The Entrepreneur’s Network begins recruiting 9th class
February 15, 2010
The Entrepreneurs Network is now accepting applications for Class IX
Eligibility
Candidates should be Founders, Senior Executives, CEO’s or hold a controlling position in an early stage technology, life science, and/or scalable high-revenue potential firms with business operations primarily in Upstate New York.
Who Should Apply
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Early Stage Technology Firms
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Life Science Firms
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Serial Entrepreneurs
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Scalable Businesses (Up to $50 million)
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Businesses Undergoing a Leadership Transition
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Family-owned Businesses
Application
TEN is now accepting applications for Class IX. Please submit an application form, a brief non-confidential executive summary (maximum length 3 pages) describing your business, and a summary of your professional background for review and acceptance into the next four-month program. Class size is limited to 20 participants per class to allow for maximum interaction.
Cost
Approved applicants will be charged a one-time processing fee of $350.00.
“Class IX” is a member-only 4-month program comprised of the following boot camps:
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March 4-5, 2010 |
Entrepreneurship Boot Camp featuring Derby Management, Boston, MA |
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April 8-9, 2010 |
Building Block Boot Camp featuring Upstate experts and funding sources |
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May 6-7, 2010 |
Sales Effectiveness Boot Camp featuring Derby Management, Boston, MA |
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June 3, 2010 and June 17, 2010 |
Investor Presentation Boot Camp featuring Upstate experts and funding sources |
To apply for Class IX, Submit an on-line application: online application.
Apply Today!
About The Entrepreneurs Network The Entrepreneurs Network-TEN - is an innovative program designed to provide Upstate entrepreneurs significant hands-on exposure to, and interaction with, national and regional business experts and funding sources. TEN has an exclusive, members-only class consisting of boot camps on securing equity investments and traditional financing, effective sales and marketing strategies, leadership and business strategy for today’s competitive environment. TEN augments its program activities with “Lunch and Learn” and other special events to offer training, educating and networking to connect entrepreneurs, established firms, academic institutions and investment resources to advance the regional economy.
About County of Monroe Industrial Development Agency COMIDA’s goal is to promote, encourage, attract and develop job and recreational opportunities and economically sound commerce and industry throughout Monroe County. COMIDA’s projects generate a 4 to 1 benefit to incentive ratio. They do not lend money nor guarantee loans. Assistance is provided though incentives.
About High Tech Rochesteris a non-profit economic development organization driving growth in the Rochester/Finger Lakes region through the Creation, Mentoring, and Incubation of high-tech start-up businesses, and through advanced consulting services provided to small manufacturing firms through its NYSTAR-funded Regional Technology Development Center.
20 questions to determine if you’re cut out to be an Entrepreneur…
February 13, 2010
I was directed by my friend Pierpaulo Frigerio to this post by Dr. Isenberg at Babson College with the provocative 20 questions to help you determine if you’re cut out to be an entrepreneur. As with many of the talks I give to young entrepreneurs Isenberg believes that money is not and cannot be a motivating factor in becoming an Entrepreneur. His 20 questions come from some of the same sources as the book I frequently recommend to young entrepreneurs and would-be consultants: E-Myth revisited. In E-Myth we discover the 4 quadrants of the employer/employee grid - from working a job to true entrepreneur.
Gerber in E-Myth finds that you can be an employee, a consultant, a “lifestyle” business owner or a true entrepreneur. Isenberg refines that down to the characteristics that designate you a true entrepreneur. Most people are not suited to entrepreneurial lifestyle - it’s very different than the other 3 quadrants and requires a high degree of passion, work ethic, creativity and willingness to fail. Isenberg feels it’s not about money or risk - it’s about the excitement of making a difference in the world. I agree,
U of R Degree Program Trains Students to Turn Patents into Products
January 27, 2010
Like many top research universities, the University of Rochester files dozens of patents each year, but a large number of them end up sitting in a file somewhere on campus perhaps never to be applied in the real world. I recently interviewed Natalie Antal at the U of R to discuss a new program to address this issue. U of R administrators have created a new graduate program designed to put the college’s vast collection of intellectual property to use in medical devices, consumer electronics and a variety of other applications instead of leaving them to collect dust.
The Technical Entrepreneurship and Management (TEAM) program asks students to look through the archives of available patents, find ones that can be turned into profitable technologies, and then develop businesses around them.
Sifting through the University’s roughly 400 (391 at the moment) unused patents, picking one, and drawing up an effective business plan around it is a central task for students working toward the new Master of Science degree.
This approach to teaching innovation allows students the chance to use real technologies and gives them an opportunity to start profitable companies. The novel program is being put to the test as a pilot program this year.
