Conference Sessions

Conference 2004 will provide something for everyone, from incubator developers to the most seasoned program managers. Conference sessions will be broadly grouped into three categories: Developing an Incubation Program, Managing an Incubation Program, and Serving Incubator Clients. With over 60 sessions and roundtable discussions and speakers from all around the globe, Conference 2004 will be the place to learn about business incubation.

Monday, April 26

Concurrent Sessions: 9:00 – 10:15 a.m.

Incubating Youth-Run Businesses

Young people play a vital role in the entrepreneurial pipeline. However, strategies for assisting “grown-up” entrepreneurs won’t necessarily work with a younger audience. Come to this session to learn how to develop educational programming and services that encourage young people to run successful businesses.
Russ Combs, Senior Consultant, BISSI, Winchester, VA
Moderator: Lisa Ison, President, The New Century Venture Center, Roanoke, VA

The Importance of Research Park Relationships to Technology Incubator Success

A close relationship between a technology incubator and a research park can be win-win for all involved. Find out how to build and maintain incubator/research park relationships and how incubator management can utilize these relationships to enhance their clients’ and graduates’ success.
Charles Dilks, President, Dilks Consulting, Philadelphia, PA
Vernon George, President, Hammer, Siler, George Associates, Silver Springs, MD
Greg Hyer, Associate Director, University Research Park, Madison, WI
Ronald Kysiak, Executive VP and CEO, Northwestern University, Evanston Research Park, Evanston, IL

Five Ways to Fill the Funnel Now

The success of high-growth technology companies depends, in large part, on their ability to generate sales revenues quickly, efficiently and profitably. Yet, entrepreneurs often hunt for revenues on an ad-hoc basis, ignoring proven principles for accelerating revenues. At this session learn how to coach clients in a way that accelerates time to cash flow.
TK Kieran, President, TK Kieran Associates, Atlanta, GA
Moderator: Cindy Cheatham, Venture Catalyst, Advanced Technology Development Center, Atlanta, GA

Getting Corporate Funding for Your Incubator

Learn from experienced incubator developers and an award-winning incubator how to successfully attract corporate sponsors and partners, as well as how your incubator can attract significant financial commitments from corporations. In addition, a Panasonic executive will describe how incubators can add value to large corporations.
Carol Lauffer, Principal, Business Cluster Development, Palo Alto, CA
Brad McManus, Managing Director, Panasonic Digital Concepts Center, Cupertino, CA
Jim Robbins, Executive Director, Software Business Cluster, San Jose, CA

Harnessing the Power of Partnerships in an Economy on the Edge

The New Zealand economy is thousands of miles from key international markets, and start-ups there face a distinct set of challenges. Learn how one incubator has overcome these challenges by creating close corporate partnerships that provide infrastructure support and services for clients.
Andrew Hamilton, CEO, The Icehouse, Auckland, New Zealand
Todd Irving, Director New Ventures, Hewlett Packard New Zealand, Auckland, New Zealand
Moderator: Loraine Watson, Director, City of Wilmington Micro-Enterprise Program, Wilmington, DE

Incubator Marketing That Gets Results

Successfully marketing your incubatorcan be the key to gaining a strong image in the community and long-term success. In this session, two communications experts will discuss effective communication strategies, and how to create a successful marketing piece for print and online dissemination.
Jeanette De Diemar, Business Marketing Manager, Wales Digital Media Initiative, Welsh Development Agency, Cardiff, Wales, UK
Sandra Holtzman, President, Holtzman Communications LLC, New York, NY

Concurrent Sessions: 10:45 a.m. – noon

Business Incubation in Rural Areas

Business incubation can have a significant and compelling effect on rural economies, but there are inherent problems. A panel of successful incubator managers will describe how their rural programs are organized and funded, and provide ideas on how to meet the specific needs of rural entrepreneurs and create self-sustaining operations.
Don Betts, Manager, ATDC-ENet, Douglas, GA
Burt Chojnowski, President, Fairfield Entrepreneurs Association, Fairfield, IA
Debbie Neuman, Director, Target Technology Incubator, Orono, ME
Moderator: Alan West, CEO, Michigan Tech Enterprise Corporation, Houghton, MI

