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Entrepreneurs Unplugged: David Cohen, Techstars

731_ Entrepreneurs Unplugged: With David Cohen, Executive Director of Techstars 
Brad Feld, Managing Director & Co-founder of the Foundry Group, Brad Bernthal, Entrepreneurship Initiative Director at Silicon Flatirons and Jill van Matre got to do something many of us would like to do...ask David Cohen, Executive Director of Techstars how he got to where he is including the 'learning experiences' along the way. Brad really got into some deep and important issues. David Cohen is the founder and Exective Director of TechStars. David has a soft spot for technology startups and enjoys helping innovative early stage technology companies succeed. He also has a passion for Colorado and believes it's a fantastic community for any startup. The TechStars program combines these passions with capital, connections and real-world experience to provide a unique opportunity for early stage startups. David is a founder of several software and web technology companies including Pinpoint Technologies (now ZOLL Data Systems) of Broomfield, Colorado. While at ZOLL Data Systems, David was also the CTO. The company was acquired by ZOLL Medical Corporation (NASDAQ: ZOLL) in 1999. You can read about it in No Vision, All Drive [Amazon]. David was also the founder and CEO of earFeeder.com, which was sold to SonicSwap.com in 2006. David is also an active startup advocate, advisor, board member, and technology advisor who comments on these topics on his blog at ColoradoStartups.com. If you want to learn more about what it takes to be a successful entrepreneur listen to this live recording at the Silicon Flatirons Center 'Entrepreneurs Unplugged' event.
Related Links: Entrepreneurs Unplugged || TechStars || Colorado Startups || Foundry Group || Economy Builders || Photos from Entrepreneurs Unplugged 10/19/09 || Keywords: David Cohen, Brad Feld, Entrepreneurs Unplugged, TechStars, Colorado Startups, Foundry Group, Silicon Flatirons, Brad Bernthal, Jill van Matre, Pinpoint Technologies > Channel: Entrepreneurs 24509370 bytes 11/2/09 LISTEN

CID4: Colorado Institute for Drug, Device & Diagnostic Development

728_ CID4: Colorado Institute for Drug, Device & Diagnostic Development
 "CID4 is a 501c3 nonprofit organization that's been formed to create jobs in the State of Colorado specifically in the life science industry. The institute was created to meet a need, the so called 'valley of death' between discovery of a promising technology and its actual application with people. That is a funding gap that has occurred over the last few years that makes it difficult to get companies started on technologies that are going to lead to new cures and/or medical devices," said Richard Duke, President and CEO of CID4. Larry interviewed Richard along with Kevin Smith, Exec VP and COO along with Rick Silva, Director of Technology Transfer, Anschutz Medical Campuses (Fitzsimons) about this exciting new venture. Larry asked what can we expect to see in the future? "Some of the activities we envision ourselves being involved in are essentially looking at technology across the state both from the research institutions as well as from individual entrepreneurs that have the greatest potential to lead to cures in a reasonable amount of time. The real critical part to understand is that the average drug takes 12 years and $200 million to develop. Everyone wants to know how we can be more successful in terms of bringing those products along. So the major goal of the Institute is to identify the most promising technologies in Colorado that are available for further development and then to guide that development process in a more cost efficient and time efficient manner.' Listen for more details...
Related Links: CID4 Home || CU Tech Transfer Office || CU Tech Transfer Channel || Mastering Change || Keywords: CID4, Colorado Institute for Drug Device & Diagnostic Development, Richard Duke, Kevin Smith, Rick Silva, CU TTO, Change > Channel: CU TTO > 11442720 bytes - 10/26/09 LISTEN

Angel Capital Summit: An event by entrepreneurs for entrepreneurs

719_ Angel Capital Summit: An event by entrepreneurs for entrepreneurs 
The 3rd Annual Angel Capital Summit, November 17th at the Colorado Convention Center was the focus of an interview Larry had with Kevin Johansen, Chairman & Executive VP of Business Development, Business Catapult as he has been an integral part of the Summit since its inception. Kevin said, "I think the youngest chair person [we've got 14 different operating committees] is 24 years old. And we've got a lot of women involved this year - in fact the girls outnumber the guys this year. Dawn Todd the chairperson of the event is doing a great job - she is a study in perpetual motion and we're all struggling to keep up with her." Kevin went on, "This is the most wired group I've worked with ever. We've got a FaceBook page, you can friend us on that; we've got an active LinkedIn group that continues to grow - the Angel Capital Summit LinkedIn Group; And we also have a Twitter following of substance, there are close to 5000 people following us on Twitter right now. We've got to give a 'Shout Out' to Linda Hughes who is driving that. It's an event by entrepreneurs for entrepreneurs.” There's more...
Related Links: Angel Capital Summit || Business Catapult || Rockies Venture Club || Economy Builders || Keywords: Kevin Johansen, Business Catapult, Angel Capital Summit, RVC, LinkedIn, Wired, FaceBook, Twitter, Change, Entrepreneurs - Channel: Entrepreneurs - Bytes: 5432532 -10/5/09 LISTEN

