Here we highlight selected innovation related articles from around the world on a daily basis. These articles related to innovation and funding for innovative companies, and best practices for innovation based economic development.
You're slouching right now, aren't you? Don't worry, it's something we all do.
However, studies have shown that bad posture can increase feelings of depression, zap your energy and cut off your circulation. Couple that with sitting for long periods of time, and you've got a health hazard on your hands.
By Choi Kyong-ae
Korea Development Bank (KDB) has launched a mentoring program to help venture startups with operational and financial support, the bank said Monday.
Early this month, KDB signed a memorandum of understanding with the Korea Venture Business Association (KOVA) and the Korea Business Incubation Association (KBIA) to push forward the "Accelerating" program.
Image: From left, Korea Venture Business Association Chairman Nam Min-woo, KDB Chairman and CEO Hong Kyttack and Korea Business Incubation Association President Kye Hyoung-san hold hands after signing a memorandum of understanding to start a venture promotion plan at the KDB headquarters early this month. / Courtesy of KDB
Question: "What questions should entrepreneurs ask when considering an accelerator program?" What will I gain besides money?
“All accelerators are going to offer some amount of seed money, but that's only the tip of the iceberg. Because you will be giving up some amount of equity in order to join the program, you want to make sure it's worth it. You should look for a program that can offer you strong mentors, access to business resources, connections, important business knowledge and access to strategic partnerships.”
Image: http://www.freedigitalphotos.net
The Wharton Business Plan Competition (BPC), in all its 15 years, has hardly been merely a ha-ha affair. Among the first and best in academia, the competition spans two semesters every year, during which time students strive through multiple grueling rounds to reach the Finals and their chance to be number 1 startup on campus. It’s a legitimate opportunity to earn prize money and recognition that could help propel a startup closer to sustainability and success.
Image: http://beacon.wharton.upenn.edu
In the town of Verona on the rural fringes of Madison, Wisc., there’s a Google-like campus that houses one of the country’s most rapidly growing tech companies, and one of the least well known. Founded in 1979, the medical software maker Epic has grown to employ 6,800 people, most of whom work at its 5.5 million-square-foot headquarters complex, which sprawls over 800 acres of what was farmland until the early 1990s.
Image: http://www.newgeography.com
In September 2013, the SEC significantly relaxed restrictions that had been in place for over 80 years on companies’ ability to advertise for investors. The old rule, generally referred to as the “ban on general solicitation,” had been a central component of U.S. securities laws since the Great Depression. Before the ban went in place, it was not uncommon to see public advertisements to buy the next “can’t miss” stock.
As an entrepreneur, one of the most important skills you can learn is how to network…effectively. Lots of people think that they know how to network when all they really do is leave a bad impression and then wonder why none of their efforts and converting into clients.
As a business coach, one of the things I teach my clients is how to master the art of networking in an easy and effortless way, it doesn’t have to be tough or boring or feel awkward, if it does, then you are doing it wrong.
Image: http://www.freedigitalphotos.net
A new resource called Knowledge Transfer Ireland (KTI) has been launched to make it easier to commercialise State-funded research from third-level institutes – the first of its kind in Europe.
It is the State-funded central technology transfer office, located in Enterprise Ireland and operated collaboratively by Enterprise Ireland and the Irish Universities Association.
Image: Knowledge Transfer Ireland launched - a first for business innovation in EuropeRichard Bruton T.D. Minister for Jobs, Enterprise & Innovation and Dr. Alison Campbell, Director of KTI
On May 13-15 scientists, businessmen and public servants has discussed new opportunities for companies and universities at the VIII International Forum "From science to business" in St. Petersburg, Russia. More than 200 participants from 50 cities and 10 countries gathered on the event.
Advisor to the Deputy Minister of Education and Science of Russia Nikolai Toivonen described some trends, showing universities as generators of innovation development. One of the key task for HEI's is strategic planning alumni career expert says, concerning that young specialist change job each 3-5 years. Alexey Knyazev, Deputy Governor for Science, Education Sector and Innovation Policy of Tomsk region considers students also to be serious investor of regional economics.
Image: http://www.freedigitalphotos.net
Where can Coloradans see new inventions, innovations, products and services, all while enjoying two days of demonstrations, entertainment, great food, and fun? The JeffCo Innovation Faire 2014! Organizers today announced that their “science, technology and manufacturing fair for all ages” will be held on Friday and Saturday, September 12 and 13.
A two-day not-for-profit event, held on the campus of Warren Tech, the career and technical high school for Jefferson County Public Schools, provides the public with the opportunity to see Colorado’s newest innovations and products, and become more familiar with existing businesses, services, and educational opportunities.
Poor little Pluto. In 2006 astronomers ganged up on it and voted to strip it of its planethood—but other astronomers signed a petition saying they'd ignore that vote.
