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=Project Concept=
==HeatSync Labs==
 
[[image:Blood_sweat_tears.jpg | thumb]]
==Scope==
We are HeatSync Labs, a non-profit community center for the modern age. 

Our mission is to expand access to modern, functional, industrial tools to the community at large, including artists, engineers, and students. From YouTube™ videos to music to small electronics, the Internet has created an entire generation of users who choose to break free from the traditional broadcast-consume model and instead aspire to create and share. Concurrent with this rise in interest, traditional institutions are becoming less able to provide the resources to meet the creative demand. While the cost of digital production has fallen to nearly zero, access to professional quality tools has not followed as quickly. Heavy industrial and electrical equipment, as well as professional computer software packages, can be so costly as to be out of reach for the student, entrepreneur, or garage tinkerer. In addition to these resources, it is also important to us that we provide a physical communal space, the value of which can be found as much in the access to tools as in educating and making connections among members.
 
'''Describe the general nature and scope of the project and what products and/or services will be offered.'''
 
We propose a non profit community center for the modern age.  Accompanied by the internet as a distributor of knowledge, the explosion of entrepreneurism, and the reduction of cost, Maker culture has taken off. We want to expand access to modern, functional, industrial tools to populations including artists, engineers, students and the community at large.  The value of the space will be as much in the tools as in the connections to be made between members.
 


==Current Market Need==
==Current Market Need==
The Phoenix area is full of technology companies whose numerous engineers need an independent, creative avenue. Startup costs can be incredibly high in order to gain access to the tools to prototype a design, and there are legal issues to using company resources. There is room here to aid these entrepreneurs in bringing their products to market.
Our public schools and university students are in need of quality professional tools. Institutions are cutting costs by removing arts and industrial programs, while at the same time raising tuition prices and enrollment and laboratory fees.
Even historically non-technically savvy types are taking interest in this maker culture. The popularity of the TLC Network, scheduled predominantly with Do-It-Yourself (DIY) programming, and CRAFT magazine, a project-based publication devoted entirely to DIY crafts, attests to this burgeoning enthusiasm.The Lilypad platform, which combines inexpensive microcontrollers and fabrics into 'smart textiles,' is one example of a new blending of technologies producing, for example, a jacket for cyclists with lighted turn signals sewn in. This softening of the electrical engineering field is attracting demographics previously thought to be unreachable. A perfect place to experience this culture is at the local First Friday, a monthly multicultural venue for artists of all kinds.


'''Explain the need in the market the project addresses, how the project will go about addressing this need.'''
HeatSync Labs will provide the outlet for these disparate disciplines. Over the last three months, HeatSync has been hosting biweekly meetings to discuss the creation of the space and the development of our website, wiki and ToolShare, our social tool sharing site. ToolShare enables users to list the tools they're willing to share, and search for a tool they would like to borrow. This early work has gained us some recognition on the national scale with writeups in the maker press space including MAKE magazine's blog coverage of us in their August 12, 2009, post, and our group recently being approached to help the artist D.A. Therrien with his Beautiful Light project shown in both Scottsdale, Arizona, and internationally in Toronto, Canada.
 
Make magazine has seen major growth in a dying publishing market and DIY programming has consistently been popular on TV.  For the last several decades American culture swung towards a broadcast society.  Since the inception of the internet that is changing.  People are more and more interested in creating and sharing something with the world, weather that be a youtube video, art, or a prototype. 
 
The phoenix area is full of tech companies and therefore engineers.  Startup costs can be incredibly high in order to gain access to the tools to prototype your design.  There is room here to aid these entrepreneurs in bringing their products to market.
 
Technical students are more and more becoming disenfranchised with the opportunities available to them in academia.  There was a day many years ago where the only place you could find a 'computer' was in academia, but that time has passed.  Budgets are shrinking which means less investment in anything other than relatively cheap commercial off the shelf technology!   And even this technology is increasingly outdated and barely functional.  Secondarily, Colleges also appear to own stock in bureaucracy so that no cross pollination is allowed to happen.  Students are chased out of labs the second their work is done and not allowed access outside of their specified class hour.
 
