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| MATR Newsletter - Tue Feb 7, 2006 |
“We didn't lose the game; we just ran out of time.” - Vince Lombardi
"Education, not luck, of Irish. Wisconsin is learning the lessons of the Irish Miracle. Simple enough: education, innovation, networks, collaboration." http://www.matr.net/article-18024.html
Come Home Montana
MEDA Entrepreneur Working Group
- Moving Back Home to Mississippi. (Does anyone have a Come Home Montana story they'd like to share?)
Local towns that can tap back into their brain bank of talented young people who have moved away will create some very unique opportunities for themselves. Why don’t you try it in your town?
Education
- Committee of 82. Entrepreneurism is key to reviving failing communities
We all have this gnawing feeling that we're not the state we used to be or want to be.
- Tribes urged to boost business. Reservation leaders need to elevate entrepreneurs to a place of respect and honor.
Roberts, a Tlingit Indian from Ketchikan, Alaska, said modern business codes are essential to helping private investors feel comfortable investing on sovereign Indian land.
- Georgia Becomes 'Entrepreneur Friendly'
The goal of the "Entrepreneur Friendly" initiative is to help communities in the Peach State establish an entrepreneur support program, enhance relationships with state and federal resource providers, and educate the community about the benefits of supporting local businesses.
- Scots entrepreneurs 'learned how to do business' at school
"The drive to earn money and be self-sufficient starts early within the Scottish small business community."
Montana Business
- Behind Bush's New Stress on Science, Lobbying by Republican Executives
In a speech to the National Academy of Engineering in October, in which he described the findings of the Gathering Storm report, Mr. Barrett said: "If you look at the achievement of the average 12th-grade student in math and science, which is of interest to us here, that 12th-grader in the U.S. ranks in the bottom 10 percent among their international peers. I think it is incumbent upon all of us to look at that report and help raise our voices collectively to our local officials, state officials and national officials."
- Bush Urges Study of Math and Science
President Bush told the nation's students on Friday that if they studied math and science they would not be joining the "nerd patrol" but helping their own futures and the economic health of the United States.
- Wyoming Panel rejects tying teacher pay to quality of life
The hedonic index sought to quantify scenery, recreation opportunities and other details of lifestyle that make people want to live in an area. Such amenities would have been considered a form of compensation, with the thinking that teachers are more likely to apply for jobs in areas with higher quality of living.
- University of Wyoming officials face tough choice in patent payment demands from CA company
The foundation said that Acacia Research had “sent more than 4,000 patent demand letters to universities and colleges across the nation, claiming its vaguely worded patents cover all known methods of streaming prerecorded educational lectures over the Internet.” “This is one of those things where you can pay a relatively small price and make it go away, but in my mind it’s an issue of principle. It's essentially extortion.”
- Study of charter schools key in Wyoming
Proponents of charter schools say Wyoming's charter school law is well-intentioned but unsuccessful.
- State Scholars Initiative RFP to increase the number of high school students who take a rigorous secondary-level curriculum designed to strengthen both college and workplace entrance and success.
Each new state-level business/education partnership may be funded at up to $300,000 over a two-year period to implement State Scholars projects to increase the number of high school students who take a rigorous secondary-level curriculum designed to strengthen both college and workplace entrance and success.
- Recruiting rural teachers. Districts innovating incentives to lure educators
Faced with competing against large districts with many more resources, those in the rural and high-growth areas are trying or considering everything from finder's fees to four-day school weeks to help level the playing field.
- A Leaner Year Is Proposed for Schools. Education Dept. hit hardest of all.
The Bush administration is proposing to eliminate 42 programs in the Education Department, the largest concentration of programs that would disappear of any agency.
Montana Economic Development
- MSE Technology Applications’ (Butte, Montana) Innovation Helps Economy, Federal Commerce Officials Say
The $26 million company has 170 employees, about 155 of which are located in Butte. The remaining 15 are in sales offices located near military installations or other federal sites across the United States, said Neal Egan of MSE.
- Craig Flint, owner of Computer ER/CERNetworks, Missoula, says central data storage now afordable for small business.
They are going to bring in a product line at a price a lot of our SMB customers can afford.”
Developing Funding Opportunities in Montana
- Economic report card. Butte can't rest on its laurels
Butte is quietly becoming a research center. Many firms are recruiting engineers to move here for research.
- Education, not luck, of Irish. Wisconsin is learning the lessons of the Irish Miracle. Simple enough: education, innovation, networks, collaboration.
So compelling is the Irish rags-to-riches story that Gov. Jim Doyle and Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett accepted an invitation from Milwaukee business leader and philanthropist Mike Cudahy to benchmark on the Emerald Isle.
- Polson on a mission to revitalize its downtown by applying to join the Montana Main Street program.
“What the National Trust teaches the community is that your downtown didn’t get to the state it is in overnight,” Taylor said, “and it won’t change overnight either.”
- Montana offers grants to Montana companies to visit out-of-state trade shows
"This started as part of the administration's looking at the Made in Montana program from a more holistic approach," said Lonie Stimac, who oversees the pilot program. "We need to help all businesses, and help them market and become more savvy about how to get their products out there."
Funding and Building your Business
- More angels with dollars expected to help startups
This year's Angel Oregon winner-take-all prize of $150,000 also boosts last year's total by $25,000.
Global Telework
- Take time to make your sales pitch concise, specific and compelling
So how can you expect an investor, potential customer or prospective employee to give you time when others are competing with gobs of money and sophisticated research for the same precious moments from these people?
- VC Primer from an Entrepreneur’s POV – Source of Funds
If you’re an entrepreneur who hasn’t had VC funding – even a wannabe entrepreneur – read on. These posts are for you.
- SBA matchmaking program now online
will give small businesses access to Web-based educational tools and workshops on procurement and supplier diversity.
