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Build an 'A' team, a vision, culture

730_ Build an 'A' team, create a vision, build a culture for the long haul
 Larry coralled Paul Jerde, CU-Boulder, Robert H. & Beverly A. Deming Center and Larry Jones the CEO of StarTek and Chairman of the Deming Board and asked them to share the three biggest strategies that they would recommend for entrepreneurs. Larry Jones said, "The first and foremost is picking your team. Picking the 'A' team, people you know well, who you think have the expertise whether it be technical, people, marketing & sales - but building the right team, and don't compromise. Second is create a vision and a passion. Yes, you have an idea, yes you have a view of whose going to buy your product, but turn that into a vision with a very big passion. And your life is going to be surrounded by this and therefore you're going to be singing this song over and over again to your employees, to your investors and to your customers. Make sure that that is a passionate message. " Listen for more great advice. Paul Jerde recommended, "I think the starting point is always for someone to do the best job they can of finding a passion, something that just personally they are very excited about, that they feel is important and worthwhile doing, and looking for opportunities based around that area of passion. Secondly, coupling that, wherever possible to emerging areas of opportunity. The great title waves of technology advancement and IT built a lot of wonderful careers. We talked in previous interviews about areas of energy, organics, healthy food, healthcare, bioscience, biomedical; as great examples, some of the world's greatest challenges. Clearly areas of great opportunity going forward." Paul also had more to offer. Listen for more and be ready to take notes...
Related Links: Deming Center || Technology Transfer Office || StarTek || Entrepreneur Channel || Mastering Change || Deming Center Event Photos 9/30/09 || Keywords: Paul Jerde, Larry Jones, CU TTO, Robert H. & Beverly Deming Center for Entrepreneurship, StarTek, Entrepreneurs, University of Colorado > Channel: Entrepreneurs > 5934083 bytes - 11/2/09 LISTEN

Using innovation for social good - NCWIT

Using innovation for social good - NCWIT Entrepreneurial Tool Box
 732_ Lucy Sanders, the CEO for the National Center for Women and Information Technology or NCWIT and Lee Kennedy, NCWIT Director, serial entrepreneur and founder of Boldersearch, along with Larry Nelson, from w3w3.com interviewed Yoky Matsuoka for the NCWIT Entrepreneurial Tool Box series. Yoky is a Torode Family Endowed Career Development Professor in Computer Science and Engineering at the University of Washington. She received her Ph.D. at MIT in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science in the fields of Artificial Intelligence and Computational Neuroscience in 1998. She was also a Postdoctoral Fellow in the Brain and Cognitive Sciences Department at MIT and in Mechanical Engineering at Harvard University. Today Yoky is an associate professor at the University of Washington focusing on neurobotics. In 2007 Her work in Robotics gained the MacArthur’s Foundation "Genius Award". The MacArthur Foundation characterizes her work as transforming our understanding of how the central nervous system coordinates musculoskeletal action and of how robotic technology can enhance the mobility of people with manipulation disabilities. In addition, Yoky started the YokyWorks Ffoundation – a non-profit to be recognized as a premier provider of practical engineering solutions for people seeking to improve their life experience. Their mission is to enable people to experience life beyond their physical or sensory capabilities. "Also I want to help my volunteers. Many have raised families and now want to have a way to contribute to society and I feel just having them exposed to this effort is giving them pleasure, and that also is extremely rewarding." Listen for more exciting details...
Related Links: Yoky Works || NCWIT Home || NCWIT Practice || NCWIT Blog || Heroes Channel || Keywords: NCWIT, Yoky Matsuoka, Yoky Works, Lucy Sanders, NCWIT, Lee Kennedy, Boldersearch, Entrepreneurial Tool Box, Neurobotics, Channel: NCWIT > 24587183 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

