1 NDSU researchmoving to elitecategory

2 Immigrants ableto invest in U.S.through EB-5 visaprogram

3 Minnesota AngelNetworkestablishedto acceleratebusiness growth

4 Unique innovationkeeps candlesburning

NDSU researchmovingto elite categoryNDSU’s research activity has exceeded $100million per year over the last seven years, withresearch spread across many areas of campus.

NDSU is the first, and only, institution in North Dakota to be named by the CarnegieCommission on Higher Education to the elite category of “Research Universities/VeryHigh Research Activity” category, which includes the 108 most successful private and

public research universities in the U.S.The NDSU Research & Technology Park, with 900 employees in businesses located in the 55-

acre research park, includes facilities not readily available elsewhere in the Midwest. This includesResearch 2, also known as the NDSU Center for Nanoscale Science and Engineering (CNSE). Ithas advanced microelectronics, coatings, and materials facilities relating to nanotechnology.Extensive robotics are used to develop coatings and materials for use in the biomedical industry,manufacturing, and other market sectors. The 77,000-square-foot secure building includesnumerous high-tech laboratories, clean rooms, microelectronics, and engineering facilities.One of the many research and business partnerships developed includes one between NDSU’s

Center for Nanoscale Science and Engineering and Triton Systems, a high-tech company locatedin the NDSU Research Park. Triton’s expertise includes coatings for such items as military

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NDSU’s Center for Nanoscale Science andEngineering conducts microelectronics research, withresulting inventions deployed on continents aroundthe world. (Photo courtesy of NDSU)

2 RRVPB December 2011

garments andtents to helpprotect soldiersin the field.In conjunctionwith otherbusinesspartners, CNSEalso played asignificant rolein developingunattendedelectronicground sensorsfor perimeter

defense used by the Department of Defense. Thetechnology is deployed in several countries around theworld and could have additional applications for privatecompanies and for border security.NDSU coatings’ researchers also developed a new

coatings technology to protect aircraft. “NDSU hassuccessfully replaced chromium with magnesium,” statesPhilip Boudjouk, Vice President for Research, CreativeActivities and Technology Transfer at NDSU, adding thatNDSU is working with AkzoNobel, the largest coatingscompany in the world. NDSU has a licensing agreementwith AkzoNobel. “Currently, they are testing the coating

on F-16 fighter planes and C-130 transport planes.”Another significant technology developed at NDSU’sCenter for Nanoscale Science and Engineering includes aproject with the Office of Naval Research. The CNSEdeveloped technology for the United States Navy forcoatings on Navy ship hulls. NDSU and a global businessare working on additional applications for the technology.“New ship coatings developed at NDSU are performing

better than existing coatings, have no metal, and don’tleach into the environment,” Boudjouk explains. “It isestimated that the Navy has been losing 40 percent of itsfuel on ships because of the increased drag on the ships.These new coatings are designed to keep sea life fromattaching to the ships, thus saving fuel as well as dry dockand cleaning costs for ships.”Boudjouk adds that Research 2 (CNSE) has helped

attract companies to North Dakota, allowed the universityto partner with manufacturing companies to enhance orincrease current jobs, trained personnel, and providedthem with opportunities in North Dakota. In addition, hesays students who combine research and lab experiencewith their classroom experience, go into the job marketbetter prepared to land good-paying high tech jobs.NDSU currently has a research and intellectual

property portfolio of more than 220 technologies.RRVPB

Alan Van Ormer - avanormer@prairiebizmag.com

RRV Research

NDSU undergraduateand graduate studentsconduct researchalongside scientists at theCenter for NanoscaleScience and Engineering.The CombinatorialMaterials Research Labconducts research oncoatings for biomedical,commercial, marine, andother market segments.(Photo courtesy ofNDSU)

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Fergus Falls, MN hasbecome a sponsor andpartner with the MinnesotaAngel Network in an efforthelp with development inthe community.

Asan intake community we will be able toshowcase what our community has,” states JeffAckerson, President of the Fergus Falls Economic

