India’s policy makers and investors look to Silicon Valley as the model for innovation and believe what its venture capitalists (VC) say. This is not a wise thing to do because these VCs often propagate false stereotypes and live under the delusion that they know it all. For India to build an innovation economy, it needs to dispel the many myths.

Image: An innovation festival at Nehru Science Centre, Mumbai. It’s a myth that entrepreneurs are born, not made. Look at Mark Zuckerberg, Steve Jobs, Bill Gates, Jeff Bezos, Larry Page, Sergey Brin, and Jan Koum. They didn’t come from entrepreneurial families. Their parents were dentists, academics, lawyers, factory workers, or priests.(HT)

SAN FRANCISCO – On Sept. 8, an ungainly, 2,000-foot-long contraption will steam under the Golden Gate Bridge in what’s either a brilliant quest or a fool's errand.

Dubbed the Ocean Cleanup Project, this giant sea sieve consists of pipes that float at the surface of the water with netting below, corralling trash in the center of a U-shaped design.

Image: https://www.usatoday.com

Leaders are more willing to take responsibility for making decisions that affect the welfare of others. In a new study, researchers at the University of Zurich identified the cognitive and neurobiological processes that influence whether someone is more likely to take on leadership or to delegate decision-making.

In July, at least 5 Israeli startups raised funding rounds of between $10M-$20M, part of a new trend we at Start-Up Nation Central are seeing: a growing group of  “scale-ups” staying independent for longer, and raising larger rounds than usual in these parts.

Silicon Cape, the organisation for supporting technology innovation and entrepreneurship in South Africa, launched their Africa-first 2021 Strategic Plan alongside a new membership model for those seeking to connect to the local and global tech scene.

The strategy aims to connect stakeholders, amplify the stories of the continent’s tech innovators, advocate on behalf of the ecosystem as a collective and build bridges with other hubs in order to grow the continent.

Image: Image supplied. L to R: James Milne, Silicon Cape board member, Wesgro; Joslyn Links, Silicon Cape project administrator; Kerry Petrie, Silicon Cape, general manager; Boitumelo Menyatswe, Silicon Cape ecosystem manager; Sumarie Roodt, Silicon Cape chairperson, UCT and Zimkhita Buwa Silicon Cape treasurer, Britehouse Image supplied. L to R: James Milne, Silicon Cape board member, Wesgro; Joslyn Links, Silicon Cape project administrator; Kerry Petrie, Silicon Cape, general manager; Boitumelo Menyatswe, Silicon Cape ecosystem manager; Sumarie Roodt, Silicon Cape chairperson, UCT and Zimkhita Buwa Silicon Cape treasurer, Britehouse 

Entrepreneurs looking for investor funding often fail to realize that all money comes with strings. For example, if you have watched the Shark Tank TV series, you probably noticed that the Sharks always ask the entrepreneurs for their intended “use of funds.” Those who respond with one of the wrong answers, such as “I want to pay myself a salary,” usually go home empty-handed.

Coming up with new, creative ideas can be tricky. That’s why it’s important to find a way to get inspired. After all, it’s our own unique rituals that can bring mental clarity and creativity. That could be a quirky habit or routine such as doing headstands or wearing lots of hats.

Ever wonder what the future holds? Some of the best people to ask might be your kids, nephews or nieces. It turns out, they’ve got a tech-forward outlook on what the future holds.

Decluttr.com asked a group of children aged 4- to 11-years-old to conceptualize the tech products they predict people will use in 30 years’ time. Then, the company asked a concept artist to bring their sketches to life. The result? An “eatwatch,” a “recycle bot,” a “print-a-food” and more.

Santa Ana, Calif., July 31, 2018 – The Technology Councils of North America (TECNA) is pleased to announce the election of the 2018-2019 Board of Directors including a new Chair, Doug Robertson of Venn Innovation Inc. The 2018-2019 Board of Directors was ratified by the membership at the annual Summer Conference hosted by TECNA Member Technology Association of Iowa in Des Moines, July 24-26, 2018. Robertson replaces outgoing Chairman Skip Newberry of the Technology Association of Oregon, who will continue to serve on the Board.