Even historically non technical savvy types are taking interest in this maker culture.  This is evidenced at least by networks like TLC which are full of DIY programming.  Lilypad is an interesting cheap convergence of microcontrollers and fabrics into 'smart textiles'  This softening of the electrical engineering field is bringing in demographics previously unreachable.  A perfect place to see this culture in action is at the local First Friday.


==Steps for a Successful Launch==
==Steps for a Successful Launch==
The non-profit articles of incorporation have recently been approved and a board of directors is currently being elected. The next step for us is to gain Federal Tax exemption. Once these legal hurdles are cleared, we will be able to accept industry donations, collect member dues, and locate a permanent space for our users to congregate and collaborate. Even with the assistance of a local real estate agent, we realize the enormity of this undertaking.  As a result, we are looking to continue community relationships such as our current agreement with the Mesa Fraternity of Police to use their facilities for our meetings. A necessity for a venture of this nature is liability insurance.  Early research shows the rates to be surprisingly reasonable at $2000-$4000 annually for $2 million in coverage.
Monthly dues are going to be crucial, which means marketing for growth will be of utmost importance. This is where we believe high profile tools will make the difference. A popular technology that has captivated the attention of industry professionals and hobbyists alike is the 3D printer, which enables you to print a computer file representation of a 3D object. It can be used to rapidly prototype new inventions, replicate broken or unavailable parts, and create sculpture or scale models. Currently, low-end commercial 3D fabricator machines cost upwards of $20,000. There exists one alternative, however, whose ethos fits nicely in with HeatSync's. The RepRap (REPlicating RAPid prototyper), invented by Dr. Adrian Bowyer at the University of Bath in the United Kingdom, is a free-to-download blueprint to create your own 3D printer/prototyper for less than $1000 in commodity parts. The Rep Rap is perhaps best explained in the project's own words:


'''Describe the steps needed to successfully launch the project.'''
"Today, virtually everyone in the developed world runs their own printing works, their own photographic laboratory, and their own CD-pressing plant. Moving from two-dimensions to three, why shouldn't they also make their own MP3-players, their own coat hooks, and their own car wing mirrors? … And why shouldn't they use the machine that does the making to make new improved versions of itself?"
Providing such rare and professional-level tools will not only be an amazing resource to our users, but will also prove to be a powerful marketing tool supporting future growth.


*nonprofit-in progress
==Marketing Strategy==
*insurance
This community-driven model has been successfully implemented around the country and the world under the mantle 'hackerspace,' a list of which can be found at http://www.hackerspaces.org. Generally, the model calls for a group of people to pay monthly dues between $50 and $75. This, in turn, gives them access to the community tools, a place to work and opportunities to network with other users of similar, and most importantly, unrelated disciplines. Techshop (http://techshop.ws/), a California venture targeted mainly at startups, has created a similar, but commercial, space with a $125 monthly charge. Techshop has expanded slowly into Oregon and North Carolina, but has yet to reach Phoenix. Gangplank is a workspace in Chandler, Arizona, with four resident companies and free co-workspace for private individuals. Their main focus is on software development collaboration, and as such they currently do not provide any resources or tools beyond the space itself. Many of our group are Gangplank regulars.
*a space
The hackerspace model is by its nature entirely dependent on locality. These groups, where successful, tap into the community to prosper. There are no other spaces, for profit or otherwise, like this in Arizona, and as such there is no direct competitor to our model. Fortunately, Phoenix is a growing growing municipality, the fifth largest city in the U.S., with a dominating presence in innovation and engineering fueled by surrounding industries such as ASU, Intel, FreeScale and other local manufacturers, which means there is no better place to locate.
*donations
*tools
*marketing


[what is a 3d printer, why is it important?]
[[image:Reprap_mendel.jpg | thumb]]


