|
|
|
| MATR Newsletter - Fri May 29, 2009 |
There's one thing I've learned about entrepreneurs' business plans. Every one is wrong." --Josh Kopelman, venture capitalist, as quoted by BusinessWeek
Really can't say it better than this: "Montana Businesses Depend On Strong Education Foundation" by Secretary of State Linda McCulloch" http://www.matr.net/ar ... .html --- I really enjoy highlighting innovative companies that have moved the traditional business model to new levels of excellence. Here's a great example of what a company can accomplish to bring a much better quality of life to its employees: "Boise company, Medical Management Inc., finds success - and makes employees happy - by doing business digitally" http://matr.net/articl ... .html ---- If your company is testing the bounds, please send along its story. --- Several great commencement speeches this year to inspire everyone including those of us who celebrated our graduation years ago: " The Earth Needs a New Operating System and You are the Programmers" http://matr.net/articl ... .html --- "Google chairman and CEO Eric Schmidt urges grads: 'Turn off your computer'" http://matr.net/articl ... .html
Entrepreneur- America
Idaho National Laboratory
- "The Sunflower Model" - preview of my next book
Managers faced with sagging revenues, collapsing markets, declining margins, disruptive technologies and unexpected competition can succeed if they follow the Sunflower principles.
Montana World Trade Center
- Idaho National Laboratory’s internship program ranked among best in nation.
“The internships we highlight are the best around when it comes to challenging work and projects, pay and perks, and launching a career” said Vault Senior Editor Carolyn Wise. “If students nab a spot in one of the internship programs prestigious enough to be chosen for the Vault Guide to Top Internships, they can be confident that they will have a great experience that will prepare them for their career."
- Idaho National Laboratory invites industry, academia to partner in nuclear research
"The goal of ATR User's Week is to educate people on the capabilities for nuclear research that exist at INL and are offered to researchers through the ATR NSUF."
TechRanch
- Montana World Trade Center May Newsletter
CAN YOU NAME THE TOP 5 COUNTRIES BUYING MONTANA PRODUCTS*?
Vision Net
- A Bitter Middle-Aged Man
I think we all come to this point in our chosen fields when, after experience, observation and education, we can efficiently form accurate and defensible opinions on developments in our areas of expertise.
- TechRanch on Twitter: @TechRanchMT
Members of Twitter who live in the Bozeman area and follow TechRanch were immediately exposed to the information that I posted about TechRanch and our events. As such, our SEM event registration on May 27 doubled our average registration number within a week of its event release.
Come Home Montana
- Vision Net Summer Technology Roadshow, 6/9, Missoula
Vision Net would like to invite you to join us on June 9th, from 9:00 to 3:00 for a focused, comprehensive discussion on three of the hottest topics in IT today - Network Security, Voice over IP, and Video Conferencing.
Developing Tech Jobs in Rural Communities
- Montana Career Opportunity - Executive Director - PhillCo Economic Growth Council, Inc.
The mission of PhillCo Economic Growth Council is to assist in improving the economic stability of the Phillips County area and the standard of living of the residents.
Developing a more Entrepreneurial Montana
- Boise company, Medical Management Inc., finds success - and makes employees happy - by doing business digitally
In 1999, MedMan closed its office and began operating in the virtual world, saving $15,000 a month, shredding eight Dumpsters' worth of paperwork. Trounson and his team run the company from anywhere in the world using laptop computers and smartphones.
Leadership Montana
- Entrepreneurship Internships Differ From Traditional Business and Management Internships: A Framework for Implementation
This paper discusses insights gained through implementing the undergraduate entrepreneurship intern program at one institution, and provides a framework for other institutions that may wish to explore or implement an entrepreneurship internship program of their own.
Montana Business
- Would Your Peers Vote for You?
Here’s something that may convince you to pay more attention to those peer ratings and more importantly, change the way you relate to your peers.
Montana Economic Development
- gotoBilling™ of Bozeman, Montana Sees 307% Volume Increase During Recession and Launches New, One-Stop Paperless Office Web Site
Software solution at http://www.gotobilling.com offers small business owners cost-effective invoicing, document management, accounting, payroll, credit card payments, electronic billing, online marketing, gift cards, and personal customer-service
- RightNow Adds Social Networking Tracking
The firm has added new capablities to its software, and added monitoring of conversations on Twitter, YouTube, Facebook, MySpace, and LinkedIn.
