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JumpStart 2013 Denver's economic development strategy continues
1376_ 4.17.13 - There are more than 25,000 Denver businesses and enterprises, approximately 420 of which have more than 100 employees. However, the 420 firms with more than 100 employees represent nearly 50 percent of the total jobs in Denver. Compared to the U.S. economy, Denver has a significantly higher concentration of persons employed in the energy, healthcare, information technology, finance and professional/business services fields. These firms generally produce high-value products and services. Employees of these firms tend to receive higher wages and are required to hold advanced educational training. Top concerns of Denver’s employers include a strong educated workforce, safe and energetic business areas, and reasonable operating costs as compared to other parts of the state and country. In 2013, OED will continue to focus on retaining three groups of businesses: (1) the largest private and nonprofit employers; (2) high-growth sector companies; and (3) firms with soon-to-be expiring leases. A continuous outreach campaign to owners and C-level executives will demonstrate the city’s commitment to the business community while identifying issues and highlighting the benefits of operating a company in Denver. We are setting focus on the best strategies to advance economic prosperity for the city, its neighborhoods, residents and businesses. The 2013 JumpStart strategy provides a clear signal to the community as to how we are working to build a stronger Denver, with jobs and housing opportunities for all. And, JumpStart 2013 is a road map for our staff — it drives the work plans and priorities for all OED staff divisions. Because economic development is a continuous, multi-year task, this year’s strategic plan also includes a separate longer-term plan that sets forth our strategic direction for the next three years. You’ll see that our 2013 initiatives relate directly to this broader three-year plan. Similarly, our future annual plans will also support the long-term strategy. JumpStart 2013 clearly builds upon our successes from last year. We again have seven main sections, or what I refer to as “pillars” of economic development. Each of our pillars for 2013 includes a series of bold, forward-thinking strategic initiatives to help us accomplish our important mission. The OED will continue to engage in partnerships with business industry groups, including better support for renewable and traditional energy companies located in downtown Denver. This heightened focus will result in more business leaders choosing to live, work, play and stay in Denver.
RELATED LINKS: Denver OED || JumpStart 2013 Denver || Greenprint Denver || Entrepreneurs || KEYWORDS: Paul Washington, Denver, Office of Economic Development, Jump Start 2012, Business Retention, Small Business Advocacy, Business Recruitment, Sustainable Neighborhood Development, Business Lending, Workforce Development, Key Strategic Projects, bytes=6260927
LISTEN TO: Paul Washington, Executive Director, OED, City & County Denver

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Lean Startup Mode - use free web services...

Jim Franklin, it's a great idea to use free web services
1363_ 3/12/13 - Larry sat down with Jim Franklin, CEO, SendGrid at their new office in Denver to get an update. SendGrid is a cloud based email service. So they move email from an application to an application's user. The best way to describe it is by example. Pinterest is one of our best customers. When you pin somebody on Pinterest and it gets repined, the application sends you an email letting you know that your content has been repined. With that application generated email we send to the users of that application. We do that for clients like Pinterest; Foursquare; Carbonmade; Spotify; GetSatisfaction that amounts to over 135,000 customers around the world. "Almost all of our business starts with brand new startups." To people starting something, using lean startup principles, it's a great idea to use free web services to help you start faster and cheaper. SendGrid is just one of those services that many startups choose to use. Jim went onto say, "Biggest challenges facing businesses today is hiring people. As we in the technology community recognize there is virtually zero unemployment in technology, especially for people who are coders and are building things. It's just a very, very hot sector. We have offices in Boulder, Denver, Anaheim, we're just opening in San Francisco. We're looking actually on the west coast, Vancouver, Seattle, San Diego, trying to have a development team in the same time zone if not in the same city. We have people in Romania and Ireland and other places. It's challenging to manage across time zones. But, clearly the number one issue is recruiting people especially technical people. The opportunities are many and vast. With SendGrid the big opportunities we see are around cloud computing. We think it's early days for cloud computing. It's a very large strong trend that in the U.S. has very good momentum. Thanks to companies like Sales Force and Net Suite, they've really pioneered the way to show people they can put enterprise applications in the cloud and have it be trustworthy. Amazon has also paved the way for startups to use web services to very cheaply and quickly ..."
Jim offers some great business advice ...Listen for more...
RELATED LINKS: SendGrid || TechStars || Software Channel || PodCasting Directory || KEYWORDS: Jim Franklin, SendGrid, Software, TechStars, eMail, Pinterest; Foursquare; Carbonmade; Spotify; GetSatisfaction, Entrepreneurship, Brad Feld, bytes=6031885
LISTEN TO: Jim Franklin, CEO, SendGrid