Universities step up to the plate for entrepreneurs

722_ Universities, business and government step up to the plate for entrepreneurs 
Larry asked Paul Jerde, Executive Director of the Robert H. & Beverly A. Deming Center for Entrepreneurship to explain how the Deming Center operates. "We ask ourselves that question all the time... What does the Deming Center do? What's the 'value proposition'? And I always start with we exist as an element of the Leeds School of Business to support students; and so we bring benefit to students but more broadly we represent the Leeds School of Business and the University of Colorado at Boulder, on all matters having to do with entrepreneurship. Larry pointed out, "You have remarkable cooperation between CU-TTO and the schools within the University of Colorado." Paul replied, "On a trip to California, having to do with schools in California who were amazed at the engagement we have with our Tech Transfer program, and I came back from that trip saying, 'This is not something we should take for granted!' And that's true with Tech Transfer and Dave Allen. Paul introduced Larry Jones who has been a member of the Deming Board and a member of the Executive Committee of the Deming Board for many years, and in fact in those positions when I stepped into the role in late 2004. Larry has stepped up as the chairman of the Deming Board and Larry is the CEO of StarTek." Larry Jones moved to the business community of Boulder as a CEO, 15 years ago, he was looking for a way to connect with students and entrepreneurs and network with other CEOs in the community. He was invited to join the advisory group at that time and what sparked his interest in the first couple of years was the ability to interact with the students, to come to the classes and actually be a guest speaker. Listen for more...
Related Links: Deming Center || Technology Transfer Office || StarTek || CU TTO Channel || Keywords: Paul Jerde, Larry Jones, CU TTO, Robert H. & Beverly Deming Center for Entrepreneurship, StarTek, Entrepreneurs, University of Colorado - Channel: CU TTO 10017126 bytes 10/14/09 LISTEN

Delivering value to its primary internal and external constituents and stakeholders

708_ Delivering value to its primary internal and external constituents and stakeholders
The mission of the CU Technology Transfer Office is to aggressively pursue, protect, package, and license to business the intellectual property generated from the research enterprise and to serve faculty, staff, and students seeking to create such intellectual property. The entire CU TTO team has done a very excellent job in in light of the tough economy. Larry Nelson stopped in the CU Technology Transfer Office in Boulder to get a fiscal year end update from David Allen, Associate VP for Technology Transfer and Tom Smerdon, Director Of Licensing & New Business Development. Start-up Company Sustainability: In the last five years, 51 companies have been formed based on CU intellectual property. Of the 51 companies from the last five years, 44 are operational as either stand alone or subsidiary/merged companies. Here's a dashboard look at what was reported for fiscal year 2008 -09: invention disclosures (best year yet); patent applications (preformed well, even with slight downward pressure on the speculative patent budget); exclusive licensing transactions (best year yet) nonexclusive licenses (only one software product producing multiple licenses); start-ups (continued performance at nationally prominent level)Proof of Concept (POC) program (considerable investment in start-ups and maturation of individual technologies); overall revenue (expected low revenue, worsened by recession); business community engagement (great support from Colorado’s technology-centric, entrepreneurial community) support from the CU Administration (strategic importance maintained); Net-net: in a challenging fiscal environment, TTO managed well, and focused on continuing to deliver value to its primary internal and external constituents and stakeholders. There's more...
Related Links: CU Tech Transfer Office || CU TTO Channel || CU TTO Annual Report || Mastering Change || Keywords: David Allen, Tom Smerdon, CU Tech Transfer Office, Licensing, New Business Development, Start-up Company Sustainability, Business Development >> Channel: CU TTO >> Bytes= 14238305 > - 8/24/09 LISTEN

Letting go of space in order to create more independence and activity

 686_ Letting go of space in order to create more independence and activity 
 Meet Dr. Sara Honn Qualls, CU TTO New Inventor of the Year, Colorado Springs. Her research interests focus on family development in later life and clinical interventions; also the development of neurological wellness and assessment tools for elderly care management. Not a moment too soon as statistics from the national insurance commission reveals that by 2012 one new baby boomer will reach age 65 every nine seconds. "As we age in our society, of course more and more of us are living longer, we are living in very long term relationships. How families navigate those changes is interesting..." and this has lead Sara to a further interest in the very robust challenges faced by families in which a member has Alzheimer's disease or another form of dementia. "Those families really are America's heroes. They face amazing challenges and they ante up remarkable resources and energy, and we need to figure out ways to support them." That has lead Sara to her third interest which is housing context in particular. "What do people look for when they move into a housing campus, including independent apartments or assisted living, what do they need and how can we best support them so they can actually upsize their life - letting go of space in order to create more independence and activity?" Here we have the lady working on the answers we will all need as time goes forward.
Related Links: CU TTO Channel || Sara Honn Qualls || Caring Family || Palisades at Broadmoor Park || CU TTO Awards || Keywords: Dr. Sara Honn Qualls, CU TTO New Inventor of the Year, Colorado Springs, Neurological Wellness and Assessment Tools, Elderly Care Management > Channels: CUTTO 12296989 bytes - 6/29/09 LISTEN