Raising Funding From the Private Sector

Representatives of three incubation programs will describe how each program raised over $3 million from new, private-sector stakeholders to build, expand or fund operations. Learn specifically what steps YOU can take to do the same thing.
Chuck Stein, President, Strategic Development Services, Powell, OH
Bill Simon, Vice President and COO, Center for Emerging Technologies, St. Louis, MO
David Cattey, Executive Director, Business Technology Center, Columbus, OH

Cross-Border Partnerships: A Case Study

Partnerships across borders are becoming increasingly common between business incubators. Hear how two incubators — one in Canada and one in the United States — collaborate to secure international business opportunities and venture capital connections for their clients.
Harlan Jacobs, President, Genesis Business Centers Ltd., Columbia Heights, MN
Rick Pauls, Managing Director, Genesys Venture Inc., Winnipeg, MB, Canada
Moderator: Mike Haines, Senior Vice President of Small Business Development, Howard County Economic Development Authority, Columbia, MD

The Incubation Process

The goal of most incubators is to graduate successful clients. However, the means of accomplishing that goal can differ drastically from program to program. Managers of three different but equally successful incubation programs will discuss what happens after they select clients and how they prepare them for eventual graduation.
Ed Hobbs, General Manager, Toronto Business Development Centre, Toronto, ON, Canada
Jean-Jacques Ledoux, Manager, Industrial Partnership Facility, National Research Council, Ottawa, ON, Canada
Marie Lussier, Manager, CRC Innovation Centre, Communications Research Centre, Ottawa, ON, Canada

Upcoming Military Base Closures and Incubation: New Opportunities for Incubator Development

With another wave of military base closures slated for 2005, more and more communities are becoming aware that their bases may be in danger of closing. Come learn how business incubators at closed military bases and their communities can and do play a role in revitalizing these communities and creating jobs.
John Leigh, Project Manager, Department of Defense Office of Economic Adjustment, Arlington, VA
Richard Bendis, President & CEO, Innovation Philadelphia Inc., Philadelphia, PA
Moderator: Thomas F. Shea, Defense Consultant, Alexandria, VA

Best Practices of Pre-Incubation in Higher Education

Increasingly, institutions of higher education are places where novel technologies are developed and commercialized. The Finnish Polytechnics Incubator Network has developed successful models of pre-incubation with the aim of improving the success of academic spin-offs. Learn how to adapt these models — and their benefits — to your own program.
Simo Saurio, President, CI City Image Ltd., Turku, Finland
Sami Heikkiniemi, Incubator Manager and Teacher, Turku Polytechnic, Turku, Finland
Moderator: Simon Balint, Acting Director, Rensselaer Incubation Program, Troy, NY

Roundtable: Overcoming Challenges to Incubation in Developing Countries

Is your incubation program facing challenges getting established or achieving self-sustainability in a developing country? If you are an experienced manager trying to find funding, attract entrepreneurs in a traditionally non-entrepreneurial economy or overcome other challenges, join this roundtable discussion to learn how others have achieved success.
Moderator: Jon Burns, Principal Advisor, GODISA Trust, Pretoria, South Africa

Roundtable: Painting a Business Picture for Artists

How can incubator managers convert artists with a lifestyle-business perspective into artists with a business mindset? In this roundtable discussion, share your ideas and experiences in teaching artists ways to create broader business opportunities for themselves.
Moderator: Mary Kahn Davis, President, Arts Incubator Development Inc., Metairie, LA

Concurrent Sessions: 2:15 – 3:30 p.m.

