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Tuesday, May 22, 2001

7:30 a.m. - 9:00 a.m.

Breakfast Keynote Address
David Wilhelm

Lessons for Strategic Communications (or How to Leave Your Opponent in the Dust!)

Communication is the name of the game for David Wilhelm, former chairman of the Democratic National Committee. In an address sponsored by PricewaterhouseCoopers, Wilhelm will open his war chest of political communications tools, stories and insights. You'll leave knowing how to position issues, think strategically and win in a competitive environment. You'll also understand the importance of responding quickly to media contacts, finding your comparative advantage, knowing the rules of the game and more.

Wilhelm is the youngest person ever to head a U.S. national political party, and he managed the 1992 Clinton/Gore national Presidential campaign. He is still involved in politics — now largely as an advocate for rural investment — as president of Wilhelm and Conlon Public Strategies, a consulting firm that advocates public policies and business initiatives that spur economic growth and justice. The firm has developed a private equity fund that invests in start-ups and later-stage businesses in rural areas, such as Appalachian Ohio and Southern Illinois.

Concurrent Sessions
9:15 a.m. - 10:30 a.m.

Getting that VC Round of Funding

The VC community raised more money in 2000 than in any other year, yet one of the biggest challenges incubators face is helping companies find VC funding. Experts with fundraising track records present guidance on positioning and relationship building. Incubation programs outside of Silicon Valley won't want to miss this session.

Steve Bengston, Managing Director, PrecewaterhouseCoopers, Menlo Park, CA
Barbara Kamm, Managing Director, Angels & Incubators, Silicon Valley Bank, Santa Clara, CA
Robert von Goeben, Managing Director, Starter Fluid, L.P., San Francisco, CA

Public and Private Funding: Positioning and Marketing Your Incubator

Many incubators have had success in positioning themselves as worthy investments. Find out how these incubators have developed public and private sector support by differentiating themselves from other community entities competing for the same resources. Learn which business sectors are the best prospects for that support.

Chuck Stein, President, Strategic Development Services, Powell, OH

Youth Entrepreneurship: Why and How To Do It

Entrepreneurs of the next generation aren't waiting until after high school graduation to start their own ventures. They want to participate in the global economy, and they want start-up smarts now. The leaders of two successful youth entrepreneurship programs will share their best practices.

Russ Combs, Director of Tech Ventures, Appalachian Center for Economic Networks, Athens, OH
Lee Huang, Director, Youth + Entrepreneurship = Success Program, The Enterprise Center, Philadelphia, PA

Creating a Positive Culture Within Your Incubator

If an incubator expects to foster a strong entrepreneurial community, the incubator program itself must embody entrepreneurial values. Learn how to identify your program's core values and align your operations with those values by expressing them through programming, printed materials and more.

Claudia Viek, Special Projects Consultant, Renaissance Entrepreneurship Center, San Francisco, CA
Richard McCline, Codirector, Center for Entrepreneurship at San Francisco State University College of Business, San Francisco, CA
Tyler Orion, Director, Orion Enterprise Development, San Diego, CA

Who Should Develop My E-Business?

Incubators can leverage technical resources most effectively if they understand appropriate technology platforms and how to develop on time, at a reasonable cost, with the required functionality. Make more informed decisions through this comparison of web integrators, traditional IT consultants, outsourcing, insourcing and other models.

Joel Wiggins, Director, Austin Technology Incubator, Austin, TX
Alan Perkins, Senior Manager, SMB Portfolio Marketing, Nortel Networks, Calgary, Alberta, Canada

Corporate Business Incubation: The Role of Radical Innovation Hubs

Former NBIA chairman and star incubator manager Mark Rice presents insights about corporate business incubation from a six-year study of radical innovation projects within the following companies: IBM, GE, Dupont, GM, TI, Polaroid, Nortel Networks, Air Products, Analog Devices, United Technologies.

Mark P. Rice, Director, Lally Radical Innovation Research Project, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY

Management Self-Assessment Tool: Part One

With your mission in mind, learn how to define and measure your nonprofit incubator's outcomes and how to integrate that information into management practices to improve performance in this double session. A case study will introduce the material, followed by discussion groups in which you'll learn how to adapt the process to your own program.

