If you are a technology entrepreneur that could benefit from learning more about the supercomputing resources available through The Ohio Supercomputer Center (OSC),  NEOinc suggests you strongly consider attending this event.  Not only is OSC making it’s supercomputing facilities available to a widening audience, the presenter, whose bio is below, has an entrepreneurial background and could be a valuable contact for your startup. 

CIO Luncheon

The Mansfield Richland Chamber of Commerce and the Northern Ohio IT Alliance invite you to join other Chief Information Officers, Chief Technology Officers, and Information Technology Managers as we bring together IT leaders from throughout the area.  Our guest speaker will be Ashok K. Krishnamurthy, Ph.D., Senior Director of Outreach at The Ohio Supercomputer Center.  Mr. Krishnamurthy will be discussing the Blue Collar Computing Initiative and the Ralph Regula School of Computational Science programs.

 MONDAY, May 19, 2008
11:30am to 1:00pm
Downtown Holiday Inn Hotel & Suites
116 Park Avenue West
Mansfield, OH 44902 

This luncheon is being offered free-of-charge to CIO and CTOs to make it easy to interact with other IT professionals to promote our area’s technology resources and infrastructure.  Please RSVP to the Northern Ohio IT Alliance by May 13, 2008 at 419-525-1614 or by email at bleach@braintreepartners.org.

How is NEOinc Involved?

The Northern Ohio IT Alliance (NOITA) was formed out of desire to provide an IT organization to represent the areas of northern Ohio not represented by NEOSA and not actively engaged by OhioITA.  NOITA is sponsored by NEOinc incubator Braintree and Bob Leach, Braintree’s Director of Operations, serves as its Director. 

The Northern Ohio IT Alliance sponsors several types of events each year to promote networking and interaction between IT companies and individuals in IT departments.  NOITA has been the organization facilitating Richland County’s interaction with the Ohio Broadband Council for expanding broadband services within the area.  NOITA also works with several technology entities as board members and on steering committees.  

About the Presenter 

Ashok K. Krishnamurthy, Ph.D. is the Ohio Supercomputer Center’s Senior Director of Research and is an associate professor in The Ohio State University (OSU) electrical and computer engineering department.  Krishnamurthy conducts research in signal/image processing, high performance computing and computational models of hearing.  He serves as the academic lead for the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) High Performance Computing Modernization Program in the area of integrated modeling and test.  Ashok has designed and provided numerous training courses for the DoD User Groups on all aspects of the MatLab programming language.  

On an entrepreneurial leave of absence from OSU, Krishnamurthy started a design center in Dublin, Ohio for Ecrio Inc., a Silicon Valley startup.  He led a team of engineers at the design center developing wireless and handheld communication applications.  As a consultant, he has worked on the development of micro-controller and microprocessor based products, and has assisted in the development of strategic plans to introduce Application-Specific Standard products for multimedia and telephony applications such as speech coders, caller-ID receivers etc.  He earned his bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology in Madras, India in 1979.  He received his master’s and doctorate degrees in electrical engineering at the University of Florida in 1981 and 1983, respectively.

The Youngstown Business Incubator’s Third Thursdays at 3 events are always popular programs.  TH3 is a networking and educational forum that brings together innovative and progressive people with a vision – to create and sustain an innovative and entrepreneurial environment in the Mahoning Valley.  TH3 events are for local companies to showcase new technologies, for technology organizations to share their resources, for entrepreneurs build relationships, for educators to highlight their initiatives – it is a place for innovative talk, robust debates, inquiring minds. It is an opportunity to learn about the “cool things” going on – right here in the backyard of the Mahoning Valley!

Next Thursday, April 17th at 3 pm….

David Karpinski, Vice President of Technology Innovation, NorTech, will present the Innovation Accelerator, a program designed to help small and mid size manufacturers develop innovative solutions and ideas.  Developed in conjunction with MAGNET, the program includes monthly programs led by innovation experts, peer groups for networking and idea exchange, and innovation guides which connect companies with other resources to spur innovation and growth.

 Also, Mark Your Calendar for May 15th at 3 pm….

Dick Wilk, President, Refractory Specialties, Inc, will discuss RSI’s evolutionary and extraordinary transition from a basic manufacturer to a leading edge visionary that has developed innovative applications of industrial insulation components in automotive, appliance, HVAC, metals, fuel cell, solar energy and petrochemicals industries as well as industrial process furnaces, solid fuel appliances and high temperature gaskets.  It recently was awarded a $400,000 Third Frontier Grant from the Ohio Department of Development for its High Purity, Robust Kiln Furniture for Low Cost SOFC Manufacturing project. Wilk led the management acquisition of this former division of Ferro Corporation in 1992 and will also discuss the opportunities for international trade for small and mid-size businesses.

