MATR Newsletter - Fri May 5, 2006 |
“It's kind of fun to do the impossible.” - Walt Disney
Excellent Event for Montana's Entrepreneurial Future: "17th Annual John Ruffatto Memorial Business Plan Competition, 5/11, University Of Montana, Missoula" http://www.matr.net/ev ... =1569
Montana Education Excellence
Developing a more Entrepreneurial Montana
- Stevensville and Bozeman High Schools in Montana receive Newsweek Kudos in "America's Top Schools" Rankings
Stevensville's almost 450 students - with more than half coming from what is considered low-income families - have access to 12 Advanced Placement courses, the highest in the state for a school of that size.
Education
- How about a week of "economic gardening" for students like "The Apprentice" but nobody get's fired.
The students will meet with some of the state's top business leaders who'll serve as mentors. Governor Vilsack says it'll be a bit like the popular TV show "The Apprentice" -- but no one will be fired. "This is an opportunity for the State of Iowa to continue its effort to build strong entrepreneurial spirit in the state and to prepare the young people who are being educated at our three Regents universities for entrepreneurial careers," Vilsack says.
- KTEC Pipeline to Match Kansas Entrepreneurs with Training, Mentors, Money
Nurturing entrepreneurial people to be successful locally is the goal of the program, one spinoff result anticipated is for these same people to provide inspiration and examples to encourage others to become entrepreneurs as well.
Montana Business
- Career plans by age 12? Maybe in Florida. The state could be the first in the nation to require intensive career education for middle-schoolers.
As part of Gov. Jeb Bush's plan to reform the state's schools, an intensive study of careers would become mandatory for middle-schoolers.
- Montana Gov. Schweitzer says 2-year colleges key to economic success
- New incentive for college prep
The Hathaway Scholarship will go beyond giving students the opportunity to attend college, educators say. It will accomplish what counselors and parents sometimes can't: entice students into taking the challenging high school classes they need to be prepared for college and work.
Montana Economic Development
- Crain Consulting Announces New Client, Invizeon of Missoula, Montana
The applications can be broadly classified as security/emergency related, machine-to-machine, or customer and employee communication enhancements.
- Rocky Mountain Technology Group (RMTG) of Billings, Montana Will Provide Free Software for HIV/AIDS Drug Management, Company Leaders Tell IST-Africa 2006 Technology Conference in Pretoria, South Africa
“It is our opinion that education and capacity building should be a fundamental part of any implementation of technology for healthcare purposes,” Stewart said. “This means that in-country private sector business and healthcare staff must be taught not only how to use a new system, but also instructed in support, maintenance, and in some cases even extension and creation of the technology.”
- Would you like to have your Montana product prominently displayed in an upcoming movie?
One of the ways that Montana could possibly compete, is through product placement.
Developing Funding Opportunities in Montana
- The Montana Economic Developers Association (MEDA) MAY 2006 Newsletter
- 35 Montana communities vie for windpower projects
This could add nearly 40 megawatts of dispersed windpower around the state, all of it east of the Rockies.
GIS Technology
- Montana West Economic Development Announces New Montana Angel Fund to Invest in Local Companies
“While Montana has record low unemployment, we are lagging significantly in wages. We believe that increasing access to start-up and equity capital is essential to building innovative, high value, new economy companies in the state.” Liz Marchi president of Montana West Economic Development
- Angels Say Seed-Stage 'Gap' Is Closing
A favorite sport for entrepreneurs in the last five or six years has been complaining about how hard it is to raise early-stage capital -- especially for the very early stage of a startup, sometimes called the prototyping phase.
- IEDC hopes to establish regional venture capital funds
Are local officials likely to change their spending habits and overcome parochialism to spur new business development?
Funding and Building your Business
- Turn Your Laptop Into a GPS
"This brings location-based data to the working professional both in the office and on the go, to provide you all the tools you need to examine your business data and provide you with trip data while on the go,"
Regional Economic Development
- Write a Creative Marketing Plan in 7 Sentences
A plan offers a simple strategy or set of strategies, a marketing calendar, an evaluation system, and a selection of weapons and tactics that give you complete control of your marketing.
- Basic bookkeeping skills can help keep business running smoothly
Use these tips to help keep your business on a sound financial footing:
- The Best of the Worst Ideas of the Dot.Com Bubble
In the earlier days of the Web, "nobody seemed to care if there was a real business there,"
- Are Angel Investors Heaven-Sent? Find out seven things to look for in an angel network.
While venture capitalists manage other peoples' money, angels invest their own and generally seek smaller deals.
Idaho Business
- SBA Newsline Eight May 2006
- Business recruitment effort moves ahead in the Inland Northwest Region
Eight California concerns visited Inland Northwest, recruiter Bob Potter says
Other Economies
- Idaho Office of Science & Technology May 2006
2006 Legislative Session Best Ever For Idaho Technology Sector
- Boise drops from first to fourth place in Forbes' annual Best Places for Business and Careers list
Boise got similar news last week when Inc. reported that the community had slipped to 48th from second last year in that magazine's revamped "Boomtowns «06" survey.
Miscellaneous Ramblings
- Beautifying Iowa, One Town At A Time
Under Iowa's Living Roadways Community Visioning Program, small towns get help beautifying their city.
Incubators and R&D
- Top 15 Ways to Live Longer
It's been said that a man dies simply because he doesn't know how to live longer. Well, thank goodness for progress.
University TechTransfer
- Research Roundup at Montana State University (#259)
Space exploration has done a lot more than produce Tang, Teflon and Velcro, says MSU astrophysicist Neil Cornish.
Non-Profit News
- MSU scientists, Mark Young and Trevor Douglas sign licensing agreement with SpeciGen of Corvallis, MT for process that transforms harmful viruses into benign "cages"
Process could eventually be used to diagnose and treat illnesses such as cancer and heart disease.
Energy
- Risk Management Essentials For Nonprofit Leaders, 6/6, Bozeman, Montana
Don't miss this great opportunity to learn from the Nonprofit Risk Management Center (NRMC), the premier national organization focusing on risk issues for nonprofits.
Connectivity & Communications
- Wyoming joins states vying for FutureGen plant
"We have been at the forefront of energy production for many years, and the state has several of the physical characteristics necessary to make this work. Competition will be heated, but I believe we make a strong argument."
Lewis and Clark Bicentennial
- The RFID Hacking Underground. Who's "bumped" into you lately?
They can steal your smartcard, lift your passport, jack your car, even clone the chip in your arm. And you won't feel a thing. 5 tales from the RFID-hacking underground.
- AOL's 'AIM Phoneline' offers free local phone number
An upgraded version, AIM Phoneline Unlimited, will cost $14.95 a month for calls to all local and long-distance numbers and 30 foreign countries. Calls must be made with a headset plugged into a computer and logged onto AIM through a broadband connection. AOL plans to launch the service in the top 50 U.S markets in late May.
- Funds assured for key Lewis and Clark event. Government, private groups contribute for July activities at Pillar
Clark on the Yellowstone is July 22-25 at Pompeys Pillar. Events each day include speakers, authors' symposiums, speakers, food vendors and demonstrations.
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