===Rep Rap(Replicating Rapid-Prototyper)===


Currently low end commercial 3d fabricators cost upwards of $20,000.   The Rep Rap(Replicating Rapid-Prototyper) is a free to download blueprint to create your own 3d printer/prototyper for less than $1000 in commodity parts. The Rep Rap is perhaps best explained in their own words:
The major barrier to market entry is cyclical in nature. Without tools and a space, potential donors may be hesitant to give, and members may be unwilling to pay monthly dues. Without this startup capital, however, it will be very difficult to acquire a space and fill it with tools. Our strategy, then, must address this issue, and the RepRap is the solution to the problem. This first tool, providing tens of thousands of dollars of functionality at a fraction of that cost, initiates our outreach plans. The RepRap is a high profile device which immediately conveys value and prestige upon our space. Since a primary goal of the RepRap project is a machine that can build itself, it is important for prospective and current owners to be able to locate the nearest RepRap. To this end, the RepRap team maintains a list of its machines around the globe. As of this writing our RepRap will be the only one in Arizona. This will allow us the incredible opportunity of being the mother of all future RepRaps in this state. It is not unheard of for users to travel hundreds of miles just to see the nearest RepRap and for others to seek them out to begin printing parts to start building their own.
We also intend to reach out to colleges, high schools, and other art communities in order to educate by conducting talks and workshops. By taking the RepRap out to schools, First Fridays, and other events, we will be able to gain real mindshare. It can be difficult to describe what exactly HeatSync is, and the RepRap in some ways directly displays what we do in a very real, visual, and tactile manner. It is the promise of the future!


*"Today, virtually everyone in the developed world runs their own printing works, their own photographic laboratory, and their own CD-pressing plant. Moving from two-dimensions to three, why shouldn't they also make their own MP3-players, their own coat hooks, and their own car wing mirrors?"
==Economic/Social/Cultural Impact==
*"And why shouldn't they use the machine that does the making to make new improved versions of itself?"
Our goal is community outreach, not just to offer service, but to survive and flourish! As previously described, we believe the only way to maintain and indeed grow the non-profit will be through helping the community achieve. We intend to be a driving force in creating interest, especially in younger students, in the fields of engineering, science, and the arts. We also want to pick up where school leaves off – providing access to industry-leading tools in combination with an open, engaged community of peers. Finally, we want to encourage a return to “The Commons,” where we create and share for and with our neighbors, enriching all of our lives. An important component of this is getting away from our “throw-away” culture—to encourage modifying existing products and repairing broken items instead of buying new. We aim to instill the mindset of learning by both dissecting existing technology and collaboratively constructing the products of our imaginations.


Here's a great single page write-up about the device:<br>
http://www.reprap.org/pub/Main/WebHome/one-page.pdf


[[File:Escher_Drawing_Hands.gif|400px]]
==Project Team==
We are a team of artists, engineers, and makers with a passion for community service.  We have long existed disparate on the web, developing and sharing.  Now we want to bring that culture back home again. Amongst our group you'll find, for example, professional engineers, seamstresses, musicians, and students.


==Marketing Strategy==
[[File:andrea.jpg|thumb]]
'''*Andrea Young - Executive Director'''
:Andrea Young is a founding member of HeatSync Labs.  She holds a Bachelor of Science in Justice Studies with an emphasis on Law from Arizona State University. Young has a strong background in the financial industry, having worked for Bank of America for 5 years. She has previously worked with a non-profit organization, Southwest Youth of Unity, for which she still volunteers as an adult sponsor and mentor. Young is currently working on an additional Bachelor of Arts in English with an emphasis on Education. She is also an avid gamer, comic enthusiast, and is eager to learn more about electrical engineering.


'''Describe the market in which the project will operate and what barriers there are to market entry, if any. Include an overview of potential partners. Explain the project’s outreach plan.'''


This business plan has been successfully tried around the country and even the world under the title 'hackerspace, a list of which can be found at hackerspaces.org.  These groups are all unconnected with some of them private, some non profit, and possibly others for profit.  Generally, a collection of people pay monthly dues between $50 and $75 per month in order to join and use the complex's tools and network with its users.  It is free to list yourself on this list which brings about national recognition to the users of these spaces.


