Category: TechNite

During TechNite 2022, Kathleen O’Dell was recognized as an educator in the Roanoke–Blacksburg region that promotes math, science, and/or use of technology in creative ways to transfer knowledge and help develop future technology leaders. O’Dell became a math teacher at Christiansburg Middle School 15 years ago through a non-traditional route, incorporated real-world experiences into her curriculum, and realized teaching was the dream job she was looking for all along. O’Dell is the recipient of the 2022 Montgomery County Public School Teacher of the Year award, serves as Department Chair of the CMS Math Department, and worked as tutor and a curriculum specialist for the Boys and Girls Club from 2016 to 2021. In May, she received the STEM-H Educator Award in honor of her many achievements in STEM education.

Where is your Alma Mater and what did you study?

I attended Rutgers University and earned a BA in psychology with a specialization in child development. Following that, I earned an MA in Curriculum and Instruction with a K-8 Mat specialist endorsement from Virginia Tech.

What does it mean to you to win the STEM-H Educator Award from the Roanoke-Blacksburg Technology Council?

I know that there are many very talented educators in the area, so to even be considered for the recognition as a STEM educator is an honor.  I am very appreciative of the award and am so thankful for STEM education to have a spotlight, because it is so important for students to have these opportunities to explore and learn.

You’re known and loved for your passion and commitment as well as the way you incorporate real-word experiences into your curriculum – supporting different types of learners.  What’s an example of this? 

My passion is helping students find the excitement and joy of learning.  Incorporating real-world experiences helps kids see the value of the things we do in school and giving them opportunities to incorporate their own ideas helps them feel ownership in the learning.  Students have taught me so many things and opened my eyes to how learning can look different and still be correct.  My motto is, “Math is never meant to stay in the classroom”.  I reward students who use the math we learn in class and apply it in real life situations and encourage them to find math in their everyday lives. 

Who is your inspiration/What inspires you most as an educator?

My father has always been my hero.  From an early age, he always showed me that learning was fun, and helped me become a critical thinker.  He was not a teacher in a classroom, but he has always been my favorite teacher and the one who has taught me the most.

Tell us a fun fact about you! 

My family is the most important thing in my life. I am married (30 years) and have 2 married daughters, one granddaughter and a grandchild on the way. I didn’t start teaching until my mid-thirties, and my family has always been my biggest supporter.  

You’re so passionate about STEM education that you’ve called it your “dream career.” What else can you tell us about your highly impactful career in STEM education? My career has allowed me opportunities to be recognized for some prestigious awards, including this Roanoke-Blacksburg Technology Council STEM-H award, as well as the PAEMST Award (Presidential Award for Excellence in Math and Science Teaching), Montgomery County and Christiansburg Middle School Teacher of the Year. But, if you were to ask me about accomplishments for which I am most proud, I would have to say that I am thankful to have helped students transition into young adults who are prepared for their futures, and who left my classroom knowing more about math and learning than they knew before they entered.  

Congratulations Kathy on your well-deserved award! We’re proud to recognize your hard work and important contributions to STEM and the innovation ecosystem in the Roanoke-Blacksburg region.

RAMP and RBTC are part of the Verge alliance, established to grow the region’s innovation economy, technology and life sciences sectors, and the supporting professional communities. It aligns the strengths and programming efforts of the Roanoke-Blacksburg Technology Council (RBTC) and the Regional Accelerator and Mentoring Program (RAMP). Verge serves GO Virginia Region 2 and works to form collaborations with government, business, academia, and other organizations to advance the region and grow a thriving innovation economy.

Martin Angst was recognized as a leader who exemplifies what it means to be a risk-taker in technology in May at TechNite. Angst, is the co-founder of Rendyr, an emerging desktop robotics company developing a first-of-its-kind portable laser cutter that dramatically improves access to rapid prototyping and digital fabrication.

He was the recipient of the TechNite 2022 Entrepreneur Award for his pioneering work in desktop robotics. We were thrilled to interview Martin for a deeper dive into Rendyr, his experience with RAMP, and his journey through entrepreneurship.

Where is your alma mater and what did you study?

Virginia Tech, Master of Architecture, 2019 and University of Technology Braunschweig, Germany, Bachelor of Science in Architecture, 2016

What does it mean to you to have won the Entrepreneur Award at TechNite?

