Novations
Novations
No-va-tions
(no-va-shon) n.[novatio(n), ,novare: see novate.]
The introduction of something new; an innovation
A sandbox for innovation creation utilizing a business approach to social impact, economic development and job creation.
Novations LLC is a privately held innovation creation firm founded in 1998. It's principal and founder, Marc Blumenthal, has an extensive background in investment management, entrepreneurship, education and technology innovation. At the age of 19, while a student at the University of Pennsylvania, he participated in his first startup company as Vice President of The American Book Club, a pre-internet predecessor to Amazon.com.
After gaining a teaching certification, he began his second start-up, The Learning Guild, which developed a wide variety of innovative educational programs involving millions of students, teachers and adults throughout the Northeast. During this time, Mr. Blumenthal also provided marketing consulting services to a wide variety of clients including the US Department of Agriculture, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), State Street Bank and the American Management Association.
Following his marketing consulting and education work, he became Managing Director of a multi-million dollar limited investment partnership. Upon leaving the partnership, Mr. Blumenthal formed "Novations" to focus on select few Venture Capital opportunities that demonstrate the potential to provide significant value added propositions to major markets in the fields of Medical Devices, Quality Control, Plasma Fusion, Marine Technology and Aerospace.
In addition to these "commercial" ventures, Mr. Blumenthal has authored the design of several sustainable "social" ventures that apply a business approach to solving public sector problems. In August of 2018, Mr. Blumenthal decided to devote 100% of his time to Social Impact and his work on behalf of the Social Ventures Foundation.
Commercial
Ventures
QUALITY CONTROL
Mr. Blumenthal is the founding partner and investor in the IP of a small technology business, QC Check, LLC. The firm is focused on innovative smartphone technology that will provide real-time quality control survey information for products and services in a variety of business verticals. A patent application reflecting unique intellectual property was filed in 2012 and published in 2014. A prototype was been built and a business plan with financials finalized. Further development of this enterprise was sidelined due to a Supreme Court ruling impacting hundreds of patent filings and their approvals at the US Patent Office.
MEDICAL DEVICES
Mr. Blumenthal co-founded this medical device company along with Dr. Thomas Gill past Team Physician for the New England Patriots and the Boston Red Sox. Visionscope Technologies developed an innovative miniature arthroscope. This innovative disruptive medical technology greatly improved patient outcomes and significantly cut costs to the entire medical system. The company's technology was sold to an investor group.
MARINE TECHNOLOGY
Mr. Blumenthal is the founding partner and investor in a small technology business, Cruising Waypoints, LLC. The firm is focused on developing and/or distributing innovative technologies for the marine industry. Research and development have been underway since 2007 for “AguaElectrica’, a carbon-free green tidal energy platform. Various commercial sites have been surveyed throughout Central and South America over the last ten years in connection with several technology concepts. In 2016 a new tidal energy prototype was identified at a major European University which conducted proof of concepts tests. In early 2017 a memo of understanding was entered into with a major customer for a pilot test in New England. Further development of the company technology was shelved due to the significant drop in the price of oil which made cost recovery of the technology unsustainable.
AEROSPACE
Mr. Blumenthal is an equity holder and advisor to AmpwaveTech LLC, a registered U.S. Small
Business concern. AmpwaveTech developed technology that focused on dramatically improving satellite
communications. The company's principal scientist, Dr. Henry Kosmahl, was credited with major
accomplishments in the areas of satellite and countermeasure applications, including NASA's Voyager 2
spacecraft. Mr. Blumenthal worked with a variety of strategic partners including Northrup Grumman, Space Systems Loral, Lockheed Martin, NASA, and MDA The lessons learned in connection with securing SBIR and DOD funding for this technology and in managing the commercialization effort, contributed to Mr. Blumenthal's design and development of the StartTech model. See StartTech.
PLASMA FUSION
Mr. Blumenthal represented the Plasma Fusion Department of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in connection with the proposed development of a Plasma Fusion Facility at the Pease International Tradeport in Portsmouth, NH. The facility would have employed hundreds of scientists and other workers and been in the forefront of energy technology innovation worldwide. Federal funding for the project was withdrawn from the Federal government due to budgetary considerations and the project was disbanded.