Techshop, http://techshop.ws/, does a commercial version by charging $125/month to mainly attract StartupsHis commercial version has yet to reach Phoenix however.
[[File:Jeremy_Leung.jpg|thumb]]
'''*Jeremy Leung - Director of Education'''
:A self-proclaimed jack of all trades stemming from his interest in any thing he can get his hands on, Jeremy Leung is a maker. Whether that involves music, art, inventions, code, written work, or a mixture of all of the above, you'll find him dabbling in it.  His current passion lies in teaching and the intricacies of communication -- how to properly convey ideas and concepts through the available meansThis has led him to a slight career change with his long-term employer, from Senior Systems Administrator to developing training programs.  


The major barrier to market entry is capital.  Tools and software are extremely expensive and the problem turns into that of the chicken and the egg.  Without tools, users are unwilling to pay monthly fees, and without fees there are no tools.  Donations will help this as all a company necessarily needs to see is your nonprofit tax deductible status.  The space will attempt to partner with any and all technical companies in order to bring in the capital and supplies necessary to bootstrap the business.


We intend to outreach to colleges and high schools and other tech communities in order to educate and gain community recognition.  It will also be important to do talks and workshops at the location.  This will bring in additional users to continue the subscription model and continue to build our name presence helping us gain new donors.


[[File:David_Huerta.jpg|thumb]]
'''*David Huerta - Director of Community Outreach'''
:David Huerta founded the DeVry Linux User Group (DeLUG) in 2003, originally a student organization, that drew members and activities from the greater West Valley Free Software community. David was also the Chair for the IEEE Computer Society Student Branch at DeVry in 2005, and was a proponent of the foundation of the IEEE EMB Society Student Branch. He currently serves as the Chair of the Phoenix IEEE GOLD Affinity Group and is a member of the IEEE Phoenix Section's Teacher In-Service Committee.  David has presented at national conferences including Schmoocon, ABLEconf, and Toorcamp.


Hopefully it is not obvious to the reader, but it can be difficult to describe what exactly Heatsync is.  The Rep Rap in some ways directly displays what we do in a very real, very visual, and very tactile manner.  It is a device which can make your dreams reality before your eyes.   


By taking the rep rap out to schools and to First Friday's and other events we will be able to gain real mindshare and marketing at the same time we gain a valuable prototyping tool.
[[File:Paul_Hickey.jpg|thumb]]
'''*Paul Hickey - Director of Finance'''
:Paul is currently a Systems Administrator for the Center for Teaching and Learning at Mesa Community College.  He works with faculty to develop curricula that incorporate new instructional technologies, tracks his department’s capital and operational expenditures in accordance with District guidelines, and monitors grant money spending to ensure accountability within the grants office. Paul’s other passions include high-end electronics such as Home Automation and Audio-Visual equipment.


Because a primary goal of the Rep Rap project is a machine that can build itself, it is important to be able to locate your nearest Rep Rap neighbor.  To this end the Rep Rap team maintain a list of rep raps around the globe  As of this writing our Rep Rap will be the only one in Arizona.  This would allow us the incredible opportunity of being the Mother of all future Rep Raps in this state.


==Project Team==


'''Summarize the entrepreneurial, academic and/or community-focused aspirations, experience, and/or training of the team members. Describe any relationships with advisors and mentors the team will utilize. Provide resumes or bios for each team member in the appendix, if available.'''
[[File:Jacob_Rosenthal.jpg|thumb]]
'''*Jacob Rosenthal - Director of Project Management'''
:Jacob’s background is in project management which he utilizes in his current position as Application Systems Analyst for Arizona State University and as an Undergraduate student with ASU’s Cognitive Center for Ubiquitous Computing (CUbiC).  His work with the CUbiC lab recently resulted in a paper accepted to the IEEE HAVE 2009 conference and this  fall he was asked to return to CUbiC to mentor two newly formed Capstone teams as they begin their two-semester projects. Jacob endeavors to surround himself with brilliant people and is an active member of the ASU Linux User’s Group, the ASU Software Developers Associations, and the IEEE.


We are a team of artists, engineers and makers with a passion for community service.  We have long existed disparate on the web, developing and sharing and we want to bring that culture back home again.  Amongst our group you'll find, for example, professional Engineers, seamstresses, musicians, and students.