I am fortunate to have learned from and worked with many mentors, advisors, investors, professionals, and other individuals in our area, including Blacksburg, Radford, and Roanoke, as we have been building Rendyr. It has been an incredible honor to receive the Entrepreneur of the Year award from the community that has tremendously impacted my personal and professional growth.

Describe a typical Rendyr client and the reach of your product.

Rendyr is an emerging desktop robotics company making a first-of-its-kind convenient and intuitive portable laser cutter that gives anyone the power to create and customize their own products. The Optic Portable Laser Cutter works with hundreds of materials (plastics, wood, fabric, stone, metal, and more), can process projects of unlimited size, features integrated filtration and other safety features, and folds up for compact storage until the next time.

We hear from hobbyists, creative business owners, design professionals, educators, and students all over the world interested in laser cutting and engraving for anything from arts and crafts to product design and woodworking to jewelry. The possibilities are endless, and we are always excited to see someone pairing this powerful technology with a new kind of application.

Currently, we are focused on serving U.S. and Canadian customers and over the following years, we plan to expand internationally.

What has the journey been like to create the first-of-its-kind portable laser cutter?

On the one hand, our journey has been about sophisticated hardware product design and engineering, including lasers and filtration, to make this advanced technology available in the form of a highly compact and versatile device. On the other hand, we have learned a lot on the go and overcome countless business challenges while bringing this complex consumer electronics product to market as first-time entrepreneurs.

What resources did you have access to in this region that made a difference?

Unquestionably, the Roanoke-Blacksburg region has opened many doors for us. Starting at Virginia Tech’s School of Architecture and Design, where Kaelum Hasler, my co-founder, and I met over our shared interest in all things robotics, fabrication, and design, we connected with award-winning student entrepreneur resources. From the Apex Center for Entrepreneurs to the Institute for Creativity, Arts, and Technology; insightful feedback, beneficial introductions, and award funding helped us move in the right direction.

Winning the Virginia Tech Corporate Research Center’s Game Changers Challenge in the summer of 2018 provided more fuel and space for our research and development activities and more invaluable connections in Blacksburg and beyond, including Mitchell Law Firm and Impact Solutions, which we have worked with ever since.

Then, in 2020, we got to participate in RAMP, The Regional Accelerator, in connection with the Roanoke-Blacksburg Technology Council. The program led by Mary Miller, Lisa Garcia, and Mike Abbott, and our RAMP mentor, Doug Juanarena, played a vital role in our capital raise and product launch. On top of that, we have also been fortunate to connect with and seek advice from generous leaders, such as Ron Flanary, in engineering, manufacturing, and even consumer electronics around here.

You had an incredible Kickstarter campaign! How did this happen?

I believe that our dedicated planning and execution strongly contributed to our successful campaign. Kickstarter has been around for more than ten years, and the opportunities and challenges in the product crowdfunding environment have evolved. While preparing for our launch, we studied many successful and failed crowdfunding campaigns, from related projects to excellent category-agnostic examples. Kaelum and I even got the chance to speak with people who have run and fulfilled outstanding campaigns for their now very successful companies.

After all this, we still partnered with an experienced marketing firm because these projects have become much more complex. In retrospect, that was the right decision. We invested meaningful time creating content, such as photos, videos, other visuals, and writing. In addition, we shared our prototypes with beta users to gather feedback and testimonials, and with the well-known Adam Savage’s Tested so they could get their hands on Optic and preview our product to their community. Providing as much helpful information as possible about a project and soon-to-be product was critically important. Besides answering countless questions via email, social media, and directly on Kickstarter, we also streamed live demos and Q&A sessions so our supporters could see the product in real-time and meet our team.

The magic happened when our supporters turned up on the first day and pledged more than $250,000 within the first 24 hours to our campaign. Getting this staggering feedback that people want us to make the Optic Portable Laser Cutter a reality was incredible. Our community in our Facebook group, social media channels, and on Kickstarter has grown throughout our launch. They appreciated the wealth of information and our fast and informative answers to all their questions. Then, blogs wanting to feature our product and campaign and podcasters reached out to us. Of course, we seized these opportunities, which helped increase our exposure and support. Our efforts and excitement continued until the last moments of our 30-day campaign when we reached $738,169 in funding from 444 backers.

Since the campaign, we have focused on fulfilling our backers’ rewards and sharing updates on our project’s progress on Kickstarter. Creators sharing their stories along the way is an essential part of Kickstarter. It’s important to many backers because they agree to wait for the creation of the project, like complex manufacturing of a physical product in our case, until they finally get their reward. Many also enjoy learning about the milestones and challenges in making a project successful. Once we complete our crowdfunding promise, we will also make the Optic Portable Laser Cutter available in our upcoming online store for the many people waiting to purchase directly from us without the wait.

