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| MATR Newsletter - Fri Jan 20, 2012 |
"If you find a job you love, you'll never work again." Winston Churchill
Karen Mills, head of Small Business Administration to headline Tester's next jobs workshop in Missoula, Montana on Feb. 21 http://matr.net/articl ... .html --- Disability Rights Montana Attorneys Alexandra Volkerts and Andree Larose Win National Advocates of the Year Award http://www.matr.net/ar ... .html
21st Century Education Initiative - "You Should Care..."
Highway 12 Ventures
- Time in school: How does the U.S. compare?
Are students in India and China required to go to school longer than U.S. students?
- What should students be studying now to prepare for 10 years from now?
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services CTO Todd Park, another of our contributors, says flatly, "Students should be studying how to start things--how to create and grow new products, initiatives, ventures, and enterprises--a skill set that never goes out of style."
- Recession Put Pre-K Expansion on Hold
Richard M. Clifford, senior scientist at the FTG Child Development Institute at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, said other developed countries -- including much of Europe -- provide prekindergarten programs.
- How Smarter Data Can Save U.S. Education
We may be on the verge of meaningful, data-backed reforms.
Visit Montana
- Lost Amid The Hoopla - A Great Day for Isaac Saldana - SendGrid Raises $21 Million
Having led the seed round of funding for SendGrid, this was obviously gratifying for us here at Highway 12 Ventures
Come Home Montana
- Ice Climbing in Montana with Conrad Anker
Climbing frozen waterfalls is a relatively new adaptation of mountaineering tools and technique.
Montana Biotech
- Montana Career Opportunity - Publications and Web Content Specialist - State of Montana
Assists in the printing and distribution of Legislative Branch publications. Coordinates and organizes content for the legislative website.
- Montana Career Opportunity - Non-Profit Fund Accountant - Great Falls Development Authority
Innovative, growing economic development organization seeks accountant for financial management and state/federal reports.
- Montana Career Opportunity - Business Strategist - Great Falls Development Authority
Progressive, innovative economic development firm seeks a business strategist to assist established businesses senior leadership improve internal processes in operating activities.
- Montana Career Opportunity - Development & Community Relations Director - Great Falls Development Authority
Progressive, innovative economic development firm seeks experienced, highly productive team member with professional sales experience for challenging and rewarding position.
- Montana Career Opportunity - Programer/Analyst - Davis Transport
Strong programming skills for iSeries(AS400) RPG,ILE, CL, DDS, SQL
Montana Business
- Frazier Looks to Build Biotechs For Sale, Lay Groundwork for First Post-Crisis Fund
Frazier is the founder and managing partner of Frazier Healthcare Ventures, a 20-year-old Seattle and Menlo Park, CA-based venture firm that has $1.8 billion under management.
Montana Economic Development
- EverLog™ Systems Newsletter January 2012 Volume 24 - Meeting New Fire Code Requirements with EverLog™ Siding
Across the country, strict new fire codes require architects, builders and owners to re-think how they design and build their homes.
- NXGEN Maintains Momentum - Local tech company continues to innovate, grow from Whitefish headquarters
"We are growing in so many areas," Nitopi said. "It's a really positive story in the Flathead Valley."
Regional Economic Development
- RFQ for Frenchtown Mill Feasibility Study: Proposals due 2/1/2012
The entire Request for Qualifications can be accessed at http://www.bredd.org.
- Karen Mills, head of Small Business Administration to headline Tester's next jobs workshop in Missoula, Montana on Feb. 21
Mills will speak about the importance of supporting small businesses to spur the economy and their role in job creation.
- U.S. EDA Investment Supports Renewable Industry That Will Create Jobs in North Central Montana
"With today's announcement, Montana is taking another step forward to create renewable energy jobs and tap into Montana's vast energy resources," said U.S. Senator Jon Tester.
- Chinese company to build wind farm near Shawmut, Montana
U.S. Sen. Max Baucus said in a statement that he met with executives from the company during a 2010 trip to Beijing and urged them to do business in the state.
Bill Payne
- Six Steps for Inviting Alums and Young Families Home
What are you doing to encourage the young people in your community to stay or to come back and raise their families there?
- Sunrise Initiative - A New Day for Global Trade and Development
Innovative technologies provides the tools while our team of economic development professionals provides the "know how" to guide regional clusters through the relationship building process that connects people, businesses and opportunities around the world.