==Professional Resources==
*Jason Turner - Real Estate Agent
:Commercial Real Estate
:(480) 621-3284
:www.cpiaz.com


===Need an ASU student for team lead, nominations or volunteers please!===
*Shelley Detwiller DiGiacomo - Lawyer
*'''David''' - former Devry LUG president (confirm?) and IEEE PHX Section's Teacher In-Service committee member (confirm?)
:Osborn Maledon
*'''Jacob''' - Computer Software Engineer, Computer Systems Engineer Undergraduate and IEEE member
:(602) 640-9358
*'''Paul''' - "work in education where we develop new instructional technologies for the classroom, we have written and been rewarded many grants"
:www.omlaw.com
 
Who else did we have with relevant experience??  Can anyone think of an appropriate advisor, community or ASU based?


==Budget==
==Budget==
 
[[File:2k_budget.jpg|800px]]
'''Provide a brief financial summary of the project, including a description of how Entrepreneur Advantage Project funds would be used and how other funding, if necessary, will be secured. The budget (revenues and costs) should include only those activities that can be completed during the award year.  If the nature of the project requires a longer timeframe, explain why. Include the following line items for revenues and costs:'''
 
We intend to use the initial $2000 to complete our nonprofit status, continue looking for a space to rent and insurance, and continue building the online community in preparation for the space.
 
*~750 for nonprofit exempt
*~? a whole bunch of extrusion goo
*~? rep rap parts, a starting point may be:
 
http://objects.reprap.org/wiki/Mendel_materials_procurement#Costing
 
{| border="1" cellpadding="10" cellspacing="0"
|-
|Cost type
|UK estimate
|Notes
|-
|Bar
|£11.19
|RS
|-
|Bearings
|£31.20
|RS
|-
|Belt
|£23.33
|RS
|-
|Extruder parts
|£15.00
|Estimate
|-
|Fasteners
|£74.21
|RS (expensive)
|-
|Motors
|£80.00
|Assumes 4x NEMA 17s
|-
|PCB/Electronics
|£110.00
|Zach\'s Gen3 electronics
|-
|Thin sheet
|£0.00
|Beer can
|-
|RP
|£20.00
|Assumes no commission
|-
|Thick sheet
|£20.00
|Estimate
|-
|Studding
|£11.65
|RS
|-
|Total
|£396.58
|Yay!
|}


==Economic/Social/Cultural Impact==
==Economic/Social/Cultural Impact==
Our goal is community outreach, not just to offer service, but to survive and flourish! As previously described, we believe the only way to maintain and indeed grow the non-profit will be through enabling the community to achieve. We intend to be a driving force in creating interest, especially in younger students, in the fields of engineering and science.  We also want to pick up where school leaves off – providing access to industry leading tools in combination with an open engaged community of peers. Finally, we want to encourage a return to “The Commons,” where we create and share for our neighbors, enriching all of our lives. An important component of this is getting away from our “throw-away” culture—to encourage modifying existing products and repairing broken items instead of buying new ones.  We aim to instill the mindset of learning by both dissecting existing technology and collaboratively constructing the products of our imaginations.


'''Describe the economic, social or cultural impact of the project, if successful, as well as the ability/expectation of the project to attract other funding, if applicable.'''
==Submitted PDF==
 
[[Media:2K_Grant_Proposal.pdf | 2K_Grant_Proposal.pdf]]
This project is entirely about enabling the community to achieve.  Part of our goal will be to constantly continue community outreach not just to offer service to the community, but to survive!  As previously described, we believe the only way to grow the nonprofit will be through community outreach.


==Attach Appendix (10 page maximum)==
==Result==
This application was a finalist but sadly not accepted.  Posting our feedback below:


Attach resume for team members and/or include other supporting materials, if needed.
Below please find the feedback and comments from the EAP judging panel.  The members of the panel hope that the feedback given to you will assist in the further development of your idea, and that you will reapply for funding in the spring semester.
Judging Feedback
*Interesting idea
*Market is somewhat unclear, more research/information needed in application
*Better description needed up front
*Budget needs to be more detailed (specific amounts, not percentages)
*Good team
*Strong written presentation

Latest revision as of 20:08, 30 March 2024

HeatSync Labs

File:Blood sweat tears.jpg

We are HeatSync Labs, a non-profit community center for the modern age. 

