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| MATR Newsletter - Fri May 2, 2008 |
"The secret of eternal youth is arrested development." -- Alice Roosevelt Longworth
It's spring and the best and the brightest are graduating and displaying their best talents. If you haven't taken advantage of the innovation and enthusiasm of Montana's university students through the internship programs, here's a full edition of Western Montana InBusiness http://www.mtinbusines ... 0805/ that focuses on interns and graduates and how they can contribute to your company. "Springboards to success — Many graduates find internships lead to entry-level positions. Western Montana InBusiness" http://matr.net/articl ... .html and another reminder of an outstanding event that showcases the best of entrepreneurial Montana: "19th Annual John Ruffatto Montana Business Plan Competition, 5/8, University Of Montana - Missoula" http://matr.net/articl ... .html
Idaho National Laboratory
Boomtown Institute
- Idaho National Laboratory announces statewide recipients of grants for K-12 programs
Strengthening science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) education is widely considered to be essential in preparing today’s students for tomorrow’s work force and in keeping America at the forefront of innovation
MEDA -Montana Economic Developers Association
- The Agurban from Boomtown Institute - Has NAFTA Been Good for America?
Michael A. Fletcher, Staff Writer for the Washington Post, recently wrote an article that addressed the issue of whether NAFTA was responsible for the economic downturn in America.
Developing a more Entrepreneurial Montana
- May MEDA Online News
There is still time for you to register for the IEDC course: Real Estate Development and Reuse. We have 47 students and are looking for three more.
Montana Business
- Starting Up in a Down Economy
Nobody loves a recession*. But many successful entrepreneurs say that, in retrospect, they were lucky to have launched their businesses in tough times.
- A Classroom Path to Entrepreneurship
Gone is the conventional wisdom that running a small business cannot be learned by sitting in a classroom.
- Kalispell, Montana Teens Start Commercial Production Business. East E. Productions
“To get to do film is really fun,” he said. “To get paid to do it – I can’t think of anything much better. This is pretty awesome.”
Montana Economic Development
- Goomzee Positions to Meet Demands of Mobile Expansion
Facilitating the live exchange between buyer and seller has been a major focus of development of Goomzee Connect 2.0.
- Natural Capital of Lewistown, Montana on the cutting edge of new global market that could pay big dividends for Central Montana landowners
Natural Capital is positioning itself to become a regional player in the trade of carbon credits, a commodity that you can’t see, touch or feel, but one that may ultimately have a significant economic impact on Central Montana.
- Montana's landscape could change significantly if Plum Creek moves forward
As the timber industry in the Northern Rockies faltered, the company reportedly aimed to eventually sell about 2 million acres, but no one's saying where. The possibility that some of it may be in prime areas of Montana is at the core of the controversy.
- Montana State Auditor's Office Launches Program to Help Law Enforcement Investigate Investment Fraud
Outreach program gives Law Enforcement support to assist defrauded investors
- Havreite wins Exporter of the Year. Ron Harmon and Big Equipment Co.
“The part that I, I guess, am most proud of is the quality employees we have here and the creativity of our staff,”
- Springboards to success — Many graduates find internships lead to entry-level positions. Western Montana InBusiness
He wouldn't be in such a cushy position if it weren't for the help of UM's Internship Services.
Regional Economic Development
- The Montana Business Assistance Connection (MBAC) launches MBACProspector.com, making access to powerful business information research only a mouse-click away.
"This site provides unique local access to commercial data for businesses and investors and will prove invaluable to anyone seeking information about the Helena business community."
- The Governor's Workforce Conference "Meeting The Challenge: Montana's Workforce On The Move", 5/21-22, Billings, MT
Discuss how you can be part of moving Montana's workforce forward.
- Montana Department of Commerce Director to Present Over $12 Million in Grants to Economic Development Projects in Hamilton & Missoula
“Infrastructure and housing are cornerstones of a safe, healthy community,” said Governor Brian Schweitzer. “This funding will help move these important projects forward for thousands of people who live in Hamilton and Missoula and their surrounding communities.”
Business Plan Forums
- Expert: U.S. population to hit 1 billion by 2100
"We have a surprising amount of space in existing urban areas," he says. "We can easily triple the population in our urbanized areas with much of that growth occurring on, of all things, parking lots."
- Rural Housing and Economic Development Program
Today’s publication establishes the funding criteria for the FY2008 Rural Housing and Economic Development Program.
- Western Rural Development Center April 2008 Newsletter
This newsletter focuses on a very important issue in the Western United States, wildfires.
- Seven (7) NEW Community-Friendly Grant Opportunities have been added to the MSU Extension Weblink
Funding and Building your Business
- Seattle-area venture capital conference highlights online successes
SEVERAL SEATTLE-AREA companies are making presentations this week at the Drilling Down on Local conference in downtown Seattle, an event that has attracted more than 450 people to discuss trends in Internet search and local online advertising.
Incubators and R&D
- Participants in the Healthy Corner Stores Network (HCSN) work to promote the sale of healthy, fresh, affordable foods in small, neighborhood stores in underserved communities.
he HCSN supports the work of participant organizations to promote innovative retail models, policies and programs that can help corner stores become the backbone of healthy neighborhood food retail.
- Ask the VC: I cut the wrong deal with an advisor -- should I kill the deal or him?
A typical advisor like the one you describe will get around 1% of equity vesting over at least a year (usually two) in exchange for being an active advisor / board member.