Fact and Fiction: Exploring the Myths of Kitchen Incubation

Many times communities develop kitchen incubators with unrealistic or unclear expectations. Come learn what a kitchen incubation program can and can’t do for economic, community and entrepreneur development in your region.
Bob Weybright, Extension Support Specialist, Cornell University, Pleasant Valley, NY
Moderator: Larry Fisher, Food Ventures Director, ACEnet, Athens, OH

Employee Ownership for Growth

Giving employees a stake in the future success of a company is a powerful way to generate higher performance. However, as recent and anticipated changes to laws and regulations create uncertainty, many companies do not know how best to go about sharing ownership. Gain tips for helping your clients design an equity compensation plan in today’s environment.
Thomas Roback, Jr., CEP, Senior Consultant, Beyster Institute for Entrepreneurial Employee Ownership, Washington, DC
Moderator: Jim Finkle, Manager, Long Island High Technology Incubator, Stony Brook, NY

Creating an SBIR Program in Your Incubator

Why are some incubators’ clients particularly successful at securing SBIR awards? The answer may be in having an on-site SBIR coach. Find out how one incubator came to the decision to set up an internal SBIR program, what it entails, and why you might want to do the same at your incubator.
Richard Amato, Director, ATI Clean Energy, Austin, TX
Fred Patterson, President, The SBIR Coach, Austin, TX
Joel Wiggins, Director, ATI, Austin, TX

Setting up Advisory Boards for Your Clients

Advisory boards can be either all flash and no substance, or an efficient and highly effective extension of your client company’s team. How can you ensure success? Panelists will provide practical information on how to recruit and engage the right board of advisers for start-up companies of all types.
Mark DeSantis, President, Formation3 LLC, Pittsburgh, PA
John Elstner, Director, Chesapeake Innovation Center, Annapolis, MD
Gregor Thompson, Technology Entrepreneur and Advisor, Hyperactive Technologies, Pittsburgh, PA

Country Update: Asia and Russia

Get the latest information on the incubation industry in Asia and Russia. Presenters will give reports on the history, current trends and state of the industry in their regions. This session was developed with help from the Asian Association of Business Incubation (AABI).
Rustam Lalkaka, President, Business & Technology Development Strategies, New York, NY
Olga Lapteva, Director, Tambov Innovation Business Incubation, Tambov, Russia
Xiasheng Pei, Deputy Director, Torch High Technology Industry Development Center, Ministry of Science and Technology, Beijing, China
Moderator: Hong Kim, President, Asian Association or Business Incubation, Seoul, South Korea

Identifying Those With Entrepreneurial Potential

Successful entrepreneurs must have certain qualities to succeed. Likewise, incubator staff must have the skills to enable entrepreneurial success. Explore characteristics that will help you to better understand and evaluate client and staff potential.
John Thompson, Professor, Huddersfield University Business School, Queensgate, Huddersfield, UK
Moderator: Doug Lee, Executive Director, Louisiana Technology Park, Baton Rouge, LA

Critical Success Factors for Incubator Facility Design

A top-notch facility can be one of the most effective services you offer clients. Learn from an incubator director who recently completed a new building as well as an architect with experience designing incubators about how your facility can best help you accomplish your mission.
Jeff Wray, President, Jeff Wray Architects, Dayton, OH
Chris Downing, Associate Director, ATDC, Atlanta, GA
Moderator: Tony Antoniades, Venture Catalyst, ATDC, Atlanta, GA

Helping Bioscience Companies With Regulatory Compliance

Bioscience companies must answer to many regulating authorities. The diverse nature of an incubator’s client mix can make regulatory compliance within an incubator environment difficult. Learn how incubator management can create systems and infrastructure that increase a company’s likelihood of success by enabling regulatory compliance.
Lee Herron, General Manager, Biosciences, ATDC, Atlanta, GA
Vicki Jenings, Director of Research Park Operations, Fitzsimons Redevelopment Authority, Aurora, CO
Moderator: David Lohr, Executive Director, Virginia Bioscience Development Center, Richmond VA

Tuesday, April 27

Concurrent Sessions: 9:00 – 10:15 a.m.