Our mission is to expand access to modern, functional, industrial tools to the community at large, including artists, engineers, and students. From YouTube™ videos to music to small electronics, the Internet has created an entire generation of users who choose to break free from the traditional broadcast-consume model and instead aspire to create and share. Concurrent with this rise in interest, traditional institutions are becoming less able to provide the resources to meet the creative demand. While the cost of digital production has fallen to nearly zero, access to professional quality tools has not followed as quickly. Heavy industrial and electrical equipment, as well as professional computer software packages, can be so costly as to be out of reach for the student, entrepreneur, or garage tinkerer. In addition to these resources, it is also important to us that we provide a physical communal space, the value of which can be found as much in the access to tools as in educating and making connections among members.

Current Market Need

The Phoenix area is full of technology companies whose numerous engineers need an independent, creative avenue. Startup costs can be incredibly high in order to gain access to the tools to prototype a design, and there are legal issues to using company resources. There is room here to aid these entrepreneurs in bringing their products to market. Our public schools and university students are in need of quality professional tools. Institutions are cutting costs by removing arts and industrial programs, while at the same time raising tuition prices and enrollment and laboratory fees. Even historically non-technically savvy types are taking interest in this maker culture. The popularity of the TLC Network, scheduled predominantly with Do-It-Yourself (DIY) programming, and CRAFT magazine, a project-based publication devoted entirely to DIY crafts, attests to this burgeoning enthusiasm.The Lilypad platform, which combines inexpensive microcontrollers and fabrics into 'smart textiles,' is one example of a new blending of technologies producing, for example, a jacket for cyclists with lighted turn signals sewn in. This softening of the electrical engineering field is attracting demographics previously thought to be unreachable. A perfect place to experience this culture is at the local First Friday, a monthly multicultural venue for artists of all kinds.

HeatSync Labs will provide the outlet for these disparate disciplines. Over the last three months, HeatSync has been hosting biweekly meetings to discuss the creation of the space and the development of our website, wiki and ToolShare, our social tool sharing site. ToolShare enables users to list the tools they're willing to share, and search for a tool they would like to borrow. This early work has gained us some recognition on the national scale with writeups in the maker press space including MAKE magazine's blog coverage of us in their August 12, 2009, post, and our group recently being approached to help the artist D.A. Therrien with his Beautiful Light project shown in both Scottsdale, Arizona, and internationally in Toronto, Canada.

Steps for a Successful Launch

The non-profit articles of incorporation have recently been approved and a board of directors is currently being elected. The next step for us is to gain Federal Tax exemption. Once these legal hurdles are cleared, we will be able to accept industry donations, collect member dues, and locate a permanent space for our users to congregate and collaborate. Even with the assistance of a local real estate agent, we realize the enormity of this undertaking. As a result, we are looking to continue community relationships such as our current agreement with the Mesa Fraternity of Police to use their facilities for our meetings. A necessity for a venture of this nature is liability insurance. Early research shows the rates to be surprisingly reasonable at $2000-$4000 annually for $2 million in coverage. Monthly dues are going to be crucial, which means marketing for growth will be of utmost importance. This is where we believe high profile tools will make the difference. A popular technology that has captivated the attention of industry professionals and hobbyists alike is the 3D printer, which enables you to print a computer file representation of a 3D object. It can be used to rapidly prototype new inventions, replicate broken or unavailable parts, and create sculpture or scale models. Currently, low-end commercial 3D fabricator machines cost upwards of $20,000. There exists one alternative, however, whose ethos fits nicely in with HeatSync's. The RepRap (REPlicating RAPid prototyper), invented by Dr. Adrian Bowyer at the University of Bath in the United Kingdom, is a free-to-download blueprint to create your own 3D printer/prototyper for less than $1000 in commodity parts. The Rep Rap is perhaps best explained in the project's own words:

"Today, virtually everyone in the developed world runs their own printing works, their own photographic laboratory, and their own CD-pressing plant. Moving from two-dimensions to three, why shouldn't they also make their own MP3-players, their own coat hooks, and their own car wing mirrors? … And why shouldn't they use the machine that does the making to make new improved versions of itself?" Providing such rare and professional-level tools will not only be an amazing resource to our users, but will also prove to be a powerful marketing tool supporting future growth.

