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.
CIO — The role of Entrepreneur in Residence, or EiR, has never been well-understood. That wasn't a big deal in the tech industry when EiRs were found mostly at venture capital firms, but the role has expanded to educational institutions, governmental agencies, and -- increasingly -- technology companies. The transformation signals a new appreciation of the importance and opportunity presented by the startup economy.
On Friday, October 11 (that's tomorrow!), Fast Company writer and productivity expert (and recently dubbed Desk Doctor) Drake Baer, will appear on HuffPost Post Live to share tips on killing clutter and reinventing your work space for ultimate productivity.
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We've covered a few national happiness rankings here (most recently this big United Nations study that had Denmark, Norway, and Switzerland at its happiest places). A new ranking from Spain has some of the same countries at the top--Hong Kong, Singapore, New Zealand, Switzerland, Norway--but it uses very different methods to arrive at its conclusions. Simply: rather than asking people whether they're happy, it looks at their actions--as revealed by whether leave or stay in countries--instead.
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One of the most common complaints I hear from entrepreneurs is that they are overwhelmed by the workload and stress of starting their company. Then there are the additional challenges of balancing the demands of family and friends. Having too much on your plate can turn your dream into a nightmare.
Some people will tell you to just get a bigger plate, meaning hire some help. But with the pressures of the economy, and limited access to outside funding, we all know this isn’t always possible or appropriate. I recommend the opposite, or getting things off your plate that shouldn’t be there in the first place.
Iceland has the fewest barriers to Internet freedom, according a recent study ranking countries based on obstacles to access, limits on content and violations of user rights. Iceland scored just six out of a possible 40 points. (The lower number of points, the higher level of Internet freedom.)
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For the last few years, social media experts have heavily debated Google+ and its role among the big social media platforms. While many claim that it’s a successful, growing platform, others argue that it hasn’t taken off in the way that other well-known sites like Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr and Pinterest have.
To say that the consumer electronics industry has changed everything would be an understatement on par with calling World War II a minor skirmish. We live in a world where people are willing to queue for days, just to be the first to get their hands on the latest version of their favourite device.
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On the eve of the new R&I programme's launch, Science|Business organises a conference gathering key members of the European Parliament to review strengths and weaknesses of the final Horizon 2020 package and discuss what needs to be done next.
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The dreaded performance review--unless it’s “You’re fired!”--is often an unfocused, indirect thicket of bureaucratic language that is not helpful for either boss or employee. It can be an exercise that sheds little light but creates a lot of anxiety and resentment for everyone involved. When we caught up with Paul English, cofounder of Kayak.com, the travel search engine, to ask him about his five-word reviews we found out that there was a whole lot more to his philosophy of feedback.
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There is a new study out, a survey conducted by PWC. They asked CEO’s to evaluate the importance of innovation to the future of their organization. A link to the survey is below.
The results reflect a few important items:
1 The CEO’s believe they need Radical or Breakthrough Innovation, not just Incremental Improvements.
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Most private companies that seek to raise capital through the sale of stock or other securities rely on the private placement safe harbor in Rule 506 of Regulation D under the Securities Act of 1933. The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) recently approved changes to Rule 506 that will significantly impact the way companies raise capital, and proposed additional changes to Regulation D that would further alter the traditional fundraising paradigm. This article summarizes the new and proposed rules and provides you with a basic road map for conducting offerings under Rule 506, if and when these rules become effective.
Europe's research and innovation sectors are in urgent need of reform if they are to meet the challenges posed by global competition, policymakers emphasized last week at the 5th European Innovation Summit in Brussels.
As the current Seventh Framework Programme (FP7) draws to an end there is growing interest in how the follow-up research and innovation financial instrument, Horizon 2020, will take shape with a budget of EUR 70 billion.
DC Innovation Corps (I-Corps), the new, National Science Foundation-backed program aimed at translating the region's vibrant research community into successful startups and licensed technologies, kicks off its first cohort this week at the George Washington University with 20 teams of inventors and current and aspiring entrepreneurs.
A total of 87 applicants from more than 30 cities across Russia sought to land one of just three residency openings in the U.S.-Russia Innovation Corridor (USRIC), a collaborative innovation initiative led by American Councils for International Education. Of the 12 finalists selected for interviews, two startups and one university technology transfer office will take on a renewable three-month residency in USRIC. Through USRIC, the residents will collaborate with U.S. partners and develop new markets, using the resources of the Maryland International Incubator (MI2) housed at the University of Maryland at College Park (UMD).
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New financial regulations that let startups or funds raise capital online, and broadly advertise that fact, are shaking up the early-stage investment scene. Now venture capitalists are taking a closer look at equity crowdfunding.
In what appears to be a first for venture capital in the U.S., early-stage fund Foundry Group said last week it would commit $2.5 million to equity crowdfunding deals via the AngelList investment platform.
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The millions of K-12 students who have returned to school this fall may find dramatic changes waiting in their science classrooms. In this and coming school years, new national standards are set to transform science education in the United States.
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Q.What’s one underappreciated trait you look for in all new hires?
The following answers are provided by the Young Entrepreneur Council (YEC), an invite-only organization comprised of the world’s most promising young entrepreneurs. In partnership with Citi, the YEC recently launched #StartupLab, a free virtual mentorship program that helps millions of entrepreneurs start and grow businesses via live video chats, an expert content library and email lessons.
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In this article, the final in a series of six, Professor Jean-Philippe Deschamps, discusses the imperatives for an effective innovation governance system. Innovation performance is often not directly dependent on the type of governance model used. Rather, innovation performance reflects the strength of top management’s commitment and engagement, and the credibility, skills and energy of the actors who under take the governance mission.
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Conventional wisdom says the techniques that help today’s technology startups get to market fast—or, just as likely, fail fast, freeing the founders to start over—don’t work in the life sciences. Rapid product iteration based on agile software development methods; continuous business-model adjustments using customer feedback; cloud outsourcing to increase capital efficiency—all these strategies are seen as somehow inapplicable to the life sciences and healthcare.
The clichéd perks of high-flying tech companies such as free meals, massages and doggy daycare serve a dual purpose: They keep employees happy (office beer) and create an atmosphere that makes working long, intense hours seem not so bad.
A handful of tech startups have been touting a different approach to getting the best out of their workers: Make them work less. They’re making sure their employees go home on time, unplug at night and enjoy their weekends. The approach, they say, makes workers happier and more productive when they are on the clock, which is also good for business. While there have been scattered calls in recent years to rein in work hours, the 9-to-5 professional life is all but extinct.
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