NBIA's 17th International Conference on Business Incubation

Monday, May 19

Breakfast
7:15 – 8:30 a.m., Grand Ballroom

Keynote Address
7:45 – 8:45 a.m., Grand Ballroom
See Highlights & Activities for details.

Concurrent Sessions
9 – 10:15 a.m.

Tax Issues for Nonprofits

Two veteran tax professionals (a private-sector lawyer and an IRS official) will discuss tax-related issues of importance to tax-exempt business incubators. Gain perspective on topics including exemption compliance, executive compensation and fringe benefits, unrelated business income tax, IRS audits, and more.
General
Bill Brockner, Senior Conferee-Reviewer, IRS Exempt Organizations Division, Washington, DC
Janet Buehler, Esq., Cullen and Dykman Bleakley Platt LLP, New York, NY
Moderator: Sam Brooks, President and Chairman of the Board, Oregon Association of Minority Entrepreneurs, Portland, OR

Incubator Entrance Policies

Incubator success is directly related to an incubator’s admission policies, and there are several “must-have” criteria to use when evaluating prospective clients for any incubator. Learn how to adapt a successful entrance program to your incubator and gain tips to guide the process.
General
Ed Hobbs, General Manager, Toronto Business Development Centre, Toronto, ON, Canada
Jean-Jacques Ledoux, Manager, Industrial Partnership Facility, National Research Council, Ottawa, ON, Canada

Sector-Focused Incubation Strategies

Think outside the box! Focusing on industry clusters or sectors can enhance incubator performance. Learn how to attract new clients and generate new revenue by creating new incubators or repositioning existing ones. Developers of 16 incubator projects will show you how it’s done.
Special Focus/Technology
Carol Kraus Lauffer, Principal, Business Cluster Development, Menlo Park, CA
Jim Robbins, Principal, Business Cluster Development, Menlo Park, CA

International Agencies: Incubation and Funding Trends

A panel of experts will discuss the international economic development community’s growing interest in business incubation and business assistance activities. Find out about the international donor agencies’ priorities and activities.
International
Sirkka Korpela, Director, Division of Business Partnerships, United Nations Development Program, New York, NY
Vivek Chaudhry, Program Administrator, World Bank, Washington, DC, Substituting for Daniel Crisafulli, Investment Officer, International Finance Corp., World Bank, Washington, DC
Facilitator: James Sanders, Director of New Ventures, Honeywell Technology Solutions, Inc.; Adjunct Professor of Entrepreneurship, R.H. Smith School of Business, University of Maryland, College Park, MD

Introduction to Enterprise Facilitation Part I

Following his keynote address, Ernesto Sirolli will elaborate on his approach to nurturing economic growth. In this double session, learn how to develop and strengthen entrepreneurial efforts in your community and how grassroots efforts can provide a sustainable environment for entrepreneurs.
Revitalization/Rural
Ernesto Sirolli, Founder and Director, Sirolli Institute, Sacramento, CA
Yvonne Fizer, Sales and Marketing, Sirolli Institute, Edmonton, AB, Canada

Technology Business Incubation: Measures of Success

What factors drive success at technology business incubation programs? Two researchers explored this very topic and found that the factors range from university linkages to proximity of research facilities to location to management team background to services offered. Come learn about these and other findings from two recent research projects.
Technology
David Lewis, Senior Research Fellow, National Center for Neighborhood and Brownfield Redevelopment, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ
Hugh Sherman, Associate Director, Voinovich Center for Leadership and Public Affairs, Ohio University, Athens, OH
Moderator: Susan Prado, Prado & Associates, Sierra Madre, CA

Why Market Your Start-Up Company?