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Colorado Entrepreneurial Ecosystem flourishes

Brad Bernthal, Silicon Flatirons Entrepreneurship Initiative
1355_ 2/27/13 - Brad Bernthal is Associate Clinical Professor of Law Technology Policy but, he is also the Director of the Silicon Flatirons Center Entrepreneurship Initiative where they are doing so many things impacting entrepreneurs. Brad told us, "With respect to Silicon Flatirons Center, what we do is create conditions where innovation is likely to occur." With a degree of modesty Brad recognizes he is a law professor and not an innovator and what they do at SFC is not the core engine of innovation. But, innovation comes out of certain scenes. "When we're on our game at Silicon Flatirons, we create a scene in which innovators can connect, ideally find some value through a series like our Crash Course Series for Entrepreneurs, with the Entrepreneurs Unplugged Series which brings serial entrepreneurs to campus, and the New Tech Meetup. All of which helps build out networks and helps create a scene that's sticky, where you get the innovators, new technologists, people with big ideas consistently getting together, making connections, sharing information and good things happen." Larry points out, Silicon Flatirons Center brings great speakers and presenters - and we're talking experience here not just people who talk. We are the beneficiaries of the same rich ecosystem here in the front range, it's a world class place to start a business. We are lucky to have a spirit of getting involved and giving back, that is throughout the startup ecosystem. People coming up... Ken Tuchman who has built a billion dollar business in TeleTech is going to be the guest for Entrepreneurs Unplugged [March 7th]. Looking out a little bit further the annual Entrepreneurship Conference on March 21st, taking on the Future of Entrepreneurial Finance. Larry asked Brad what he saw as the biggest challenges entrepreneurs would want to address today? "In terms of interesting challenges that I'm seeing entrepreneurs, especially in the front range, taking on, the 'makers movement' This is something to watch. This pushing software down increasingly into hardware. That plus.." Listen for more...
RELATED LINKS: Silicon Flatirons Center for Law, Technology, and Entrepreneurship || Crash Course, Bootstrapping || Integrate || Economy Builders || Mastering Change || KEYWORDS: Silicon Flatiron Center, Brad Bernthal, Crash Course Series for Entrepreneurs, Entrepreneurs Unplugged, New Tech Meetup, Entrepreneurship, > bytes=4118050
LISTEN TO: Brad Bernthal, Dir. SFC Entrepreneur Initiative

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Professional Athlete to Successful Entrepreneur

SFC / Entrepreneurs Unplugged:
Jeremy Bloom, Co-Founder, Integrate
1353_ 2/19/13 - Jeremy Bloom is the market-facing Co-Founder of Integrate. He focuses on agency and investor relations along strategic technology partnerships. Jeremy launched both the Denver and New York offices. You will remember Jeremy Bloom as he began his career in professional athletics- both as an Olympics Skier and NFL Football Player. While playing with the NFL in Philadelphia for the Eagles, he completed a business entrepreneurship program at Wharton Business School. This led his transition from athletics to business. Jeremy Ryan Bloom is a three-time World Champion, two-time Olympian and ... In April 2010, Bloom co-founded the internet company Integrate.com, online ad marketplace used by Microsoft and Yahoo. In 2008, Jeremy established Wish of a Lifetime - a non-profit foundation that grants wishes to 80, 90 and 100+ year old people across the country. A year later, he launched Mdinfo.com, a health portal creating a dialogue between medical experts and ordinary people throughout the world. And in 2010, Jeremy co-founded Integrate. Most recently, Jeremy was named by Forbes as "30 under 30" in the technology space and as one of Denver's "Forty under 40" business leaders. Entrepreneurs Unplugged is a meeting place where faculty, students and community members with technical backgrounds learn about and get involved in entrepreneurship. In particular, the program offers students and faculty an opportunity to learn how a successful start up is created as well as an opportunity to network. Watch and listen to this video discussion with Jeremy Bloom, Integrate, Brad Feld, Brad Bernthal, Jill Van Matre...
RELATED LINKS: EU: Jeremy Bloom, Co Founder, Integrate || Integrate || Economy Builders || KEYWORDS: Silicon Flatiron Center, Jeremy Bloom, Integrate, Brad Feld, Brad Bernthal, Jill Van Matre, Entrepreneurs Unplugged, Online Ad Marketplace, Microsoft, Yahoo, World Champion, Olympian
YouTube Video: Jeremy Bloom, Entrepreneurs Unplugged @ Silicon Flatirons with Brad Feld & Brad Bernthal

If starting a company is for you...

