HackMPI Brings Together Software Solutions Creators and Software Solutions Seekers During Annual Conference

Chicago, IL -- (ReleaseWire) -- 02/07/2013 -- For 48 hours, computer programmers, software designers, graphic designers and other tech aficionados will come together for HackMPI, the event and meeting industry's first hackathon February 15-17, 2013. The goal of HackMPI is to create software solutions specific to the industry, which will be presented during the third-annual Meeting Professionals International (MPI) TechCon 2013 at the Illinois Institute of Technology, Tuesday, Feb. 19, 2013 from 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Hosted by MPI and Cibola, Chicago's newest tech/entrepreneurial incubator and co-working hub for startups, HackMPI brings together developers, designers and entrepreneurs to create technology aimed at event planners, event suppliers, marketing professionals, brand advertisers and agencies on the lookout for software solutions to use or resell. MPI TechCon attendees, including hotel chains, software companies and marketing agencies, are encouraged to suggest ideas that they'd like to see put into action, for potential purchase.

During HackMPI, tech-centric participants will have the chance to meet with judges and mentors for one-on-one counseling about prototypes and ideas. Ten judges, speakers and mentors will be on hand, including Jonathan Pasky, principal and CEO of Pasky IP and founder at Data 2.0; Nik Rokop, managing director at Knapp Entrepreneurship Center at Illinois Institute of Technology; Pete Morano, director of technology at TrainSignal; Ji Lucas, team lead at Pearson VUE; Char Shada, strategic account manager with Experient; and Kevin Hinton, executive vice president at Associated Destinations Worldwide.

The event, which begins Friday evening and ends Sunday evening, includes a reception, meals, networking opportunities, professional guidance and plenty of time for hacking. Participants will have the opportunity to turn their ideas into prototypes, which could be seen by potential buyers.

Voting on the solution will take place at the TechCon conference Tuesday, Feb. 19. The conference will include 16 speakers and 30 exhibitors throughout the day, and gives event planners, event suppliers, marketing professionals, brand advertisers, agencies and business leaders the knowledge and tools needed to navigate the ever-changing social and digital landscape. Information about the conference is at http://mpitechcon.com. For a complete HackMPI schedule or to register for free, visit http://hackmpi.eventbrite.com.

About Meeting Professionals International
Meeting Professionals International (MPI), the meeting and event industry's largest and most vibrant global community, helps its members thrive by providing human connections to knowledge and ideas, relationships and marketplaces. MPI membership is comprised of more than 21,000 members, belonging to 71 chapters and clubs worldwide. MPI's Chicago area chapter, the Chicago Area Chapter, is the largest chapter in MPI with more than 1,200 members.

To learn more about HackMPI:
MPI's HackMPI page: http://mpitechcon.com/hackathon

To learn more about MPI:
MPI Chicago Area Chapter Website: http://www.mpicac.org
MPI Chicago Area Chapter on Twitter: https://twitter.com/chicagompi
MPI TechCon 2013 Website: www.mpitechcon.com
MPI TechCon 2013 on Twitter: https://twitter.com/MPITechCon

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Tis’ the Season for Pampering Presents that Put a Fresh Face on the Holidays

Chicago, IL -- (SBWIRE) -- 10/04/2010 -- Very holiday season shoppers eagerly queue up to buy gifts that are sure to please. This year, Karuna Skin, LLC, a privately held luxury skin care company in Los Angeles, recently launched an exceptional gift called the Karma Kit, a premium collection of its four best-selling Karuna masks including the hydrating mask, anti-oxidant mask, exfoliating mask and anti-aging mask.

Karuna, which is the first skincare company to develop a high-quality, one-step, no-mess, no-rinse, do-it-yourself facial that is individually wrapped, developed the Karma Kit as a natural extension to its already successful line of pampering beauty masks. The prestigious beauty-boosting package, which retails for $28.00 for four masks, offers everything needed to fight the effects of premature aging, dry or dull skin, environmental pollution, stress, and even an occasional late night out.

"The traditional choices for gift items given to employees, friends and family members are often limited and boring. To take a break from the demands of life and totally relax, the Karma Kit is an ideal gift for anyone looking for something unique and innovative," said Linda Wang, founder of Karuna.

