May 26, 2016 | Community
Maui Economic Development Board (MEDB) presented this year’s 2016 Startup Weekend Maui on May 13-15. The event offered entrepreneurs an opportunity to learn in 54 hours how to launch a company. “Startup Weekend Maui is about learning by doing,” says Frank De Rego, Jr., Director of Business Development Projects at MEDB. “It provided a platform to acquire the skills and best practices necessary to build a solid business foundation.”
“Life-changing, motivating, and awesome,” was just some of the feedback received from participants at Startup Weekend Maui. The event started on Friday with 60-second open-mic pitches. Then teams were formed around the top-voted startup ideas. They worked through the weekend with the help of mentors and coaches to build viable prototypes and business models that were presented to a panel of judges on Sunday night.
The 2016 Startup Weekend Maui winner, “The Original FaceGuard”, is an idea to destigmatize the traditional medical mask by creating a positive, preventative public health intervention through trendy face apparel. Team members Danielle Travis, Molly Palmer, Lorayne Lipps, Austin Kozaki, and Julie Lewis, won a business assistance prize package valued at more than $3,000. “It’s not just a product,” said team member Travis. “We want to change people’s perceptions of the typical facemask that most think is so scary. Our facemask has a creative aspect, a health aspect, and positivity, making people laugh.”
The team of Zoe Whitney and Dawn Naiwi-Valentino captured second place for their natural anti-mosquito perfume and cologne. “During the weekend I got a better feel for my target market and was able test the product on both locals and visitors of different ages,” said Whitney. “Working together with my Startup Weekend teammate, we worked hard to gather public feedback and even came up with ideas to modify the product’s ingredients. This overall experience helped me realize that this product could work.”
“MEDB, the coaches, mentors, judges, and all of our event sponsors, helped make this event possible because we believe in investing in our local community and our people’s skills,” said De Rego. “It all added up to one incredible weekend where everyone gained valuable experience.”
Startup Weekend Maui fits perfectly with what we’re trying to do, along with MEDB, at the County of Maui. We’re focused on building an entire entrepreneur eco-system to help our local entrepreneurs gain the needed edge and skills to succeed.
Teena Rasmussen, Director County of Maui Mayor’s Office of Economic Development
May 20, 2016 | Education, Stemworks
Maui Economic Development Board’s Women in Technology (WIT) Project, in partnership with the County of Maui, presented the 7th Annual Hawaii STEM Conference at the Wailea Marriott Resort on May 6-7. This year, over 880 students, teachers, and industry professionals, offering some of the most innovative global technologies, attended. “Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education has the power to impact all of us,” said Isla Young, MEDB’s K-12 STEM Program Director. “Through the years, we’ve seen first-hand how empowering our youth with STEM skills and opportunities can make a difference in their lives and in the career pathways they choose to pursue.” The two-day, “download knowledge, upload service” themed event featured 43 student breakout sessions, 16 teacher professional development breakout sessions, 15 STEM competitions, a formal awards banquet, and STEM exhibit presentations.
Kicking off the event on Friday, a timed, high-energy mixer, the 5×5 Sessions, gave students the opportunity to engage five different STEM industry professionals in a ‘speed networking’ format to learn about STEM career pathways, personal experiences and insights. “MEDB’s leading effort to inspire these young minds during the annual STEM Conference, in addition to their STEMworks AFTERschool Programs, is simply amazing and greatly appreciated,” said 5×5 industry participant Kimberly Vaitu’ulala, an engineer with Maui Electric Company. “Each year Maui Electric welcomes students from WIT programs. We offer a hands-on science project that thrills participants when they finally get their circuits working!”
During the Conference, Hawaii State Governor David Ige announced that two new Microsoft “Digi Camps” will bring the latest in advanced code training to students in Maui County next year. The County and MEDB’s WIT Project are working closely with Microsoft to develop the Digi Camp agenda and promotion to local schools. “Forming an official Digital Alliance with Microsoft is a significant step toward building Maui County’s future workforce,” said Maui County Mayor Alan Arakawa.”Given the latest challenges to our island’s economy, these kinds of educational opportunities can have a lasting impact.”
Every day, our lives are becoming more dependent on technology, which is why in this day and age, STEM education in the K-12 classroom is so important. The 5×5 Session is our chance to inspire the youth of Hawaii, by giving them face-to-face contact with people in STEM careers and hands-on experience with today’s technology.
