News Archives
Blacksburg, VA - Schultz-Creehan LLC has expanded office and lab facilities in the Virginia Tech Corporate Research Center in Blacksburg, VA. “Expanding our offices has given us the space to house a dedicated electronics lab and add machinery and equipment to our main lab,” stated CEO Nanci Hardwick. The company recently installed machinery including an induction brazing system, wire electrical discharge machine (EDM) and metal-working lathe. Each machine is a critical piece of technology for the design and fabrication of high precision components.
Induction brazing is a heating process in which
two or more like or unlike materials are joined
together by means of another metal alloy with a
lower melting point. Braze joints can be made
exceptionally strong, sometimes stronger than
the two metals being joined. Braze joints
are liquid- and gas-tight, can withstand shock
and vibration, are unaffected by normal
temperature changes, provide good electrical
conductivity and can be easily plated using
conventional processes. This method is
precise, repeatable, and flameless.
The EDM is used in the metal removal process,
and is an outstanding tool for mimicking
tolerances and/or situations that would
otherwise be difficult with any other method.
The EDM results in a significant increase in
overall accuracy and will be beneficial to the
Schultz-Creehan team in developing products
within the materials sciences and engineering
sector.
Industrial metal-working lathes offer precision
turning for Schultz-Creehan’s micro-machined
and larger components.
“Our design and development of our products,
particularly probes, are enhanced by the
greater fabrication abilities this machinery
brings,” said Schultz-Creehan CEO Nanci
Hardwick. “This is an exciting time
at Schultz-Creehan, hoping this equipment will
bring our customers in the aerospace and
biomedical industries products that meet their
demands with improved quality.
For more information about Schultz-Creehan,
visit www.schultz-creehan.com.
Contact:
Schultz-Creehan LLC
2200 Kraft Drive, Suite 1475
Blacksburg, VA 24060
540.443.9215
July 8, 2010
“FrictionCoat”
Metal Processing Technology Presented at NCDMM
2010 Summit
Blacksburg, VA—Schultz-Creehan CEO Nanci
Hardwick presented “The Emergence of an
Innovative Metal Processing Method” at the
annual National Center for Defense
Manufacturing and Machining (NCDMM) Summit in
Greensburg, PA. Schultz-Creehan’s
FrictionCoat and other "Emerging Technologies"
were showcased during the event which provides
a forum for collaboration between government
facilities, large OEMs, part fabricators,
service providers, technology developers and
academic organizations.
FrictionCoat is an additive friction stir
technology developed by Schultz-Creehan LLC for
both joining and coating metals. Many
applications have already been identified for
this emerging technology. Shipbuilders are
evaluating potential uses in surface ships and
submarines. The rail gun industry is evaluating
the coating process for increasing the wear
resistance and durability of rail gun rails.
Because the technology produces a metallurgical
bond, any application requiring high bond
strength (where traditional welding or
flame-spray coatings are not viable or optimal)
is a candidate.
Hardwick explained in her presentation that the
primary benefit of this technology is ability
to achieve superior bond strength in the most
challenging of environments with a spectrum of
materials. “We see many
opportunities for this metal joining and
coating process in defense and industrial
applications and were pleased to include a
presentation on the development of FrictionCoat
in our annual Summit event,” stated Ralph
Resnick, VP, CTO & Director of Corporate
Development for NCDMM.
NCDMM was established in 2003 to address and
support the broad manufacturing and machining
needs of the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD)
and its Suppliers. Since its inception,
the NCDMM has worked with numerous DoD
organizations and their industrial supply base.
NCDMM continues to expand that network to
become increasingly involved with the
manufacturing and machining issues facing DoD
organizations and their contractor community.
Through these interactions, the NCDMM has
developed and delivered innovative solutions
that have been applied to the benefit of these
organizations and the U.S. warfighter.
Schultz-Creehan is a high-tech engineering firm
focused on the research and development of
innovative solutions to address complex product
development challenges. Schultz-Creehan’s
capabilities include design engineering,
prototyping, testing, and manufacturing.
With offices and lab facilities in the Virginia
Tech Corporate Research Center in Blacksburg,
Virginia, Schultz-Creehan develops and
manufactures products and processes to serve
clients in the aerospace, defense, medical
device and industrial markets. For more
information about Schultz-Creehan, please visit
www.schultz-creehan.com.