What inspires you most professionally?

Creators and the projects they bring into existence, from intricate details to huge enterprises, amaze and inspire me. I seek to contribute to our world as a creator myself and strive to ‘look behind the curtain’ and figure out what it takes to make things happen.

What’s your favorite hype song?

Share a fun fact about you.

While I was born and raised in Hamburg, Germany, I had my American family in this region and was christened right here in Roanoke, Virginia, when I was about one year old.

Congratulations Martin on your well-deserved award! We’re proud to recognize your hard work and contributions to the innovation ecosystem in the Roanoke-Blacksburg region.

RAMP and RBTC are part of the Verge alliance, established to grow the region’s innovation economy, technology and life sciences sectors, and the supporting professional communities. It aligns the strengths and programming efforts of the Roanoke-Blacksburg Technology Council (RBTC) and the Regional Accelerator and Mentoring Program (RAMP). Verge serves GO Virginia Region 2 and works to form collaborations with government, business, academia, and other organizations to advance the region and grow a thriving innovation economy.

The biggest night in tech celebrated the rapidly expanding technology ecosystem and the movers and shakers in the industry on Thursday night at Roanoke-Blacksburg Technology Council’s TechNite 2022 at the Taubman Museum of Art, attracting over 300 statewide and regional leaders.

Among the highlights of the evening was the induction of Victor Iannello into the RBTC Hall of Fame.

TechNite, presented by Woods Rogers Attorneys at Law, is an annual celebration for the best in innovation. The 2022 theme focused on biotechnology as the region prepares for major multi-regional, multi-organizational collaborations to unfold later this year.

“TechNite presents an amazing opportunity to bring together the technology community from those with an early-stage idea to nationally and globally established companies located in this region,” said Erin Burcham, President of Verge and Executive Director of RBTC. “This event celebrates all the accomplishments and work happening right here in Western Virginia.”

This region is making an impact across the state and beyond, noted keynote speakers John Newby, CEO of Virginia Bio, and Conaway Haskins, Vice President for Entrepreneurial Ecosystems at the Virginia Innovation Partnership Corporation.

“Virginia Bio is proud to support the greater Roanoke ecosystem, a growing and thriving entrepreneurial community,” Newby said. “Biotechnology is a vital element of this growth, and the Roanoke/Blacksburg/Lynchburg BioHub lead by Carilion Clinic and VT-Fralin Biomedical Research Institute will continue to transform the region into a major national life science hub.”

“TechNite is a wonderful opportunity to celebrate and amplify the work that you and your partners have undertaken to build a vibrant innovation ecosystem across the region,” Haskins said.

The following entrepreneurs and companies were honored at the awards ceremony. 

Named to the RBTC Hall of Fame, Iannello is CEO of Chorda Pharma, an early-stage pharmaceuticals company developing a pipeline of opioid-free drugs to manage pain. Previously, he was the CEO and founder of Radiant Physics, a company that develops and commercializes revolutionary products in the energy, industrial technology, and healthcare sectors to improve performance and deliver value. 

Iannello, a serial entrepreneur and innovator, also founded Synchrony Inc., which was acquired by Dresser-Rand in 2013 and is now part of Johnson Controls. He has been active in the community, as Past Chairman of the Carilion Medical Center Board of Directors, Past Co-Chairman of Valleys Innovation Council (now Verge), and Past President of the Roanoke Regional Partnership. Iannello attended the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), and holds the SB, SM, and ScD degrees in Nuclear Engineering.

Additional award winners include: 