Kimberly Vaitu’ulala, Maui Electric Company Engineer
May 12, 2016 | Education, Stemworks
Dr. Stacie Williams
Dr. Stacie Williams, a leading scientist and STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) outreach educator in the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) Directed Energy group on Maui, has accepted a position with the Air Force Office of Scientific Research near Washington DC. During her seven years here, Williams has skillfully juggled a myriad of professional responsibilities in a challenging environment. She led several technical efforts in the areas of imagery, spectroscopy and lasers and has been the manager for AFRL’s daylight and geosynchronous earth orbit imaging programs. As the AFRL group’s STEM outreach director, Williams’ leadership was instrumental in developing a program that annually reaches more than 1,000 kindergarten through 12th grade students and teachers, and influences all 34 Maui County public schools. The program includes teacher development workshops, a STEM curriculum lending library, and opportunities for summer students. “It’s important to show our youth that science can be engaging and that they don’t have to leave Maui to work in high-technology jobs,” said Williams.
“Since 2009, Williams has been a leading advocate in securing Air Force funds to supplement Maui Economic Development Board’s (MEDB) Women in Technology project STEM outreach programs,” said Mapu Quitazol, MEDB project manager. “She has also provided insights on high quality laboratory sets that are available for teachers to borrow from our STEM lending library. We will greatly miss her and her leadership in STEM outreach!”
Williams is featured in the film Maui in Space produced by MEDB with support from the County of Maui. Along with other AFRL officials and with researchers from the University of Hawaii’s Institute for Astronomy, the film introduces the importance of astronomy on Maui. “The video, an extraordinary educational tool, shows how our basic everyday needs require space-related functions and Maui’s important contributions to it,” said Williams. “Our goal, along with MEDB, is to continue to educate teachers and inspire students to explore the STEM fields for Hawaii’s future.”
“Working for the Air Force as a scientist is an honor,” Williams added. “I believe the AFRL and MEDB STEM programs will have a far-reaching impact on the future of our youth. I will miss Maui!”
By developing STEM programs for our youth, AFRL and MEDB are working together toward engaging Maui students at an early stage to use technology for improving Hawaii’s future.
Dr. Stacie Williams, AFRL Scientist and Outreach Education Director
May 5, 2016 | Education
The Ke Alahele Education Fund of Maui Economic Development Board (MEDB) supported Baldwin High School’s Robotics Team to compete at this year’s FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) Robotics competition, an international high school robotics contest. Baldwin Robotics was established to encourage students in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) subjects. The program provides hands-on educational experiences and life-long skills in problem solving, teamwork and leadership. “Our students learn to use equipment, tools and machines to build mechanical, electrical, and software systems,” said Gary Suter, career and technical education teacher at Baldwin High School and head advisor for Baldwin Robotics. “They also learn to use real-world STEM applications by researching, collaborating, designing, building, testing and evaluating robots for FIRST Robotics Competitions and VEX Tournaments.”
On April 1-2, Baldwin Robotics participated in the 2016 FIRST Hawaii Regional Competition in Honolulu, alongside 38 teams from around the world. During the competition, Baldwin Robotics, seeded third, formed an alliance with teams from Iolani High School and Kapolei High School. These three teams rallied together to take the crown, and will be participating in the 2016 FIRST World Championship in St. Louis, Missouri, April 27-30. “All parts of the team were really firing on all cylinders,” said Baldwin senior Dylan Copley. “We wouldn’t have been able to win without the hard work and dedication of the drivers, builders and scouts.”
This is Baldwin Robotics’ ninth year in FIRST Robotics and their third win in the past five years. “As a senior, it’s been great to see the team grow and achieve what we have this past season,” said scout Iris Lei Sanchez. “I thought it was cool to see our sketches come to life,” said senior and builder Sabrina Nassar. “Everyone contributed to the robot in their own way.” Mentor Suter said, “In my eight years of coaching robotics, I’ve never come across a better team that exhibited more passion and teamwork. I feel honored to have been able to work with these students. They are a testimony to their STEM educational programs made available through MEDB and community sponsorship.”
We wouldn’t have been able to achieve such a high level of excellence without the support of MEDB and all of our sponsors. I couldn’t have asked for a better team.