Marketing Strategy

This community-driven model has been successfully implemented around the country and the world under the mantle 'hackerspace,' a list of which can be found at http://www.hackerspaces.org. Generally, the model calls for a group of people to pay monthly dues between $50 and $75. This, in turn, gives them access to the community tools, a place to work and opportunities to network with other users of similar, and most importantly, unrelated disciplines. Techshop (http://techshop.ws/), a California venture targeted mainly at startups, has created a similar, but commercial, space with a $125 monthly charge. Techshop has expanded slowly into Oregon and North Carolina, but has yet to reach Phoenix. Gangplank is a workspace in Chandler, Arizona, with four resident companies and free co-workspace for private individuals. Their main focus is on software development collaboration, and as such they currently do not provide any resources or tools beyond the space itself. Many of our group are Gangplank regulars. The hackerspace model is by its nature entirely dependent on locality. These groups, where successful, tap into the community to prosper. There are no other spaces, for profit or otherwise, like this in Arizona, and as such there is no direct competitor to our model. Fortunately, Phoenix is a growing growing municipality, the fifth largest city in the U.S., with a dominating presence in innovation and engineering fueled by surrounding industries such as ASU, Intel, FreeScale and other local manufacturers, which means there is no better place to locate.

File:Reprap mendel.jpg


The major barrier to market entry is cyclical in nature. Without tools and a space, potential donors may be hesitant to give, and members may be unwilling to pay monthly dues. Without this startup capital, however, it will be very difficult to acquire a space and fill it with tools. Our strategy, then, must address this issue, and the RepRap is the solution to the problem. This first tool, providing tens of thousands of dollars of functionality at a fraction of that cost, initiates our outreach plans. The RepRap is a high profile device which immediately conveys value and prestige upon our space. Since a primary goal of the RepRap project is a machine that can build itself, it is important for prospective and current owners to be able to locate the nearest RepRap. To this end, the RepRap team maintains a list of its machines around the globe. As of this writing our RepRap will be the only one in Arizona. This will allow us the incredible opportunity of being the mother of all future RepRaps in this state. It is not unheard of for users to travel hundreds of miles just to see the nearest RepRap and for others to seek them out to begin printing parts to start building their own. We also intend to reach out to colleges, high schools, and other art communities in order to educate by conducting talks and workshops. By taking the RepRap out to schools, First Fridays, and other events, we will be able to gain real mindshare. It can be difficult to describe what exactly HeatSync is, and the RepRap in some ways directly displays what we do in a very real, visual, and tactile manner. It is the promise of the future!

Economic/Social/Cultural Impact

Our goal is community outreach, not just to offer service, but to survive and flourish! As previously described, we believe the only way to maintain and indeed grow the non-profit will be through helping the community achieve. We intend to be a driving force in creating interest, especially in younger students, in the fields of engineering, science, and the arts. We also want to pick up where school leaves off – providing access to industry-leading tools in combination with an open, engaged community of peers. Finally, we want to encourage a return to “The Commons,” where we create and share for and with our neighbors, enriching all of our lives. An important component of this is getting away from our “throw-away” culture—to encourage modifying existing products and repairing broken items instead of buying new. We aim to instill the mindset of learning by both dissecting existing technology and collaboratively constructing the products of our imaginations.


Project Team

We are a team of artists, engineers, and makers with a passion for community service. We have long existed disparate on the web, developing and sharing. Now we want to bring that culture back home again. Amongst our group you'll find, for example, professional engineers, seamstresses, musicians, and students.