- Governor Schweitzer Announces All Time Record $2 Billion High for Montana’s Commodity Exports
Other commodities experiencing strong increases included optical fibers and medical instruments which rose 25.6 percent to reach $34.4 million. Electric machinery totaled $21.5 million, an increase of nearly 38 percent over 2007. Hand tools witnessed a greater than threefold increase to exceed $3 million.
- Montana Town Wants to Gitmo Jobs, Gitmo Money -- and Maybe Gitmo Problems
But one city -- Hardin, Montana -- is welcoming the detainees with open arms, according to CNN:
- Montana Counting on the ‘Crown Jewel’ to Keep Tourism Alive
A recent study by UM’s Tourism Institute also proves that tourism officials’ faith in the park isn’t unfounded. UM researchers Norma Nickerson and Dylan Boyle’s study found that 71 percent of first-time visits to Montana were to either Yellowstone or Glacier national parks. And those travelers are likely to come back.
- AeroTec to Fire Up Rocket Testing Friday in Butte
“This testing will advance hybrid rocket technology and the future development of aerospace science in Butte,” said Governor Brian Schweitzer. “This is true rocket science. It’s exciting, cutting-edge technology and it’s happening right here in Montana.”
Careers
- Montana residents onboard with train service
“If the study coming back looks like we can get this to work, the challenge will be to get 98 other senators on board with us,” Tester told the crowd of about 100 packed into hearing room. “This is the first step.”
- Cascade County, Montana will test wind-energy storage battery
If commercially viable, the battery storage technology would attract interest from wind developers and Beltrone sees a chance to have the batteries manufactured in Cascade County.
- Montana Department of Commerce Tourism Campaign Invests in Eastern Montana: Launches New Montana High Plains Campaign
"Montana truly has treasures all across our vast landscape" said Governor Brian Schweitzer. "I am excited to see our distinctive 'High Plains' receive this added attention and encourage Montanans to venture out and discover this impressive part of our great state."
- Big Sky Chamber of Commerce wants $500,000 to market Big Sky
Since 1992, a Big Sky sales tax, known informally as a resort tax, has been added to such purchases as gifts and restaurant meals. Montana does not have a general sales tax, but resort areas have the option of imposing sales taxes if voters approve.
- Montana Department of Commerce to reconsider Missoula Exposition Center grant to help pay for $50,000 feasibility study. Center would help promote Missoula
The group wants to build a multipurpose year-round regional facility somewhere in Missoula, if the study concludes the community supports the idea.
- The Missoula Area Economic Development Corporation (MAEDC) to Receive Loan from State to Help Montana’s Forest Products Industry
“We anticipate that the loan to MAEDC will help these companies retain the work force that is critical to survival of the forest products industry and we estimate that about 600 jobs will be saved.” Tony Preite,, Director of the Montana Department of Commerce
Funding and Building your Business
- The Earth Needs a New Operating System and You are the Programmers
"You are brilliant, and the earth is hiring."
Incubators and R&D
- Venture Capital Forum Exclusively for Women-led Life Sciences Companies
This Venture Capital Forum Exclusively for Women-led Life Sciences Companies will showcase early stage, high-growth investment opportunities to audiences of active angel, venture and corporate investors. I just received this but please note the deadline is June 1.
- Top 10 Pointers for a Successful SBIR-STTR Application
SBIR-STTR funding is an excellent source of early stage capital that doesn't require equity participation.
- San Jose greeting card business finds quick success. "Jumping Cracker Beans"
It's refreshing in this land of business plans, elevator pitches and exhaustive ROI analyses to stumble upon a business that practically started itself.
Montana Education Excellence
- Bellevue, Washington lab is an inventor's real dream. Intellectual Ventures
Since Intellectual Ventures was started in 2000, it has become one of the top 25 research institutions in the country and the top 50 in the world, based on its annual output of 500 to 600 patents, Myhrvold said.
Montana Education/Business Partnerships
- Commencement Address by Craig R. Barrett, Chairman of the Board, Intel Corporation 16 May 2009. The University of Montana Missoula, Montana
“You cannot win unless you choose to compete.”