Contact:
2200 Kraft Drive, Suite 1475
Blacksburg, VA 24060
540.443.9215
(Blacksburg, VA) – VT KnowledgeWorks presents the inaugural Global Student Business Concept Challenge, a celebration of the energy and ingenuity of university students and their important contributions to the global economy to be held August 29 – September 4, 2010. The Challenge provides a unique opportunity for student teams from all over the world to compete for a $25,000 grand prize and to initiate their personal global networks, through learning, socialization, and friendly competition.
In addition to the $25,000 grand prize, the winning team will be honored with the VT KnowledgeWorks Global Challenge Trophy, a travelling award to be displayed throughout the year at the team’s home institution. The top two runners-up will receive $2,500 cash prizes as well. Finalists teams selected to compete in the Challenge have previously won a significant student competition in their respective region, state, or country. To date, the Global Challenge has confirmed student representation from England, Finland, France, Israel, Italy, Mexico, and Uruguay.
The competition finals are part of a week-long celebration of student entrepreneurship. While in Blacksburg, the teams will be housed with local families, spend interactive time with successful technology companies, enjoy fellowship with Virginia Tech students, and attend a formal welcome dinner hosted by the Virginia Tech Office of Outreach and International Affairs. On September 1-2, student teams will shift to Hotel Roanoke and Conference Center to compete in The Challenge, participate in a Founder’s Readiness Workshop presented by Jim Flowers, Director of VT KnowledgeWorks, and attend the NewVa Corridor Technology Council Gala Dinner.
All of this is made possible thanks to the generous Global Challenge Event Sponsors, including G.J. Hopkins Inc., HCA VA Health System, Novozymes, Oak Ridge Associated Universities, Rackspace, TechLab, and The Branch Group Inc.
Virginia Tech Office of Outreach and International Affairs, Panera Bread, and Custom Catering will sponsor meals during the Global Challenge Celebration.
Goodie bags presented to each student finalist are sponsored by University Bookstore/Volume II Bookstore, the Hotel Roanoke & Conference Center, Downtown Blacksburg, Inc., Virginia Tech Graduate School, and the Cranwell International Center at Virginia Tech.
To learn more about the VT KnowledgeWorks Global Student Business Concept Challenge, visit our website at www.vtknowledgeworks.com/globalchallenge2010/home.html. A promotional video is also available at www.youtube.com/watch?v=kxmdfKReGRQ.
VT KnowledgeWorks is a unique growth enhancement program open to entrepreneurs in the New River Valley and beyond. Acceleration center and incubation facilities are located in the Virginia Tech Corporate Research Center in Blacksburg, Virginia. Programs for Members are divided into two categories according to the evolutionary status of the member company. Pre-Launch program components are carefully constructed to help market-worthy ventures organize, formulate strategy, obtain outside investment, and launch in an efficient manner. Enterprise class members benefit from emphasis on strategic support for ongoing growth, continuing intra-preneurship, and professional development for the corporate leader.
VT KnowledgeWorks corporate sponsors include Attaain, Inc., BB&T, Handshake 2.0, Harris Office Furniture, Hodges, Jones & Mabry, P.C., Hutchison Law Group, LeClairRyan, Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC) and The Becher Agency (TBA).
Great Smoky Mountains Association Collaborates with Nomad Mobile Guides ™; Official Park Content Now Available through a Location-Aware, Easy-to-Navigate Mobile Application
Blacksburg, VA – Today, Great Smoky Mountains National Park, the most visited national park in the country, is going mobile with the help of a new application powered by Nomad Mobile Guides™, the first electronic book reader, or “e-reader,” application designed for location-aware travel content. Great Smoky Mountains Association, non-profit partner and publisher of educational books and guides for Great Smoky Mountains National Park, is the first to partner with Nomad Mobile Guides. Users get official, high quality content that is approved and developed with a NPS partner organization on a platform that is easy to download and intuitive to use.
Available today through the Apple App Store, this app enables park visitors to download the “Best of the Smokies” directly onto their mobile device. The unique e-reader design captures the information in a way that is easy for the traveler to manage—unlike a traditional page-by-page e-reader—and includes guides, maps and other useful content and images about the park. There is a suite of free content on Great Smoky Mountains National Park and more in-depth guides such as suggested hikes or drives, which retail at $4.99, that can be downloaded to iPhone™ and iPodTouch™ devices.