Overcome company resistance to marketing and understand the value of marketing, branding and positioning. Learn the integral role marketing plays in the evolution and success of every start-up company from an advertising expert and incubator manager who have had success marketing start-ups.
General
Sandra Holtzman, President, Holtzman Communications LLC, New York, NY
Steve Clark, Director, Information Technology,Business Technology Center,
Columbus, OH

Break
10:15 – 10:45 a.m., Grand Ballroom

Concurrent Sessions
10:45 a.m. – noon

Economic Growth: Angels and Entrepreneurs

Start-up ventures often need patient, high-risk seed capital. Angel investors, a primary source of seed funding, can be difficult to identify and organize. Learn from an expert about the philosophy of angel investing and gain strategies for organizing and creating deal flow for investors.
General
Randall Goldsmith, Executive Director, San Antonio Technology Accelerator Initiative, San Antonio, TX
William Grissom, Chief Financial Officer, Oklahoma Technology Commercialization Center, Oklahoma City, OK
Tom Walker, Executive Vice President and COO, Oklahoma Technology Commercialization Center, Tulsa, OK
Moderator: Jim Finkle, Manager and Associate Director, Long Island High Technology, Stony Brook, NY

Incubator Exit Policies

Graduation policies are an important part of incubation success. Break down the exit process into length of stay, milestone requirements for graduates, and more. Learn how to adapt an effective graduation process to your incubator and gain tips to guide the process.
General
Ed Hobbs, General Manager, Toronto Business Development Centre, Toronto, ON, Canada
Jean-Jacques Ledoux, Manager, Industrial Partnership Facility, National Research Council, Ottawa, ON, Canada

Old Buildings Create New Opportunities

Renovating existing buildings for business incubation projects can be effective. Speakers will present the pros and cons of re-using older structures, describe how buildings can match incubator missions and demonstrate how to avoid costly, even fatal flaws in building choice.
General
Ellen Gerl, Author, Bricks and Mortar: Renovating or Building a Business Incubation Facility, Athens, OH
Tom Mancuso, President & CEO, Mancuso Business Development Group, Batavia, NY
Moderator: Hope Player, Senior Consultant, Business Incubation Support Services International, Rochelle Park, NJ

Business Incubation in Japan: Current Practice and Recommendations

Research reveals that Japanese incubators vary greatly from their U.S. and European counterparts. The authors of a distinguished study describe the state of Japanese incubation, set forth findings and make recommendations for improvements. Although based on the Japanese experience, these findings would be useful to incubator developers everywhere.
International/General
Naoki Shibata, Research Assistant, Institute of Engineering Innovation, School of Engineering, University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
Kenzo Fujisue, Associate Professor, Engineering Research Department, University of Tokyo Graduate School, Tokyo, Japan
Naoki Shibata, Research Assistant, Institute of Engineering Innovation, School of Engineering, University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
Moderator: Carmen Vergara, General Manager, Panama Technology Business Accelerator
,Panama City, Panama

Regional and Global Networks: Connect for Success

Scottish Enterprise has successfully implemented region-wide networks to support the growth of technology-based companies. This session will look at the value of self-contained networks and will examine the benefits and practicalities of the next step, geographically diverse networks.
Rural/International
Roddy MacAskill, Senior Executive, Scottish Enterprise Network, Glasgow, Scotland, UK
John Meiklejohn, Managing Director, Strategem Ltd., Glasgow, Scotland, UK
Moderator: JoAnn Fraser, Incubator Manager, Technology Innovation Centre, Kingston, Jamaica

Introduction to Enterprise Facilitation Part II

Human Resources: Help Is Here!

Human resources (HR) activities take time and resources. This workshop will teach you to communicate effectively with employees and understand the challenges employment laws present. Take away an HR toolkit filled with Web sites, checklists and resources to aid your HR needs.
General
Robin Ramey, Program Manager, Human Resource Programs, Voinovich Center for Leadership and Public Affairs, Ohio University, Athens, OH
Moderator: Adele Lyons, Executive Director, Gulf Coast Business Technology Center, Biloxi, MS

Setting Up and Operating Women’s Incubators Internationally

The award-winning Australian CREEDA incubator network has developed a mixed-use incubator and multiple training programs to spark re-employment and venture creation among laid-off women workers in Tianjin, China. Learn about this and another similar project, then compare and contrast lessons learned in developing country contexts.
International/Revitalization/Special Focus
Julian Webb, Chief Executive, CREEDA Business Centers, Canberra, Australia
Fengling Ma, Director, Tianjin Business Incubation Center, Tianjin, People’s Republic of China
Moderator: Thalia Mendez, Director, Incubation and Education Initiatives, Wisconsin Women’s Business Initiative Corp., Milwaukee, WI

NBIA Awards Luncheon
Noon – 2 p.m.
See Highlights & Activities for details.

