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Consulting Projects & Advocacy

Innovation At Work

Planet-TECH Associates provides consulting for innovative projects that empower communities. We maintain a futures perspective to assure that each project is exemplary. A sampling of our work includes energy assessment for local municipalities, developing select standards for the 2010 US Census, investigate and shape technological business communities, and guidance to use technology to inform and interact with health care professionals.  Planet-TECH was founded by New England futurist, Seth J. Itzkan.

Consulting projects and areas of focus include:

Land and Climate

Restoring grasslands is essential for a livable climate. Planet-TECH Associates is investigating approaches for ecological restoration that also serve as powerful tools for carbon capture. Chief among these is an innovation called Holistic Planned Grazing being advanced by the Savory Institute. This practice restores degraded grasslands by using livestock as a proxy for the wild herds that the great plains and savannas of the world evolved with.

Green Chemistry Business Summit

Planet-TECH Associates was a sponsor and organizer of the first-of-its-kind Green Chemistry Business Summit. This event included industry and government leaders to help harness the economic and workforce opportunities for clean manufacturing through Green Chemistry. It included the top scientists in the field and was covered in the Technology section of the New York Times. It was held in Haverhill, Massachusetts in October of 2007.

Boston Foundation - Hub of Innovations

Planet-TECH Associates is a partner with The Boston Foundation Indicators Project in development of the Hub of Innovations Tool. The Boston Foundation is one of New England's most established foundations, and their Indicators Project is considered a national prototype for the communication of key municipal trends and data. The Hub of Innovations tool highlights initiatives that are exemplary and show promise for improving the quality of municipal life and commerce. 

Innovation Valley - Rebirth of the Industrial Revolution in the Merrimack Valley

Planet-TECH Associates is helping the Merrimack Valley Region of Massachusetts reestablish its heritage as the birth place of America's industrial revolution. The Merrimack Valley, home to cities such as Lowell, Lawrence, and Haverhill that were the pulse of American ingenuity 150 years ago, are at it again, this time with an emphasis on innovation and sustainable development. The Innovation Valley project explores opportunities for region and strategies for their implementation.

City of Haverhill "Cyber-district"

Provided strategic direction setting for "Cyber-district" task force and their regional center for "business innovation". Introduced the idea of a regional center for "innovation", explored alternative fuel concepts such as hydrogen fuel cells, helped create first web site and discussion forum for the task force, helped create Haverhill's first "Net Day".

Massachusetts Technology Collaborative - "Premium Power Study"

Provided technical and market assessment of "Premium Power" in the Haverhill Cyber-district. The client, Massachusetts Technology Collaborative is a state agency in Massachusetts charged with helping to promote the "innovation economy". Subcontractors were Coldwell Banker, MTechnology, and Rocky Mountain Institute.

Community Catalyst - Health Care Advocates

Provided strategic direction setting for national health care consumer advocacy group, Community Catalyst. Provided guidance on the role of information technology as a an organizational enabler and national movement building. Designed client's first web-based knowledge building tool to coincide with invitational conference. Designed first prototype web site. Provided comprehensive internal technology capacity review. Designed strategy for new technology procurement and training.

U.S. Bureau of the Census, 2010 Planning Committee

Provided a strategic plan for teaming with youth in the design and implementation of the 2010 Decennial Census. Special attention was focused on the technical and demographic trends affecting the "Millennial Generation" (those born after 1982). Considered issues germane to geospacial and statistical literacy.