Cyon Research event serves as annual cross-disciplinary think tank for the examination of engineering technology’s role in business

Bethesda, MD, December 19, 2007 – Cyon Research Corporation, host of COFES: The Congress on the Future of Engineering Software, today announced Karl Ulrich as the keynote speaker for COFES 2008, April 10 – 13 in Scottsdale, Arizona.
Microsoft Corp. is sponsoring Ulrich’s appearance at the event, which is the engineering software industry's only annual think tank that brings executives from design, engineering, architectural, development and technology companies together to examine the role engineering technology plays in business success.

A distinguished professor, writer, and innovative entrepreneur, Ulrich may be best known for his engineering developments in the industry of personal transportation vehicles. Motivated by his deep interest in human-powered transportation, as well as the prospect of environmental sustainability, he founded Nova Cruz in 1999 to create a compact, individual commuting solution. His most famous creation, the Xootr (pronounced “zooter”) scooter, has been dubbed the “Mercedes of scooters,” and has successfully transformed the image of a scooter from a child’s toy to one of providing adult transportation. Ulrich also recently co-founded TerraPass, a program designed to help individuals and corporations understand and mitigate carbon footprint issues, and to help fund clean energy projects.

“We recognize Prof. Ulrich’s valuable contributions to the industry at large, and are pleased we can help bring his innovative ideas to such a distinguished forum,” said Simon Floyd, Global Industry Technology Strategist, Microsoft. “His research, insightful perspectives and personal experiences challenge us all to think about how we can make a positive business impact now and in the future.”

A professor at the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania, Ulrich has three degrees in mechanical engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and holds 17 patents on a wide range of applications. He is considered an authority on innovative design and has co-authored a number of books on the subject, including Product Design and Development.

“Cyon Research is delighted that Prof. Ulrich will be joining us at our 9th annual congress, and we are confident participants will walk away from his keynote energized,” said Joel Orr, Cyon Research and a COFES cofounder. “His insights into innovation are profound and his presentations are always engaging. What he has to say will resonate very strongly with our community.”

COFES 2008 is an invitation-only event and offers unparalleled opportunities for in-depth, open discussion among influential participants representing the engineering, design, manufacturing, architecture and software professions. Information about COFES can be found at www.cofes.com.


About Cyon Research
Cyon Research Corporation is a provider of analysis and consulting for engineering technology markets. Cyon Research provides key information, research, analysis, and consulting to its clients worldwide. COFES: The Congress on the Future of Engineering Software is Cyon Research's primary event, and explores investments necessary today to take advantage of — and profit from — future technologies. For more information about this year’s scheduled events and speakers, please visit cofes.com.

Cyon Research is a trademark of Cyon Research Corporation. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.