Colorado is the place to be if you want to be in business for yourself

715_ "If you are a new entrepreneur, coming into the market, the first thing you've got to realize is that you are a sales person. That is a skill that you've got to have to run your own business." Larry interviewed Dawn Todd the key person behind the Angel Capital Summit, of course, that's coordinating between Rockies Venture Club and Catapult Business Development and everything else. Dawn went onto outlining the top three things for new entrepreneurs. " The second thing I would say is that you've got to sell into which you already know. It's a challenge to sell into a brand new market. Third, in my opinion, you have to learn to manage your own thoughts, because it's true that not everything you think, is true. It's your consciousness that drives your business and once you learn how to manage your own thoughts, then you can drive your business where you want it to go." She went onto explain the key points about the Angel Capital Summit. The Angel Capital Summit is an event that brings together entrepreneurs and investors, and gives them a chance to create a relationship. Probably one of the most innovative events that I've seen put together. It really gives entrepreneurs an opportunity to prepare themselves and think like an investor. This will actually be the largest Angel Investor Event in the United States this year! And I've got to say I am very excited, I think I am the first woman chair of this event. I attended the Angel Capital Summit last year and Wildly Successful Woman was a marketing partner, and really excited to be part of that. I attended the event, there were about 700 people there last year, and I looked around the room and there were about 150 women and I was so shocked, amazed. So after the event...listen, there's more...
Related Links: Angel Capital Summit 11/17/09 || Rockies Venture Club || Business Catapult || Dawn Todd Home || Wildly Successful Woman || Mastering Change || Keywords: Dawn Todd, Angel Capital Summit, Rockies Venture Club, Business Catapult, Wildly Successful Woman, Entrepreneur, > Bytes: 8116665 9/14/08 LISTEN

Changing times creates challenges, choices and competitive advantages

717_ "If there is one lesson that history has taught us, it's that even in the midst of what would seem like the greatest point of confusion - that is perhaps when some of the greatest competitive advantages are created." David B. Strong, Partner, Holme Roberts & Owen Denver. Dave is also the immediate past president of the Association for Corporate Growth Denver. "It's been a wonderful past year and my involvement in ACG Denver has just been a wonderful experience." Larry asked Dave about the new and evolving tax changes business is facing. "For those folks who don't deal in the technical workings of tax every day, I think we're in an interesting time because tax during difficult economic times tends to take the stage in way where it's a tool to help create and spur economic development, that's kind of the bottom-line. So we've heard a lot of noise around that, particularly in the beginning of the year when the new tax proposals came out and the Obama Administration put things into place. The question I get a lot is, As a business owner what do I need to know? What's going on in 'tax land' that I need to be aware of? The most basic way to put it, in addition to all the economic incentives that were created by the relief program, aside from tax, you know direct economic expenditures." He talked more about business taxes and incentives and went onto discuss private equity. "I get a lot of Private Equity questions around the so called 'Carried Interest Legislation' which started in middle to late 2008 and really got legs leading up to and through the election. These rules would change the way in which a lot of partnerships are taxed. And the perceived 'evil' is the way in which hedge funds. Listen for more...
Related Links: Holme Roberts & Owen || It's the Law || HRO Taxes || ACG Denver Home || ACG Channel || Keywords: David Strong, Holme Roberts & Owen, Association for Corporate Growth Denver, Tax, Competitive Advantage, Private Equity, Obama, Carried Interest Legislation, Change,  11686873 bytes 9/14/09 LISTEN