Questions? Suggestions? Reserve your seat!
Julie Michael Smith, Chief Development Officer
Youngstown Business Incubator
241 Federal Plaza West, Youngstown, OH  44503
jmsmith@ybi.org   330-259-7644

The Cleveland Professional 20/30 Club is proud to host its first annual Business Plan Competition Face-Off Event. After three rounds of judging, the two finalists of the 20/30 Business Plan Competition will have ten minutes to present their business plans on April 24th.

After considering each presentation, our experienced panel of judges will then choose the winner. The judges are not the only ones who get to express themselves; the audience will also get to share their opinions. Thanks to COSE’s real-time audience participation system, members of the audience will be able to provide their views on how well each team performed and on each of the two business plans.

This will be an excellent opportunity to hear the next generation of Cleveland entrepreneurs present their business ideas. The event begins at 6:00 p.m., Thursday, April 24, 2008, at:

The Forum Conference Center
One Cleveland Center
1375 East Ninth Street
Cleveland, OH  44114

Networking and appetizers will begin at 6:00 p.m. with presentations at 7:00 p.m. Cost of the event will be:

$10 for 20/30 members
$15 for members of partner organizations (including SME, COSE, MAGNET, and OVA)
$20 for non-members.

Food and a cash bar will be available. Full business attire will be required. More details will be available as the event date nears. Please visit www.cleveland2030.org for more info and to register for the event. Space will be limited, so register early. For more information, contact Dan Young, Networking Director - Networking@cleveland2030org.

Support for this event comes from:

COSE
The Civic Innovation Lab
MAGNET
The Ohio Venture Association

The Cleveland Professional 20/30 Club is a non-profit organization created to retain young professionals in Greater Cleveland by providing events focused on both personal and professional development. The Club offers Educational events including speakers and presentations, Networking events, Philanthropic opportunities and Social events.

These SBIR / STTR Workshops will show you how

The Ohio Aerospace Institute (OAI) and TechLift are presenting a series of workshops on the Federal SBIR and STTR programs.  The Department of Defense (DoD) SBIR and STTR programs fund a billion dollars each year in early-stage R&D projects at small technology companies - projects that serve a DoD need and have commercial applications.

• The SBIR Program provides up to $850,000 in early-stage R&D funding directly to small technology companies (or individual entrepreneurs who form a company).
• The STTR Program provides up to $850,000 in early-stage R&D funding directly to small companies working cooperatively with researchers at universities and other research institutions.

Small companies retain the intellectual property rights to technologies they develop under these programs.  Funding is awarded competitively, but the process is streamlined and user-friendly.

Knowing the ins and outs of how the program works, how best to apply, and what you need to do in order to increase your odds of an award is the basis of the OAI/TechLift workshops.  In each of the workshops, you will learn:

• How to use SBIR and STTR as a business development tool in your company
• The basics of the DOD SBIR/STTR Program, its breadth and potential reward to you
• How to develop a DOD SBIR/STTR proposal that answers the need with logical flow
• What DOD SBIR reviewers look for, pitfalls to avoid & pointers to better your efforts
• How to access technical information about prior R&D awards
• Decide whether you can/should compete for SBIR/STTR or other government funds 

• How to partner with TechLift and OAI to increase your commercialization opportunities

Three workshop dates are being offered:

Fri., April 4th, 2008
10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.
Akron Global Business Accelerator
526 S. Main Street
Akron, Ohio 44311

Thu., April 10th, 2008
10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.
Great Lakes Innovation and Development Enterprise (GLIDE)
Lorain County Community College
151 Innovation Drive, Suite 210
Elyria, Ohio 44035 Fri., April 11th, 2008
10:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.
The Youngstown Business Incubator (YBI)
241 Federal Plaza West
Youngstown, Ohio 44503

EVENT INFO:

Lunch will be provided. Cost: $25 for OAI Members & TechLift Partners; $40 for Non-Members.  NEOinc is a TechLift partner.  If you are a tenant in one of our incubators, you are eligible for the reduced pricing.

Online registration will be available soon, please visit http://www.oai.org/ (networking and events)
By e-mail: patriciagrospiron@oai.org and monicadumitriu@oai.org
By phone: Patricia Grospiron, 440-962-3216 and Monica Dumitriu, 440-962-3141

Ready to take the next step?