Creative Revenue-Generating Strategies

More often than not, rent revenues are not enough to sustain an incubation program. Come learn about innovative ways to generate revenues, control cash flow and supply needed services to incubator clients as well as ways to operate your incubator facility at a lower cost.
Angela Glover, Director, Chattanooga-Hamilton County Business Development Center, Chattanooga, TN
Devron Veasley, Director, Bessemer Business Incubation System, Bessemer, AL

Alternative Avenues to Incubating High-Growth Companies

Many communities are currently assessing the feasibility of incubating high-growth and technology firms to drive their economies. But can they all be successful? Presenters will compare and contrast the economic strategies of four very different community settings in Wisconsin, each with different regional amenities and different opportunities to grow new firms.
Mike Mathews, Principal, Grant Thornton, Madison, WI
Moderator: Melinda Richter, VP of Strategic Partnerships, Women’s Technology Cluster, San Francisco, CA

Emotional Endurance: What It Is and Why Entrepreneurs Need It

Being able to overcome emotional challenges and develop emotional endurance is integral to building a successful business. Come learn what the seven emotional challenges are as well as tools and techniques that can help your clients identify and overcome these challenges while growing their business.
Suzanne Mulvehill, President, Emotional Endurance Institute for Entrepreneurs, Delray Beach, FL
Moderator: Thalia Mendez, Director, Incubation and Education Initiatives, Wisconsin Women's Business Initiative Corporation, Milwaukee, WI

Creative Industries Incubation: A Case Study in the UK

Incubators serving the arts and creative industries have proven themselves a viable economic development tool. This session will discuss the role of creative industry incubators in the incubation industry as well as the commonalities and unique features of these programs.
Amanda Grant, Marketing Manager, UK Business Incubation, Birmingham, England, UK
Andrew Stevenson, Business Incubation Manager, University of Lincoln, Lincoln, England, UK
Stephen Whaley, Director, New Media Knowledge, Harrow, England, UK

Impact of Culture and Context on Business Incubation Performance

It’s no secret that the incubation industry has spread worldwide as an important economic development tool. But what impact does culture have on how incubation programs provide services and support clients? Find out how culture influences the success of business incubators in Asia and Latin America.
Rustam Lalkaka, President, Business & Technology Development Strategies, New York, NY
Carmen Vergara, General Manager, Panama Technology Business Accelerator, Panama City, Panama
Moderator: Fred Andrews, CEO, Fred Andrews Consulting Services Inc., Springfield, MA

Implementing Best Practices: Making Your Incubator First Class

Learn best practices from successful U.S. incubation models. Presenters will describe how model programs have implemented industry best practices in approaches to business assistance programs, client financing, networking-activities, technology transfer programs, facilities, governance and staffing, and client screening and graduation policies.
Carol Lauffer, Principal, Business Cluster Development, Palo Alto, CA
Chuck Wolfe, Principal, Claggett-Wolfe Associates, Auburn, CA

Concurrent Sessions: 10:45 a.m. – noon

Meet the 2004 Incubation Award Winners

Get an inside look at the inner workings of three winners of the 2004 NBIA Incubation Awards. The representatives of this year’s Randall M. Whaley Incubator of the Year, Incubator of the Year and Innovation Award winning incubator will discuss aspects of their programs that you may wish to emulate at your own.
Moderator: Dave Cattey, Executive Director, Business Technology Center, Columbus, OH

25 Common Mistakes in Incubator Feasibility Studies

The feasibility study is the cornerstone of a successful incubator project. If performed well, it can lay the groundwork for future success. If not done well, however, it can contribute to incubator failure. Experienced consultants will highlight common mistakes and how to avoid them.
Jim Greenwood, President, Greenwood Consulting Group, Sanibel, FL
Harlan Jacobs, President, Genesis Business Centers Ltd., Columbia Heights, MN

Incubation As a Strategy to Build Strong Rural Economies

What are the elements necessary to make incubation a successful strategy in a rural economy? Hear from a specialist in rural community development strategies on how incubation can be integrated into the economic development strategy for your region.
Don Macke, Co-Director, Center for Rural Entrepreneurship, Lincoln, NE
Moderator: Joanne Randolph, President and CEO, BizTech, Huntsville, AL

Early-Stage Investment Strategies: A State-Funded Perspective

Clients always need new funding sources. This session will focus on various states' efforts to provide early-stage funding to start-up companies. Panelists will examine state-supported equity investments, state- and federally subsidized options (including SBIRs and state commercialization grants) and other innovative funding options for early-stage firms.
Lewis Johnson, Director, ATDC Seed Capital Fund, ATDC, Atlanta, GA

