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| MATR Newsletter - Fri Nov 23, 2007 |
"I have failed many times, and that's why I am a success." -- Michael Jordan
Congratulations to Ray on his outstanding efforts to move Montana's economy forward: "Ray Friesenhahn, SBIR Outreach Manager for the Montana State University TechLink center, Receives National Award" http://www.matr.net/ar ... .html ---
Come Home Montana
Funding and Building your Business
- Montana Career Opportunity - Senior Vice President - Missoula Area Economic Development Corp.
Undergraduate degree with major in business, finance, economics or related field required. Experience working in local economic development or private bank financing preferred.
- Changing legacy: Boulder, Montana sheds its mining town roots as town copes with institutional shift
In the past decade, this town of 1,363 residents become home to at least 150 people with a new dream — to leave their drug, sexually abusive and troubled pasts behind, and to do so with the help of the institutions in this town.
Education
- Defining a seed deal ain't what it used to be
With angels increasingly participating in Series A deals and more venture firms doing deals of less than $1 million, the term "seed" is murky.
- Tools to Grow Your Business: Discover Them Nov. 28 at the Free Expo Sponsored by Computer ER
Technology can be a power tool in the growth of your business, and Missoula-area companies will soon have an opportunity to learn of the latest technology to take their enterprises to the next level.
Connectivity & Communications
- Group seeks to engineer reform. It supports curriculum to boost enrollment in college programs
To feed more students into the pipeline, and strip the boredom out of science education, the foundation supports a pre-engineering curriculum called Project Lead the Way, a nationally acclaimed program that replaces rote learning with hands-on projects and extends from sixth grade through high school.
Incubators and R&D
- Report from Missoula-based Access Consulting outlines need for improved rural cell phone service, telecommunications
“You get off the interstate and suddenly you don’t have cell phone service,” said Paul DeWolfe, president of Missoula, Mont.-based Access Consulting, which compiled the study. “The farther you get from the city, the less service and less quality of service you have. That is typical of communities across the country.”
- Internet Traffic Jam by 2010?
"This groundbreaking analysis identifies a critical issue facing the Internet -- that we must take the necessary steps to build out network capacity or potentially face Internet gridlock that could wreak havoc on Internet services."
- Google lets users fine-tune maps
"Sometimes a location can be a little off on a map and your friends can't find you," the Mountain View company explained in a video posted on YouTube by software engineer Seth LaForge. "Now you can fix that."
- Japanese researchers make 'Second Life' more like real life
Now, technology from Japan could help make navigating online virtual worlds simpler by letting players use their own bodies — or even brain waves — to control their avatars.
- U.S. in the broadband slow lane. Gap with other Countries is Widening
In 2001, it was fourth in the number of broadband subscribers per capita. Now it's 15th.
- Nonprofit Group Puts Web to Work For Emergencies. Stargazer Provides Tools To Communicate, Organize
Bushkin has tapped technology, much of it developed by his nonprofit Stargazer Foundation over the past eight years in Fairfax County, to help families and organizations plan for catastrophe, and communicate when one hits.
Montana Business
- Scientists: Skin cells can behave like stem cells
"This work represents a tremendous scientific milestone — the biological equivalent of the Wright Brothers' first airplane," said Dr. Robert Lanza, chief science officer of Advanced Cell Technology, which has been trying to extract stem cells from cloned human embryos.
Montana Economic Development
- Glendive’s Farm-to-Table project Goes High Tech
Farm-to-Table works collaboratively with all sectors of the local food economy, including growers, value-added producers, restaurants, stores, institutional food services, and individual consumers to achieve the goal of a local food system.
- $10,000 Contest Drives Record-Breaking Traffic to NEW MyMontana.com Site
“We know that people rely more each day on Internet-based communications like e-mail, web sites and discussion forums. Blackfoot has facilitated these new communication styles by building a next- generation network and offering robust high-speed Internet services,” said Joan Mandeville, CEO, Blackfoot Telecommunications Group.
- New Bozeman, Montana Based Online Store "Outdoor Gift Works" Ready for Cyber Monday
Their mission is to provide a unique collection of items that connect with both the active and meditative sides of outdoor experiences.
Government Technology
- Two Steps Forward, Five Back - Montana's ranking in which states are the friendliest to entrepreneurs.
“It’s disappointing,” said Webb Brown, President of the Montana Chamber of Commerce, “This is a study we watch closely because it includes a lot of issues we believe are important.”
Washington State Business
- Montana's Citizens Asked for Ideas to Improve Legislative Website
Shirley said she hopes to hear from legislators, legislative staff, state agency employees, lobbyists, advocates, government and civics teachers, as well as the general public.
Other Economies
- Spokane-based MatriCal thinks big with small item. Medical storage concern here prepares to supply cell-culture plates to GE unit
“A lot of our manufacturing is scalable, so we don’t need a lot of bodies,” Oldenburg says. “We can grow 30 percent to 40 percent and not add anybody.”
Small Business Innovative Research (SBIR)
- Group forms plan to plug brain drain. State urged to build economy, attract talent
The plan, which could take up to 20 years to accomplish, offers a vision for economic development that prioritizes education, taxes, health care, entrepreneurship, worker training, infrastructure and marketing.
Non-Profit News
- Ray Friesenhahn, SBIR Outreach Manager for the Montana State University TechLink center, Receives National Award
Schweitzer said Friesenhahn has been a model partner to the state's Technology Innovation Partnership program and added that, "Ray's leadership and cooperation have been major factors in why Montana is now ranked second in the nation for Phase I SBIR/STTR awards relative to Gross State Product."
Energy
- Nonprofits generate law firm growth
Government regulation is expanding, leading to more requests for legal advice.
Making the Most of the American Prairie
- Co-Founder of Greenpeace Envisions a Nuclear Future
It became clear to me that there was a logical disconnect. The people who were most concerned about climate change were most opposed to nuclear power. Greenpeace is against fossil fuel, nuclear and hydroelectric power. Those three technologies produce over 99 percent of world energy. What kind of a path to a sustainable future is that?
- Governors need to follow energy markets
The trick is turning ambition into tangible, market-ready achievements. That will require much more than signatures on a largely voluntary accord.
Leadership Montana
- Happy Thanksgiving from American Prairie Foundation! (Great Video)
While there are many accomplishments to celebrate at the Reserve, we are most grateful for the people who help make this endeavor possible.
City Club Missoula
- The New Guard Weighs In on Women in Leadership
Life is changing and there will be many people retiring, so women in their 30s are going to rise a lot quicker than the women before them."
- Environmental, timber interests address City Club Missoula about Beaverhead forest
“This plan can be used as a template for resolving disputes about timber cutting and the environment across the West.” Tom France
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