Ingrid Alongi takes a Quick Left and builds a Company
WorldBlu's Most Democratic Place to Work!
1343_ 2/6/13 - Lucy Sanders, CEO for the National Center for Women and Information Technology or NCWIT along with Larry Nelson, Director of w3w3® Media Network interviewed Ingrid Alongi, CEO and CoFounder, Quick Left. Quick Left is a software engineering company that specializes in designing and building custom web and mobile applications, and is a member of NCWIT’s Entrepreneurial Alliance. With the increasing need for superior web and mobile applications from all sectors, Quick Left is meeting this demand through their innovative processes and unique organizational structure. Due to this unique structure, Quick Left was named one of WorldBlu’s most democratic workplaces of 2012. Lucy asked Ingrid to tell us about this. "It's something we haven't done enough bragging about. WorldBlu is a really cool organization that is about setting up strategy for being a democratic organization and some really great companies are part of their list - in all kinds of industries. Some of the things we do, we have a really transparent organization, and open books policy, we share the financial situation with the team quarterly. Ingrid, a Boulder native, began her career in web development in southern California during the late 1990s. Throughout her career, she also gained experience building and running engineering teams as well as working with and managing clients. As soon as she had the chance, she moved back to Boulder in 2007 to work in the budding startup scene, which soon lead to the recreation of Quick Left. Ingrid doesn't think of herself as an entrepreneur. She says, "I just like to get things done. I like to keep my commitments. I think it's a good thing, if people are considering, if starting a company, is for them. You don't have to be a certain type of person to be successful." Ingrid's advice to young people: Don't force it. Don't start a company just to start one. It's really important to wait until the right thing comes along - the right passion or the right co-founder. Don't be pressured ...Listen for more great ideas...
RELATED LINKS: Quick Left || NCWIT Home || NCWIT Blog || TechStars || Heroes Channel || KEYWORDS: Ingrid Alongi, Quick Left, Lucy Sanders, National Center for Women & Information Technology, NCWIT, Entrepreneur, Boulder, TechStars, Heroes, > bytes=16175754
LISTEN TO: Ingrid Alongi, CEO & CoFounder, Quick Left

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Headsets for Astronauts to Bluetooth to End user...

The biggest challenge for business is to be ever more efficient
1327_ 12/16/12 - Here at Defrag/Blur Conference 2012, we are talking with Joe Burton, Sr. VP Engineering & Dev & CTO, Plantronics. Plantronics is the world leader in the manufacture of headsets. Everything from end user Bluetooth to business, to contact centers to every headset that's been on an astronaut and in his face, has come from Plantronics over the last 50 years. Larry asked Joe, "With everything we've been through, economically and globally, since you do business all over the world, what is the biggest challenge facing business today?" Joe feels that everyone really understands that the biggest challenge for business is to be ever more efficient while at the same time having a more intimate relationship with their business partners and their customers. When asked about the opportunities, Joe said, "I actually think the challenges and opportunities go hand-in-hand. So many of the things we're hearing about here at the Defrag/blur 2012 conference is the ability to actually use the cloud. To use business analytics, to use unified communication systems in such a way that you can get that leaner, faster business that has that superior relationship with your partners and with your customers, really at a fraction of the price in the past. And then further to actually change a challenge into an opportunity." And Joe has some advice for the aspiring entrepreneur. It's actually very similar to the opportunity and the challenge we've discussed. I tell entrepreneurs, people coming into our company, and that is to really identify a customer need. Find something that is driving people crazy. Something that is slowing down their business, slowing down their entertainment. Really understand it and then go solve that need. And they will indeed beat a path to your door."
RELATED LINKS: Plantronics || Defrag/blur Info || Blur Conference Photos || Defrag Conference Photos || w3w3.com Blog || KEYWORDS: Joe Burton, Plantronics, Headsets, Bluetooth, Entrepreneurs, Business, DefragCon 2012, blur, Software, Cloud, Bluetooth, Unified Communication Systems \, bytes=3372829
LISTEN TO: Joe Burton, Sr.VP Eng.&Dev & CTO, Plantronics

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Crossing multiple programming platforms...