File:Andrea.jpg

*Andrea Young - Executive Director

Andrea Young is a founding member of HeatSync Labs. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Justice Studies with an emphasis on Law from Arizona State University. Young has a strong background in the financial industry, having worked for Bank of America for 5 years. She has previously worked with a non-profit organization, Southwest Youth of Unity, for which she still volunteers as an adult sponsor and mentor. Young is currently working on an additional Bachelor of Arts in English with an emphasis on Education. She is also an avid gamer, comic enthusiast, and is eager to learn more about electrical engineering.


File:Jeremy Leung.jpg

*Jeremy Leung - Director of Education

A self-proclaimed jack of all trades stemming from his interest in any thing he can get his hands on, Jeremy Leung is a maker. Whether that involves music, art, inventions, code, written work, or a mixture of all of the above, you'll find him dabbling in it. His current passion lies in teaching and the intricacies of communication -- how to properly convey ideas and concepts through the available means. This has led him to a slight career change with his long-term employer, from Senior Systems Administrator to developing training programs.


File:David Huerta.jpg

*David Huerta - Director of Community Outreach

David Huerta founded the DeVry Linux User Group (DeLUG) in 2003, originally a student organization, that drew members and activities from the greater West Valley Free Software community. David was also the Chair for the IEEE Computer Society Student Branch at DeVry in 2005, and was a proponent of the foundation of the IEEE EMB Society Student Branch. He currently serves as the Chair of the Phoenix IEEE GOLD Affinity Group and is a member of the IEEE Phoenix Section's Teacher In-Service Committee. David has presented at national conferences including Schmoocon, ABLEconf, and Toorcamp.


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*Paul Hickey - Director of Finance

Paul is currently a Systems Administrator for the Center for Teaching and Learning at Mesa Community College. He works with faculty to develop curricula that incorporate new instructional technologies, tracks his department’s capital and operational expenditures in accordance with District guidelines, and monitors grant money spending to ensure accountability within the grants office. Paul’s other passions include high-end electronics such as Home Automation and Audio-Visual equipment.


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*Jacob Rosenthal - Director of Project Management

Jacob’s background is in project management which he utilizes in his current position as Application Systems Analyst for Arizona State University and as an Undergraduate student with ASU’s Cognitive Center for Ubiquitous Computing (CUbiC). His work with the CUbiC lab recently resulted in a paper accepted to the IEEE HAVE 2009 conference and this fall he was asked to return to CUbiC to mentor two newly formed Capstone teams as they begin their two-semester projects. Jacob endeavors to surround himself with brilliant people and is an active member of the ASU Linux User’s Group, the ASU Software Developers Associations, and the IEEE.


Professional Resources

  • Jason Turner - Real Estate Agent
Commercial Real Estate
(480) 621-3284
www.cpiaz.com
  • Shelley Detwiller DiGiacomo - Lawyer
Osborn Maledon
(602) 640-9358
www.omlaw.com

Budget

File:2k budget.jpg

Economic/Social/Cultural Impact

Our goal is community outreach, not just to offer service, but to survive and flourish! As previously described, we believe the only way to maintain and indeed grow the non-profit will be through enabling the community to achieve. We intend to be a driving force in creating interest, especially in younger students, in the fields of engineering and science. We also want to pick up where school leaves off – providing access to industry leading tools in combination with an open engaged community of peers. Finally, we want to encourage a return to “The Commons,” where we create and share for our neighbors, enriching all of our lives. An important component of this is getting away from our “throw-away” culture—to encourage modifying existing products and repairing broken items instead of buying new ones. We aim to instill the mindset of learning by both dissecting existing technology and collaboratively constructing the products of our imaginations.

Submitted PDF

2K_Grant_Proposal.pdf

Result

This application was a finalist but sadly not accepted. Posting our feedback below:

Below please find the feedback and comments from the EAP judging panel. The members of the panel hope that the feedback given to you will assist in the further development of your idea, and that you will reapply for funding in the spring semester. Judging Feedback

  • Interesting idea
  • Market is somewhat unclear, more research/information needed in application
  • Better description needed up front
  • Budget needs to be more detailed (specific amounts, not percentages)
  • Good team
  • Strong written presentation