Cleveland based Myers Motors is helping move The Plus region into the forefront of electric, hybrid car innovation with its NmG electric vehicle. The NmG is a compact car that runs solely on electricity, eliminating the need for gas.

Designed for short distances, the NmG comes with some special features and benefits including:
•    Reduced or eliminated global warming impact
•    Three-wheeled vehicle design which registers, insures and parks as a motorcycle
•    Drives 1,000 miles on $20 worth of electric fuel
•    Onboard battery charger 110 Volt
•    Easily charges in the comfort of your own garage

Plus this Northeast Ohio vehicle qualifies for an up to $2,500 tax credit until December 31, 2001. Learn more about how Myers Motors is helping to develop The Plus region in hybrid and electric car technology and products through hiVelocity’s article, Ohio moves toward fast lane in electric, hybrid car development.

School is back in session and two Plus region colleges are working to create new opportunities within Northeast Ohio (NEO.) For instance, Cleveland State University has implemented a new technology transfer office with the goal of turning discoveries by its faculty and staff into patents that can be licensed or spun off to create new companies, thereby adding jobs and wealth to Northeast Ohio. Lorain County Community College also kicked the school year off with a multi-million dollar grant that could potentially bring high-tech jobs to Ohio and hands-on job training to students.

We also looked at how COSE Energy is working to energize NEO businesses with a variety of green programs. In addition to this we featured how JumpStart and other companies are helping the Plus region make its’ mark on the entrepreneurs’ map.

Congratulations also goes out this week to Akron based Summit Data Communications. The company was nominated the fast-growing computer hardware company in the Midwest by Inc. Magazine.

Have you signed up for the Cleveland Plus Healthcare Communications Panel Discussion on Thursday, September 16th at 12:00p. During the session we will look at how NEO’s strengths will help drive The Plus region’s economic growth and solidify the region as a medical capital in the global healthcare landscape.

More and more Northeast Ohio (NEO) startups are utilizing incubators to launch their businesses. Two Plus region businesses that are doing just that are BizVeo and Turning Technologies.

BizVeo, which sells a video communication tool for doctors and patients, utilized the Youngstown Business Incubator back in 2008 when the founders launched their in-home business. Through the Youngstown Business Incubator’s resources BizVeo now has clients utilizing their unique software program and predicts to be profitable by 2010 – four years earlier than expected.

Turning Technologies Youngstown business owner Tony DeAscentis noted that, “incubators are without a doubt the best thing someone could ask for.” Turning Technologies has transformed into a $40 million software maker of real-time polling and staffs 200 employees all with the help of the Youngstown Business Incubator.

Due to the success of the Youngstown Business Incubator and the Akron Global Business Accelerator, Congressman Tim Ryan introduced a bill that would allow EDA and include grants of up to $3 million for operations and support services. This bill will help NEO incubators continue to create more jobs and business opportunities within the Plus region.

Learn how local incubators are helping NEO businesses find startup success and create jobs through the Bloomberg Businessweek article, Betting on Incubators to Create Jobs.

Did you know that 67% of capital invested in The Plus region is invested in healthcare companies? Or that The Plus region attracts more than $100 million annually in healthcare start-ups?

Find out all this and more at the Cleveland Plus Healthcare Communications Panel Discussion on Thursday, September 16th. This event will bring together influential community leaders to discuss the collective strengths of Northeast Ohio (NEO) within the healthcare industry. During the session we will look at how NEO’s strengths will help drive The Plus region’s economic growth and solidify the region as a medical capital in the global healthcare landscape.

Cleveland Plus Healthcare Communications Panelist:
•    Dan Moulthrop  (Moderator)
•    Chris Coburn - Executive Director, Innovations at Cleveland Clinic
•    Dr. Gershen –  President, NEOUCOM
•    India Peirce Lee - Program Director for Neighborhoods, Housing & Community Development, The Cleveland Foundation
•    Ken Walker - Sr. Business Consultant , MAGNET

Join the conversation
Please join us for this important discussion on Thursday, September 16th at 12:00p.m. at The City Club of Cleveland. Reservations can be made via The City Club at 1-888-223-6786 or 216-621-0082. Event is $15 for members and $25 for non-members. We hope you can join us. Sessions like this help lay the foundation and open the doors of communication for future entrepreneurs, innovations, funding and expansion of organizations to the region.

This week Team NEO was on the move with The Plus during their first Plus Bus Tour, which showcased a variety of Northeast Ohio (NEO) businesses including Kent Displays and the Akron Global Business Accelerator. The tour also included speakers Rod Crider of the Wayne Economic Development Council, Steve Morey from Team Lorain County, Deb Janik of the Greater Cleveland Partnership and Scott Rainone of the Austen BioInnovation Institute. At the conclusion of the tour, participants enjoyed a reception at the Embassy Suites in Independence. Special thanks to everyone from The Plus and all who participated and helped to make the first Plus Bus Tour a success.