Incubating Women: Challenges and Opportunities

Business incubation can help create economic opportunity and nurture growth for all entrepreneurs. In this panel discussion, you’ll hear how incubators can especially level the playing field for women starting their own businesses. Learn from incubation and other professionals experienced in serving women clients how you can create the best environment for successful women entrepreneurs.
Ann Marie Almeida, President and CEO, Association of Women's Business Centers
Tara Holt, Vice Chair - Training, Association of Women's Business Centers
Wendy Werkmeister, Vice Chair - External Affairs, Association of Women's Business Centers

A Millennial Model for Technology Transfer

Technology transfer has traditionally been defined as the movement of university-based research to private industry. Find out how one incubator has developed a new approach that is not centered on university technologies, but on underutilized technologies from private corporations.
Matthew Wagner, Director, Center for Advanced Technology and Innovation, Sturtevant, WI
Gerald L. Carlson, Sr. Partner, K.A. Jones & Associates Inc., Racine, WI
Moderator: Phil Helgerson, Director, Applied Technology Development Center, Augusta, ME

Roundtable: Innovative Staffing on a Limited Budget

Do you need more staff to give your clients the assistance they’re asking for? This discussion will focus on creative ways to expand your staff’s capacity without expanding your budget. Learn how to utilize consultants, community members, student volunteers and other resources to help your clients become even more successful.
Moderator: Steve Cohen, Program Manager, SEEDCO, New York, NY

Roundtable: Establishing International Incubator Linkages

Experienced incubator managers interested in helping companies expand into markets in other countries won’t want to miss this discussion. Share ways that incubators can assist each other and serve as springboards for other incubators’ companies to enter international markets.
Moderator: Mary Spaeth, President, Transmera AB, Linkoping, Sweden

Concurrent Sessions: 2:15 – 3:30 p.m.

Incubation Real Estate: The Double-Edged Sword

Incubator managers face the constant challenge of keeping occupancy levels up without compromising the incubator’s standards for company admission. Hear how a successful small-scale incubator in Canada incorporates the advantages of having real estate without the disadvantages.
Keelin O'Leary, Manager, Genesis Centre, St. John's, NF, Canada
Moderator: Michael Gabridge, Associate Vice President, Office of Technology Transfer & Economic Development, Medical College of Georgia, Augusta, GA

Secrets of Working With an Incubator Board of Directors

As the incubator industry evolves and matures, a continuing issue among managers is how to work with incubator boards of directors. Gain insights — from the perspective of both manager and board member — on how to achieve a relationship that is beneficial to everyone involved.
Jim Greenwood, President, Greenwood Consulting Group, Sanibel, FL
David Braithwaite, City President, Compass Bank, Ft Walton Beach, FL

What Does Grade School Have to Do With Entrepreneurship?

As notions of entrepreneurship education filter from college to high school and even junior high, one can’t help but ask what impact entrepreneurship can have on grade schoolers. Explore ways your program can educate even the youngest students about entrepreneurship and how you can positively impact both educational and innovation policy in your region.
Mary Spaeth, President, Transmera AB, Linkoping, Sweden
Moderator: Renee Oldham, Executive Director, Main Street Richmond Wayne County, Richmond, IN

The Ins and Outs of New Market Tax Credits

The New Markets Tax Credit program, authorized for $15 billion over seven years, can help fund economic development in distressed rural and urban areas. Learn how the program works and how establishing a Community Development Entity (CDE) can help you access this and other sources of funding for entrepreneurs.
Jim Carras, President, Carras Community Investment Inc., Fort Lauderdale, FL

Reviving a Struggling Incubator

Incubators don’t always find success right away, but is it possible to turn around a failing program? Learn how incubators on the brink of failure successfully completed program overhauls. The focus will be on mistakes the programs made and countermeasures they employed.
Manuel Hormaza, Director, Office of Science and Technology, Puerto Rico Industrial Development Company, San Juan, PR
David Bermudez, Partner, Foamship Systems Inc., San Juan, PR
Moderator: Patrick Longo, Director, Hamilton County Business Center, Cincinnati, OH