• Kathleen O’Dell, STEM-H Educator Award, which recognizes an educator in the Roanoke–Blacksburg region that promotes math, science, and/or use of technology in creative ways to transfer knowledge and help develop future technology leaders. O’Dell became a math teacher at Christiansburg Middle School 15 years ago through a non-traditional route, incorporating real-world experiences into her curriculum, and realized it was the dream job she was looking for all along. O’Dell is the recipient of the 2022 Montgomery County Public School Teacher of the Year award, serves as Department Chair of the CMS Math Department, and worked as tutor and a curriculum specialist for the Boys and Girls Club from 2016 to 2021. 
• Ticket Spicket, Rising Star Award, which recognizes an early-stage technology company. This award emphasizes the importance of small firms to our region’s technology economy. Ticket Spicket is a no-cost digital ticketing platform for schools, districts and associations. In just two years the tool has grown to 1.4 million unique users, conducting 2.7 million transactions.
• Dr. Robert Gourdie, Innovator Award, which recognizes an individual, a team, or organization that has blazed new trails in the areas of research and innovation. Gourdie is an entrepreneur with a wealth of startup experience. He has founded or co-founded three start-ups based on his cutting-edge research. First String Research has three active ongoing clinical trials. Tiny Cargo Company and Acomhal Research are on their way to revolutionizing drug delivery and glioblastoma treatment. Tiny Cargo Co. is among five companies to receive a Washington, DC Health Innovation QuickFire Challenge award. The $50,000 in grant funding will help the biotech startup continue to develop its novel drug delivery method using hardy nano-sized capsules derived from cow’s milk.
• Wendi Pannell, Regional Leadership Award, which recognizes a member who succeeds in the workplace, but also leads by example by contributing significantly to the RBTC community. Pannell, Vice President of Content Production at Ozmo, is a connector of people and ideas. She has shown dedication to growing the WoTech (RBTC women in technology) community and drives the future and promise of WoTech regionally.
• Martin Angst, Entrepreneur Award, which recognizes a leader exemplifying what it means to be a risk-taker in technology. Angst is the co-founder of Rendyr, an emerging desktop robotics company developing a first of its kind portable laser cutter that dramatically improves access to rapid prototyping and digital fabrication. Rendyr has raised over $730k from 444 backers through a Kickstarter campaign for their Optic portable laser cutter. (You can back the project now at https://launch.rendyr.com/.) 
• P1 Technologies, Leading Tech Company, which recognizes a Roanoke or New River Valley company committed to advancing the region’s technology community and demonstrating excellence in people, programs, and projects within its industry. P1 Technologies delivers cabling and injection molding products as well as custom specialty designs. They focus on three main service lines: medical, audio, and in vivo preclinical research from their facility in Roanoke County. P1 Technologies is a highly regarded specialty manufacturer in one of the most regulated, demanding, fast-paced industry sectors in the marketplace. They combine high quality standards with R&D capabilities, resulting in consistency and new solutions, building trust and longevity with their customers.
• Kathy Claytor, Ruby Award, which recognizes an outstanding member who has proven to be a brilliant and valuable asset to the Roanoke-Blacksburg region. Claytor has contributed to the local technology industry, working to attract, grow and retain technology talent for the Roanoke Region. She has spent numerous years benchmarking best practices in human resources, developing best practices for employee engagement strategies, while serving on state and national boards. Claytor continues to build the brand of the region as a destination for top talent, a true necessity for a long lasting and sustainable workforce.
• Heywood Fralin, 2022 Guest of Honor, received recognition for supporting health science and biotechnology in the region. From his major commitment to research and education at Fralin Biomedical Research Institute to advocating on the region’s behalf in Richmond for a $15.7 million commercialized biotech project, Heywood was recognized for his vision and dedication to growing an emerging sector in the region. Fralin’s vision for success will continue to grow the region for decades to come through multi-organizational collaboration.

Thanks to all the sponsors and companies that helped make the 2022 event a success: Woods Rogers, Carilion Clinic, Virginia Tech, Virginia Innovation Partnership Corporation (VIPC), Franklin County, Roanoke County Economic Development, City of Roanoke, Montgomery County, Cox Business, Exelaration, Torc Robotics, Member One, Botetourt County, Virginia Bio, GO Virginia, Truist, Virginia Tech Corporate Research Center, Delta Dental, Cardinal Press, PowerSchool, and VTC Ventures. 

RBTC, part of the Verge Alliance, exists to promote the growth of the Roanoke-Blacksburg technology community with a vision for the region to be globally recognized for its innovation, entrepreneurship, and talent assets. The Roanoke-Blacksburg Technology Council is a member-driven association working to promote the growth of the regional technology community. The organization is the essential business resource for technology entrepreneurs and companies seeking to achieve greater success with members that range from emerging technology firms to the largest employers in the region. Learn more at rbtc.tech. 

The energy surrounding technology and innovation in the region is electric. TechNite 2022 will be a night to remember as we recognize the region’s best companies, innovators, and projects that continue to put Virginia’s Region 2 on the global map. Heavy hors d’oeuvres, libations, entertainment, and brief programming will kick off the evening followed by an exciting awards ceremony lifting up the entrepreneurs, founders, and companies fueling the region’s thriving ecosystem.