- Troy, Montana embraces era of high-tech teaching
Schools in small communities like Troy find challenges keeping up with the times due to a lack of funds, but thanks to forward-thinking teaching staff and administration, Troy Schools are keeping up.
- "Montana Businesses Depend On Strong Education Foundation" by Secretary of State Linda McCulloch
Montana’s economy requires people who can learn and work in different businesses and environments and who can create their own companies and jobs. Educational excellence is the foundation to a strong economy and Montana businesses rely on this foundation for success.
Small Business Innovative Research (SBIR)
- Plum Creek establishes scholarship in honor of outgoing chairman, Ian Davidson
Plum Creek, which has wood-products operations in Montana, offers a number of scholarships. Thirty-3 of them, worth a total of $53,000, went to Montana students this year.
- Montana Secretary of State Linda McCulloch Urges Nation's Top Education Leader to Seek Input from Montana Businesses When Considering Education Reform
"Our economy requires people who can learn and work in different businesses and environments, and who can create their own companies and jobs. I encourage you to keep Montana (businesses) in mind as you move forward."
University Business Plan Competitions
- Obama’s SBA Nomination Nods In Favor Of VC Industry
“The majority of SBIR/STTR grants will still go to small business,” Sargeant said in the interview. “The rule limiting the size of a company to 500 employees or fewer would still be in effect. Early-stage research would not change significantly. I could see more partnerships with corporations.”
University TechTransfer
- Boise State MBA team wins at Benchmark Capital Challenge Business Plan Competition
The team, led by David Rush, worked with Boise inventor Dale Kramer to develop an innovative energy-saving electric water heater that allows utility companies to shift electricity consumption to off-peak periods.
Idaho BusinessOregon Economic Development
- Idaho Department of Labor Helps Eastern Idaho Tech Company, Premier Technology Inc. of Blackfoot, Fill Jobs
Premier Technology Inc. of Blackfoot is hiring 30 new employees in the coming weeks for craft and production jobs and then adding more workers as the opportunity arises. Premier Technology designs, engineers and fabricates pressure vessels and shielded boxes, barriers and containers for customers around the globe.
- Top VC, Brad Feld, talks leadership, identity with Idaho entrepreneurs
“Get Out There and Innovate.”
Education
- Concordia University in Northeast Portland to launch small business assistance program
The partnership will provide Concordia's undergraduate and MBA students with real-world opportunities, such as attending SCORE client counseling sessions and participating in hands-on internships.
Connectivity & Communications
- State Early Commitment Programs: A Contract for College Success?
These contracts call for students to complete a rigorous high school core curriculum in exchange for student financial aid. Such early-commitment programs seek to fundamentally improve college readiness and expectations of pursuing higher education among low-income students.
- Jill Biden: Support leads to success in community college
You've taught in community colleges for 16 years. How do you define success?
- Mountains act as a classroom. Casper, Wyoming program gives students hands-on experience
"These kids don't know they're in school right now," Ford, a secondary education major, said. "They think they're just having fun, but they're probably learning as more or more than if they were just sitting in a classroom."
Energy and Climate Change
- iPhone applications can help the autistic
For an autistic child, the ability to whip out an iPhone and talk to friends brings "this very hard-to-quantify cool factor."
- FCC Releases Report on Broadband for Rural America
The FCC called the 83-page report a "starting point for the development of policies to deliver broadband to rural areas and restore economic growth and opportunity for Americans residing and working in those areas."
Cool Stuff That's Coming
- Converting Garbage into Fuel - "S4 Energy Solutions"
Waste gasification, a process for converting garbage into fuel and electricity without incinerating it, may be a step closer to large-scale commercialization.
The Creative and Cultural Economy
- Siri lifts veil on intelligent assistant
What could be one of the most significant advances in artificial intelligence in a decade is heading toward the iPhone App store this fall.
- Apple co-founder, Steve Wozniak says Microsoft's Bing is 'astounding'
"It was so well thought out, the algorithms, the intelligence of it, really impressed me."
Transportation
- The Impact of Arts in a Blue-Collar Economy in the Flathead Valley of Montana
“It’s a really good arts community.”
- Portland: A Model for National Transportation Policy?
Portland has also become the poster child for those who advocate planning restrictions and subsidies favoring higher density development in parts of the urban core.
To subscribe or unsubscribe from the free weekly MATR newsletter, please visit our list info page