Country Update: Europe

Get the latest information on the incubation industry in Europe. Presenters will give reports on the history, current trends and state of the industry in their regions. This session was developed by the European BIC Network (EBN) and UK Business Incubation (UKBI).
Peter Harman, Deputy Chief Executive, UK Business Incubation, Birmingham, England, UK
Siobhan McQuaid, European BIC Network, Brussels, Belgium
Alvaro Simon de Blas, BIC Euronova, Campanilals, Spain
Moderator: Amanda Grant, Marketing Manager, UK Business Incubation, Birmingham, England, UK

Roundtable: Rural Strategies for Self-Sustainability

Achieving self-sustainability is the goal of many incubators. This goal can be harder to achieve in a rural environment. Compare notes with other experienced rural incubator managers on their successful and unsuccessful strategies for reaching this milestone.
Moderator: Linda Clark, Director, Ohio University Innovation Center, Athens, OH

Roundtable: New Managers Unite

Learn how other new incubator managers face the challenge of running an incubator program with little or no experience. Whether your incubator is new or you are new to it, speed up the learning curve by sharing your experiences with colleagues.
Moderator: Morris Windhorst, President and CEO, Muncie Innovation Connector, Muncie, IN

Venture Capital Showcase: Go Ahead and Ask!

You saw them in action at the Venture Capital Showcase. Now pick the brains of our Venture Capital Showcase panelists. Ask the company-building questions keeping you up at night.
Moderator: Bonnie Herron, Executive Director, Intelligent Systems Incubator and Director, Atlanta Venture Forum

Concurrent Sessions: 4:00 – 5:15 p.m.

Securing Resources for Empowerment Incubators

Raising money for incubators with specific community development goals poses unique challenges and opportunities. This panel will explore funding opportunities for developing, implementing and expanding empowerment incubator projects with an emphasis on creative and proven strategies for securing resources in the current funding environment.
Steve Cohen, Program Manager, SEEDCO, New York, NY
Todd Christensen, Associate Director, Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development, Richmond, VA
Marianne Hudson, Manager of Entrepreneurial Development, Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation, Kansas City, MO
David Hughes, Business Development Analyst, Appalachian Regional Commission Headquarters, Washington, DC

Country Update: Latin America

Get the latest information on the incubation industry in Latin America. Presenters will give reports on the history, current trends and state of the industry in their regions. This session was developed by the Brazilian association ANPROTEC.
Jose Eduardo Fiates, President, ANPROTEC, Brasilia, Brazil
Patricia Garcia, Incubator Manager, Parque Technologico Sartenejas, Caracas, Edo, Miranda, Venezuela

Incubation Support Services for Bioscience Companies

The constantly evolving bioscience climate means incubator managers need to constantly evaluate the range and depth of services they offer. In this session, presenters will discuss specific entrepreneurial support services for bioscience companies and describe how other programs could implement these services.
Lee Herron, General Manager, Biosciences, ATDC, Atlanta, GA
Bill Simon, Vice President and COO, Center for Emerging Technologies, St. Louis, MO
Moderator: Normand de Montigny, Executive Director, Quebec Biotechnology Innovation Centre, Laval, PQ, Canada

Selection, Hiring, Care and Feeding of Your Incubator Staff

The caliber of an incubator staff directly affects overall program quality. Finding the right individuals can be a challenge. Come learn, from practical hands-on experience, how to recruit and retain quality staff on an incubator budget.
Don Betts, Manager, ATDC-ENet, Douglas, GA
Moderator: Tony Tadasa, Director, Tyler Area Business Incubator, Tyler, TX

Creating Sustainable High-Tech Companies in a Rural Environment

The Highlands and Islands of Scotland is a mountainous rural area covering 60 percent of the Scottish land mass. However, this region is home to less than 10 percent of the Scottish population. Learn how this region has developed a successful strategy for creating new high-technology businesses.
Ewan McFarlane, Chief Executive, PICT Innovation Limited, Alness, Scotland, UK
Moderator: Diane Lewis, Director, ATDC-Savannah, Savannah, GA