Social Impact Funds
Social Ventures Foundation Non Profit
"Low-income markets present a prodigious opportunity for the world's wealthiest companies - to seek their fortunes and bring prosperity to the aspiring poor." C.K. Prahalad and Stuart L. Hart Bottom of the Pyramid
The mission of the Social Ventures Foundation is to change the paradigm of the "poverty reduction industry" by identifying, promoting and investing in businesses and startups that have developed sustainable products and services that lift the livelihoods of the poor. To launch a new paradigm in poverty reduction, the Social Ventures Foundation held its first annual virtual global summit, EndPoverty2017, on November 17, 2017 . The focus of the summit was to honor those businesses and startups that have developed sustainable products, services and job programs that authentically lift the livelihoods of the poor.
The Foundation has also begun development on the EndPoverty Fund, the world's first publicly traded non-sectarian fund investing in sustainable business ventures providing life-enhancing livelihoods, products or services for the poor. The EndPoverty Fund will be a fully transparent global balanced fund, investing in small to large cap companies, established micro credit funds and early stage startup ventures with proof of concept.
To assure both authenticity and transparency of the fund, a parent non-profit non-sectarian* Foundation (501 c3), the Social Ventures Foundation, was formed with an internationally recognized Board of Directors.
StarTTech LLC
Small technology businesses are a primary engine for domestic economic development, job creation, intellectual property and tax contribution. Startup technology companies face funding battles to commercially succeed. Venture capitalists, Angels, and Equity Investors have become more risk-averse, feeding chickens, companies with revenues, rather than chicks, promising pre-revenue companies with proofs of concept. This has contributed to a major national funding gap in technology innovation often referred to as the "valley of death".
Novations began development of a unique and innovative proprietary funding platform, StarTTech, in August of 2016. The platform will facilitate the funding and commercialization of promising technologies in the "Valley of Death" which have the greatest potential to create and sustain higher paying domestic jobs and manufacturing in all fifty states as opposed to just the coasts. This innovative financial model has been given to the Social Ventures Foundation.
Education Ventures
The Learning Guild
In 1972, Mr. Blumenthal founded The Learning Guild, a non-profit educational innovation firm focused on developing cost effective academic programs for both the public and private sector. The Board of Directors included its Chair, John I Taylor, President of the Boston Globe; Paul Sonnabend Vice Chairman of the Sonnesta Corporation; Michael Odem, Director of Public Service Programs for the Digital Equipment Corporation; Edward Palmer, Director of Research for Public Broadcasting Sesame Street; and Merrill Clark VP of the Clark Foundation. Programs developed by the Learning Guild included NEAS-The National Educational Assembly System, WOW-World of Work and IEP-Intergenerational Education Program.
Intergenerational Education Program
The Intergenerational Arts and Humanities Program paired over 200 Greater Boston area Nursing Homes, Long Term Care Facilities and Golden age Groups with Elementary and Secondary Schools. Professional artists conducted programs in Intergenerational poetry, photography, theatre, autobiography writing, dance, and a variety of humanities topics. Funded by both the National Endowment for the Arts and Humanities the program gained national recognition for its innovation and effectiveness.
Artworks
This cutting edge series of performance arts programs was developed by Mr. Blumenthal with funds from the National Endowment for the Arts. More than 2 million students, teachers and parents participated in these live performance media supported programs which pioneered a peer group teaching peer group approach for large audiences (typically 500 to 1000 students and teachers). Several productions were created including "Artworks", on the world of arts and crafts, "Rhythms", on the world of music and dance, and "Stage" on the world of theatre. Prominent arts groups and arts personalities were featured including Virginia Williams, founder of the Boston Ballet, Seiji Ozawa, Conductor of the Boston Symphony Orchestra, and many more.
World of Work
The World of Work was an innovative program created to give High School students real world experiences in a variety of work places before they made crucial academic and work decisions that would impact them the rest of their lives. In addition the program instructed teachers and students alike about the relationship of in school curriculum and its application to life after school. A wide variety of businesses and corporations participated including the New England Patriots, the Boston Globe, the Digital Equipment Corporation, Monsanto, Sonnesta Corporation, Boch Motors and many more.
CONTACT
Novations LLC
Address: 5 Greenleaf Woods Dr, Suite 101, Portsmouth, NH 03801
Email: Kristy@novationsinc.com
Tel: (603) 433-6161
For any general inquiries, please fill in the following contact form:
