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| MATR Newsletter - Fri May 6, 2011 |
"When people asked me how I thought we'd do before we left, I said I had no idea - we were just glad to be going. I had a feeling myself we might do well, but I hadn't planned on winning the whole thing." Jesse Gray, coach of the World Champion Ronan Robotics Team http://matr.net/articl ... .html
"International Wildlife Film Festival (in Missoula this week! You should be here.. ) goes back to roots, evolves" http://matr.net/articl ... .html --- "The Wheeler Center - The Cost Of Water: Who Benefits? Who Pays?, 5/9-10, Glasgow, Montana" http://matr.net/events ... =3602 --- "Ronan High, Montana robotics team wins world championships! Your 2011 FTC World Robotics Champions are Troy McMillan, Thane Tobol, Alex Killian, J.T. Probst, Hunter Shima, Tyler Sassaman and Collin Hardy." http://www.matr.net/ar ... .html --- "Building a Board of Young Advisors - Why it's essential for every company" http://www.matr.net/ar ... .html ---
Missoula Schools Excellence
Montana Department of Commerce
- THANKYOU!!! - Missoula voters approve all education levies in support of their future leaders
"It's a credit to the community and it personifies their belief in the school system. They understand it's an investment and not an expense. And we will not let them down." MCPS Superintendent Alex Apostle.
21st Century Education Initiative - "You Should Care..."
- Montana Technology Innovation Partnership - Paving the Technology Path to Economic Development
Moving tech-based clients from concept to commercialization
iConnect Montana
- A third of high school seniors lack basic grasp of civics, US government
America's students have little knowledge about how the democratic process works - including those on the cusp of voting themselves, according to the most recent results from the Nation's Report Card.
- Support schools personally: Volunteering will help bolster strained budgets
Money for schools, it seems, is always limited. But our commitment to providing an excellent education for our children needn't be similarly limited - not when there are so many opportunities to get involved.
Workforce Development
- State-of-the-Art Data Center Available in Montana - iConnect
iConnect provides the ideal solution for maintaining your critical data operations while freeing up premium resources that can be dedicated to your core business.
Highway 12 Ventures
- Education opens doors: Credentials beyond high-school diploma crucial for a lucrative future
It's tougher still in a place like Missoula, where the joke is that most baristas have a master's degree.
- NY Offers $140M To Spur University-Business Collaborations
The mission of the program is to make SUNY a leading catalyst for job growth throughout the state, strengthen the academic programs of the University Centers and demonstrate that New York is open for business.
- Employment Dynamics and State Competitiveness
Which states have a competitive advantage in employment and will likely see the greatest job growth over the next few years?
TechRanch
- Federal Grants
Did you know that 1 of every 8 companies that applies for a federal grant is endowed with one and each year the federal government sets aside more than 2 billion dollars for small business funding?
- Highway 12 Ventures - Portfolio News | April 2011
Orbotix closes $5M Series B funding by Foundry Group and Highway 12 Ventures.
Come Home Montana
- Free Google I/O Extended Event, May 10-11, Bozeman, Montana
Google I/O brings together thousands of developers for two days of deep technical content, focused on building the next generation of web, mobile, and enterprise applications with Google and open web technologies such as Android, Google Chrome, Google APIs, Google Web Toolkit, App Engine, and more.
MEDA -Montana Economic Developers Association
- IWantHerJob creator and University of Montana graduate, Brianne Burrowes enjoys helping others connect
"I love what I do," she said from her office in L.A., where she wears several top hats at the company. The subject of jobs - how to find one, how to keep one and maybe even land a cool one - occupies a good portion of her time.
- Crown Of The Continent Spring E-Magazine Available
Articles in this issue include "Glacier National Park's First 10 Years," "Guardians of the Park," "A Theory on Triple Peak" and "Flathead Lake Cherries."
Montana Business
- MEDA May Online News
Thanks again to everyone who attended the MEDA conference and made it such a success. Be watching for a Membership survey!
Montana Economic Development
- Read manufacturing news in the May e-Foward Focus newsletter
- Green Investment Group Will Buy Smurfit Stone Mill Site in Frenchtown, Montana
NBC Montana confirmed Green Investment Group from Alton, Illinois plans to buy the Smurfit Stone mill in Frenchtown.
- Bacterin International Secures $1.9 Million In Private Placement
Bacterin develops, manufactures and markets biologics products to domestic and international markets.
Regional Economic Development
- Eight Budding Entrepreneurs Hone Their Skills at New West Festival, May 5th and 6th in Missoula, Montana
"New West is happy to take a lead position in the encouragement of economic development in the six Rocky Mountain states that we cover editorially," said Ingham. "This region is growing rapidly, and we find that our Western colleges and universities are a unique breeding ground for innovation and technology, resulting in a strong entrepreneurial community."
- The Great Falls Development Authority taking targeted steps to keep, attract jobs
GFDA President Brett Doney said the agency has a new, more targeted approach to help with what he called "economic development fundamentals."
Bill Payne
- Rich States, Poor States - Alec-Laffer State Economic Competitiveness Index
Although we continue to deal with challenging times, economic indicators are telling us that states are finally beginning to turn the corner. There is light at the end of the tunnel, and we are beginning to see signs of recovery. To accelerate this recovery, states can benefit from each other's expertise and experience. This requires access to information and analysis from which we can learn from one another and implement best practices.
- Survey: Site Selection Consultants Say Labor Costs and Incentives Most Important
More than half of the responding consultants said incentives are more important to their clients now than in the past.
- Giving Downtown a New Look
So, when's the last time you gave your downtown a second thought?
Careers
- Financing A High-Impact Venture (in Montana) Workshop, 8/17, Butte, Montana
Content is punctuated with two lively exercises, the first on capital sources followed later with a case study on fundable companies.
- Financing A High-Impact Venture (in Montana) Workshop, 6/14, Bozeman, Montana
Topics covered by Bill Payne http://www.billpayne.com include capital sources for entrepreneurs, debt versus equity, exits, business plans, fundable companies, advisors, term sheets and valuation.
Economic Gardening
- Tough job market awaits graduates
At UM's Lommasson Center, there's a four-week waiting list to see one of the Office of Career Services' four counselors.
- Hiring goes both ways: Professor suggests relationships most important part of job search, success
"Relationships get things done in business."
Funding and Building your Business
- 9th Annual National Economic Gardening Conference to be Held in Orlando - May 19/20
Attendees Will Learn How to Develop Viable Programs to Help Strengthen Their Communities, Regions and States
Incubators and R&D
- Ten Tips For Better Business Writing
"Clarity is the most important characteristic of good business writing."
- 5 Surefire Tips for Hiring the Best New College Graduates - Eric Schmidt Explains How Google Hires
1. Interview them again, and again (and again).
- What Men Can Learn From Women
Come up with a plan before you start a company.
- Social Media Accounts are Intellectual Property
A large portion of your competitive advantage and your potential value to investors is the size of your intellectual property portfolio.
- Building a Board of Young Advisors - Why it's essential for every company
The board members don't have daily responsibilities. They primarily act as brand ambassadors and offer the co-founders opinions, advice, and ideas. "It feels completely different than an internship," says Bordin. "You feel more involved, more rewarded."
- The Lean LaunchPad at Stanford--Class 8: Key Resources, Activities and Expense Model
All teams had all accomplished something remarkable, but it won't be clear what a singular achievement this was until we see their final presentations. Stay tuned for the last post--the Final Presentations and Lessons Learned.
- The Path Forward Center Receives Grant to Support Replication of the ACTiVATE® Women's Entrepreneurship Program
"Our research at the Kauffman Foundation shows that not only are jobs created by new companies, but that the average age of a successful entrepreneur is around 40. This supports ACTiVATE's focus on helping mid-career women start growth-oriented companies."
- Your Toughest Competitor May be Your Best Partner
But remember that "dancing with the wolves" can also get you eaten for lunch.
- Stanford shindig aims to help startups, board members - "Directors' College"
"One of the big challenges startups have is, how do you build a board?"
- The Right Startup Advisory Board Has A Big Payback
To bring real money and credibility to your company, and help you avoid costly mistakes in development and strategy, a first-class Advisory Board is a small investment.
- Court Says Porn on Work Computer Is Grounds for Firing
A federal appeals court is issuing a clear warning to employees: Violate your employer's computer-use policy and be fired.
Montana Education Excellence
- University of Utah Graduates First Startup from Medical Accelerator
"The accelerator is having exactly the type of impact that we expected."
- Intel convenes its researchers in Portland for first ever TechFest
"There are very few, if any, conferences that you'd see this range of disciplines all in one place at one time."
Regional Business
- Ronan High, Montana robotics team wins world championships! Your 2011 FTC World Robotics Champions are Troy McMillan, Thane Tobol, Alex Killian, J.T. Probst, Hunter Shima, Tyler Sassaman and Collin Hardy.