“We selected Nomad Mobile Guides as our application partner because of their commitment to providing up-to-date, accurate information that is attractive and easy to use. We have been producing books and other content on the Smokies for over 50 years. Nomad offered us the opportunity to present our materials in a format that is usable on mobile devices and still produces revenue for educational and historical projects that help the park,” says Terry Maddox, executive director of Great Smoky Mountains Association.
Currently there are no e-reader applications on the market designed exclusively for travel publications; or any that were designed in collaboration with the National Park Service. Those travel electronic book applications that do exist replicate the page turning experience of a printed book, which can be frustrating when travelers are on the go and trying to quickly find location or activity-based content. Applications powered by Nomad are easy to navigate and use, especially when on the move, because all content:
Is organized in a fun and easy-to-navigate format that reads like one cohesive guidebook. Integrates “offline” maps (e.g., those from the National Park Service) with “real-time” maps, those available within the smartphone’s Google Map function. Is location-aware and data connectivity is not necessary.
For Great Smoky Mountains Association this means that, now, with Nomad Mobile Guides, their publications and content can now be offered in a new, highly appealing, flexible format offering new ways to connect with and enhance visitor experiences.
With Nomad Mobile Guides travelers can plan ahead from home or on-the-go (where there is data connectivity). The Great Smoky Mountains application and the free content is available now for download through Nomad Mobile Guides and the Apple App Store.
The “Best of the Smokies” powered by Nomad Mobile Guides application is the first in a series of mobile applications developed on the Nomad platform. Additional partners including other national parks, publishers, and travel organizations, are working with Nomad Mobile Guides to prepare guides for publication. It is expected that these additional mobile applications will be ready for download later this summer. A key advantage for consumers who use Nomad compared to other mobile travel content is that once the additional mobile guides are released, all the content a traveler chooses to download will read as one guidebook, highlighting various personal interests and geographic locations. By simply downloading the free Nomad Mobile Guides app, which will be available later this summer, travelers will be able to access all the “powered by Nomad” guides together in one seamless experience.
Applications powered by Nomad will be released initially exclusively for the Apple iPhone™ and Apple iPod Touch™. Other platforms will follow based on market demand.
About Great Smoky Mountains Association
Great Smoky Mountains National Park is a hiker's paradise with over 800 miles of maintained trails ranging from short leg-stretchers to strenuous treks that may require backcountry camping. Great Smoky Mountains Association is a nonprofit organization authorized by Congress to support the Park's educational, scientific, and historical programs. Its mission is to enhance the public’s enjoyment and understanding of Great Smoky Mountains National Park. In addition to hiking, car camping, fishing, picnicking, wildlife viewing and auto touring are popular activities within the park.
About Nomad Mobile Guides™
Nomad Mobile Guides™ is a subsidiary of NewCity, an award-winning experience design agency based in Blacksburg, Va. The Great Smoky Mountains are the first to partner with Nomad Mobile Guides within an aggressive business plan that includes marrying state-of-the-art design, usability, and functionality with a diverse group of partners with interests in travel destinations and national parks. With additional partners, East or West, U.S. or Europe, Nomad will help all partnering content read as one seamless guide. Look for more applications powered by Nomad during the summer of 2010.
Now the AttaainCI system includes a new Industry Research Module that provides you with access to comprehensive and continuously updated profiles for over 700 Industry sectors, plus profiles for U.S. States and Canadian provinces! AttaainCI Industry Profiles help sales and marketing teams perform faster and smarter, open doors and close more deals. Profiles are updated quarterly by First Research and synthesize hundreds of sources into an easy to read format that can be absorbed quickly to better understand a prospect’s or client’s business issues.
The new AttaainCI Industries Research module provides two types of regularly updated profiles:
1) Industry Profiles Comprehensive industry profiles covering over 700 Industry sectors. Updated on a quarterly basis, industry profiles contain critical analysis, statistics and forecasts to help your engage key prospects, coach key clients, and deepen customer relationships.
2) State & Province Profiles State & Province profiles deliver industry and economic insight, employment and real estate trends, and valuable resource links for each of the 50 US States, Washington DC and 10 Canadian Provinces. Profiles are updated at the end of each quarter.
Please see the PDF for full details...
For more details on AttaainCI, click here.
