TECHdotMN: News about Minnesota Startups

By Mike Derheim, Sierra Bravo / The Nerdery

“When Luke’s plane went missing I told our staff I would do my best to communicate with them as openly as he always has. In so many ways, Luke is a tough act to follow – but in keeping with his tradition of publicly sharing staff memos – when appropriate – on our blog, here’s the note I sent to Nerdery staff last Friday.

Like many of you, I’ve been re-reading emails from Luke. I’ve spent a good amount of time doing this. This is time I won’t get back and wouldn’t if I could. After going over contingency plans and meeting with our executive team, we’ve decided that I will have the tall order of taking over as Nerdery CEO.”

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By Bob Geiger, Finance and Commerce

“Amid all the depressing jobs and employment reports issued lately, it’s good to find that one interactive firm has actually increased its staff size this year by 50 percent.

That rapid expansion, from 100 in January to an expected 150 positions with expected hires by Oct. 25, involves interactive marketing and software development firm The Nerdery.“

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By Julio Ojeda-Zapata, St. Paul Pioneer Press

“Visitors to Izzy’s Ice Cream Cafe in St. Paul will notice something new this summer — and it’s not the parlor’s latest creamy concoctions.

Colored dots projected onto a wall will show customers at a glance which flavors are available. When a dot winks out of existence, the flavor has run out. But new dots materialize as the corresponding ice cream tubs are dropped into place.”

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via The Nerdery,

“From 9 a.m. Saturday until 9 a.m. Sunday, 159 volunteer web developers will donate more than 3,800 hours of professional services to 16 Minnesota nonprofit organizations selected for The Nerdery Overnight Website Challenge.

“For the third year in a row we openly challenged the entire Twin Cities web development community to force us into choosing only the 12 most qualified teams; after careful consideration we chose 16,” said Luke Bucklin, president of Nerdery Interactive Labs, a division of Twin Cities-based Sierra Bravo. “We at The Nerdery have never been more proud to be part of this awesome interactive community.”

These 16 web development teams will spend most of this weekend creating free websites for these nonprofits.”

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via The Nerdery

“What: Prior to the March 20-21 Nerdery Overnight Website Challenge, representatives from the 16 selected nonprofits and teams of volunteer web developers will gather Thursday, Feb 25 to prep for their 24-hour experience. http://www.overnightwebsitechallenge.com/

When: Thursday, Feb. 25, 6-9 p.m.: 6-7 – Group Q&A and brief advisory remarks from volunteers and nonprofits with previous Challenge experience; 7-8:20 – Speed-dating; needy meets nerdy as volunteers make the rounds to visit reps from each nonprofit for five minutes; 8:20-9 – Social time

Who: http://www.overnightwebsitechallenge.com/nonprofits
http://www.overnightwebsitechallenge.com/teams

Where: Benchmark Learning (event sponsors) 510 West 77^th St. in Edina, MN”

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by The Nerdery

“Nerdery Interactive Labs (The Nerdery) today announced 16 nonprofit organizations selected for The Nerdery Overnight Website Challenge, the web development firm’s volunteer-driven 24-hour event.

With heavy interest from volunteers, The Nerdery invited 16 web development teams – rather than 12 as planned – to spend the weekend of March 20-21 creating free websites for these nonprofits:”

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