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GSB In Brief

New Ventures

SunRun

SunRun, cofounded by Lynn Jurich and Edward Fenster, both MBA '07, leases solar panels to homeowners who find the upfront costs of solar prohibitive. SunRun pays for the panels and services them for 18 years. Homeowners pay SunRun for the installation of the panels and for the electricity generated by the panels but at a lower price than they would pay for energy from the grid. At the end of the contract, the homeowner can have the panels removed, buy them, or renew the contract.

Triumph Golf

Former PGA golf pro and investment banker Michael McTeigue, MBA '85, joined three veterans of golf club management to found Triumph Golf, which helps private and public clubs deal with declining membership and other financial woes caused by the recession. McTeigue has 20 years' experience with new and emerging companies.

The Auteurs

What's a film buff to do? Efe Cakarel, MBA '05, found himself in a coffee shop in Tokyo with a serious need to watch Wong Kar- wai's In the Mood for Love and was amazed he couldn't find it. So in 2007, Cakarel founded the video-on-demand site TheAuteurs.com, which now has 55,000 members, streams videos of fine films in 174 countries, and boasts alliances with film festivals in Cannes, Telluride, and Berlin. The company also hosts a discussion site on Facebook that attracts cinephiles.

Swaddle

Aside from appearing on the cover of People, Angelina Jolie, Gwyneth Paltrow, and Bristol Palin have something else in common. They wrap their babies in soft, snuggly blankets from SwaddleDesigns, maker of all things comfy for the tiny tot set. Swaddle was founded by registered nurse Lynette Damir, mother of two children and spouse of the company's president and COO, Jeffrey Damir, MBA '93. Three of Jeff Damir's classmates were angel investors: Florian Pape, Ross Jones, and Jim Ellis.

QuintessenceLabs

One of four creators of quantum key distribution, a quantum cryptography technology that super secures communications, Vikram Sharma, Sloan '02, founded QuintessenceLabs at Australian National University to commercialize it. In June, the company announced a partnership with Lockheed Martin to develop applications of the technology for markets in the United States and Australia.

Lexy

Founded by pioneer web entrepreneurs Fred Campbell and Tony Levitan, both MBA '93, Lexy is a voice and text publishing platform for mobile phones. Content providers post short audio clips and text that can be downloaded on demand to any cell phone or to the web. Lexy seed-funder KPG Ventures calls the company "the third leg to the emergent social media stool -- along with Facebook and Twitter."

Vayulogic

In case you hadn't noticed, people are increasingly attached to their cell phones. In 2008, the number of mobile phone calls made in the United States was exceeded only by the 1 trillion text messages sent. After helping several internet and mobile startups get off the ground, Victor Varney, MBA '85, is CEO of Vayulogic, a text messaging platform that helps companies use mobile technology to communicate with their customers.

Algentis

Algentis simplifies operations for small and medium-sized businesses by assuming the burden of employee administration, says Brian Helmick, MBA '05, who cofounded the company with classmate and co-president Mike Sousa. Algentis offers human resources services that include payroll, benefits, employee insurance, and compliance.

Jobnob

Meet Julie Greenberg, matchmaker. Greenberg, MBA '01, is cofounder of Jobnob, a website that informs jobseekers by posting actual salaries paid to employees in cities around the United States. The service, which is free, allows anyone to search by salary, position, company, or city. But what to do while you look for a job? That's where the matchmaking comes in. Jobnob arranges happy hours that hook up early-stage startups that can't afford to pay salaries with job seekers who are willing to work at least five hours a week without pay for the experience or for a leg up on an eventual paying job.

Ice Energy

Air conditioning can dangerously strain a power grid during midsummer days when electricity usage is at its peak. Ice Energy, cofounded by Frank Ramirez, MBA '83, has introduced the Ice Bear cooling unit, which freezes water in the air conditioner at night and uses the ice to cool the AC's refrigerant during the day. This not only takes pressure off the local electricity provider during crucial hours, but it also saves energy and reduces carbon emissions. In 2009 Business Week named Ice Energy one of "25 Companies to Watch in Energy Tech."

Sharp Brains

Over the past decade the brain fitness and cognitive health market has grown so rapidly it has spawned a market research firm to follow it. Last spring Sharp Brains, cofounded by Alvaro Fernandez, MBA/MA '02, published both a research report for the industry (The State of the Brain Fitness Software Market 2009) and a book of interviews and advice for the mass market (The Sharp Brain Guide to Brain Fitness).

Idapted

Every week, Adrian Li's Idapted delivers thousands of live, one-on-one English lessons through high-speed internet connections to students in China, all of them conducted by native English speakers in the United States. The U.S.-based teachers are independent contractors trained by Idapted to use the company's teaching platform. The Chinese students, usually young professionals, have a rudimentary knowledge of English but want to improve their oral skills. Last spring, Idapted partnered with the British Council in a successful two-month pilot project involving 3,000 students in China's financial industry. Idapted provided the technology for the British Council's instructors. Li, MBA '06/MA '07, cofounded Idapted in 2006 and serves as its CEO.

First Mile Health

Any runner will tell you the first mile is the hardest. Toure McCluskey, MBA '05, founded First Mile Health to get people up to and past that milestone. The company works with businesses and civic organizations to redesign employee benefits packages, implement health-related team events, and promote healthier workplace options. "We're not an off-the-shelf wellness program," says McCluskey. "We substitute action and on-site activities for advice and generic information."