Big Changes in Raising Angel Capital: But there is Help

711_ Change is in the air and it is having a major impact on entrepreneurs and their ability to raise capital. Larry corralled Kevin Johansen, Chairman & Executive VP of Business Development, Business Catapult, to talk about the changes in the 3rd annual Angel Capital Summit! Not only is it moving from a hotel to the Denver Convention Center, it is also adding more females to the entire mix along with numerous social networking tools that attract another crowd and that's the younger entrepreneurs. Kevin is quoted in Larry's book, Mastering Change in the Midst of Chaos, "In business, change management more often takes the form of change avoidance or change denial. Scott Adams memorializes this fact daily in his Dilbert cartoons. So considering the larger reality, effective change management is what separates the winners from the losers – and thus helps them avoid becoming cartoons. As I personally don’t translate well to two dimensions, I’ve become a student of change and of change management. In fact, I work daily to drive change, and not be driven by it. To not do so might put me into the category of potential caricature, or worse, victim." We'll see you at the Summit.
Related Links: Angel Capital Summit || Business Catapult || Social Entrepreneurship Details || Mastering Change || Mastering Change Blog || Bytes= 4133932 > 8.31.09 LISTEN

“What is Social Entrepreneurship?”

570_ “What is Social Entrepreneurship?”
 Dr. Paul Bauer, Clinical Professor, Daniels College of Business, DU and Chris Pelley, Managing Director, Capital Investment Management Group discuss this social entrepreneurship with Larry. Paul explained, "For me, it goes back to the Entrepreneur part of the equation. Like Einstein said, “We can’t solve the problems with the same thinking that we created them with.” Entrepreneurship is a mechanism that will allow us to address and make some real progress with the challenges we face today. The ‘social’ part for me says what we’re trying to do is create value wealth for the community, not just for the individual. I think business does that and I think business has a definite role to play in that. That’s why I think this is a topic that is very relevant to business today." Chris went on from there, "I come from the business entrepreneurship side of the equation, and yet we see a common path, a parallel direction, in terms of solving many of the world’s problems, whether it’s through business enterprise or social enterprise. My interpretation of their definition of social entrepreneurs is, 1.) It’s people who are going to use creative thinking in solving any problem. 2.) The notion of using real business principals and business drivers for the best results is also an important issue. 3.) Sustainability." Both Paul and Chris make some interesting observaations in Larry's book, Mastering Change. There's much more...listen now...
Related Links: 9/8/09 - RVC Social Entrepreneurship: A Giant Step for Mankind || Daniels College of Business, DU || Community Engagement & Service Learning || Capital Investment Management || Ashoka || America's Family || Amazon 'Look Inside' Mastering Change || Keywords: Social Entrepreneurship, Daniels College of Business, DU, Chris Pelley, Capital Investment Management, Ashoka, Steve Bigari, ACG > Bytes: 10350239 LISTEN 10/13/08

573_ The Second Annual Social Entrepreneur Day 
The Second Annual – Social Entrepreneurship Day, on 11/18/08 began with breakfast at the Phipps Mansion. The special guest speaker from New York, Chris Lowney, was a partner at JPMorgan for 18 years and is the author of Heroic Leadership. Dr. Paul Bauer, Clinical Professor, Daniels College of Business, DU and Chris Pelley, Managing Director, Capital Investment Management Group discuss this special social entrepreneurship day with Larry. Author Chris Lowney offers leadership lessons from a 450-year-old company that grappled successfully with the same challenges that test great companies today: forging seamless multinational teams, motivating inspired performance, remaining “change ready” and strategically adaptable. They were asked, "How can Colorado carve its place as a world leader in this new realm? We can accomplish this mission by building an alliance of business, political, and academic leaders in Colorado. Our top schools already recognize the strength of social entrepreneurship and its potential to make a global impact." There will be a number of other high-profile guests including First Lady Jeannie Ritter, Lisa Nitze, Vice President, Ashoka: Innovators for the Public. After the Phipps Mansion it is then followed an ACG lunch program at the DAC...Then a special event at DU in the afternoon. The evening will be at Regis University. So this is the early stage of a real coalition in Colorado as I’ve labeled it ABCs, Academics, Business and Community.
Related Links: 9/8/09 - RVC Social Entrepreneurship: A Giant Step for Mankind || Daniels College of Business, DU || Capital Investment Management || Ashoka || Heroic Leadership || Amazon 'Look Inside' Mastering Change || Keywords: Social Entrepreneurship, Daniels College of Business, Dr. Paul Bauer, DU, Chris Pelley, Capital Investment Management, Ashoka, Jeannie Ritter, Lisa Nitze, Chris Lowney, Heroic Leadership, ACG > Bytes: 8651235 > 10/20/08 LISTEN Channel: Social Entrepreneurship

Monday June 22, 2009 - Live at 2:00pm - Colorado Rising IP TV on w3w3.com

677_ It’s IP TV. Listen and watch the four interviews listed below. We archive all interviews for anytime viewing on the Colorado Rising / w3w3 TV Channel. And, BTW, if you have any entrepreneurial interview ideas, contact us.

