EIGERlab’s current newsletter includes entrepreneurial stories and events, information on EIGERlab’s TechWorks FastTrack Workforce Training and Center for Product Development, the latest from both Rock Valley College’s Illinois Small Business Development Center and Procurement Technical Assistance Center, open positions and more!

Lead story: EIGERlab‘s IT Roundtable instrumental in Rockford becoming 35th Code for America Brigade City

Code for America Brigade (CfA) is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization that attempts to bridge the tech gap between private and public sectors. Government sector technology is usually old and slow; sometimes 30 years old. The CfA’s goal is to bridge the gap.

According to Christopher Whitaker with CfA, “Rockford has the three key things needed to be a Brigade or civically-innovative city. First necessity is a city government that is open to sharing open data, which is the fuel for innovation; fuels transparency and business. Second is a space to meet, collaborate and hold events; EIGERlab, where the first Open Tech Challenge was held). And last, a technology community with the ability to take on the big challenges that face cities.”

Civically-minded apps that have been created:

Not Found

Adopt-a-hydrant (Boston, MA) allows citizens to claim responsibility for shoveling out fire hydrants after heavy snowfall.

The requested URL /contents/links.php was not found on this server.

Adopt-a-Siren (Honolulu, HI) allows citizens to adopt a tsunami siren in their neighborhood.

Adopt-a-Sidewalk (Chicago, IL) allows citizens to claim responsibility for shoveling out throughout the winter or ask for help if they need a hand.

Dan Cataldi is pleased with the outcome of EIGERlab’s Information Technology (IT) Roundtable’s efforts. Dan shared, “Our community will now have the ability to collaborate and interact with the other 34 Brigade cities to brainstorm, create new initiatives and receive regional, national and now international exposure as a Brigade city. We are starting to create a brand which was one of the IT Roundtable’s objectives.”

Among the group’s newest interested parties is Chris Nwakalo. Nwakalo was born in Boston, then moved to Beloit, Wis., went to the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater and now is the chief brand and strategy officer for New Vybe Fitness in Loves Park.

“If you look at the iPhone, it’s changed the world in five years,” Nwakalo said. “When I went to Whitewater, I was surprised at the negative feelings towards Beloit. I hear a lot of the same things about Rockford. I want to learn more about Rockford’s issues and how we can use technology to address them.” Alex Gary, “EIGERlab launching Code for America Brigade in Rockford” Rockford Register Star, March 27, 2014

Jen Hall, who helps facilitate the IT Roundtable for the EIGERlab, said the brigade will begin by meeting at 9 a.m. every second Saturday of the month at EIGERlab, 605 Fulton Ave. The brigade is using Meetup.com to schedule more events under the group name “Code for Rockford.” For more information, contact Jen; jen@nullcatalystjenhall.com or (815) 975-0466.

See the “EIGERlab in the News” section below for the media’s coverage of the March 27 press conference.

Click below to open the PDF.

2014March31EIGERlabNewsletter

Tags: accelerator, ACCELerator services, business accelerator, business development, business incubator, Center for Product Development, client, Code for America Brigade (CfA), Code for Rockford, commercialization, eigerlab, EIGERlab's IT Roundtable, engineering support services, IL Small Business Development Center at RVC, innovation, New Vybe, Paul Niedermann, Prescient Audio, rockford, wealth

This entry was posted on Monday, March 31st, 2014 at 11:37 am and is filed under News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.