Shanghai Incubators Break New Ground

China's most populous, exciting city has rapidly developed a sizeable network of sophisticated, large-scale incubators, including some in research parks and affiliated with the city's many universities. In this session, managers of the Withub, Caohejing and Shanghai ZhangJiang incubators will provide insights into how they have developed resources to serve 1,500 clients, collectively, spurring economic growth.
Baofu Han, General Manager, Caohejing Hi-tech Park Innovation Center, Shanghai, China
Fangzhou Lu, Deputy General Manager, Zhangjiang Hi-tech Park Development Co. Ltd, Shanghai, China
Zhen Wang, Shanghai Technology Innovation Center, Shanghai, China
Guoxiong Qian, Vice Director, Shanghai IC Design Innovation, Shanghai, China
Moderator: Rong Wang, Director, Shanghai Technology Innovation Center, Shanghai, China

Roundtable: Involving College Students in Your Incubator

You have that college or university right nearby but you haven’t quite figured out how to utilize the potential of the students inside. Discuss with other incubator managers how higher education students can be put to work for your incubator.
Moderator: Roy Rotheim, Chair, Economics Department, Skidmore-Saratoga Entrepreneurial Partnership, Saratoga Springs, NY

Kitchen Incubator Facility Design

In an incubator with a commercial kitchen, facility design and equipment are integral to the success of the program. Join this discussion to find out from other experienced managers what works and doesn’t.
Moderator: Bob Weybright, Extension Support Specialist, Cornell University, Pleasant Valley, NY

Wednesday, April 28

Concurrent Sessions: 9:00 – 10:15 a.m.

Validating Your Feasibility Study

You have done the feasibility study and are ready to proceed based on the results. But are the results accurate? Come learn how to check your feasibility study’s accuracy and what to do if you find that is lacking.
Russ Combs, Senior Consultant, BISSI, Winchester, VA

Country Update: Australia/New Zealand

Get the latest information on the incubation industry in Australia and New Zealand. Presenters will give reports on the history, current trends and state of the industry in their regions. This session was developed with help from the Australian and New Zealand Association of Business Incubators (ANZABI).
Chris Kirk, Director - Commercialisation & Innovation, Ministry of Research, Science & Technology, Wellington, New Zealand
Bob Waite, Chair, ANZABI;CEO, Darebin Enterprise Centre Ltd., Alphington, VIC, Autralia
Moderator: Garry Baugh, Director, ANZABI, Balina, NSW, Australia

Encouraging Entrepreneurship in a Transitioning Economy

The JOBS project, a program of the Bulgarian government aimed at encouraging entrepreneurship, provides a unique case study for countries in transition. JOBS combines 37 business advisory centers, nine incubators, microfinancing and business consulting to serve small cities, rural communities and minorities. Come learn about the unique challenges of growing businesses in a transitioning economy.
Elena Panova, Programme Analyst, United Nations Development Programme, Sofia, Bulgaria
Rumen Simeonov, Deputy Minister of Labour and Social Policy, Bulgarian
Ministry of Labour and Social Policy, Sofia, Bulgaria

How to Help Incubator Companies Close Sales

Today’s difficult funding and economic climate raises the importance of good sales practices in early-stage start-ups. Learn sales methodologies and resources you can use with your clients to help them land important deals as well as the most common mistakes to avoid.
Cindy Cheatham, Venture Catalyst, Advanced Technology Development Center, Atlanta, GA
Bill Kunz, ATDC Volunteer Sales Coach, ATDC, Atlanta, GA

Creating a Regional Business Incubation System

While incubators have made well-documented contributions to their local economies, they alone cannot transform a region. This session reports on a new approach to expanding the incubation concept by integrating the efforts of multiple entrepreneurship assistance providers to create an engine for regional growth.
Tom Lyons, Director, CREED, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY
Moderator: Giles McDaniel, Executive Director, Northeast Alabama Entrepreneurial System, Anniston, AL