Monday June 22, 2009 - Live at 2:00pm

This weeks guests are...
2:00 Kathleen Quinn Votaw & David Strong: ACG - M&A
2:15 Aleen Campbell: Saving Lives and Raising Money
2:30 Steve Replin: When the Banks Say No...
2:45 Adam Sachs: TechStars Winner (Via SKYPE)
         (SKYPE Address: w3w3tv)

Related Links: Broadband Video || Colorado Rising Archives || Economy Builders || Blog ||  Channel:ColoradoRising > Show ARCHIVES

Colorado Companies to Watch – Growing and Creating Jobs

672_ Colorado Companies to Watch – Growing and Creating Jobs 
"However many billions the federal government is pumping into the economy, one truth rings clear: It will be business that will lift the country out of the doldrums and thrust it forward into the 21st century," says Colorado Biz Magazine. Larry talked with Stephanie Steffens, who gives us an overview of an exciting new program 'Colorado Companies to Watch' recognizing second stage companies all over the state of Colorado. She said, "In addition to the gala event on the 25th of June, we're also going to recognize these companies through a year-long program called 'This Week's Company to Watch' where we spend a week highlighting that company, press releases, interviews, attention and recognition, and we will do that every week for 50 weeks. An example of one of the resources is the partnership with ACG Denver. This is about all the companies in Colorado that are growing, creating jobs, developing valuable products and services, and a lot of times creating brand new industries. These are incredible companies that make a huge impact in our state, day after day; fly under the radar, nobody knows they're there - but they're plugging away and creating a huge number of jobs. On June 25th all 50 companies will be receiving awards.
Related Links: Colorado Companies to Watch || Advance Colorado || Colorado Rising || ColoradoBiz || Keywords: Colorado Companies to Watch, Stephanie Steffens, Second Stage Companies, ACG, Colorado Biz, Awards, 6/8/09 > Bytes: 12905119 LISTEN

Only 12% of graduates are women - we need a huge segment of the population to be involved

 667_ Only 12% of graduates are women - we need a huge segment of the population to be involved.
The first annual NCWIT Symons Innovator Award was presented to Anousheh Ansari this past Monday, May 11th, and it was a remarkable event. We stood 100 strong in the foyer of Heidi Roizen's home as Jennie Symons, the orphaned 9 year old daughter of Jeanette Symons presented the award to Anousheh Ansari, the first woman private explorer in space, the first astronaut of Iranian descent and with her family, title sponsor of the Ansari X Prize. She is Chair, CEO and Co-founder of Prodea Systems, and formerly Chair, CEO and Co-Founder of Telecom Technologies, Inc. a technology company sold for $750 million. These men and women, gathered here, are outstanding examples of the promise and the future for 'women and information technology'. We begin this story in Atherton, CA, to celebrate one woman's success and to work on preparing the road for future young women and for the competitive advantage of our country... Statistics show that better than 50% of new entrepreneurs are female. They receive 3% of the VC investments and only 5% of the Federal funds set aside for new businesses. It is a gender issue to be sure. While many women of varying ages and interests are taking the entrepreneurial plunge, Lucy Sanders points out another big issue, not so readily recognized, is the Global competitiveness of our country so adversely affected by a subtle gender bias. Today the numbers of students going into computer science studies are plummeting. As this workforce dwindles, the best job opportunities grow. While attending the NCWIT Conference hosted by Google, Jeff Huber, Sr. VP of Engineering at Google said, "It's a critical problem! A crisis for the industry, for Google." Only 12% of graduates are women at a time when we need a huge segment of the population to be involved. Is the study of math and science important to our collective future? We certainly believe so and the National Center for Women and Information Technology is making the difference.
Related Links: NCWIT Heroes || NCWIT Blog || CO Coalition for Gender and IT || NCWIT Practice|| NCWIT Channel || PHOTOS Reception || Google Campus || Keywords: NCWIT, Lucy Sanders, Women in IT, National Center for Women & Information Technology, NCWIT Heroes, NCWIT Toolbox Series, Google, Jeff Huber, Anousheh Ansari, Jeanette Symons, First NCWIT Symons Innovator Award > Channels: NCWIT Bytes: 6525913 > 5/18/09 LISTEN