OAI and TechLift are also offering an Intensive Workshop on SBIR / TTIR & Grant Funding Proposal Preparation.  This workshop is a day and a half and will focus on:

• Detailed instruction on proposal preparation

• Technical & commercialization plans
• Proposal submission procedures
• Overview of all agencies, including DOD, DOE, & NSF

This intensive workshop will take place April 28th and 29th at the OAI facility (click for directions).  Registration contacts are the same as above.  There are four options for this workshop:

• Option 1: One day of SBIR training, Mon., 12-5 p.m. or Tue., 9 a.m. – noon
  Cost: $125 for OAI Members & TechLift partners; $250 for Non-Members
• Option 2: One day of SBIR training + 1/2 day on commercialization
  Cost: $150 for Members & TechLift partners; $300 for Non-Members
• Option 3: One day of SBIR training + project summary review*
  Cost: $175 for Members & TechLift partners; $350 for Non-Members 
• Option 4: Same day + 1/2 day on commercialization + project summary review*
  Cost: $200 for Members & TechLift partners; $400 for Non-Members

*Note: The outline details for the project summary will be provided during the workshop.

If you didn’t attend last week’s Ohio Venture Association’s Venture Capital Summit III last week at Corporate College East, you missed a great event.  Panels included a conversation with leading Northeast Ohio angels, representatives of three VC firms that have recently set up shop in Northeast Ohio, and a panel on how to present to VC’s.

The last panel was especially interesting as Jerry Frantz, an EIR from JumpStart, was tapped to “present” to three area VC partners.  The presentation was a real proposal for funding, courtesy of an area entrepreneur.  What was interesting was that at any time during the presentation, you could yell “freeze” and ask any of the VCs a question.  It was fascinating to hear what actually goes through their mind during one of these presentations. 

There were lots of great suggestions and tidbits throughout the morning, but two really stuck out.

First, a VC partner was asked what he looks for in the “30 second elevator speech”:

1. Does the technology work?
2. How good is the jockey?
3. Is there a clear path to market?
4. Can you sell it, and when?

Keep these points in mind not only in the elevator, but in your presentations as well.

The second gem may be a bit self-serving, but a recurring question throughout the morning was how best to get a proposal in front of a partner for consideration.  Cold-calling and unsolicited E-Mails were confirmed by the panelists as not effective.  The answer that was given time and again is that proposals that are forwarded to VCs from trusted partners are assumed to be worthy of closer review.  The review may not end up in funding, but if you want a shot, work through a trusted partner like NEOinc.

The Cleveland Engineering Society’s upcoming “special edition” breakfast should be of interest to any entrepreneur in the Bio sector.  Robert N. Schmidt, Founder and Chairman, Cleveland Medical Devices and Orbital Research, Inc. will speak on the topic “Growing a Medical Device Company, the MedMart, and Where We Are Going With A Medical Device Industry In Northeast Ohio“.  Click HERE to register.

The Cleveland Engineering Society (CES) is a non-profit professional membership organization comprised of more than 500 corporate and individual members representing the diverse engineering and technology spectrum. CES connects northeast Ohio’s engineering community to share experience and expertise, explore new technologies, business strategies, trends and issues, and address regional workforce and economic development.

CES may be a good organization for you to join or network with.  You do not have to be a member to attend CES events.  Click HERE for a full list of their events, and HERE to signup for their mailing list.

TH3 (Third Thursdays at 3) is a networking and educational forum that brings together innovative and progressive people with a vision – to create and sustain an innovative and entrepreneurial environment in the Mahoning Valley.  TH3 events are for local companies to showcase new technologies, for technology organizations to share their resources, for entrepreneurs build relationships, for educators to highlight their initiatives – it is a place for innovative talk, robust debates, inquiring minds. It is an opportunity to learn about the “cool things” going on – right in the backyard of the Mahoning Valley!

February 21st

AlphaMicron’s CEO Dr. Bahman Taheri will give an engaging and informative presentation on liquid crystal technology and its innovative applications. AlphaMicron was founded by three KSU faculty members of the Liquid Crystal Institute in 1997 to fulfill an Air Force SBIR award to develop a liquid crystal visor for helmets. Now, the company has a patented technology that is basis for several commercial applications including digital lens eyewear, market-ready fashion, auto dimming mirrors and electronic shutters.   Dr. Taheri will also discuss the challenges and opportunities of being a university-affiliated entrepreneur, establishing a new business, with an innovative technology! 

March 20th

Ohio Aerospace Institute’s Dr. Michael Heil will discuss the future of the aerospace industry in Ohio and opportunities for the state’s manufacturers, universities and federal laboratories.  OAI supports the aerospace industry through research and technology development, education and training, and networking. Learn what opportunities exist for Mahoning Valley companies and organizations! 

April 17th

David Karpinski, Vice President of Technology Innovation, NorTech, will present the Innovation Accelerator, a program designed to help small and mid size manufacturers develop innovative solutions and ideas.  Developed in conjunction with MAGNET, the program includes monthly programs led by innovation experts, peer groups for networking and idea exchange, and innovation guides which connect companies with other resources to spur innovation and growth.  