Evan Grimes, Baldwin High School Robotics Team captain, builder and driver
Apr 28, 2016 | Education, Stemworks
In recognition of the 7th Annual Hawaii STEM Conference, the Maui County Council has declared the week of May 2 as Hawaii STEM Education Week. The Maui Economic Development Board’s (MEDB) Women in Technology (WIT) Project is sponsoring the conference on May 6 and 7 in partnership with the County of Maui. STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) subjects empower students and educators with first-hand exposure to advanced technologies and the latest software training. Since the WIT program began in 2000 as a Maui pilot, it has grown to include every island, involving over 40,000 students and teachers annually. “STEM education has the power to improve all of our lives,” said Isla Young, K-12 STEM Director. “Our hope is that by equipping our youth with the right skills, tools, and opportunities we can inspire our next generation of innovators, ensuring a bright future for our community, and our world.”
Each year, the event also attracts prominent national partners and sponsors from top technology companies like Microsoft, Google, National Geographic, Apple for Education, Office of Naval Research, SketchUp, Opterra Energy Services and Environmental Systems Research Institute. This year the conference welcomes for the first time the National Security Agency, the National Science Foundation, and Cyber Watch West. The 2016 conference theme, “Download Knowledge – Upload Service,” encourages students to do innovative thinking and to demonstrate solutions to complex problems. The two-day event will feature 43 student sessions, 17 teacher sessions (designed to motivate and increase STEM learning in the classroom), 14 software competitions, a formal awards banquet, and STEM exhibit presentations. A number of student-centered competitions before and during the conference will also be held ranging from Computer Aided Design, game design, video, Geographical Information System, and Cybersecurtiy competitions. The event will also feature keynote speakers Teresa Nededog, a web developer for Enhance Digital, and Scot Refsland, Ph.D., founder and CEO of RotorSports.
“The STEM Conference gives students a true hands-on experience with new technology and insight into viable career options,” said Jennifer Suzuki, Maui Waena Intermediate School STEMworks™ teacher and advisor. “It is amazing what MEDB’s WIT team puts together here
in the middle of the Pacific Ocean for our students and teachers.”
MEDB’s WIT project has gone to great lengths to develop and launch STEMworks™ and the STEM conference. I’m very proud of them and all the students who are taking advantage of the opportunities to make all our lives better.
Bob Carroll, Maui County Council member
Apr 21, 2016 | Community
The Maui Cookie Lady, Mitzi Toro, has been in business for three extraordinary years. The first year started with baking cookies as a fundraiser for the ICU nurses who cared for her father before he passed away. The second year, making them became a favorite hobby. It wasn’t until this past year that Toro took it seriously as a business. “I had to learn about all the stuff that is not so fun, like budgets, profit margins, packaging, food compliance, business math, taxes and licensing, just to name a few,” she explained. “Once I decided to give it a full-time try, I needed help. My receipts were in a shoe box and I really was not sure what the business was costing. One day I met with the Maui Economic Development Board office, spoke with the Business Development team there, and the rest is sweet history!”
Funded by the County, MEDB offers advice and mentoring for businesses at all levels. Through this mentoring, Toro was able to gain deeper understanding of what the true costs to produce her cookies were and how these affected the price of her product. Far too often, companies don’t understand all of the costs that go into manufacturing a product. By the time they realize their mistakes, it can be too late. MEDB was able to provide tools and instruction that made understanding the relationships between cost and price simple. This kind of analysis can help project future profitability.
Toro also enrolled in MEO’s CORE-4 course which, she said, was “instrumental for me and the company’s survival. By the end of the class I had a 30-page business plan, faith in myself, and the tools to make the business both viable and feasible.” The Maui Cookie Company, chosen as one of 12 start-up businesses having the most potential, was accepted into the Maui Food Innovation Center’s Accelerator Program. “I am so grateful for three months of incredible mentoring and support from successful CEOs and representatives here on Maui. I was honored to win the top three awards and I will compete on Oahu in the near future,” said Toro.
The Maui Cookie Company is expanding, with products now being sold at select stores, hotels and restaurants. Toro currently ships nationwide and internationally. “I love crafting cookies with distinct flavors, using high quality, locally sourced ingredients,” she said. The demand for her cookies, cakes and other items, including the new Cookie Butters from Hawaii, continues to grow rapidly. A single bite shows why! For more information, visit themauicookielady.com.
