Office Interiors Leverages enFocus Team for Research and Grant Development

Sponsor Spotlight: Office Interiors

Interview by Nithali Sridhar, enFocus Innovation Fellow and project leader

How did your partnership with enFocus begin?

I met Michael Shoemaker, Director of Industry Innovation for enFocus at that time, for lunch. He shared with me his work with enFocus, the University of Notre Dame, and the Lilly LIFT grant, helping companies create new business opportunities and jobs for our region.  Through the conversation we discussed how my team was exploring smart technologies in senior living environments, and how this opportunity had potential to help us diversify our current technology business. Michael indicated that although this opportunity would not qualify for funding through the Lilly LIFT grant, he wanted to explore a few options with his team and get back to me.  A couple of weeks later, he introduced us to Gillian Shaw, enFocus Director of Research and Development, and together they laid out a pathway through the National Institutes of Health (NIH) research grants to help us fund our product development.

How was enFocus able to support you, what value did they add during this collaboration?

The enFocus team took the lead on the grant application process.  Just like any company, we are busy managing our core business and have limited resources or expertise for grant writing.  enFocus assembled a team with experience in NIH grant applications and research projects.  We worked with Gillian Shaw, Stephen Kabele, and of course you, Nithali to establish a game plan that outlined each task and milestone to make sure we met the grant application deadline.  During this process enFocus helped facilitate focus groups to better understand the issues facing senior living communities and helped convert the focus group feedback into a research question.  Additionally, through their university network they connected us with researchers at the University of Notre Dame who could help us advance this opportunity.  With the enFocus team leadership throughout this process, we accomplished in six months what would have taken a year, if not longer.

What impact will this collaboration have on both your company and within the region?

Through this collaboration, we were able to identify a broader impact of our technology than we had originally envisioned. Ultimately, this engagement is going to create a new vertical market for our company, expand employment opportunities and increase the quality of care within senior living communities.

How would you describe your future partnership or opportunities for collaboration with enFocus?

If awarded the grant, enFocus will be a significant contributor to our research team.  What I have learned is that enFocus is a resource that can help any organization that has a problem to solve, a project to move forward, or is looking to create new opportunities.  The enFocus fellowship program provides a talented group of young professionals with the opportunity to make a difference in our community.

Learn more about enFocus' work with regional organizations in our next Sponsor Spotlight.