Tips, Tricks and Techniques to Support Technology Entrepreneurship

Until now, the opportunities have been fairly limited for tech-based economic developers to learn from the lessons of fellow practitioners running successful entrepreneurship programs. Through a unique partnership with the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation, SSTI is excited to offer at its annual conference this fall a track of six breakout sessions dedicated to sharing and documenting the specific policies, strategies and practices that foster technology entrepreneurship.

The link between tech entrepreneurship and sustained growth is increasingly recognized by economic developers. As a result, myriad exciting approaches to encourage tech entrepreneurship have sprung up across the country.

These same entrepreneurship programs face unparalleled challenges for the foreseeable future, however. State and local fiscal constraints limit the service delivery capabilities of many initiatives, while also demanding new approaches to creating opportunity for entrepreneurial success. The contraction of the venture capital market, with the disappearance of viable exit strategies, makes launching and growing capital-intensive, technology-based enterprises more difficult. These challenges are occurring when, due to the economic downturn, the need has grown significantly to encourage entrepreneurship and help tech businesses thrive and grow.

The need, too, is greater for practitioners and policymakers to share tools, tips and techniques on successful approaches to encouraging entrepreneurship. That’s where SSTI’s 7th annual conference plays a key role.

To make sure the track is of optimal value for all participants, it is based on the expertise and support of the nation’s leading organization for entrepreneurship, the Kauffman Foundation. Together we’ve crafted high-impact sessions that will reward attendees with excitement and insights to take back to your state, local and regional efforts — whether you’re just starting or well on your way.

Sessions will include:

* Entrepreneurship-driven Development: Linkages

* Top 10 Policies for Technology Entrepreneurship

* Best Practices for Encouraging Technology Entrepreneurship

* Advanced Technology Entrepreneurship Development

* Developing an Entrepreneurial Culture

* What Works for Entrepreneurship: A Roundtable Discussion

SSTI’s conference, Building Tech-based Economies: From Policy to Practice, will be held in Seattle, Oct. 21-22. Detailed descriptions of the entrepreneurship track and the other breakout sessions, as well as registration information, are available at: http://www.ssti.org/conference03.htm

Copyright State Science & Technology Institute 2003. Information in this issue of SSTI Weekly Digest was prepared under a cooperative agreement with the U.S. Department of Commerce, Economic Development Administration. Redistribution to all others interested in tech-based economic development is strongly encouraged — please cite the State Science & Technology Institute whenever portions are reproduced or redirected. Any opinions expressed in the Digest do not necessarily reflect the official position of the U.S. Department of Commerce.