grants from federal agencies. The IEDC has made 195 SBIR/STTR grants totaling $17.9 million to qualified high-tech Indiana companies. The IEDC also made five enhancement awards totaling $1.6 million to Indiana technology firms from the newly created Indiana SBIR/STTR Commercialization Enhancement Program.

About Information in Place
Based in Bloomington, Indiana, Information in Place, Inc. has a strong background in providing education, training and performance support solutions for corporate and government clients. Information in Place, Inc. provides intelligent training tools and performance enhancement software solutions that greatly improve productivity and reduce the complexity of managing vital information. For more information about Information in Place, please visit www.informationinplace.com.

South Central Indiana's area economy is made up of many unique small businesses which often are overlooked. Each month learn about a local small business that you might have not known about!

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Small Business and Self-Employed One-Stop Resource

This section offers a broad range of resources across federal and state agencies, as well as industry/profession specific information for self-employed entrepreneurs, employers and businesses.

Mark Your Calendars: Fourth Annual Fuse Business Innovation Awards
Join inVenture and the SBDC as we honor the small business community and spotlight its innovation, creativity, energy, and growth. The Fuse Business Innovation Awards recognize the entrepreneurs in our community who are doing things differently and making an impact. These businesses are the Brands to Watch.
What:  Fourth Annual Fuse Business Innovation Awards Luncheon

Award Categories:
   • Entrepreneur of the Year
   • Entrepreneurial Growth Award
   • Innovative Business of the Year
   • Microenterprise of the Year
   • Social Entrepreneur of the Year
   • Small Business Advocate of the Year
   • Community Service Award

Start thinking who you would like to nominate for the above categories. Look for details on how to submit your nominations in next month’s issue of LiveWire.
Time:  October 9th from 11:00 am to 1:00 pm
Where:  Bloomington Convention Center, 302 S. College Ave., Bloomington
Cost:  $25.00 per person
Contact: SBDC, 812-330-6272

August 5, 12, 19, 26: SEED Corp. Orientation
What:  Starting a business?  Take the Feasibility and Business Planning class.  One night a week, 2 1/2 hours, for 10 weeks.  You may qualify for a $1,000 to $35,000 loan.  You must attend one (and only one) of these free course orientation session.
Where:  SEED Corp., 501 N. Morton St., Suite 106A
Time:  12:30 pm - 1:30 pm
Cost:  $FREE$
Contact: SEED Corp., 812-330-6272 (registration required)

August 6, 13, 20, 27: SEED Corp. Orientation
What:  Starting a business?  Take the Feasibility and Business Planning class.  One night a week, 2 1/2 hours, for 10 weeks.  You may qualify for a $1,000 to $35,000 loan.  You must attend one (and only one) of these free course orientation session.
Where:  SEED Corp., 501 N. Morton St., Suite 106A
Time:  5:30 pm - 6:30 pm
Cost:  $FREE$
Contact:  SEED Corp., 812-330-6272 (registration required)

August 12: Community Chats
What: Guest speaker: Pamela Keech, Bloomington Area Arts Council, Executive Director
Where: Village Deli, 409 East Kirkwood Ave.
Time: 7:30 pm - 8:30 pm

August 19: Community Chats
What: Guest speaker: Sally Hegeman, President and Liz Feiti, VP Voter Service, League of Women Voters of Bloomington & Monroe County
Where: Village Deli, 409 East Kirkwood Ave.
Time: 7:30 pm - 8:30 pm

August 20: Business Orientation Start-up Session (BOSS)
What: Learn what it takes to start your own business and become your own boss.
Where: SBDC, 501 N. Morton St., Suite 106A
Time: 3:00 pm - 5:00 pm
Cost: $25
Contact: SBDC, 812-339-8937 (registration required)

September 5: New Economy, New Rules Seminar
What: Series of video conference presentations from industry leaders geared towards the information technology industry.
Where: inVenture, 501 N. Morton St., inVenture Conference Room
Time: 8:00 am - 9:30 am
Contact: Marilyn Skirvin, Bloomington Economic Development Corporation, 812-335-7346

• Use Invoices That Encourage Action
• Blogging Business Tips
• Network Security
• Business Tips from the IRS
• Starting A Business