The key to Ronan's success was in the simplicity of the design of its robot, engineered by McMillan and programmed by Tobol.
- THANKYOU!!! - Voters approve property tax levies to support Bozeman schools
"I believe our community understands the value of education of our kids," Miller said. "We worked hard on community understanding of the issues, building community trust, asking their permission and ultimately gaining their support."
- THANKYOU!!! - Helena approves both school levies
"We are very appreciative of the community stepping forward and any amount of money."
Universities and Economic Development
- Grant Money Available to Help Rural Physicians with Electronic Health Records
A total of $12 million in grant money is now available to help rural health-care providers establish "meaningful use" of electronic health record (EHR) systems.
Developing an Angel Network in Montana
- Entrepreneurship on Campus
"Entrepreneurship is already a routine human behavior. But it's important for students to learn the difference that entrepreneurship makes--for it to become a more routine subject of study and thought."
Idaho Business
- Bill aims to rev up early investors
House File 688 calls for providing investors with a 20 percent tax credit, based on their investment in startups or community-based seed funds.
North Dakota Business and Economic Development
- Idaho's future: survey shows lack of consensus
"When we embarked on this research project, we were hoping to identify specific policies with broad public support that could be useful to jumpstarting Idaho's economy," said Marc C. Johnson, a partner at Gallatin Public Affairs. "What we found instead is a deeply divided state without clear consensus about the future direction of the economy."
- Micron $13 million gift is Boise State's largest donation
"We continue to be impressed with the trajectory of Boise State's Materials Science and Engineering Department. Micron's contribution to this program is a great investment in the future of our Company, community and the State of Idaho," said Micron CEO Steve Appleton
Oregon Economic Development
- Centers of Excellence, Entrepreneurship Grants Funded in North Dakota Budget
North Dakota is increasing general fund spending by 20 percent over the next two years.
Wyoming Business
- Oregon creates interactive map to track broadband availability
Users can, for example, check to see what areas of the state have no service at all, which areas have the most service, and check where DSL and cable Internet service is available.
2011 Montana Legislature
- Wyoming hires celebrity CIO
Waters was a guest on the Oprah Winfrey Show in a 2008 segment about online sex crimes.
Education
- The 2011 Montana legislative session in review
It may take months to sort out the session's effects, but here's a rundown by topic of some of its more newsworthy results:
Making the Most of the American Prairie
- 120 Community Colleges, Including 3 from Montana, Are Chosen to Compete for $1-Million Aspen Institute Prize
The community colleges chosen represent the top 10 percent in the country.
- Higher Education Bubble Will Burst
Under the circumstances, it's easy to make the case that something has to give.
- Gifting Sports Cars to Underprivileged Youth
By gifting "Gate Way" cars to these underprivileged youth, we are accomplishing two very valuable goals...we are preserving the interest in classic European sports cars by involving a youthful generation...while simultaneously making a significant and positive impact in the direction of the lives of countless youth
- Autism Puts Brain Growth in Overdrive
Now that researchers understand when brain enlargement occurs, they can focus on why it happens and even try to develop treatments for the disorders before they take hold.
- Lotus founder Mitch Kapor sets his sights on fixing education
For years, executives have been saying that fixing K-12 education should be at the top of the state's to-do list, while at the same time calling for reductions in corporate and income taxes that help run the state and its schools.
Community
- American Prairie Foundation Film - "American Serengeti" Wins International Wildlife Film Festival Awards
We are pleased that the film has received this recognition in Montana and are grateful for the opportunity to have collaborated with National Geographic on this effort.
Energy and Climate Change
- Grant Opportunity for Montana Communities
The Orton Family Foundation invites proposals from small cities and towns committed to planning for a future that preserves and enhances their "heart and soul"--those places, people and customs that make them unique.
- Water - A company runs through it
The announcement triggered concern among government officials, policy experts, and grassroots groups in Apple Valley and Missoula.
GIS Technology
- Climate activists target states with lawsuits
A group of attorneys using children and young adults as plaintiffs plans to file legal actions in every state and the District of Columbia on Wednesday in an effort to force government intervention on climate change.
The Creative and Cultural Economy
- Missoula GIS Coffeetalk - "GIS In Worldwide Conservation", 5/13, Missoula, Montana
All MAGIP members and non-members are welcome
- International Wildlife Film Festival (in Missoula this week! You should be here.. ) goes back to roots, evolves
A weeklong festival in which scientists, conservationists, artists and filmmakers gather to share films, discuss and - in one instance - sing about a world in which humankind's impact is an important and unavoidable element of the wild world.
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