Karuna draws on the wisdom of both the East and West to evolve the luxury skin care category in a new and modern way. The products blend the value of Karuna (compassion) with unique, sought after beauty ingredients from Asia. The Karma Kit masks include:

• Anti-Aging – Through vitality and transformation, the Karuna anti-aging mask uses wild yam to help improve skin circulation by increasing collagen renewal and elderberry extracts to improve elasticity for more youthful skin. The mask uses the latest advances in skin care and science to help slow down the process of aging while helping to lessen the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.

• Anti-Oxidant – Protects and balances skin through a combination of Chinese green tea and African chrysanthellis to form a free-radical scavenging shield to protect the skin from environmental elements. Usually derived from natural sources, anti-oxidants are one of the gentlest and most nourishing skin care ingredients available on the market.

• Exfoliating – Revives and renews skin with a customized blend of lemon's natural citric acid and pineapple extract to help exfoliate, hydrate and improve the skin's elasticity. The fruit extracts are a natural way to remove dead cells. By removing the skin's surface and making way for younger cells, the skin looks fresh, radiant and feels younger. Pores are also cleansed and opened, allowing skin care products such as serums, creams and moisturizers to penetrate deeper into the skins surface to achieve maximum results.

• Hydrating – Restores the skin using natto--a Japanese soybean--which helps to retain skin's natural moisture levels as it exfoliates to boost dehydrated and dull skin. Consumers will feel softer, smoother skin.

Each Karuna masks also has the added benefit of the revolutionary Karuna Beauty Boost to heal, detox and renew. The proprietary blend of ingredients fuses nature and science to benefit all skin types. Chinese licorice, aloe vera, chamomile, vitamin B and other plant extracts help to deliver high levels of hydration as they work to soothe, calm and fight free radicals. A special combination of peptides assists in skin cell renewal and work to fight premature aging while helping to repair previous skin damage.

Each Karuna mask is a luxurious custom shaped all-natural fiber cloth designed to retain 50 percent more moisture than other synthetic masks, helping pores fully dilate and drink in the paraben-free beneficial ingredients. Made from bio-degradable wood pulp, the cloth also allows skin to absorb the benefits of the ingredients long after the mask is removed.

"These time honored rituals coupled with the latest innovative delivery systems make the Karma Kit an affordable luxury that is great to give as a gift, split up and share, use as stocking stuffers or keep for yourself. Travelers and gym-goers really like the masks because of their natural portability and high-quality ingredients," said Wang.

The Karuna's Karma Kit retails for $28 and is available Apothia at Fred Segal in Los Angeles, Bliss Spas, Victoria's Secret Direct and exclusive salons and boutiques throughout the world. All products can also be ordered securely at from http://www.KarunaSkin.com.

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CrowdSPRING Turns to its Creative Community for Innovation and to Shape the Next Generation Model of Irons

Chicago, IL -- (SBWIRE) -- 09/28/2010 -- CrowdSPRING, the global online marketplace for crowdsourced creative and writing, recently launched a new design project from Royal Philips Electronics (AEX: PHI, NYSE: PHG) to encourage entrepreneurs, designers and inventors to come up with the most innovative Ironing steam generator of the future.

Many mass brands like Philips – including LG, Barilla, Doritos and others – are turning to crowdSPRING for industrial product designs because of its ability to tap a diverse, yet talented crowd of individuals from all over the world for high-quality creative ideas that drive new product innovations.

"crowdSPRING offers benefits to the buyer that go beyond being cost-effective and an easy and time-saving marketing solution," said Mike Samson and Ross Kimbarovsky, co-founders of crowdSPRING. "Creative crowdsourcing is a chance to connect directly with the customers who have in-depth, hands-on knowledge about your products and services."

Participants in the Philips project can submit up to three designs per entry. Each entry must include a description of the design inspiration and a usage scenario. An optional video clip will also be accepted. Starting today through October 13, 2010, entries must be submitted at www.crowdSPRING.com.

A panel of international experts from Phillips representing the business, technology and design divisions, will select six breakthrough designs as winners based on reviewing the entries' innovativeness, aesthetics, effective use of materials, ease of use, feasibility, positioning of key features and integration of Philips brand promise, "sense and Simplicity".