With awards for all areas of technology and innovation, these honors are designed to help celebrate the leaders shaping our community. We’re very excited to announce the nominees for the TechNite 2022 awards!

Entrepreneur Award

• Martin Angst, Rendyr
• Adam Donato, CardIsle
• William Ducker, Virginia Tech

Innovator Award

• David Ayares, Revivicor
• Rafael Davalos, Virginia Tech
• Dr. Robert Gourdie, Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC
• Richard Mansell, IVO Limited
• Steve Turner CytoRecovery
• John Robertson, DialySensors, Inc
• Bryan Speller, Eldor
• Christopher Williams, Virginia Tech

Leading Tech Company

• Nanci Hardwick, MELD Manufacturing
• Adam Sammons, Protos Security
• Kim Snyder, KlariVis
• David Wallenborn, P1Technologies

Regional Leadership

• Kathy Claytor, Delta Dental of Virginia
• Dr. Robert Gourdie, Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at Virginia Tech
• Jeff Graffeo, Clarkston Consulting
• Angela Joyner, Radford University
• Brett Malone, Virginia Tech Corporate Research Center
• Marc Nelson, City of Roanoke
• Wendi Pannell, Ozmo

Rising Star Award

• Amber Durham, Responsive Technology Partners
• Laura Godfrey, Bookelicious
• Russell Hertzberg, Ticket Spicket
• Brian Holstetler, NorthWinds Technology Solutions
• Dr. Spencer Marsh, Virginia Tech and The Tiny Cargo Company, Inc
• Tim Pote, Maroon Assistive
• Sarah Snider, Beam Diagnostics Inc.
• Kim Snyder, KlariVis

STEM-H Educator Award

• Richard Clark, Virginia Western Community College
• Heather Lindberg, Virginia Western Community College
• Matthew McHugh, Exelaration
• Dr. Susheela Shanta, Burton Center for Arts and Technology
• Kathleen O’Dell, Montgomery County Public Schools
• Amy White, Virginia Western Community College

Winners of all categories will be announced at TechNite 22 on Thursday, May 19, at the Taubman Museum of Art. Get your tickets today!

See videos of the TechNite 2021 awards winners.

There’s an electric energy surrounding technology and innovation in our region because the work in this sector is putting Virginia’s Region 2 on the global map. TechNite 2022 will be a night to remember as we recognize the region’s best companies, innovators, and projects. Join us in toasting to an exciting future for our region at the beautiful Taubman Museum of Art on May 19. 

The Event

Plan to enjoy a social, cocktail celebration beginning at 5:30 p.m. inside downtown Roanoke’s iconic museum. Heavy hors d’oeuvres and libations will fill you up while you connect with some of the most creative innovators and technology leaders in the region. Tables are available for purchase (get yours before they sell out!) or mingle if you prefer. Entertainment and brief programming will kick off the evening followed by an inspiring awards ceremony honoring the entrepreneurs, founders, and companies fueling the region’s thriving ecosystem. Attendees can explore the Taubman galleries while RBTC transforms the atrium into an after-party beneath the neon light of the Roanoke Star. 

The Speakers

Keynote speakers John Newby and Conaway Haskins will discuss the successful regional and statewide collaboration to support tech and biotech growth.

“We could not be more thrilled to host our statewide partners, Conaway Haskins, Virginia Innovation Partnership Corporation and John Newby, Virginia Bio as we celebrate the growth of technology and biotechnology in our region,” said RBTC Executive Director Erin Burcham.

Newby is CEO of Virginia Bio. Newby has been in his role at Virginia Bio since 2019 and is tasked with fostering partnerships with and between the Commonwealth’s greater biotechnology and healthcare industries to find innovative solutions to improve lives. He helps the association’s 270+ members by facilitating access to capital, connecting industry to academia, and providing educational and professional development event programming and collaborates with federal, state and local partners to grow Virginia’s $8 billion life science industry.

Haskins is Vice President for Entrepreneurial Ecosystems at the Virginia Innovation Partnership Corporation (VIPC). In this role, he provides strategic vision and generates operational results for the Entrepreneurial Ecosystems Division that was launched in July 2020. As VP, he advises, funds, promotes, and supports technology-focused entrepreneurial ecosystems and innovation-led economic development throughout the Commonwealth of Virginia.