The program is designed for students that have a bachelor’s degree in a technical field. Program participants take interdisciplinary graduate level engineering courses from theHajim School of Engineering and Applied Sciences as well as business courses from the Simon Graduate School of Business.
One of the program’s founders, Vice Provost for Entrepreneurship Duncan Moore, has started a few companies of his own during his tenure at Rochester using technology that he helped develop. Moore believes that, although attitudes have begun to change, many academics aren’t comfortable in industry, making it difficult for potentially job-creating technologies that are incubated in universities to enter the marketplace.
Local engineers need to learn to start their own companies, especially in Rochester, where traditional, large, high-tech companies are struggling and engineering jobs are leaving the city, according to Moore. “I believe we have a very strong obligation to encourage engineers to think like businesspeople, both morally and for the health of the University,” Moore said.
In addition to creating local jobs and teaching students entrepreneurship, the University has a financial incentive for using some of its dormant patents, according to Jack Fraser, deputy director of the school’s Office of Technology Transfer, who is responsible for licensing the University’s patents. It costs the University roughly $15,000 in lawyers’ fees on average to file a patent, and when the patents sit unused that money is not recouped, Fraser said.
When a technology is licensed, the company that licenses it pays the University for the privilege, usually in the form of royalties. That money is then split between the University and the inventor.
Four students make up the pilot class for the TEAM program, which began this year. The University hopes to expand it to a class of 20 students for the academic year beginning fall 2010.
For more information contact Natalie Antal at natalie.antal@rochester.edu 585-276-4511
RIT presents serial entrepreneur and investor Terry Matthews
December 10, 2009
‘Serial Entrepreneur’ Terry Matthews to Speak at RIT Dec. 11
Matthews to offer his secrets on how to launch successful businesses
Terry Matthews, the founder of more than 60 telecommunications, information technology and software companies, will discuss how to create successful new ventures during a 3 p.m. talk on Friday December 11th at Rochester Institute of Technology’s B. Thomas Golisano College of Computing and Information Sciences Auditorium.
The event is free and open to the public.
Matthews is the chairman of Wesley Clover, a private equity firm that describes itself as being in the business of building businesses. Matthews and his team at Wesley Clover utilize their extensive experiences in the technology realm to identify gaps in the marketplace and launch new enterprises to fill them. Wesley Clover reaches out to either recent college graduates or those at the tail end of their academic career to lead the charge, offering training and mentoring along the way.
In the past two years, seven recent RIT graduates have formed companies for Wesley Clover.
“Terry Matthews is what I call a serial entrepreneur,” says Richard DeMartino, director of RIT’s Albert J. Simone Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship. “His passion is empowering and coaching young entrepreneurs in building businesses. The insight he will offer in his presentation will be invaluable for anyone looking to launch their own business.”
Rochester Works and NYS DOL hold entrepreneur workshop
October 5, 2009
A Free Workshop for Entrepreneurs: How to Turn an Interest into a Business
Wednesday, October 21 2009
9:00 AM - 11:00 AM
Sponsored by
RochesterWorks!
255 North Goodman Street
Rochester, NY 14607
So you want to start a business?
RochesterWorks is pleased to partner with the New York State Small Business Development Center (SBDC) at SUNY Brockport for this exciting interactive discussion. Learn about how you can turn your interest or hobby into a business and become your own boss.
Topics to be discussed will include:
- Is there a need?
- Who will buy it?
- Why Should they Buy it from You?
- Obtaining a DBA
- Your Responsibilities as an Employer
- Licensing and Regulations
- Business Plan Basics
- How to Pay for it All
Location: The RochesterWorks! Career Center is located at 255 North Goodman Street, at the corner of College Avenue, across from Village Gate. Parking is free. Space is Limited.
For more information or to RSVP contact:
Ann Marie Walker
Career Services Advisor-Workshop Specialist
RochesterWorks, Inc.
585-258-3541
awalker@rochesterworks.org
Do you have a Plan “B”?
September 29, 2009
In follow-up to the TEN Lunch & Learn meeting held at the Infotonics Technology Center regarding “Plan B” technologies, we are reaching out to help you vet your good ideas. The Workforce Innovation in Regional Economic Development (WIRED) program realized this region holds many good ideas not presently being pursued that are well suited for regional job creation and economic advantage. Therefore, through WIRED, ITC is providing a rare opportunity for individuals who have a Plan “B” idea to assist them in the process of vetting those ideas and receiving training around the entrepreneurial process.vuon@earthlink.net to set up an initial interview meeting. You will have the opportunity to discuss your Plan “B” idea/technology to a technologist, receive training around the entrepreneurial process and the resources available to help you through that process, and, who knows, maybe become the next upstate New York Plan “A” enterprise!