Other highlights this week included the expansion of the medical device company, Farm, and Ohio securing $400 million for education through President Obama’s Race to the Top program. Two school districts that will benefit from the program are, Cleveland city schools – receiving nearly $30 million and Akron city schools – receiving more than $9 million in federal funding.

The Plus region was also proud to report this week that Travel + Leisure voted Lakewood, Ohio as one of the Coolest Suburbs Worth Visiting - let’s hear it for Lakewood and the Plus region!

Lastly, Team NEO is partnering with the Cleveland Orchestra in Lucerne, Switzerland this weekend to market and attract European business development. Team NEO is excited for the chance to join the Cleveland Orchestra on its’ summer tour and to demonstrate the Plus region’s strengths to European companies.

Team NEO will be joining The Cleveland Orchestra in Lucerne, Switzerland this weekend to market the Plus region to European companies. The event will include 20 guests representing companies and industry associations from throughout Europe, and provide the opportunity to demonstrate that the Plus region is the right place for business expansion in the United States.

The weekend activities will include a networking reception before the performance and a special visit with Cleveland Orchestra musicians and Austrian-born Music Director, Franz Welser-Möst.  In addition, a dinner after the performance will allow more time for Team NEO to build relationships, as will a closing meeting on Sunday.

MedCity News announced late last week that Farm, a medical device company, is opening an office at the Cleveland Clinic Global Cardiovascular Innovation Center (GCIC).

Currently Farm has 50 employees and two offices located in New Hampshire. Initially Farm plans to staff its office with team members from its’ New Hampshire offices, but hopes later to hire a dedicated Cleveland staff. Farm is the 12th company the Cleveland Clinic GCIC has brought on.

The goal of the Cleveland Clinic GCIC, which opened in April, is to assist early stage companies that are working on developing products and services to diagnose or treat cardiovascular disease. This dedication by the Cleveland Clinic is not only helping to strengthen NEO’s position within the cardiovascular industry, but continuing to develop it for the future.

Learn more about Farm’s move to The Plus region.

This week we received word that the medical education company Simbionix USA Corp. plans to relocate its Denver, Colorado employees to its newly expanded Cleveland headquarters.

We also highlighted how the Youngstown Business Incubator is helping startup businesses thrive in the Plus region by providing the resources new businesses need to succeed.

Think manufacturing is dead? Not for these Northeast Ohio (NEO) manufacturing companies. In fact, according to the U.S. Congress Joint Economic Committee, 19,600 manufacturing jobs were added across the Ohio during 2009 and the Plus region was among the areas that benefited the most.

The Plus region is also continuing to thrive in the wind energy market with the help of ADI Wind LLC. This innovative group has created a wind turbine gearbox made out of recycled titanium that is smaller and lighter than other gearbox designs on the market.

Curious how the Advanced Energy Industry FAM tour with corp site selectors went? Get the scoop from Team NEO’s Carin Rockind.

Lastly, Lincoln Electric announced its new partnership with designer and custom motorcycle shop, Paul Teutul Jr. from American Chopper. Lincoln Electric will be the exclusive welding equipment provider for Paul Jr. Designs.

This week we looked beyond the departure of LeBron James and focused on what makes The Plus region so great with the help of the Plain Dealer’s, “100 things that make Cleveland the best.”

Another reason for Northeast Ohio to be proud this week was the news that Case Western Reserve University received a $1.1M grant to study receptors to develop safer, more effective drugs for cardiac and neurological diseases.

The State of Ohio also has a lot to be proud of with the call out in Inc. magazine as being one of the top states in the U.S. to give angel investors and start-ups a break. To help continue businesses moving to Ohio and The Plus region, make sure to participate in the NEO Wage & Benefits Survey. Deadline for the survey is Wednesday, July 21st.

Team NEO, in partnership with The Corporate University at Kent State University in Stark, Ohio, just released its’ Northeast Ohio Starting Wage and Benefits Survey. This bi-annual survey is used to help establish beginning annual wages for various Northeast Ohio (NEO) industries. By identifying this baseline, Team NEO will be able to use this data in its recruiting efforts, showing outside businesses that it may not be as costly as they thought to do business in NEO.

The online survey is being distributed to 7,770 companies and nonprofit organizations across 16-county regions that have 25 or more employees. Participating organizations are required to complete the survey by Wednesday, July 21st. Only businesses that complete the survey will have access to the data in the fall.

Participate in the survey
Does your company fit the qualifications of the survey? If so, take the Northeast Ohio Starting Wage and Benefits Survey now.