Concurrent Sessions
2:15 – 3:30 p.m.

Funding Sources for Emerging Growth Companies in a Challenging Economy

Start-up companies have many different financing options. Get an overview of the pros and cons of different financing sources for start-ups including venture capitalists, banks and SBIR grants, and learn how to develop a bank loan application.
General
Scott Townsend, Esq., Junior Partner, Hale and Dorr LLP, Reston, VA
Devron Veasley, Director, Bessemer Business Incubation System, Bessemer, AL
Moderator: Bob Calcaterra, CEO and President, Nidus Center for Scientific Enterprise, St. Louis, MO

Building International Linkages Between Technology Start-Up Firms

Three Americans actively linking U.S. and Japanese start-ups will discuss their efforts to accelerate technology transfer between nations. The speakers will discuss the challenges of linking start-ups, share their knowledge about growing successful entrepreneurial partnerships, and focus on realities driving the globalization of business incubation.
International/Technology
Blaine Carman, Managing Director, U.S.-Japan Business Incubation Center, San Jose, CA
Tim Lavengood, Managing Director, Technology Innovation Center, Evanston, IL
Allen Miner, President and CEO, SunBridge Corp., Tokyo, Japan
Moderator: Dick Reeves, President, Business Technology Development Center Inc., Huntsville, AL

Securing Public and Private Sector Funding

There are always multiple candidates competing for finite resources. Learn how to make your program stand out and how to implement marketing strategies that public- and private-sector leaders will buy into. Discover the five fundamental elements of garnering resources.
General
Charles Stein, President, Strategic Development Services, Powell, OH
Moderator: Karl LaPan, President and CEO, Northeast Indiana Innovation Center Inc., Fort Wayne, IN

Key Documents and Policies for Business Incubation Programs

Successful incubation programs make effective use of documents such as leases, graduation policies, client handbooks and nondisclosure agreements. Such documents limit an incubator's liability and provide a record of significant relationships. Come learn about the importance of documentation and gain tips for crafting documents for your program.
General
Newt Fowler, Partner, Venable LLP, Baltimore, MD
Jim Greenwood, President, Greenwood Consulting Group, Sanibel, FL

Enterprise Support for Young People

Wandsworth Youth Enterprise has successfully tackled major challenges including unemployment, social exclusion and lack of opportunities for young people. Come learn how a business assistance approach tailored to young people ages 17-30 has successfully promoted self-employment in the United Kingdom and five other countries.
International/Special Focus/Revitalization
Michael Manning-Prior, Director, Wandsworth Youth Enterprise Centre, London, England, UK
Miklos Mlynarik, Manager, Budapest Youth Enterprise Center, Budapest, Hungary
Moderator: Jim Graham, Director, Information Technology Resource Center, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY

Designing Effective Surveys to Assess Client Satisfaction

Your incubation program offers clients many services and amenities. But how do you know which features clients value most? And how do you assess clients’ satisfaction? Find out how two very different incubators – one biotech and one mixed use – have created surveys that effectively assess client satisfaction.
Special Focus
Vicki Jenings, Director of Research Park Operations, Fitzsimons Redevelopment Authority, Aurora, CO
Jeff Lake, President and COO, A Business Center for Developing Enterprises Inc., Evansville, IN
Moderator: Chuck Wolfe, Principal, Claggett Wolfe Associates, Auburn, CA

Roundtable: New Managers Forum

Learn how new incubator managers face the challenge of running an incubator program with little or no industry experience. Whether your incubator is new or you are new to it, speed up the learning curve by sharing experiences with colleagues.
General
Marie Longserre, President and CEO, Santa Fe Business Incubator, Santa Fe, NM

Break
3:30 – 4 p.m., Grand Ballroom

Concurrent Sessions
4 – 5:15 p.m.

