After insisting that you just call him “Adam”, he agreed to meet you at a park near the University and his offices. He knew the perfect place to get Beer and Barbeque, but it was a little tricky to find, so it was best to meet at the park and he would lead you.
Adam arrived at the park about 1140 and guided the group DOWN from the Ring One. You discovered that Purvaux had a subterranean “Ring” that served as an industrial complex. Nestled among companies that seemed to manufacture items ranging from medical devices to advanced alloys was the
Cork Screw BBQ … a place with a rustic meets industrial vibe that seemed crowded with patrons. The scent of smoked meat filled the place and there was a selection of nearly fifty different Craft beers to select from. Adam suggested the Pulled pork and brisket combo that was the house specialty. When the food arrived (on a compartmental plate on a sheet of brown paper covering a metal tray), Adam thanked the waitress and allowed Mick to pay. While pulled pork had a tendency to be dry and needed lots of sauce to provide flavor, the group was shocked to discover this pork was moist, tender and had an amazing flavor even without any BBQ sauce. As for BBQ sauces, they had about 15 different varieties to select from. The waitress suggested several brews that paired well with your selections … including the option of a “flight” if you wanted to sample several different brews. Adam chose a flight.
“
So you said you were interested in some Data Cubes” Adam began as you enjoyed your meal. “
I am afraid you have me at a bit of a disadvantage. You see, the Productivity, Innovation and Entrepreneurship Council doesn’t actually DO anything.” Adam explained with a smile. “
We are really more like a ‘Pimp”.
With a small chuckle, Adam went on to explain that the function of the Productivity, Innovation and Entrepreneurship Council was to match problems in search of a solution with solutions in search of a problem. Specifically, they maintained a database of Research Proposals and Technical Challenges and attempted to cross match them. “
Large corporations and major industries maintain direct research teams and facilities and ongoing programs that seek slow but steady progress that large bureaucracies favor. The Productivity, Innovation and Entrepreneurship Council seeks to identify and support the outlier cases. Radical solutions that no large organization would take a chance on, or niche problems that no large university department would bother to notice. We match small funds with few restrictions to projects that are high-risk, high reward to see if an outlier can produce something that offers dramatic potential. So I need a little more detail on exactly what you are looking for. I have LOTS of data cubes with lots of data … none of which would likely interest you. However, you are probably looking for something that we funded. That I can help with.”