The support and love from the community for our little island bakery still makes me tear up when I think about it. I feel like I am the little guy who is living the Cookie-preneur dream. The future is bright and full of sweet aroma.
Mitzi Toro, The Maui Cookie Lady
Apr 7, 2016 | Education
Maui Economic Development Board’s (MEDB) Ke Alahele Education Fund stresses the importance of students having the ability to use a variety of technologies effectively to be career-ready. Recognizing the critical nature of this preparation, MEDB has worked vigorously throughout its history to enhance education and training in the community. The Ke Alahele Education Fund recently sent teachers from Haiku Elementary School and King Kekaulike High School to attend the 2016 Google Education Summit at the University of Hawaii Manoa; MEDB’s Women In Technology project also provided funding. The Google Apps for Education workshop (GAFE) presented a core group of productivity applications that Google offers to schools and educational institutions. The function of these applications is to strengthen skills and unlock access to dozens of other collaborative tools supported by Google such as Docs, Drive, Calendar, and others. Google’s educational apps allow students to work from any device on documents and projects and can be easily accessed with an internet connection.
“The two day summit provided a wealth of information,” said Barbara Yoshida Potts, technology coordinator at Haiku Elementary School. “We learned that with GAFE, a teacher is provided with a toolbelt of innovative technologies to inspire students in this ever-changing world. We are excited to use the concepts learned at the summit to further develop and improve our science, technology, engineering and mathematics program here at Haiku Elementary.”
“Inspired by the workshop’s opening keynote by Jamie Casap, Chief Education Evangelist at Google, teachers were encouraged to rethink the traditional educational model,” said Emily Haines-Swatek, career and technical education coordinator and MEDB’s STEMworks™ teacher at King Kekaulike High School. “GAFE helps teachers to make important shifts in their instructional practices to increase student engagement and achievement. Teaching students the ability to communicate effectively, appropriately and professionally, through technology, gives them a necessary skill in whatever field they choose,” she explained. “Kekaulike teachers went on to spend the two-day workshop learning about Google productivity tools, ways to bring cultural experiences to the classroom and even how to become trainers themselves.”
The GAFE workshop was an awesome experience! It provided innovative ways to integrate technology to create a more interactive and hands-on educational experience, which were presented by a highly motivated and knowledgeable team of instructors.
John DiMartino, Teacher, King Kekaulike High School
Mar 31, 2016 | Education, Environment, Sustainability
The 2016 Maui Energy Conference, presented by the Mayor’s Office of Economic Development and the Maui Economic Development Board (MEDB), focused on the Hawaii Clean Energy Initiative’s 100% Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS), its implications for Hawaii’s energy future and the customer. The two-day conference, held at the Maui Arts and Cultural Center on March 16-17, was attended by over 300 participants, including nationally and internationally recognized experts in the field. “The event provided a platform where difficult and often contentious discussions can occur in an atmosphere of mutual respect and in-depth dialogue,” stated Frank De Rego Jr., Director of Business Development Projects at MEDB. “The issues around Hawaii’s 100% renewable energy portfolio standard are not only technologically complex, but have social, economic and cultural impacts as well.”
“Consider MECO’s pilot program to pay for ‘behind the meter’ energy storage on Molokai,” said Conference Program Committee Chair Doug McLeod. “Such a proposal would have been inconceivable in the first year of the Maui Energy Conference. The conference and its rebroadcast to the larger community via Akaku has raised the education level in our community so that MECO’s customers are presently asking for services like these home batteries.” Battery systems store the energy when nature makes it available and allows us to use that energy when we need it. “Storing solar energy is a key to enabling Hawaii to meet their 100% renewable energy goals,” said Boris von Bormann, CEO of sonnenUSA. Bormann went on to say that he envisioned a world where clean and affordable energy is available to all by networking systems of rooftop solar coupled with battery storage – an option that is already occurring in Germany.
“The customer is an integral part of a 100% renewable energy future,” said Shelee Kimura, Hawaiian Electric’s VP of Corporate Planning and Business Development, as the conference discussion turned to the potential impacts for the community of achieving a 100% RPS. For example, can everyone afford the cost of renewable energy? How do we balance the benefits of renewable energy for those households and businesses who cannot afford rooftop solar systems? The conference attracted a broad audience: 21 percent of participants traveled from the mainland or internationally to attend, with 37 percent from Maui and 42 percent from Oahu and other neighbor islands.