Trends and New Developments in Tech-Based Economic Development

States and regions are facing one of the worst fiscal crises in decades. It is critical that tech-based economic development’s role in strengthening state and local economies is not lost in policy debates. Explore developments in the field, and the subsequent implications for incubator managers and policy makers.
Technology
Deborah Cummings, Technology Partnership Practice, Battelle Memorial Institute, Columbus, OH
Moderator: Francisco Soares, Executive Director, API Capital, Lisbon, Portugal

Rural Entrepreneurship Support: Elements of Success

What are the elements of successful entrepreneurship support in rural areas? What can we learn from rural communities actively engaged in supporting entrepreneurs? This session will draw on the fieldwork, practices and tools collected in diverse rural communities by the Center for Rural Entrepreneurship.
Revitalization/Rural
Deborah Markley, Co-Director, Center for Rural Entrepreneurship, Chapel Hill, NC
Moderator: David McNamara, Director of Incubation, BioSCIENCE Enterprise Centre, Halifax, NS, Canada

Building a New Facility: A Little Guesswork and a Lot of Planning

Need more space—or a space at all? Follow the case study of the Ohio University Innovation Center and learn how to secure funding, choose an architect, design the right space for an unknown mix of clients and more. Take home ideas for planning your next construction project.
General
Linda Clark, Director, Ohio University Innovation Center, Athens, OH
Ellen Gerl, Author, Bricks and Mortar: Renovating or Building a Business Incubation
Facility, Athens, OH
Moderator: Lorne Ross, Executive Director, Northern Alberta Business Incubator, St. Albert, AB, Canada

Incubator Support for Developing Countries

InfoDev, a multi-donor grant program at the World Bank, has recently launched a major incubator initiative. A contract has been awarded to the Brazilian Business Incubation Association (ANPROTEC) and the International Business Incubator to set up a Support Center and assist incubators in developing countries to incorporate best practices and share experiences. Learn how this project could serve your needs.
International
Luis Bermudez, President, ANPROTEC, Brasilia, Brazil
Vivek Chaudhry, Program Administrator, World Bank, Washington, DC
Barbara Harley, Executive Director, International Business Incubator, San Jose, CA
Jose Eduardo Fiates, Vice President, ANPROTEC, Brasilia, Brazil
Paulo de Miranda, Director, iDISC, Brasilia, Brazil

The Corporate Connection

Venture capital. Intellectual property. Product assessment and validation. Marketing channels. Clearly, corporate resources can be critical for a new enterprise’s success. But how can incubator managers help clients make those connections? Learn effective matchmaking methods from these experienced managers.
For Profit/International
Harlan Jacobs, President and Founder, Genesis Business Centers, Ltd., Columbia Heights, MN
Chris Raman, Chief Commercial Officer, GorillaPark, Gent, Belgium
Moderator: Andrew Maxwell, Managing Director, Exceler@tor, Toronto, ON, Canada

Meet the Incubator of the Year

Get an inside look at the workings of one of the industry’s most successful incubation programs. The manager of this year’s Randall M. Whaley Incubator of the Year will present a case study of his or her incubation program. And don't miss the unveiling of this winner at Monday’s awards luncheon.
General
Speaker to be announced
Moderator: Normand de Montigny, Executive Director, Quebec Biotechnology Innovation Centre, Laval, PQ, Canada

Roundtable: State Incubation Associations

Interested in starting a state incubation association or growing your current association? Join this roundtable discussion to learn from others who have successfully formed strong state or regional associations. Topics will include formation and benefits of associations, how to recruit and retain members, and networking and training opportunities.
General
Lisa Ison, President, The New Century Venture Center; Secretary/Treasurer, Virginia Business Incubation Association, Roanoke, VA
Thalia Mendez, Director, Business Incubation and Education Initiatives, Wisconsin Women's Business Initiative Corporation; President, Wisconsin Business Incubation Association, Milwaukee, WI

Buses depart for Gala Reception at the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts
5:45 – 6:15 p.m.

Gala Reception at the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts
6 – 9 p.m.
See Highlights & Activities for details.