Preventing Cybercrime Workshop

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SST 2013

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Small Business Tech Grants Open

Innovate Washington the statewide public-private partnership that is the catalyst for economic growth in Washington’s innovation economy, has launched its Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) grant-writing program.

Innovate Washington connects innovators and researchers across the State with the entrepreneurial and financial capital needed to produce world-class companies and high-value jobs that will form the backbone of our region’s future economy.

Under the program Innovate Washington provides grant-writing support for qualified Washington-based small technology businesses interested in applying for SBIR/STTR Phase I federal R&D funding.  The program’s primary goals include enlisting first-time SBIR/STTR participants as well as those in rural and economically disadvantaged areas, minority and women-owned businesses and to increase their chances of submitting a successful proposal.

“This is an excellent opportunity for small technology businesses across Washington to increase their chances of receiving funding from these federal programs,” said Bart Phillips VP of Economic Development for Innovate Washington.  “As these businesses grow, Innovate Washington and its partners can provide additional business consulting services to help accelerate their growth.”

The program is made possible by a $55,000 grant from the U.S. Small Business Administration under its Federal State and Technology (FAST) program. Interested technology businesses are strongly encouraged to first view the Innovate Washington SBIR/STTR introductory web presentation in order to gain a clear understanding of the program and eligibility requirements. All grants must be awarded on or before March 31, 2013.  Candidates are encouraged to contact Jim Sampson, Senior Program Manager, Special Projects for Innovate Washington for more details on how to apply.

“The SBIR/STTR program is but one example of how Innovate Washington is expanding market opportunities for the citizens of Washington,” said Phillips.  “Initiatives in advanced energy, aviation biofuels and the smart and efficient building technology sectors are just a few of the areas where Innovate Washington is creating value.”

Contact: Innovate Washington, Jim Sampson, 509.358.2006.

Win $ for High Tech Small Business

WA Innovation Summit 2012

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Tacoma's Topia Launches Skoot Cloud App

Topia Technology, developer of secure, cloud-based file syncing and sharing solutions for individuals and businesses, announced the Skoot cloud application.

Topia’s New Skoot Cloud App Provides Unmatched, Secure File Access and and Sharing Across Devices, Storage Locations and Cloud Services.

With Skoot, you are able to browse all your files, devices and cloud services at once; access, share and move content across PC, Android, Dropbox, Google Docs and more.


Skoot is a new, simple and secure way for users to quickly browse, access and share files saved across devices and services, such as PC, Android, Dropbox and Google Docs, with support for iPhone and iPad coming in the next couple weeks. With Skoot, subscribers securely cloud-enable everything they have, so they can log in once and view all their content. Users grab what they need, share files with others and even remotely move documents between devices. Unlike other cloud, file sharing or remote access services that work in a silo or require that all content be uploaded to the cloud, Skoot makes all your files accessible no matter where they sit.

Traveling with just your laptop or iPad and need a doc off your work desktop? Or forget to put something into Dropbox? Open Skoot to grab it and browse securely through your other stuff while you’re there. Try Skoot for free for 30 days.

“Cloud services have dramatically improved the way users store and access content in their home and business lives,” said Janine Terrano, CEO of Topia Technology. “Yet for individuals with more than one device, location or service, we saw an untapped opportunity to put the user in the center of their own personal cloud for the utmost convenience, privacy and security. Logging in just once on the device at hand, users have all their content – stored across computers, cloud services, mobile devices and more – right at their fingertips.”

Skoot is designed for users that want to easily access all their content, regardless of where it’s saved. It creates a personal, secure cloud encompassing all a user’s computers, files, devices – even other cloud services. Can’t remember where you put something? Skoot makes everything easy to get to; log in from any device and search content by location (i.e., device), file type or file name.

Users can now make thoughtful decisions about what goes in the cloud, stays on the device or is protected in Skoot’s Vault. This is the first time individuals get to put files where they want them without limiting access, and files no longer have to be uploaded to the cloud to be accessed remotely.

Skoot is:

All your Stuff – Browse and securely grab your content regardless of where you are, where it’s stored and what device you have. Access your files across PC, web, tablet, smartphone, etc. and between devices. Continue to use all the free storage your favorite cloud and file-sharing services (Dropbox, Google Docs, etc.) provide. Skoot is your personal content browser.

How you Want it – You are the center of your own personal cloud. Put files where you want them (device, cloud, Vault) and fill your cloud with as much or as little as you want. Easily share your content any time. Browse or search all your stuff on every device at once, without multiple services and log-ins.

Wherever and Whenever – Don’t worry about where you put content, you can still get it using whichever device is at hand – PC, Android tablet, iPhone, etc. No longer pre-plan (or forget) to have the right file, at the right time on the right device.

Protected and Private – Secure your content with end-to-end encryption and protect your file-sharing services for the first time. Use the Skoot Vault to secure and encrypt all your sensitive files.

Skoot enables users to treat sensitive documents, such as business files or financial documents, with care, so they are not exposed in the cloud. Most cloud services store data on their servers “in the clear” with little or no protection. Skoot’s end-to-end encryption provides users with a secure alternative. Skoot never moves a user’s file until requested, and when a file is moved it is heavily encrypted. For even further protection, subscribers can use Skoot’s Vault. Based on the same principle behind a safe or safe deposit box, users place electronic documents in a Vault that is accessible from anywhere, but only they hold the key.

“Today’s cloud providers offer great value and convenience to users, they just don’t work well with each other,” added Terrano. “We’re excited to show prosumers how easy it is to use all their favorites – together and securely – for the first time. No longer feel burdened to choose, consolidate or manage them separately.”

Skoot starts at $4.95 a month and includes 2GB of Vault space.

Skoot for Business: Highly Secure and Flexible

Skoot helps businesses support secure employee access to multiple cloud file syncing and sharing and data storage services (Dropbox, Google Docs, internal SMB stores, etc.). It offers employees an improved way to grab and share content while ensuring enterprise-grade security, enforcing policies and connecting and consolidating different cloud data stores. Skoot adds unparalleled data encryption to existing solutions during the file transfer process, so businesses can protect the cloud file syncing and sharing services employees use. And the Skoot Vault gives employees a simple means to protect sensitive files.

“Skoot makes bring your own device – BYOD – a great productivity opportunity for businesses of all sizes,” added Terrano. “It not only helps IT teams improve remote access via a broad mix of devices, but across the range of cloud services employees connect to them. Staff also have insight into where employees are storing files.”

Deployed by SMB and enterprise organizations as a cloud service or platform, Skoot enables employees to browse and grab files regardless of where they are, where it’s stored and what device they have at hand, increasing productivity, collaboration, efficiency and unmatched security over the wire and at rest. To learn more about the unique benefits of Skoot for Business, visit www.skootit.com

About Topia Technology

Topia Technology develops secure, cloud-based file syncing and sharing solutions for individuals and businesses. The company’s applications create “personal clouds” to make files accessible on a user’s every device – computer, laptop, tablet, smartphone – regardless of where they are stored. Need to find, search or share all your stuff whenever you want? Get Skoot atwww.skootit.com

Retail Internet Spending grows 15%

In what is often seen as a leading indicator, online shoppers spent more than $51 billion online in the second quarter, up 15.1% from a year ago, according to just released U.S. Department of Commerce reports.

This quarter also marks the first time e-commerce accounted for more than 5% of seasonally adjusted total retail spending.

For more information, visit Internet Retailer .

Courtesy of Bill Kaufmann,
Kaufmann Kreative E-Commerce & Marketing