Conference Sessions
With more than 70 sessions to choose from, including lectures, panels and roundtable discussions, NBIA’s 2006 conference will offer something for everyone.
Click on the following links to view detailed listings of sessions for each day of the conference.
Monday, May 1 | Tuesday, May 2 | Wednesday, May 3
| Wednesday, May 3 |
Sessions, 9 – 10:15 a.m.
Best Practices in Microenterprise Development
Disadvantaged populations face unique challenges in the small business
world. Presenters will describe best practices for helping these population
groups – including women and minorities – develop microenterprises.
Topics will include identifying funding sources and providing technical
assistance.
Colleen Barta, Assistant Director, William M. Factory
Small Business Incubator, Tacoma, Wash.
Tiffany McVeety, Director, Community Capital Development,
Edmonds, Wash.
Using IT to Your Incubator’s Advantage
Shared technological infrastructure can save money and attract clients,
but concerns about security and management deter many incubator managers
from setting up a shared network. This session will address these concerns
and explain how to start a safe and effective information technology
network at your facility.
Evan Jones, Director, @Wales Digital Media Initiative,
Cardiff, Wales
Incubating the Local Food Economy
The local food economy can be a rich resource for creating jobs and
generating revenue. Based on the experience of a program in Appalachian
Ohio, this session will explain different aspects of running a shared-use
kitchen incubator, including how to assess local resources and collaborate
with the community.
Larry Fisher, Director of Food Ventures, ACEnet,
Athens, Ohio
Critical Success Factors for High-Tech Start-Ups
Based on the experiences of a technology incubator that has served
more than 95 start-ups, this session will identify characteristics successful
companies share. Learn about methods to enhance mentoring services for
high-tech companies and gain tools to help technology clients make their
business plans more attractive to investors.
John Fini, Executive Director for Technology Initiatives,
Emerging Technology Centers, Baltimore, Md.
Fostering an Innovation Ecosystem
Complimentary companies and institutions can create an environment
ripe for business development by streamlining the stages between concept
creation and product commercialization. Learn to identify critical challenges,
successfully translate ideas to nascent firms, help these firms grow
and ultimately develop a critical mass of innovation support in your
region.
Yali Friedman, Chief Knowledge Officer, New Economy
Strategies, Washington, D.C.
Soft Landings
Last year, NBIA awarded Soft Landings designations to two NBIA members
[Is that true?] through a new program to recognize incubators for assisting
nondomestic companies as they become established in the incubator’s
home market. Representatives of these programs will explain their interest
in working with nondomesetic companies, describe their services and
highlight their successes.
Mark Bradley, CEO, ATP Innovations, Sydney, Australia
Agnes Flemal, Manager, Wallonia Space Logistics, Liege,
Belgium
Moderator: Dinah Adkins, President & CEO, National
Business Incubation Association, Athens, Ohio
Starting an Arts Incubator on a Dime
Incubating the arts can be a good way to foster local creative talents
and attract new businesses. Find out how to assess the arts/creative
entrepreneurial climate of your community, find affordable and appropriate
space, and create a program that supports your community’s unique
needs.
Jeff Becker, Executive Director, Arts Incubator
of Kansas City, Kansas City, Mo.
Janice Schonwetter, President, HR by Design, Overland
Park, Kan.
Sessions 10:45 a.m. – noon
Help Clients Find the Right Price
Pricing goods and services can be difficult. Too often, new companies
use their competitors as a baseline instead of assessing actual costs.
This session will provide tools for helping clients accurately calculate
overhead expenses and determine the best selling price for their products
and services.
Alan Hauff, Small Business Specialist, University
of Missouri – St. Louis, St. Louis, Mo.
Financing New Incubator Development
Financing the development of new incubators often requires a variety
of funding sources. This session will examine the difference between
equity and debt funding for new incubators, describe public financing
programs such as New Market Tax Credits, and explain how incubators
can leverage private capital.
James Carras, Principal, Carras Community Investment,
Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
Incubating Developing Nations: A Mutual Learning Process
Many incubation professionals from developed countries want to help
developing nations create successful incubation programs, but they don’t
always recognize the potential reciprocity of such relationships. This
session will explore new paradigms for incubation in developing nations,
focusing on an exchange of ideas and using real-life examples to generate
discussion.
Peter Harman, Deputy CEO, UKBI, Birmingham, England
Julian Webb, Managing Director, CREEDA Projects Pty
Ltd., Canberra, Australia
Incubating New Technologies in Israel
In Israel, financial support from the government plays an important
role in incubating new technologies. However, it is difficult to justify
such government involvement in a free market. Israeli incubation professionals
will share their experiences and discuss how the relationship between
incubators and the government can benefit all parties involved.
Avri Maoz, General Manager, Yozmot HaEmek Technological
Incubator, Migdal Haemek, Israel
Rina Pridor, Founder and Director, Technological Incubators
Program, Tel Aviv, Israel
Meir Teichner, General Manager, Kinarot – Jordan
Valley Technological Incubator, Jordan Valley, Israel
Roundtable: Current and Future Best Practice
Benchmarking incubator activities can help ensure that programs are
in line with client and stakeholder needs. Beginning with a presentation
on the activities and benchmarks of an incubator striving for international
best practices, this discussion will highlight what best practice is
and how incubators should set best practice goals.
Moderator: Charles Lindop, Director, Business Programs,
ATP Innovations Pty Ltd, Sydney, Australia