The Maui Energy Conference explored the challenges and opportunities in achieving 100% of our electrity generation through renewable energy sources.
Frank De Rego Jr., Director of Business Development Projects, MEDB
Mar 25, 2016 | Community
Still shrouded in mystery, autism is one of the fastest growing disabilities in the United States. Recent statistics from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention found that 1 in 68 children have an autism spectrum disorder. The term “spectrum” refers to the wide range of symptoms, skills and levels of impairment or disability that children can have. The misunderstandings, false assumptions and myths surrounding autism can be overwhelming for families who must navigate its complicated world. “Many parents do not know where to turn,” said Howard Greenberg, founder of the Maui Autism Center in Kihei and father of a son with autism. Greenberg explained that many children can be helped to improve their situation and many, who have gone through years of therapy, have lost their diagnosis and gone on to graduate from college. “I have personally seen children who could not talk when they came to the Autism Center two years ago, who are speaking in full sentences today,” he said. “We teach children here in a different way because our kids learn differently. We emphasize the importance of working with the disorder, not against it.”
Autism is a serious developmental disorder that impairs the ability to communicate and interact. Characteristics include restricted, repetitive patterns of behavior, persistent deficits in social communication and interaction, and impairment in important areas of daily functioning. “Each child should be provided with individualized treatment programs,” said Dr. Catherine Heard, Clinical Director at the Center for Autism and Related Disorders, Inc., an organization with global outreach. Through quarterly visits to the island, Dr. Heard provides behavioral service consultations for the Maui Autism Center, offering the latest scientifically proven applied behavior analysis to patients and their families. “We excel at creating a safe nurturing environment where children can work on their core deficits and build confidence in their social behaviors,” said Denise Greenberg, executive director of the Maui Autism Center.
“We offer a trained staff, top-notch autism experts, individualized curriculum, speech and language pathology, occupational therapy, counseling behavioral support and parent training with quarterly parent-staff workshops. At the Maui Autism Center many lives have been changed for the better as little gains become big accomplishments.” For more information or free consultation email: autismmanagement@gmail.com or call (808) 879-4111.
This year at the Maui Autism Center the children have planted a community garden and the produce grown is then donated to help feed the homeless. This is a heartfelt service to the whole community as one group helps another right here in Kihei.
Howard and Denise Greenberg, The Maui Autism Center
Mar 18, 2016 | Small Business
The recent Maui Economic Development Board (MEDB) workshop, “Getting Started For Startups: The Basics of Sound Human Resources Management,” brought home once again the importance of building a strong foundation for business success. More than 20 entrepreneurs, small business owners, and business development professionals attended the HR workshop at MEDB’s Malcolm Center in Kihei which focused on a business’s most important asset – their employees.
“Our Business Development team appreciates the overwhelmingly positive response to the seminar,” said Frank De Rego Jr., Director of Business Development Projects at MEDB. “MEDB works diligently to provide startup, emerging-growth, and established businesses with the tools they need to be successful. The panel for this seminar represented some of the best state and local professionals in the human resources management field.”
“It was great being exposed to companies here on Maui that I can hire to perform many of my HR-related functions and reporting requirements,” said participant and new business owner Pamela Norris. “I attended this class to learn the new requirements that are unique to operating a 2016 business in Hawaii. This was very helpful and my questions about HR compliance were all answered.”
The expert panel members shared on aspects of Hawaii State law that included basic payroll regulations, tax liabilities, withholdings, and FICA-FUTA-SUTA taxes. Health care discussions focused on the Affordable Care Act, including an explanation of group versus individual health care plans plus the ins and outs of Prepaid Health options. The HR training covered recruiting, hiring and terminating an employee, plus the effects of Workers Compensation. A professional in the field of law, specializing in representing employers, explained the best practices to avoid lawsuits. Finally, wage and hour issues such as minimum wage and overtime, insurance requirements, and how new labor law legislation will impact business, rounded out the workshop.
“The breakout sessions following the seminar afforded the opportunity to learn more about the businesses represented by the other attendees,” said Norris. “A great deal of networking and valuable sharing of information took place in those sessions. Once again, MEDB sponsored a training session that meets the needs of the small business community here on Maui.”
In general, compliance with HR laws is not understood by employers. The MEDB workshop gave participants insights to increase their profitability and decrease their liability in the workplace.
David Yarbrough, Panel Member