Multi Touch computing in real time
1326_ 12/14/12 - We've corralled the CEO of Gestureworks here at the Blur Conference, Jim Spadaccini. Gestureworks is a multi touch, authoring SDK or Software Development Kit. It processes up to 300 gestures, it works in a variety of different platforms. We've had a version that works with the Action Script language for a number of years and now we're branching out and we have new versions that are going to be across multiple programming platforms. With this software you can create new experiences that take advantage of some of the multi touch hardware and devices that are coming out. So everything from multi touch tables to tablets, all-in-ones, to ultra books, a lot of authoring possibilities with our very powerful multi touch sdk. Larry saw a demonstration at the Gestureworks booth and was fascinated. Jim said, "One of the things that got us excited about multi touch tables in particular, is there is a social dynamic that goes on, that there is more than one person interacting at the same time on these devices. So it's a shared experience and if you think about it, things like the personal computer and our own personal devices are just that, things that we use as individuals. So it is unusual that you have computing experiences where you're sharing those experiences with other people in real time. Larry then asked, "What are the biggest challenges that entrepreneurs face today?" "Certainly when the crisis hit, capital is the biggest issue. Our company has gone through issues like that as well. It's a small company and self-funded. My best advice is to be lean and think lean and just be really focused and really tenacious. That's what we did, we're a very flexible organization. Along with our Gestureworks framework, our larger company which is Ideum, develops multi touch tables..." Jim goes onto talk about the biggest opportunities...listen for more ...
RELATED LINKS: gestureworks || Defrag/blur Info || Software Channel || Blur Conference Photos || Defrag Conference Photos || PodCast Directory || KEYWORDS: Jim Spadaccini, Gestureworks, DefragCon 2012, Software, Entrepreneurs, Emerging Tech, Software Development Kit, Action Script Language, Touch Tables, Tablets, Ideum > bytes=5114883
LISTEN TO: Jim Spadaccini, CEO, Gestureworks

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8:00 pm RMT - Global Discussion - Join Us!

Join us tonight for the CSEdWeek Global Twitter Conversation For the first time, Computer Science Education Week (CSEdWeek) has assembled a group of more than two dozen experts and thought leaders in the field of computer science to engage in a worldwide conversation. Check out a few of the many people advocating for CS education: Brad Feld (@bfeld), Managing Director at Foundry Group Clay Shirky (@cshirky), Associate Arts Professor, ITP/NYU Kimberly Bryant (@BlackGirlsCode), Founder of Black Girls Code Dr. Debra Richardson (@deandebra), Professor of Informatics and founding dean of the University of California–Irvine's Donald Bren School of Information and Computer Sciences (ICS), 2010 & 2011 CSEdWeek Chair Vivek Wadhwa (@Wadhwa), academic, researcher, writer and entrepreneur Join us and thousands of stakeholders at 6:00 p.m. EST tonight and be sure to pledge your support at CSEdWeek.org. Just follow and use the #csedweek hashtag. To learn more and to add this event to your calendar, please go to http://csedweek.eventbrite.com/.   Meet CSEdWeek Partner … National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM) NCTM is the public voice of mathematics education, supporting teachers to ensure equitable mathematics learning of the highest quality for all students through vision, leadership, professional development, and research.   From the desk of CSEdWeek Vice Chair Alison Derbenwick Miller … Read Alison’s blog about the coordinated effort that must occur in order to bring about the change that is needed in computer science education.   What's your number? 2,549? 3,817? Or maybe even 6,999?! Have you pledged yet? The CSEdWeek pledge counter is climbing, but we know there are thousands more people celebrating CSEdWeek – and we want to know about it. We want to hear from everyone participating! It just takes a minute. Go to www.csedweek.org Take the pledge to participate in and support computer science education Encourage your colleagues, friends and family to take the pledge Already pledged? If you are hosting an event or activity – or simply attending one – please remind ALL participants to pledge so we can reach our goal!   Thank you for your support. One more person to help us reach our goal and one more person spreading the word about CSEdweek!   Other ways to stay connected: ‘Like’ CSEdWeek on Facebook Follow CSEdWeek on Twitter   Post videos on YouTube   Network with CSEdWeek on LinkedIn About CSEdWeek Computer Science Education Week (CSEdWeek) is the major annual awareness program of the Computing in the Core Coalition. CSEdWeek is a call to action to raise awareness (particularly in the K-12 environment) about the importance of computer science education and its connection to careers in computing and other fields. Join with parents, students, teachers and others who are participating in CSEdWeek activities and events.