Robin Barnes, Senior Program Manager, Seedco, New York, NY
Nhadine Leung, Program Manager of Operations and Affordable Housing Division, Seedco, New York City, NY
Kim Miller, Project Director, The Enterprise Center, Philadelphia, PA
Sam Pruett, President, Memphis Incubator Systems, Inc., Memphis, TN

10:30 a.m. - 11:00 a.m.

Break

Concurrent Sessions
11:00 a.m. - 12:15 p.m.

Partnering with Angels: Funding Models for Incubators Managers

Angel investors have become the primary means of funding for technology start-ups. A formal investment group including seed investors, incubator personnel and entrepreneurs can spell success for all parties. Hear how incubator managers can develop these kinds of valuable relationships.

Katherine Kim, Communications Technology Cluster, Oakland, CA

Best Practices in University-Based Incubation

Three managers from university-related incubation programs discuss the nuts and bolts of their programs. Learn about day-to-day operations, fostering entrepreneurship at a university, supporting new business development and the best ways to draw upon the broad resources a university has to offer.

Simon Balint, Manager of Operations, Rensselaer Incubator Program, Troy, NY
David Gillette, Special Assistant to the President for Community Development, Polytechnic University, Brooklyn, NY

Management Self-Assessment Tool: Part Two

With your mission in mind, learn how to define and measure your nonprofit incubator's outcomes and how to integrate that information into management practices to improve performance in this double session. A case study will introduce the material, followed by discussion groups in which you'll learn how to adapt the process to your own program.

Robin Barnes, Senior Program Manager, Seedco, New York, NY
Nhadine Leung, Program Manager of Operations and Affordable Housing Division, Seedco, New York City, NY
Kim Miller, Project Director, The Enterprise Center, Philadelphia, PA
Sam Pruett, President, Memphis Incubator Systems, Inc., Memphis, TN

Third Generation Venture: An Industry in Transition

Some for-profit incubators aren't only incubators; they're recognized as a segment of a new Third Generation Venture Investing (3GV) industry. Hear how market changes are affecting this group and understand the likely future of 3GV, based on a new study conducted by the Aberdeen Group.

Geoff Roach, Vice President Private Equity Services, Aberdeen Group Inc., San Francisco, CA

Building a Mentoring Program that Brings Value AND Revenue!

How do you take a great client-mentoring program and not only make it better but make it profitable? This experienced CEO — now president of the award-winning Boulder Technology Incubator — shows how to initiate a great mentoring program that brings value to start-up firms and to the incubator itself.

Lu Cordova, President, Boulder Techology Incubator, Boulder and Longmont, Colorado

International Panel - Developing General and Specialized Incubators Outside the U.S.

This panel of five global experts in creating incubators for small towns, women, agricultural communities and targeted industries offers useful insights into creative solutions to common problems.

Krzysztof Zasiadly, President, Polish Business and Innovation Center Association, Special Associate of the Soros Foundation, Posnani, Poland
Sarel Gous, TSE, Pretoria, South Africa
Li Yihong, Vice Director, Shanghai International Business Incubator, Shanghai, China
Other speakers to be announced

Corporations Pulling Back-Filling the Void

Communities often depend on large companies for more than jobs-many corporations encourage employees to be active community leaders. What happens when a company reduces its role in the community or, even worse, pulls out altogether? Come to this roundtable to discuss strategies for filling the void.

Adriane Scherrer, CEO, We Can Business Incubator, Middletown, Ohio

12:45 p.m. - 10:00 p.m.

San Francisco and Bay Area Tour

Four of the most talked about incubation programs in the country, Panasonic Internet Incubator, Women's Technology Cluster, Renaissance Entrepreneurship Center and TechSpace have extended a special invitation to NBIA conference attendees to tour their facilities. Afterward you'll head to Ghirardelli Square and the wharf for some time on your own to shop and dine. The tour price includes boxed lunch and transportation.

Cost: $85. Tickets are limited and will be issued on a first-come basis.