ABOVE MEETINGS WILL BE HELD AT YBI 

Questions? Suggestions? Reserve your seat!

Julie Michael Smith,
Chief Development Officer
Youngstown Business Incubator
241 Federal Plaza West, Youngstown, OH  44503
jmsmith@ybi.org      330-259-7644

OVA’s upcoming Venture Capital Summit looks like it should be of interest to most entrepreneurs.  To register, click here.  Here’s the agenda, straight from their website:

7:00 am
Registration, Networking & Continental Breakfast

7:30 am
Mark Sniderman, Exec. VP & Chief Policy Officer, Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland

Topic: “Our Economy”

8:00 - 9:15 am
A Conversation with Leading Northeast Ohio Angels
Moderator: Ray Leach, CEO, JumpStart Inc.

• Dan T. Moore, President, Dan T. Moore Company
• Claiborne Rankin, Managing Member, North Coast Angel Fund
• Barry Rosenbaum, Founding Member, Arch Angels at the Univ. of Akron
• Neil Wyant, Managing Director, Everett Capital

9:15 to 9:45 am
Networking Break

9:45 - 11:00 am
What is Attracting VC Firms to Northeast Ohio?
Moderator: Michael Stubler, Managing Director, Draper Triangle Ventures

• Timothy G. Biro, General Partner, Reservoir Venture Partners
• Christopher R. Sklarin, Associate & Dir of Bus. Dev., Chrysalis Ventures
• Karen Spilizewski, VP & Dir. Of Bus. Dev., RiverVest Venture Partners

11:00 - 12:15 pm
How to Present to VCs
Moderator: Jonathan Murray, Managing Director, Early Stage Partners

• Timothy G. Biro, General Partner, Reservoir Venture Partners
• Jerry Frantz, Managing Entrepreneur-in-Residence, JumpStart, Inc.
• Michael Stubler, Managing Director, Draper Triangle Ventures

12:15 - 1:00 pm
Networking and Buffet Lunch

The summit will be held at Corporate College east, on Richmond Road.  See you there!

A partnership between MAGNET and NorTech  is launching the Innovation Accelerator for Manufacturers, February 7, 2008.  The program is geared towards small and midsized manufacturers, and the content is relevant for entrepreneurs and start-ups in the manufacturing space.

The program will offer workshops, peer group working sessions, and innovation guides delivered over five months.  Program content is intended to help you:

• Grow your business
• Add new products and services to your offerings
• Leverage ideas from your employees, vendors, customers and competitors
• Explore new technologies to make your products stronger and more effective

Check out the Innovation Accelerator home page for more information and registration details.

Tired of working out of a coffee shop?

That’s the tag-line Brad Kleinman and his team over at the Corporate College’s Key Entrepreneur Development Center use as a lead-in to discussions with small business start-ups and entrepreneurs, at a pre-seed / pre-incubator stage. 

They have a point. 

I recently visited the center at Corporate College East on Richmond Rd. off 271.  The center offers 8 kiosks, 4 offices, a training room and conference room along with additional flexible space and Internet connectivity.  Corporate College West has similar facilities.  The facilities are clean and modern, and very conducive to business.  The kiosks are “first come, first served”, while office space is generally reserved.  (Members can reserve a room via the Corporate College website).  Brad tells me that around 25 - 30 entrepreneurs a week use each of the facilities.  (And if you really need your Starbucks, you can get it in the lobby).

The best part?  The center is free of charge to COSE members and only $100/year for non-COSE members.  The only additional charge is for the use conference room ($75 for two hours).  COSE members also have access to COSE Business Spaces around town.

The Key Entrepreneur Development Center isn’t just about offices and meeting space however.  Brad offers a full range of conferences and workshops targeted at people interested in learning what it takes to be an entrepreneur or open a small business.  This page has a short video introduction of many of the courses offered so you can see if they would be of value to you.  The center’s two main yearly conferences are Sales for Entrepreneurs and eMarketing for Entrepreneurs. 

Brad has graciously extended the following offer to NEOinc blog readers: a $50 discount on the program of your choice.  Brad recommends the eMarketing Techniques Series that starts on January 28th or the eMarketing Techniques Conference on May 2nd. 

There is also a half day seminar coming up January 18th that should be of interest to every entrepreneur: Show Me the Money!  This workshop is all about financing and capital acquisition, and registration is just $99.

The development center and COSE business spaces are well done and a great value.  If you are tired of “working out of a coffee shop” and are looking for a professional, affordable working space option - check out Corporate College’s Key Entrepreneur Development Center.