 

Computer Science Education = Opportunities

 

Did you know that Computer Science Education Week (CSEdWeek) is just around the corner?

Since we know that an increase in computer science education creates opportunities to increase the diversity of people who pursue computing, NCWIT is a major fan of CSEd Week. As a fan of NCWIT, we hope you will become a fan of CSEdWeek, too. To help stoke your fandom, we're going to tell you a few things about CSEdWeek and computing education that you may not have known.

• Did you know that CSEdWeek was born in 2010 when the 11th Congress passed House Resolution 1560, "Supporting the increased understanding of, and interest in, computer science and computing careers among the public and in schools, and to ensure an ample and diverse future technology workforce?
• Did you know that CSEdWeek takes place December 9-15, 2012, to coincide with the birthday of visionary computer scientist. Admiral Grace Hopper, who was born on December 9, 1906?
• Did you know that only 9 states allow computer science to count as a math or science graduation requirement, and did you know that the number of high schools offering AP computer science has fallen 35% since 2005?
  
• Did you know that the lack of computing education in schools especially impacts girls, because girls get fewer informal opportunities to experience computing outside of school?
• Did you know that computing education is a BIG DEAL, because the Department of Labor projects that there will be 1.4 million computing-related job openings by 202 but the U.S. is producing only enough computing graduates to fill 61% of these jobs?
• Did you know that pledging your support for CSEdWeek costs nothing, takes two minutes, and is easy as pie?
• Did you now that you can join CSEdWeek celebrations around the country (like cake to honor Grace Hopper's birthday, a Scratch Day in NYC, a Robotics Explosion, and an ITPalooza), or plan your own?
• Did you know that there's a CSEdWeek Twitter conversation on December 11 at 6 PM ET?
• Did you know that there's no excuse for doing nothing - when an all-ages activity like CSUnplugged is fun and free - and that there are loads more ideas at the CSEdWeek website?
  

Pledge and plan today. Get started at www.csedweek.org. Follow CSEdWeek on Twitter. Visit CSEdWeek on Facebook.

Defrag editorial

Big Data Evolution and Social Business...
         Written by Kirsten Nelson
          1321_ 12/5/12 - Defrag, a tech conference held each fall at the Omni Interlocken Resort in Broomfield, Colorado recently met for its sixth annual event. Bringing keynote speakers, CxOs, entrepreneurs and the tech minded, data driven together, what big ideas arose in 2012? Big Data and Social Business, of course.
        Far from surprising, given that Defrag organizers Eric Norlin, Brad Feld, and Phil Becker began Defrag from their collective desire to discuss the innovative software and technological tools needed to sift through and analyze the mounting avalanche of information. The very nature of data, as evidenced by the descriptions and discussions of notable keynote presenters such as Kevin Kelly and Paul Kedrosky, has evolved, and continues to evolve, at an exponential pace. In similar fashion, so has the imperative for businesses, from the gargantuan to small start up, to utilize that data.
        In the past, utilization prompted faint images or ideas of algorithms designed to sort, classify, and analyze data for application in finite areas such as product design and consumer relations – something the IT guys (and gals) could worry about. As evidenced by many of the keynote speakers, data utilization and our conception of it must undergo an evolution as well. An evolution that transforms not only how we think about data, but how we think about the role of data within business. True, meaningful utilization takes companies through the growing pains of becoming authentically social – not just in finite pockets of the infrastructure, but across all inter and intrapersonal relationships and interactions within the organization. READ More...
RELATED LINKS: C3 Writing || TechStars || Foundry Group || Defrag/blur Info || C3 Writing Channel || KEYWORDS: Defrag 2012, Big Data Evolution, big data, Brad Feld, Phil Becker, Eric Norlin, algorithms, analyze, Kirsten Nelson, Paul Kedrosky, Kevin Kelly, data utilization