Entrepreneurs find success brewing in the ‘ATIC’

September 10, 2007

Before releasing the Hand Mentor nationwide, Kinetic Muscles Inc. did what all successful companies do before a major product launch: test-market the product.<separator></separator>During testing, the company found that the reliability of some of the mechanical components needed to be improved. The Hand Mentor is designed as a hand therapy device for use in therapy clinics to improve outcomes in stroke rehabilitation, so reliability of the entire device is crucial.<separator></separator>“Before launching the product nationwide, we went through an overhaul of the device and needed to make some pre-production mechanical parts to verify our design changes,” says Ed Koeneman, founder and chief operating officer of the neurological rehabilitation company based in Tempe.<separator></separator>Trying to find a commercial shop willing to take on a small project like that proved a bit challenging. Plus, the cost involved was more than this start-up company could afford.<separator></separator>At about the same time Koeneman was looking for a shop, ASU rolled out the Advanced Technology Innovation Collaboratory (ATIC), which takes entrepreneurs’ innovations from paper to prototype.<separator></separator>Based at the Polytechnic campus, ATIC is a recent venture to help innovative entrepreneurs in the greater Phoenix area use ASU’s assets. ATIC ideally complements ASU Technopolis’ entrepreneurial education, coaching and networking services to entrepreneurs in the Valley.<separator></separator>Working through ATIC, Kinetic Muscles Inc. was introduced to the mechanical and manufacturing engineering technology unit, which proved to be a perfect fit for the dozen or so mechanical parts the company needed to produce.<separator></separator>“ATIC really filled a gap between the drawing board and full production for us,” Koeneman says. “Faculty and students at ASU were able to deliver top-quality parts at a decent price – and in the time frame that we needed.”<separator></separator>The company was able to verify that the changes made improved the reliability, and the product was renamed the Hand Mentor Pro before launching nationwide in June.<separator></separator>“We have only just recently filled the backlog from the initial rush of orders following the launch date,” Koeneman says.<separator></separator>Kinetic Muscles Inc. is not alone in finding success with ATIC. Small and large projects are under way, such as designing and creating a three-dimensional building visualization tool, year-round holiday decoration mounting equipment, better flag fasteners, conducting research and analysis on the failure of nickel-cadmium cells in batteries, producing an image-guided surgical tool kit and providing marketing assessment for a dentistry practice, to name a few.<separator></separator>Another way that ATIC helps companies be successful is through a free colloquium series that is open to entrepreneurs and small- to medium-sized enterprises, as well as to the general public.<separator></separator>On Sept. 18, from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., ASU will play host to Jonathan Harris, president of CMC Interconnect Technology, in Student Union Cooley Ballroom B on the Polytechnic campus. A light lunch will be provided free of charge to attendees.<separator></separator>Harris will discuss the evolution of electronic packaging technology, from initial laboratory investigation to full-scale production in a start-up company. The technology of focus is an aluminum nitride ceramic material used for high-powered electronic devices in a variety of applications.<separator></separator>For information about the colloquium series or other ATIC services, contact Jane at (480) 727-1647 or <a href="/atic@asu.edu">atic@asu.edu</a>.

University