The winners, which will be announced in November 2010, will be awarded a cash prize of $4,500 US plus the Autodesk Alias Design software ($3995 value) for first-place, $3,000 US plus the Autodesk Alias Skech software ($495 value) for second-place and $2,500 US plus the Autodesk SketchBook Pro software ($95 value) for third-place, and three consolatory prizes of $1000 US plus Autodesk SketchBook Pro software ($95 value) each. Three winning design(s) will also be produced into non-working mockups.

Official rules for the competition can be found on crowdSPRING. For more information about the high pressure steam generator iron design competition, visit http://www.crowdSPRING.com.

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Chicago-based Venture Fund Partners with crowdSPRING and i.c. stars to Find Top Web Design Talent

Chicago, IL -- (SBWIRE) -- 09/27/2010 -- Lightbank (http://www.lightbank.com), the Chicago-based venture fund behind Groupon and many other successful start-ups, is offering a $5,000 reward in its search for outstanding web talent in the Chicago area and beyond.

The company announced today that it has partnered with crowdSPRING, a leading marketplace for crowdsourced creative services, and i.c. stars, a nonprofit supporting change-driven leaders, to launch the 2010 Ridiculously Big and Shiny Design Award, which will honor one talented web designer with a $5,000 cash prize—plus an extra $1,000 if the winner hails from the Chicago area.

The contest is now open and entries must be submitted before Sunday, October 10. To submit an entry, visit 2010 RIDICULOUSLY BIG & SHINY DESIGN AWARD.

"Lightbank is privileged to work with so many exciting, tech-enabled startups, all of which require user-friendly, visually engaging web sites," said Kevin Leland, entrepreneur-in-residence at Lightbank. "We are always looking to find gifted web designers and give them an opportunity to drive the creative direction for one of these promising new companies."

Applicants must create a new homepage and one interior page for a new icstars.org site, based on a creative brief provided by the organization. i.c.stars is a nonprofit technology and workforce development organization that provides resilient low-income adults in the Chicago area with technology and leadership training, and connects them with career opportunities.

"The creative brief we have put together provides detailed guidance to help applicants create the most compelling entry," said Eric Lannert with i.c. stars. "We're very excited to see what the candidates come up with and are grateful that Lightbank and crowdSPRING are helping us to refresh our online presence."

Entries are being accepted at crowdSPRING, a global online marketplace for buyers and sellers of creative services such as logo design, web design, other types of graphic design, industrial design and writing services at an affordable price..

"We commend Lightbank for embracing crowdsourcing and recognizing its many benefits," said Michael Samson and Ross Kimbarovsky, co-founders of crowdSPRING. "Not only will the competition help identify talented creatives, but it is an easy and time-saving marketing solution that will generate quality results."

All non-winning artists will be considered for future Lightbank design projects, and applicants are encouraged to include links to a portfolio along with their application for future reference.

About Lightbank
Lightbank is a Chicago-based fund focused on early-stage technology companies. Founded by Eric Lefkofsky and Brad Keywell, who founded Groupon, MediaBank, InnerWorkings and Echo Global Logistics, Lightbank invests money, time and expertise to help innovative businesses achieve dynamic growth. For more information, visit http://www.lightbank.com.

About crowdSPRING
crowdSPRING is an online marketplace that offers small businesses a better way to buy custom logo design, web design, graphic design, industrial design, and writing services. For buyers, crowdSPRING is a place to post a creative project, watch the world contribute ideas and choose the best at an affordable price. For creatives, crowdSPRING is a global stage for creativity where title and experience don't matter. crowdSPRING is a privately held company based in Chicago. For more information, visit www.crowdSPRING.com. To learn more about the world of small business, startups, design, marketing and business strategy, follow crowdSPRING's blog at http://blog.crowdspring.com/. CrowdSPRING is also on Twitter at http://twitter.com/crowdSPRING. Join the crowdSPRING community on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/crowdspring.

About i.c.stars
i.c. stars is a non-profit organization in Chicago for adults with a high school diploma or GED. Using project-based learning and full immersion teaching, i.c. stars provides an opportunity for change-driven, future leaders to develop skills in business and technology.

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