- The Worldwide Workforce
To stay competitive and reap top talent, small businesses will need travel beyond the borders of the U.S. for employees and learn to work effectively with workers on a global scale.
- How to trim your IT budget without making sacrifices.
If you want to save big bucks on IT, consider farming out the following functions to someone else.
- How To Find and Hire Good People
What follows is a four-part guide to best practices in recruiting and hiring: a step-by-step strategy for finding the right people, a list of the screening procedures, sample questions for the interviews you conduct, and additional hiring resources.
- Starting up: Got vision? You need it to attract talented employees
Quite honestly, early in my career I didn't rank vision as a top leadership attribute.
- Small Business: Playing for Keeps
For a small business, employee retention is as important as finding good employees in the first place
- Inside Entrepreneurship: Many angles to consider when compensation is equity
As the economy softens, more founding entrepreneurs are asking professional service providers and first employees to accept equity instead of cash to help launch their young companies.
Montana Education Excellence
- Montana-Based Science Targeted at Diabetes and Heart Health
“The BGLife™ Barley food products help address a worldwide epidemic that also has a big impact in our state,” said Governor Schweitzer. “This will open new markets for Montana exports.”
Montana Education/Business Partnerships
- University of Montana Dean of Students hands down suspensions for sit-in
Kendra Kallevig’s suspension will stretch from Friday through Tuesday. She will graduate next month having received high honors, including the Outstanding Student Leader Award.
- Montana State University Billings News: New lab gives MSU Billings business students a technology boost
In a global economy where the speed of business is getting quicker all the time, business students need to be able to keep pace if they are going to be able to “hit the ground running” upon graduation.
- Humanitarian Greg Mortenson "Three Cups of Tea" to address MSU graduates
Mission: To promote and provide community-based education and literacy programs, especially for girls, in remote mountain regions of Central Asia.
Regional Business
- AT&T Launches $100 Million Philanthropic Education Program, Job Shadowing for 100,000 Students, Research and Community Engagement Support to Address High School Dropout Crisis
In addition, AT&T will help underwrite 100 state and community dropout-prevention summits. Led by America's Promise Alliance — the nation's largest partnership alliance working on behalf of children and youth — the summits will be held in all 50 states.
University Business Plan Competitions
- Census: Fewer young workers to support U.S. growth
"Older industrial states are facing a double whammy: the loss of the younger, high-fertility workers and a diminished attraction of immigrants."
- Better Business Bureau - Naming Names: Just How Important is it?
If a questionable company is consistently bad enough to be in the top 25, it also has a huge impact on why its industry was driven to the top 10 to begin with.
University TechTransfer
- 19th Annual John Ruffatto Montana Business Plan Competition, 5/8, University Of Montana - Missoula
The competition invites students from across Montana to present their business plans to a group of outstanding business and community leaders.
Idaho Business
- Research and equity in spinoffs becomes priority at UC
The University of Cincinnati is considering starting a research foundation to allow the school to have ownership stakes in private companies.
- Tech transfer innovation pays off for people
The truth about technology transfer is that the process is so complex, so multi-dimensional and so driven by external forces that few of us who practice the craft can easily explain all aspects of our daily activities.
Wyoming Business
- Boise's quality of life is draw to valley
The positives also listed the opportunity for growth, a strong local economy, strong work ethic and access to decision makers as the top reason they want to stay in the valley.
Education
- In Wyoming, the Dark Side of America’s Thirst for Energy
“Throwing warm beating hearts at a failed energy policy is a tragedy, whether it’s the war or the oil fields,” Ms. Fuller said. “The jobs are a good thing. But going after it so frantically and doing so much damage is wrong.”
Government
- College tuition's worth called into question
Students are a growing source of revenue for colleges, but little of that money is going into classroom instruction.
Connectivity & Communications
- National Governors Association Speakers' Bureau is Launched
Whether you are looking for a policy expert in education; energy and environment; health care; homeland security; or social, economic, and workforce development, NGA has a nationally recognized expert to meet your needs.
Cool Stuff That's Coming
- Web in infancy, says Berners-Lee
The future web will put "all the data in the world" at the fingertips of every user.
- Vidyo Named Best Startup Of Interop
Vidyo promises to make low-cost, high-quality videoconferencing an option for more companies.
- Report Explains Broadband Leadership, Need for Strategy
Learning the right lessons and emulating the right policies here will enable the United States to improve broadband performance faster than in the absence of proactive policies.
- FCC caps subsidy to rural cell phone providers Move benefits big telecom firms
The move is bad news for rural cellular carriers that rely on such payments for a substantial part of their revenue, but it benefits big telephone companies such as Verizon Communications Inc. and AT&T Inc., whose customers are the largest contributors to the fund.
Government Technology
- A Compact Chemical Sensor
A portable array of lasers could be used to monitor pollution and detect toxins.
- HP Labs' find could revolutionize computing. "Memristor"
It is considered the fourth fundamental circuit - the other three are the resistor, the capacitor and the inductor - and it ultimately will allow computer systems to permanently retain information and to remember and associate information by recognizing patterns, similar to the way the human brain works.
Transportation
- Globally Sustainable Ideas for Public Sector Technology Departments
There are simple steps that the public sector IT community can take in responding to renewed concerns about environmental sustainability while institutionalizing greater efficiencies into its operations.
- An Electrifying Startup - A123
A new lithium-ion battery from A123 Systems could help electric cars and hybrids come to dominate the roads.
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