When you consider the technology changes your great-grandparents, grandparents, parents (and even you) have experienced already, I can only imagine what we'll see in decades ahead. Hang on to your hats — it's gonna be a heckuva ride!

Many people automatically assume that startups and new businesses fuel our state and nation's economic growth engine, but the reality is that most of the job gains come from established small businesses that need to find ways to thrive.

Zach Johnson sees a bright future for independent game development. "There are plenty of applications from entertainment to art to even civil engagement," he says.

All the things you'd expect are here — and some you wouldn't: standard document editing; an audit trail of who has edited the document and when; and even simultaneous editing by multiple users. It even allows private comments.

The statewide effort focuses on aspiring entrepreneurs and their breakthrough ideas, whether the concept is high-tech or no-tech, just formally taking shape or a venture already under way.

Whenever there is great flux in a market, there's the chance to do things differently and more efficiently, and iKenex promises to do both.

Its mission is to provide state-of-the-art technology tools to help nonprofit organizations and community service programs successfully collect, aggregate and analyze program data. And share their success stories.

Apple just made another quantum leap forward in smartphone experiences, and that's likely to continue to accelerate its sales of iPhones within the globally growing mobile category.

Predictable time off has been found to be key to both productivity and the quality of work. And I've found that when off duty and in a contemplative mode, flashes of insight that help me with my work almost always come from an unlikely source.

The real take-away from the gathering is the simple fact that the Minnesota innovation community continues to grow and continues to draw energy from itself and those involved ... and there is no sign of that letting up.