Now Pluto itself seems to be fighting back. Thanks to the Hubble Space Telescope, we’ve learned that Pluto has at least five moons—pretty impressive for something that's supposedly not a planet. And new research suggests Pluto is just what we were taught long ago: the largest world orbiting the sun beyond Neptune.
More connected consumers, automated processes, and sophisticated analytics place unprecedented demands on IT functions. Many companies are struggling to cope, and they seek to deliver on new demands by adding piecemeal elements to their existing operations. Yet what’s really required is the reinvention of IT entirely, which can help incumbents compete against digital attackers and even create a new strategic advantage.
This is easier said than done. Reinventing the IT function requires far-reaching changes, from talent to infrastructure, and takes multiple years to complete. Fortunately, companies can adopt an approach that delivers results quickly while still reshaping IT for the long term. This two-speed approach requires first building a “high-speed” IT function to work alongside the existing IT function, focusing on one or two valuable business areas such as web and customer relationship management.
IAN READ, the chief executive of Pfizer, is not a man easily rebuffed. His attempt to woo AstraZeneca, a British drugs firm, included politesse—appearances before Parliament, web videos on Pfizer’s strategy—and, more importantly, a sweetened offer on May 18th worth around £70 billion ($120 billion). However, AstraZeneca’s board has rejected the bid and, as we went to press, it seemed dead in the water.
British politicians had cast Pfizer as a ruthless cost-cutter, out to gut British innovators. A rejected deal would therefore seem good for AstraZeneca and good for Britain. This reasoning, however, skirts two basic facts. First, AstraZeneca faces a rocky path on its own. The firm’s share price plunged by 12% on May 19th. The company will struggle to meet its goals of expanding revenue by 75% by 2023. More importantly, any relief at having saved a “national champion” ignores how modern pharmaceutical companies work.
According to recent research by Shikhar Ghosh, a senior lecturer at Harvard Business School, based on data from more than 2,000 companies, 75% of venture-backed startups fail.
Of course, there are different ways to define failure, but losing all the money you’ve put in – or losing your dream – certainly qualifies. Some might use shorter-term benchmarks, like achieving sales and revenue targets within a given timeframe, in which case an even higher percentage of funded startups would probably wind up sporting a big red F.
Initiative aims to revitalize manufacturing through public-private partnerships and coordinated federal funding
U.S. Secretary of Commerce Penny Pritzker today announced the first 12 communities that will be designated Manufacturing Communities as part of the Investing in Manufacturing Communities Partnership (IMCP) initiative. The U.S. Commerce Department-led program is designed to accelerate the resurgence of manufacturing in communities nationwide by supporting the development of long-term economic development strategies that help communities attract and expand private investment in the manufacturing sector and increase international trade and exports.
My visit to Colombia last week taught me that Brazil and Chile are no longer the sole players in the region intent upon building an entrepreneurial economy. With Latin American startup ecosystem leaders gathering this week around a workshop for ecosystem professionals in Latin America, we take a look at the host of the conference – the Dominican Republic.
Image: http://entrepreneurship.org
There is an innovator brain drain going on. The drain is away from larger established firms, which desperately need more innovators, and toward startup firms, which are successfully recruiting a disproportionately high percentage of these prized innovators.
It doesn’t matter whether your corporation is trying to hire experienced talent or recent grads; it seems like every innovator and entrepreneur these days is seriously considering working at a startup (or creating their own startup). What makes the “brain drain to startups” a problem so unique is that corporations are fully aware that they are currently outmatched in this recruiting battle and most are also painfully aware of the economic damage that they suffer whenever they lose an innovator.
Europe’s entrepreneurial scene is not always a happy place. In April, when the Eurozone recovery was being trumpeted, one serial European entrepreneur felt compelled to ruffle a few feathers.
Sina Afra, CEO of Turkish flash sales site Markafoni, has been hoping for change for years. But every time he visits Silicon Valley, his dreams are dashed.
On May 13-15 scientists, businessmen and public servants has discussed new opportunities for companies and universities at the VIII International Forum "From science to business" in St. Petersburg, Russia.
Advisor to the Deputy Minister of Education and Science of Russia Nikolai Toivonen described some trends, showing universities as generators of innovation development. One of the key task for HEI's is strategic planning alumni career expert says, concerning that young specialist change job each 3-5 years. Alexey Knyazev, Deputy Governor for Science, Education Sector and Innovation Policy of Tomsk region considers students also to be serious investor of regional economics.
In my previous post on this subject, published March 30th, 2014, I outline the real origin of jobs in America: where jobs come from, where they use to come from, where we think t
hey come from today, and how most of our leaders are simply "digging in the wrong hole" as they look to create new jobs today.
I outlined how 300 million some odd Americans pivot off of 26-27 million business entities in America. But of those entities, how only 6 million actually create one job or more. And of these 6 million enterprises creating one job or more, how less than 1,000 employ 10,000 people or more. Less than 1,000.