Sometimes referred to as an orphan idea, invention, or technology, it is the great idea that an innovator just doesn’t have the time to pursue. However, we are providing the opportunity to vet Plan “B” concepts with a technical expert in residence (TEIR) at the Infotonics Technology Center who will provide technical analysis and investigate potential market opportunities. Furthermore, for the technologies/ideas that show promise, additional WIRED training resources are available for assistance in forming a new company, market analysis, business plan writing, grant proposal writing, etc.
If you are one of those Plan “B” innovators, or know of someone who is, please contact Michael Potter at (585)415-7272 or email
Only our highest achieving children being left behind.
August 28, 2009
In a recent post by Tom Loveless and Michael Petrilli on the NY Times editorial page they go into a detailed analysis of a recently touted study that showed that our highest achieving children were also benefitting from NCLB (the No Child Left Behind Act). In a rather thorough debunking they showed that, in fact, the rate of growth in achievement of these highest performing children had decreased over time (not the growth - the rate of growth) and that it fell far behind the improvement curve of the bottom section of the bell curve. While our lowest performing children improved by as much as 25% under the new system - higher performing children improved by no more than 5%, a slower rate of growth than in times previous to the enactment of NCLB.
Furthermore the studies had some significant statistical WTFs. Improvements in states such as North Dakota were weighted the same as states such as California - despite the fact that California has 60x the students of North Dakota.
As a parent of a high-performing child I can tell you from personal experience that the NCLB program and “experiential learning” experiments like “fuzzy math” are failing our high performing children. The saving grace is that private enterprise and colleges are stepping in to assist where schools are leaving off with programs like FIRST Robotics and John Hopkins University’s Center for Talented Youth. The fact of the matter is though that these programs - which generally require either substantial financial resources or corporate sponsorship - are having trouble helping bright children in the most economically challenged sections of our country. Think what could happen if the government got behind not just lifing up the lower 1/3 of our performers, but in enhancing the education of the top 1/2 of our performers. How much more productive could we be if our best and brightest were even better and brighter and were encouraged to succeed rather than beaten down into the general average population? Programs like FIRST and CTY show that it can be done - we just need to produce the will to do it.
If you don’t believe this is true look at your local school’s budget. How much of that budget is dedicated to assisting children with disabilities of one kind or another vs enhancing the education of our top performers. Now I’m not suggesting we reduce help for children with IEPs - they need that help to make them productive members of society. Is it so hard to envision though a scenario where we not only help our disabled children but we truly challenge our smart and creative ones? These are our next CEO’s, entrepreneurs, engineers, software developers, and visionaries. Our current educational system fails these kids in a fundamental way - by forcing them into an environment where they must “conform to the norm” instead of “exceed to succeed”. My son’s public school for instance (a well funded suburban school) fails to offer advanced software development classes, entrepreneurial programs or other challenges for high end performance. Getting teachers involved and reimbursed for helping with these programs is always last on the agenda, because the state and federal government mandate that they must spend so much on servicing the bottom 50% of performers.
So how do we change this? We need to take action at the grass roots level - every entrepreneur in America - to encourage our leadership to look at how we can best enhance programs like FIRST and CTY to push them into every school, even the disadvantaged ones. My son’s FIRST (Penfield Robotics team 1511) team adopted an inner-city team (team 2999) and helped them through their rookie year with money, mentors and facilities - if our children can step up to help why can’t we? Take some of your entrepreneurial dollars and dedicate them to your future by sponsoring a FIRST team, creating a CTY scholarship, or just volunteer to help and assist a program like Science Olympiad or Mathletes. It’s a great way to give back to the community and help create the next generation of employees, entrepreneurial partners, and industry visionaries.
Monroe Community College offers entrepreneur scholarship
July 28, 2009
Monroe Community College is offering a 15 week tuition, fees and books scholarship for their Entrepreneurial Studies class. The scholarship is for the entire class cost (100% of tuition, textbooks and student fees) for this 3 credit hour course. The classes will run September 8th through December 23rd, 2009. The Business 110 Entrepreneurial studies course will cover small business opportunities, management of a small business, marketing and resources. They are particularly interested in bringing students in who are interested in starting a company in the following fields:
- Health
- Medical Services
- Tourism
- Construction
- Food Industry
- Arts and Culture
To be eligible for the scholarship a candidate must be a US Citizen, National, Refugee Alien or Permanent Resident Alien, be interested in opening a business in the next 12 months, commit to successfully completing the entire 11 week course, be a resident of Monroe County for at least the last 6 months, and NOT already receiving funding from another program or programs that pays full tuition. The scholarship is open to all and under represented or minority groups are encourage to apply. You must COMPLETE the course to be eligible for the tuition waver. You must apply by August 3rd.