Roundtable: Making the Most of Equity and Royalty Agreements

How can you assess the potential value of equity and royalty arrangements with your technology clients? Why would your incubator’s clients want to enter into such agreements? In this roundtable discussion, experienced managers can share the headaches and payoffs of establishing equity and royalty agreements with client companies, particularly in the technology arena.
Moderator: Wayne Barz, Manager of Entrepreneurial Services, Ben Franklin Technology Partners of Northeast PA, Bethlehem, PA

Roundtable: Research on Women’s Business Centers

The Association of Women’s Business Centers is undertaking a research effort to find out more about Women’s Business Centers (WBCs) across the country. Come participate in a lively discussion with some of the researchers and find out how WBCs are unique in the ways they help women entrepreneurs.
Moderator: Mary Godwyn, Babson College, Babson Park, MA

Concurrent Sessions: 10:45 a.m. – noon

Encouraging Faculty Entrepreneurship

University faculty make key decisions about patenting technologies and launching companies that affect local and regional economic development. Learn what university-based technology incubators can do to encourage faculty entrepreneurship and what factors can discourage it.
Andrea Alms, General Manager, Spinner Technologies Inc., Charlottesville, VA
Tom Noland, Associate Director, Office of Technology Transfer and Enterprise Dev., Vanderbilt University, Nashville TN
Catherine Renault, Program Manager, RTI International, Chapel Hill, NC

Establishing Priceless Partnerships

Partnerships work. The challenge is finding appropriate and valuable partnerships that will work for your partners, your incubator, your clients and your community. Learn how to identify university, government and corporate partners that make the most sense for your program, and how to leverage those relationships to create the most benefits.
Tom O'Neal, CEO, University of Central Florida Technology Incubator, Orlando, FL
Carol Ann Dykes, COO, University of Central Florida Technology Incubator, Orlando, FL
Moderator: Morris Windhorst, President and CEO, Muncie Innovation Connector, Muncie, IN

Country Update: North America

Get the latest information on the incubation industry in North America. Presenters will give reports on the history, current trends and state of the industry in their regions. This session was developed by the Canadian Association of Business Incubators (CABI) and the National Business Incubation Association (NBIA).
Tracy Kitts, COO, National Business Incubation Association, Athens, OH
Marie Lussier, Manager, CRC Innovation Centre, Communications Research Centre, Ottawa, ON, Canada
Rafael E. Alcaraz Rodriguez, Vice President, Mexican Association of Business Incubators and Business Nets (AMIRE), Monterrey, Nuevo Leon, Mexico

Measuring the Incubation Value Proposition

Incubators must demonstrate program impact to stakeholders and community members. Learn what areas of your program you should monitor and how software can help address this need.
Andrew Maxwell, Director, Mississauga Technology Business Accelerator, Mississauga, ON, Canada
Moderator: Ed Hobbs, General Manager, Toronto Business Development Centre, Toronto, ON, Canada

The Incubation Chain

Increasingly, the activities that occur at an incubator are becoming only one link in the “incubation chain.” Adding pre- and post-incubation services can increase your reach and impact within the community. Examine the different support needs and opportunities necessary to expand your incubation services.
Evan Jones, Director @Wales, Welsh Development Agency, Cardiff, Wales, UK
Moderator: Roddy MacAskill, Senior Executive, Scottish Enterprise Network, Galsgow, Scotland, UK

Intellectual Property Value Extraction Models

Early-stage companies are constantly looking for ways to maximize their revenues. One way is by extracting value from their intellectual property assets. This session will show you how to help all types of clients choose an extraction model that will maximize the value of their intellectual property.
L. Kent Webb, Member, Womble Carlyle Sandridge & Rice PLLC, Atlanta, GA

Roundtable: Federal Funding

Obtaining funding for incubators from U.S. government sources presents challenges that include locating a potential funding agency, making the right contacts, and completing detailed applications. Join this roundtable discussion to both provide and learn tips on what works and what doesn’t.
Moderator: Tonia L. Reed, Tennessee state contact, U.S. Department of Commerce Economic Development Administration, Atlanta, GA