The ocean covers more than 70 percent of our planet, an area of nearly 140 million square miles. It is so immense that explorers once thought there was no way to cross it. Once our ships were advanced enough to do so, naturalists then thought it impossible for humans to ever exhaust fisheries or drive marine species to extinction.

Failing as an entrepreneur is okay. But not having purpose means the chances of success are scarce.

That was one of the chief takeaways on Monday as three business leaders spoke at Game On: Winning in Sports, Technology, and Business in San Jose.

Image: Left to right: Fast Company editor-in-chief Stephanie Mehta, Jill Smoller, Fred Kofman, and Kirsten Green (Photo: Carlos Chavarría)

I regularly get asked where my investing philosophy comes from. There isn’t an easy answer, as it comes from a lot of places, numerous people who influence my thinking (publicly and privately), my partners, and lots of reflection and critical thinking around things that have worked and haven’t worked for me over the past 25 years.

Image: https://feld.com

The Gartner Hype Cycle shows a remarkably consistent pattern. A new technology is first ignored, then begins to show promise and expectations get inflated beyond any realistic assessment of value. That leads to disillusionment and the technology is almost forgotten until, some years later, it begins to make a true competitive impact.

Image: http://innovationexcellence.com

We can’t all be morning people, but according to a recent study you might extend your time on Earth if you could just wake up a few hours earlier each day.

Researchers studied over 430,000 people, aged 38 to 73, for six and a half years to see how their “early bird” or “night owl” lifestyles affected their health and wellbeing . The results proved that health-wise, night owls may be at a disadvantage. They have an increased risk of developing a psychological disorder, diabetes, respiratory diseases, and gastrointestinal diseases.

The speed of innovation in enterprise IT moves at a breakneck pace. Executives that think outside the box are vital for companies to remain ahead of the competition.

As part of CRN's Top 100 Executives Of 2018 list, here are the 25 Most Innovative Executives, those who recognize today's biggest business challenges and find the most creative ways to solve them.

Image: https://www.crn.com

MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN – August 2, 2018 – The 2018 UEDA Awards of Excellence finalists have been chosen following an extremely close competition this year. Higher education institutions and organizations across North America submit nominations annually for innovative programs that focus on developing economic prosperity in their communities and beyond. A panel of university and economic development professionals have chosen 24 finalists from the group of nominated projects.

Provisions to support economic development and job creation by speeding payments to small contractors and innovative firms; bolster lending to employee-owned and cooperative small businesses Washington – U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D-Md.), Ranking Member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Small Business & Entrepreneurship, today announced several provisions in the 2019 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) specifically focused on supporting small businesses in Maryland and nationwide.  The annual defense funding bill passed the Senate Wednesday. 

Image: Official portrait of U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D-MD). - Public Domain

If you are one of the new age of entrepreneurs who hates the thought of doing a business plan as a first step in starting your new venture you will love this message. More and more professionals agree that a better strategy is to explore and fine tune your assumptions before declaring a specific plan with financial projections based only on your dream and passion.

I was speaking with a good friend recently and she shared with me something that triggered a thought about what makes people successful and happy. If you’re an innovator, pay close attention, this is especially relevant to you.

Stick with me because this is perhaps the most important lesson I’ve learned about success and which I can pass on.

I’ve had the great privilege to work with and for some incredibly successful people. From billionaires such as Ross Perot and Larry Ellison, to best selling authors and management icons such as Peter Drucker and Jim Champy, to countless CEOs and founders. Each one was very different as a person but they also shared some common traits. Of course, they were all driven, smart, and charismatic.

Image: http://innovationexcellence.com

Who are the leading angel investors startup entrepreneurs should be pitching right now? How do you connect with them?

Effective fundraising for startups isn’t about how many people and firms you can blast your opportunity out to. It’s about getting in front of the right investors, with a strong pitch deck. A recent DocSend survey shows successfully funded startups contacted an average of just 58 investors, made 40 meetings, and took just 12.5 weeks to close their funding round.