The College is awarding 38 scholarships this fall! Find out more at http://www.monroecc.edu/depts/business/entrepreneurs/ or Contact Sherry Tshibangu
Sherry Tshibangu
Director, Emerging Entrepreneur Scholarship Program
Building 5, Room 52l
Monroe Community College
1000 E. Henrietta Rd.
Rochester, NY 14623
Fax: 585.292.3828
Email: Newbiz@monroecc.edu
To submit an application by AUGUST 3RD you must fill in the following enrollment forms: http://www.monroecc.edu/depts/business/entrepreneurs/enroll.htm
The Entrepreneur’s Network accepting applications for Class VIII
July 20, 2009
As a TEN graduate myself, I can highly recommend TEN’s excellent program. As the press release below points out you get a $7500 value for only $350, thanks to the use of Monroe County and WIRED grant economic development funds. This is YOUR TAX DOLLARS at work, and an excellent example of how stimulus dollars are being applied at a local level. If you’re an entrepreneur, and need help getting started this is the best $350 you could possibly invest in your new business.
The Entrepreneur’s Network is now accepting applications for its next class, which begins September 23, 2009. Based on best practices of leading entrepreneurial training, education and networking programs, TEN’s mission is to grow life sciences, technology-based, and/or scalable, high-revenue potential firms across the upstate region. TEN is an intense six-month program, focused on helping entrepreneurs - new or old - avoid the pitfalls that can limit growth or decrease the likelihood of securing investment. Even if you’re a proven entrepreneur, business is an ever-changing environment and we cover the latest strategies for improving sales, securing financing, building or enhancing business plans, and presenting your firm to key stakeholders - be it venture capitalists, banks, insurance companies, or potential customers. We constantly hear from our alums the message, “If only I knew these things before I got started. I could have saved so much time and done a better job!”
Class size is limited to 20 participants to allow for maximum interaction. The cost of this program is $7500 per participant, but thanks to the support of the County of Monroe, Finger Lakes WIRED, and COMIDA, the cost to you is only $350 per person - payable only if you’re accepted into the program. The deadline to submit is September 7, 2009.
Here’s the Class VIII schedule:
- September 23: Class VII Graduation AND Class VIII Kick-Off Celebration
- September 24-25: Derby Management Entrepreneurship Boot Camp
- October 15-16: Building Financial Models / Sources of Funding & Term Sheets
- November 12-13: Derby Management Sales Effectiveness Boot Camp
- December 1 and 15: Investor Presentation Boot Camp
The sessions lead by Jack Derby and George Simmons from Derby Management are invaluable, and bringing them to Upstate New York only raises the level of awareness of the business opportunities that exist here. Some of you may have heard Jack present the keynote address at the last Rochester Regional Business Planning Competition. If you’re interested in participating in this year’s program, click on the TEN Membership Application to register.
If you’re interested, or have any questions, feel free to drop Jean Kase a note at jkase@monroecounty.govor call at 585.753.2031. For more information you can check out TEN’s website: www.ten-ny.org
Infotonics sponsors tech summer camp
June 22, 2009
INFOTONICS TECHNOLOGY CENTER TO HOST SEMI HIGH TECH UNIVERSITY SUMMER PROGRAM FEATURING INDUSTRY-LED INTRODUCTION TO SEMICONDUCTOR INDUSTRY AND HIGH-TECH JOBS.
The Infotonics Technology Center (ITC) announced today that they are accepting applications from area high school students who are currently 16 or 17 years in age (or who will be 16 in 2009) for the SEMI High Tech U. program. High Tech U. provides students with an intensive, three-day, industry-led introduction to the semiconductor industry, potential career paths, and educational requirements. The program will be hosted at ITC’s facility on Route 332 in Canandaigua, and runs August 11th through the 13th.
Any student in the Rochester/Finger Lakes region who has an interest in high-tech is encouraged to apply. There is no cost for students to attend, and two students will by chosen to receive $1000 college scholarships at the conclusion of the program.
Students will participate in several hands-on activities that focus on topics including statistics, nano-technology, solar and alternative energy technologies, mathematics, and problem solving. Students will also participate in mock interviews and hear from a panel of area colleges and universities about local educational options. The program culminates with a graduation ceremony to be held at Finger Lakes Community College. Last year, 28 students from Canandaigua, Geneva and Victor high schools attended the program.
For more information, or to apply to the program, call David Gottfried, ITC Public Affairs, at (585) 919-3081 or email david.gottfried@itcmems.com. Applications will be accepted until Friday, July 31st.
