With contagious enthusiasm, Alex Warner unabashedly says he is on "the bleeding edge" of a new technology. He is the president and founder of Pedigree Technologies, the second start-up company to be located in North Dakota State University's Research and Technology Park.

The new business is conducting research and pilot projects in the emerging field of "smart dust." The technology allows for an array of radio frequency wireless devices, usually sensors, to be placed in an environment to provide a vast amount of information. Currently, the sensors fit in the palm of one's hand, but Warner sees a time in the near future when they are fully miniaturized.

Warner's plan is to incorporate the sensors into the food processing and production sectors, where he envisions them improving operations through better networked communications. "The sensors provide information at a level that has never before been possible," said Warner. "Processors and producers will better understand what is going on with their products and daily operations, which in turn will help them make operational decisions in a more timely manner."

A 1997 NDSU graduate in plant sciences, Warner grew up on a farming operation near Hillsboro, N.D. He loved technology and computers as a boy. The mix of experiences seems a great fit for his career choice, and Warner thinks the Research and Technology Park is a great place to start.

His company will be temporarily located in the new Research II building, before moving to the park's planned business incubator. "NDSU has created an atmosphere that is very conducive to the business, as we try to make our way in the world," Warner said. "There is a lot of support all the way around, and I can't imagine being anywhere else starting a tech-related business like this."

Statements like that bring a smile to Tony Grindberg, the park's executive director. "This is an exhilarating time to be an entrepreneur in a high tech industry because so much is happening so fast. We feel at the NDSU Research and Tech Park that we're positioned perfectly to jump onto that shooting star of technology development. This is the right time and the right place to get that incubator going so businesses like Pedigree Technologies can survive and thrive. All the pieces are there for exciting things to happen here and we're eager to get started."

Warner also is a prime example of a former North Dakotan returning to the state to pursue a successful career. The 30-year-old Warner lived for a time in Los Angeles and the Twin Cities before returning.

"I moved back because we saw some of the opportunities being created here by Sen. Byron Dorgan, NDSU President Joseph Chapman and state government," he explained. "We are enthusiastic about the idea of a research corridor in the Red River Valley. And it's nice to go down the path that other technology companies have blazed here in North Dakota."

Warner notes that his company faces risks, as does any new endeavor. But, his optimism and quick humor demonstrate that its future is in good hands.

"A start-up company is like a roller-coaster. I like that. An entrepreneur has to enjoy chaos, and that is certainly part of the equation. I suppose I have an affinity for that," he said with a grin. "Pedigree Technologies wants to add value to the industries we are targeting. These new technologies are solutions looking for problems, and we believe we've identified some."