- Managing Social Distance in "Flat" Companies. "Why Should Anyone Be Led by You?"
There are good reasons for believing that the skillful management of social distance is becoming even more important for leaders.
- Small is beautiful for Web 2.0 start-ups
The old way of doing things--where a start-up's success hinges on a few well-heeled customers willing to shell out big dollars--is history.
- The Art of Partnering by Guy Kawasaki
This got me to thinking about how companies form partnerships--pasting each other's logos on products and services and ending up with crap.
North Dakota Business and Economic Development
- Treasure Valley leaders in Idaho envision 5,000 new high-paying positions
VIP was created to help attract 5,000 new jobs to the area that pay about $35,000 a year. The new jobs are projected to add another 6,000 service industry jobs paying an average of $10 an hour, for a total annual payroll of $300 million.
- Telecommuting and remote jobs benefit workers, help companies cut costs
Executives also say it helps them recruit and retain quality employees - such as educated, married 30-somethings who want a flexible job that allows them to stay home with their kids. The teleworker also might be a military wife or a retiree wanting extra cash.
Regional Economic Development
- North Dakota College Aims to Link Higher Education and Economic Development
Mayville State is looking to establish an Early Learning Economic Development Center of Excellence, as well as turn its Traill County tech incubator into an bona fide excellence center.
Utah Economic Development
- Western Rural Development Center Winter 2006 Newsletter
As the WRDC evolves to engage in emerging issues across the West I will highlight those changes in the newsletter. We will also continue to identify potential opportunities for university faculty, tribal college faculty, community colleges and non-profits that will enable them to find resources to fulfill their missions.
Government Technology
- Utah Governor Huntsman keeps public in dark on subsidies to expand or relocate companies to the state.
The increase in secrecy comes at a time when Utah is pledging a record level of incentives - as much as $23 million to 14 out-of-state companies in 2005 alone.
Idaho Business
- Legislators want audit of state IT excess
Important computer systems that have been developed or renovated recently are inefficient or non-functional, and appear to be wasting taxpayer money with little accountability. They think they have enough committee support to approve an audit.
Wyoming Business
- Micron says 50 jobs in Utah may turn into more
Quietly, with nary a microbit of the hopeful fanfare and choreography of its 1995 groundbreaking, Micron Technology's sprawling Lehi complex has at long last begun ramping up for production.
- Healthwise grows in Boise, Idaho, unveils new way to help patients. You may have used this company's services, even if you've never heard of it.
Have you ever visited the popular health Web site called WebMD.com and clicked to learn more about a health issue? If so, you've read information from Healthwise, a Boise-based company.
- HP, Micron continue to be leaders in innovation. Companies rank in the top 6 for new patents granted in 2005
With 18,000 employees worldwide, Micron is the smallest company ranked in the top 10, Micron officials noted. Canon, the next smallest company, has 21,300 employees.
Universities and Economic Development
- $120M kiln to be built in Laramie, Wyoming. Could create an estimated 300 jobs.
The kiln would replace two aging kilns currently in operation at the plant, boosting production by 60 percent and allowing for cleaner emissions.
The Creative and Cultural Economy
- Universities developing a higher profile in economic development
Universities are actively marketing their other efforts in economic development to their local and regional communities.
Small Diameter Timber Utilization
- Creative Clusters and the Urban Economy
"a greater emphasis on human imagination, innovation and creativity ... must be the key differentiators for business." This is a singular recognition of just how much technology has changed our world.
Non-Profit News
- Sawdust — fuel of the future?
“It’s just good business and good stewardship to utilize the lowest-cost, environmentally friendly fuels,”
Energy
- Montana Nonprofit Association Monthly eNews for February 2006
MNA Member Mapping for 2005 available – The Montana Nonprofit Association is growing and we thought you would like to learn more about your peers in the association.
Connectivity & Communications
- California Agency Allocates $2.9 Billion To Solar Energy
The California Solar Initiative, a near-copy of what was once Schwarzenegger’s grandly touted “Million Solar Roofs” bill, or SB1, adds $2.9 billion to the $300 million already allocated for the installation of photovoltaic panels on California rooftops; its goal is to raise the state’s solar-generation capacity to 3,000 megawatts by 2017.
Transportation
- Orem, Utah gets UTOPIA 'hookup'
The long, idyllic acronym — for Utah Telecommunication Open Infrastructure Agency — is a statewide project that will enable each member of a community to be hooked up to a fast Internet, phone and video connection.
- Top 25 Free Wi-Fi College Towns. Bozeman, Montana Ranks 3rd Nationally
Businesses can appeal to students by providing free wireless Internet access.
- Google, Skype in Startup to Link Hotspots. Google and Skype Invest in Startup to Link Hotspots and Help Owners Charge for Wi-Fi Access
FON faces a hurdle in that most ISPs prohibit subscribers from sharing internet access with people outside their household. Many broadband subscribers share their access now for free, though, and it's hard for Internet service providers to stop them.
- Sen. Baucus pushes for .xxx Internet domain
The idea, supporters say, is to clean up the Web as former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani cleaned up Times Square.
Cool Stuff That's Coming
- No longer driving, but as mobile as ever
A program in Maine lets seniors trade in their cars for rides 24/7 when they opt to hand in the keys.
- An Eye Test for Alzheimer's
What he saw in the mouse, and later found in the eyes of people who had died from the disease, were amyloid plaques that form around the rim of the lens of the eye -- long before the same plaques in a patient's brain start to cause the symptoms of Alzheimer's.
- Has BYU prof found AIDS cure? Compound could be long-sought breakthrough
While issuing a cautious caveat about his early results, Unutmaz acknowledged Monday that CSAs could be the breakthrough HIV/AIDS researchers have sought for so long.
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