- Angel groups can be counterproductive, says Atlas VC Fred Destin
"We need to break people out of angel groups."
Careers
- IP & crowdfunding: are 1,000 NDAs better than none?
Angels and venture capitalists will not sign non-disclosure (confidentiality) agreements just to listen to an entrepreneur's funding presentation, or even to read the entrepreneur's business plan.
Funding and Building your Business
- Position yourself for on-the-job training
Now, instead of complaining, more companies are beginning to train employees for the skills they need. Some are even working with high schools and colleges to develop students who will be ready to take on those jobs when they graduate.
- How to become a great communicator
Here are some critical tips on organizing your thoughts, writing, speaking and presenting:
Government and University TechTransfer
- SBA Program Helps to Bridge the Small Business Gap
"SBA's Small Business Development Centers give new and growing small businesses the resources they need throughout the year to grow and create jobs,"
- Got Social "Sense"?
Not listening and executing on "people's" intent means your corporate container is out of alignment with the marketplace.
- Entrepreneurial Tightrope: Making sure your price is right
Most often quality of service is associated with the cost. In other words, your prices have invoked the "you-get-what-you-pay-for" idea into the minds of your customers and potential customers. They are fearful of what they might get for that low price.
- 10 Books Every Entrepreneur Must Read From 2011
- Pitching is never free.
Jason Calacanis, a well-known entrepreneur and Angel investor, opened the debate a while back in a strongly-worded article on his blog which attacked the practice on ethical grounds, and called out popular Angel groups charging fees ranging from several hundred dollars to $5,000 or more. He calls these a scam, and "Angel group" payola.
- 10 Hiring Shortcuts No Young Company Can Afford
Hiring is a top priority task for the CEO, which should never be delegated, and which often has to supersede the urgent crises of the day.
- How to Create an Enchanting Financial Forecast
When it comes to financial projections, there are two types of entrepreneurs:
- Reinventing the Board Part III: The Agenda
Strategic discussions always start with tough questions that aren't being asked. There are five areas for the board to have on its strategic checklist, with an optional sixth that should be reviewed at least twice per year (sometimes more frequently).
- 11 Tips for Building and Managing a Team
"What one employee management tip would you give entrepreneurs who are building their team?"
Incubators and R&D
- University Technology Transfer and Unintended Consequences
It's easy to keep with the script, stick with the stock characters and plots, rather than trying to put together a unique story.
Montana Education Excellence
- Portland Incubator Experiment graduates first class, including one that landed a $12M investment
"That's the way Portland is leaning. Helping build that community is a good thing."
- Editorial: A new day for Montana State University's tech park
There should be no shortage of ideas. What the Innovation Campus can provide is affordable space for startups, the nuts-and-bolts know-how to get new companies off the ground and - the big one - financing.
Montana Education/Business Partnerships
- Senator Baucus Announces University of Montana Added to "Science Without Borders" Program - Students from Brazil to Study Science, Technology, Engineering & Math at the University of Montana
"This is great news that will better elevate our world class educational opportunities in Montana on a global scale. I'm proud we were able to help secure this exciting opportunity for the University of Montana and believe these types of partnerships also lay the foundation for better trade relationships and more good-paying jobs for the future," said Baucus.
- What's the rush, regents? Board should do a national search for state commissioner of higher education
Before regents rush into any decision, they need to start over and conduct the national search they said they were going to do.
North Dakota Business and Economic Development
- Invitation: Resume Critiques & Practice Interviews at University of Montana Business School - Feb. 24th, Feb. 29th, & March 2nd
We hope you can join us in preparing the next generation of worker for success!
Utah Business
- The Man Who Bought North Dakota
"It's a great day in North Dakota," he says. "We'll find it."
Utah Economic Development
- Social Entrepreneurs in Utah
There are over 200 social assistance organizations with their roots in Utah. Here is a sampling of those making an impact in an innovative way.
- Utah tops national economic report
For the fourth straight year, Utah ranks no. 1 for economic outlook among all 50 states, according to a new report.
Washington State Business
- USTAR e-Connections: January 17, 2012
Inaugural Conference on Electric Roads and Vehicles promises a bold approach to electric transportation
- Utah Technology Commercialization and Innovation Program Approves 14 Grants
The state invests approximately $1.6 million a year in support of university technology commercialization.