Improvement Commission Board of Directors.The Minnesota Angel Network is a newly-developed

non-profit organization that will help accelerate businessgrowth among knowledge-based companies in the state.It is expected to help an emerging company to becomemore effective in seeking investments and to supportinvestors by providing entrepreneurs with a customizedcurriculum, connect emerging companies withaccredited investors, and help with the growth ofentrepreneurship throughout the state.Todd Leonard, the Executive Director of

the Minnesota Angel Network, says there is ahuge void to fund start-up companies. “It isnot just the companies, there are investors whowant to invest but aren’t able to find qualitycompanies,” he states. “Investors are sitting onthe sidelines not sure where to put money.”The Network is also aligning with groups to

provide leadership training.In Fergus Falls, Harold Stanislawski,

Executive Director of the Fergus FallsEconomic Improvement Commission, believespartnering with the Minnesota Angel Networkcould attract companies with synergies to thecompanies that are already operating in thecommunity.The Minnesota Angel Network was formed

after two years of planning by the BioBusinessAlliance of Minnesota and a consortium ofbusiness leaders, regional investor networks,Minnesota Initiative Foundations, universities,and others.The Minnesota Angel Network is an

educational program for entrepreneurs seekingto raise between $50,000 and $4.5 million andan online connection between accreditedinvestors interested in investing in Network-certified companies.In a press release announcing the creation

of the Minnesota Angel Network, Leonardnotes that an assessment of what is in placeand working well by benchmarking theprogram against the Wisconsin Angel Network

and otherangel networks in the United States.“Then, we solicited the input fromsuccessful angel investors and engagedsome of the largest and best professional serviceproviders in the state,” Leonard states in the release. “Wehave leveraged relationships with key business-relatedorganizations, other non-profit and philanthropicdonors to create a world-class, sustaining accelerator thatreadies entrepreneurs and creates sound investment inentrepreneurial Minnesota-based businesses.” RRVPB

Alan Van Ormer - avanormer@prairiebizmag.com

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RRV Business

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Pictured areTodd Leonard,

Executive Directorof the MinnesotaAngel Network,

Harold Stanislawski,Executive Director of theFergus Falls Economic

Improvement Commission,Hal Leland, Fergus Falls Mayor,

and David Wagy, Chief OperatingOfficer of the Minnesota Angel

Network. (Photo courtesy of FergusFalls Economic Improvement

Commission)

Minnesota Angel Network established to acceleratebusiness growth

4 RRVPB December 2011

RRV Innovation

Uniqueinnovationkeepscandlesburning

Driving through Arkansas, Aaron and SaraMcWilliams stopped at a winery and noticedwax taking shape around bottles. As thefamily continued their travels, AaronMcWilliams started to hypothesize about howto control the flow of wax to make the waxtake any shape it would need to take.

That started the McWilliams conducting several tests beforefinding the right ingredient for starting Spiral Light Candle,a candle with a twist, in their garage in Hillsboro, ND.

“After trial and error, we came up with the spiral candle,”Aaron McWilliams states. “It took awhile to repeat that success.”Spiral Light self-filling candles when first lit uses the

horizontal wick on the upper edge. The candle burns around thehollow center with the wooden wick allowing the wax to draininward, filling the center. The horizontal spiraling wick selfextinguishes when the inside wax level reaches the top of the spiralto prevent any spilling. It then creates a solid pillar candle.The spiral candle is patent-pending. Earlier this year, the first

600 small candles were delivered to a trade show in Philadelphia,PA, where 15 clients took a chance on the product. The spiralcandles are now in more than 45 stores across the country. Thecandles are available in two styles, eight colors, and six differentscents including lavender, hot apple pie, lemon grass, frankincense,scandal wood, and cinnamon.McWilliams focuses on the Christian market, as well as shipping

to pharmacies and flower shops. Sixty percent of those whopurchase the candles are independent Christian retailers, accordingto the McWilliams.“What we have noticed is that they selling out very quickly,”

McWilliams states. “It is not something they have seen before.”In their garage space on an acreage west of Hillsboro, three

employees are able to make 25 candles a day. Currently, theproduction has increased to more than 100 products per day. Thecompany is also looking for two more employees to expand capacity

gearing up for the tradeshow season in the first quarter of 2012.McWilliams notes that a 10,000 square foot facility with rail

access in Hillsboro has been located. The plan is to move to thatlocation in May. “This space will give us the capacity to offer 20-30full time jobs in the summer and make our products availableinternationally,” he states.Development of a new website is also underway.“If we manufacture in Hillsboro, our overhead goes down

because there is less cost being in North Dakota,” he explains. “It isalso more stable.”The major challenge in producing the candles is managing

growth and knowing how fast and when to grow. “The demand forthe product isn’t a problem and selling the product isn’t a problem,”he explains. “We’ve overcome so many hurdles in manufacturing.”PB

"Editor's Note: The article entitled 'Unique innovation keepscandles burning' is being reprinted in its entirety because the photo ofthe candles pertaining to our December story in the Red River Valleysection are not the type of candles that Spirit Light Candle provides itscustomers." Alan Van Ormer - avanormer@prairiebizmag.com

Unique innovation keeps candles burning

Sara and Aaron McWilliams have developed Spiral Light self-filling candles out of theirgarage in Hillsboro, ND. (Photo by Alan Van Ormer)