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

Making a difference to humanity with the patience and fortitude to follow through

664_ Making a difference to humanity with the patience and fortitude to follow through 
It's not often, in the world of science and superior intellect, that you and I can witness the pieces, the building blocks of a future accomplishment that could someday be a blessing on 'your quality of life' at a time when that is all that matters. Rarely revealed, here is a glimpse of a young, humble but passionate man with a lofty ideal - along with the system, the school and the country that enables and empowers this scenario again and again. I'm talking about Dave Allen and CU TTO and in this case, a young scientist, Dr. Hubert Yin who, in Dave's words represents 'the whole enchilada'. The idea is well in the works - but following a carefully choreographed path - the result is 8 to 15 years out. Stretching the envelope, his wish, to help people manage pain (a most common disease) without causing further trouble. He is on a path that is common in its course, its mind bending, detailed, hard work... the course that could lead to glory, a Nobel Prize, or not. It's about the University system and the special people at Tech Transfer who understand and assist the men and women who can actually make it happen. We sometimes hear the 'good news' without understanding. This time it is elegant in its simplicity, representative of the blood, sweat and tears behind the 'ivory tower' and sometimes leading to success you and I can appreciate. Meet Dr. Hubert Yin and really listen to Dave Allen. Simply put this is an inspiring story.
Related Links: CU Tech Transfer Office || CU TTO Channel || CU TTO Award Photos || PodCasting Directory || Keywords: Hubert Yin, David Allen, CU TTO, University of Colorado, Research, Chemistry, Biochemistry, NIH > Channel:CUTTO Bytes= 15905021 > 5.11.09 LISTEN

News Worthy: National Entrepreneurs Week Colorado

News Worthy: National Entrepreneurs Week Colorado

A week filled with important events, beginning with CU Tech Transfer and the Boulder Innovation Center: Technology Entrepreneurship Luncheon and then on to the Entrepreneurial Mash Up: Where you were immediately inducted into a Rock Band, recognized Brad Feld with the Lifetime Achievement Award, and much more fun and networking. But that was just the beginning: We had the Feld-Weiser One-on-One (video below); then Entrepreneurs Unplugged with Glenn Jones; next, Putting the Entrepreneurial Ecosystem in Perspective conference with keynote address by Governor Bill Ritter; the CU New Venture Challenge Finals and you can keep going this week with the April Entrepreneurs Unplugged... PHOTOS on the Events Page

Brad Feld and Phil Weiser One-on-One: Feld on The Entrepreneurial Ecosystem from Andrew on Vimeo.

Related Links:  CU Tech Transfer Office || Silicon Flatirons Center at CU || Applied Trust Engineering || Brad Feld Blog || TechStars, Boulder, Colorado

Winning partnership of a computer scientist and a cardiologist

647_ Winning partnership of a computer scientist and a cardiologist
David Allen, CU Associate Vice President for Technology Transfer said, "Collaborative cardiac imaging research with a computer scientist and a cardiologist." is what led to winning the University of Colorado's Technology Transfer 'Inventors of the Year, UC Denver' award for Drs. John Carroll and James Chen." Cardiovascular diseases are the leading cause of death in the United States and in the State of Colorado. Among cardiovascular diseases, the only type that is increasing in number and relative percentage is heart failure. By integrating research and the training of scientists and physicians specializing in heart muscle disease and heart failure, the Institute allows a more efficient and creative approach to the training of future scientists and physicians while markedly enhancing the potential for securing program grants and the ability to integrate training program and research. Larry talked with them on a number of topics including funding and its challenges during these economic times. Their overall scientific goal is to derive a complete understanding of the molecular mechanisms responsible for the development and progression of human myocardial failure and to produce new diagnostic treatment modalities. We need more winning research like theirs.
Related Links: University of Colorado at Denver & Health Sciences Center, Div. of Cardiology || CU TTO Home Page || CUTTO Award Photos || Tech Transfer Channel || Channel:CUTTO Bytes= 11751030 > 4.13.09 LISTEN