Education
- Cadence Biomedical Snags First $1M to Help Disabled People Walk
"When Brian came to us, I told him flat out, 'You have to get prototype sized up so Donna can try it. If she doesn't like it, you're toast. If she does, maybe you'll have a shot,'" Ross recalled. "And Donna really liked it."
Missoula Children's Theatre
- Programs help foster youth achieve college success
Spurring much of the recent activity is a 2008 federal law that makes it less costly for states to extend foster care beyond age 18. That's becoming increasingly critical because, even as the number of children in foster care has declined, the proportion who leave care without an adoptive family has increased, from 7.1% in 2001 to more than 11% in 2010.
- Venture Fund for Traditional Colleges
The fund is focused on stimulating "innovation from within the academy," rather than competing with it from the outside.
- 'What's Wrong With Education Cannot Be Fixed with Technology' -- The Other Steve Jobs
Jobs was brilliant at identifying problems and knowing when there might be a solution Apple might provide -- and knowing when the problems were such that there would never be a way out.
- Apple brings textbooks to iPad
Apple is reinventing the textbook.
Government
- US Forest Service partners with world-renowned Missoula Children's Theatre Performance to be held in Washington Area
"The Missoula Children's Theatre and Forest Service partnership is a natural fit because so many of our important initiatives to encourage children to discover and understand the natural world while developing healthy lifestyles," said Forest Service Chief Tom Tidwell http://www.fs.fed.us/aboutus/chief/ . "I look forward to watching this fun show and see our local kids learn about nature."
Other Economies
- Missoula city, county split from annual Chamber of Commerce event
"We really liked the idea of having an event that was in the evening, free to the public instead of holding it at midday (and charging)," Hughes said. "We wanted to make it a little more accessible."
Community
- A Missouri Town's Sweet Dreams Turn Sour
"We all thought this was going to be awesome. We thought everything had been checked out. Shame on us."
Connectivity & CommunicationsEnergy and Climate Change
- What happens when the Internet gets mad? Websites go dark in protest of proposed legislation - Scratching your head over SOPA?
Over here on the European version of TechCrunch we think that's a fantastic thing. Utterly fantastic. No, really.
- Internet community cheers power of protest
Score one for tech geeks up in arms.
- Free alternatives to pricey software
Don't reach for your credit card to start buying commercial software just yet. What if you could get most of it for free?
Miscellaneous Ramblings
- Itron Teams With Cisco On Smart Grid Efforts
The two said their products provide "plug and play" interoperability of smart grid applications and devices.
- California utilities unveil 'Green Button' system
"Consumers physically take possession of their energy data when they download it with the Green Button," Chopra said. "If they choose, they can physically share it by uploading it. You're going to see the market evolve in Internet speed."
- Governor Schweitzer Announces another Montana Wind Farm is up and Running
Montana is ranked #1 in wind potential for high quality winds of class 3 and above.
Government Technology
- TED Video: Homaro Cantu + Ben Roche: Cooking as alchemy
But beyond the fun and flavor-tripping, there's a serious intent: Can we use new food technology for good?
Non-Profit News
- Montana Governor Governor Announces Telecommunications Partnership - Saves Money and Improves Services
Governor Brian Schweitzer announced today that State of Montana will be joining the Montana University System's ultra-high speed telecommunications network which will save the State $500,000 in annual costs.
- Utah Signs On With Google
The Mountain West gradually is becoming Google country.
- Can Permitting Software Create Jobs?
Digitizing the application process, once time-consuming and paper-heavy for new and existing developers and business owners, is key to making the city a more appealing place for developers to relocate.
Transportation
- Free Website for Montana Non Profit Offered by K Design Marketing Inc.
K Design Marketing Inc. creates and implements the latest customized technologies in website design, programming and development.
- Disability Rights Montana Attorneys Alexandra Volkerts and Andree Larose Win National Advocates of the Year Award
Ms. Volkerts and Ms. Larose brought 4 legal actions to obtain medically necessary treatment and educational services for a Montana youth essential to help him move from living in an institution to living and working in the community.
- Electrically powered bicycle trailer aids cyclists
The sheer number of bike-related innovations we've seen recently is indicative of the growing trend in eco-friendly transport. What else could encourage consumers to ditch the diesel for something greener?
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