Article from The Washington Post
Va. launching portable housing for aging relatives
By Fredrick Kunkle
Washington Post Staff Writer
SALEM, VA. -- The Rev. Kenneth Dupin, who leads a small Methodist church here, has a vision: As America grows older, its aging adults could avoid a jarring move to the nursing home by living in small, specially equipped, temporary shelters close to relatives.
So he invented the MEDcottage, a portable dwelling that could be trucked to a loved one's back yard. It would be configured with the latest medical technology to monitor vital signs, filter the air for contaminants and link up to the outside world via high-tech video. Sophisticated sensors could alert someone to an occupant's fall, and computers designed for the needs of people who are older or disabled could give reminders about taking medications. The technology could even entertain with a selection of the person's favorite music, books or movies. It would take up about as much room as a large shed and hook up to a single-family home through existing electrical and water supplies, like an RV. It could be leased for almost $2,000 a month, a cost Dupin hopes will be borne by insurers.
Read full article...
(N2Care's MEDcottage is a VT KnowledgeWorks Member)
April 21, 2010
BLACKSBURG, VA — Schultz-Creehan LLC announces
that CEO Nanci Hardwick has joined the LEAD
VIRGINIA Class of 2010. Hardwick is one of 47
participants selected from a pool of well
qualified, competitive applicants for this
state leadership program. Lead Virginia seeks
individuals with outstanding leadership records
and diverse backgrounds who will not only
benefit from the program, but also contribute
to it.
“It is important to engage senior executives
from a wide range of disciplines to ensure that
we are reaching every region, or geographic
area. By doing this, LEAD VIRGINIA is
providing opportunities for leaders from all
sectors to engage in a substantive dialogue
about Virginia’s future. We are particularly
pleased to have Nanci join the 2010 class as a
proven leader in her organization and
community,” said Susan Horne, president and CEO
of LEAD VIRGINIA.
LEAD VIRGINIA is a non-partisan statewide
leadership program that educates established
and proven leaders about regional differences
and needs facing the Commonwealth. The program
seeks to build relationships that span the
state and establish a shared understanding of
challenges, opportunities and solutions unique
to the Commonwealth. Seven regional class
sessions provide insight into issues facing
different communities and a statewide
perspective of Virginia's needs. Most
importantly, the program strengthens the
capacity of Virginia's leaders to work
together, build trust and create social
capital. By participating, Hardwick will
increase her knowledge and understanding of
issues and build the social capital necessary
to LEAD VIRGINIA forward.
Schultz-Creehan is a high-tech engineering firm
focused on the research and development of
innovative solutions to address complex product
development challenges. Schultz-Creehan’s
capabilities include design engineering,
prototyping, testing, and manufacturing. With
offices and lab facilities in the Virginia Tech
Corporate Research Center in Blacksburg,
Virginia, Schultz-Creehan develops and
manufactures products and processes to serve
clients in the aerospace, defense, medical
device and industrial markets. For more
information about Schultz-Creehan, please
visit
www.schultzcreehan.com.
Contact:
Schultz-Creehan LLC
2200 Kraft Drive, Suite 1475
Blacksburg, VA 24060
540.443.9215
www.schultz-creehan.com
(Blacksburg, VA) – The Second Annual VT KnowledgeWorks Entrepreneurship Summit was a resounding success as 230 zealous attendees gathered at The Inn at Virginia Tech and Skelton Conference Center on April 7 and 8. The Entrepreneurship Summit provided a unique opportunity for five student teams, five start-up companies, and five ready-to-fund businesses to present before panels of regional business leaders and investors.
The Summit began with an inspirational keynote address led by Pat Matthews, VP of Cloud Computing at Rackspace. Matthews relived some of the lessons learned throughout his entrepreneurial journey dating back from college to co-founding Webmail.us and then to its sale to Rackspace. He spoke passionately about the importance of commitment, focus, and mentors, trusting instincts, learning from failures, and pursuing your passions.
The winning concept in the Student Business Concept Competition was Pattonslist.com, an online classified website and network for military officers and their families to buy and sell property and goods. The co-founders, Steven Cunningham and Mike Fallon from the Darden School of Business at the University of Virginia won $5,000 in cash and summer work space at the Virginia Tech Corporate Research Center. The two runner-up teams receiving $2,500 in cash were mapMonkeys from Virginia Tech, a multimedia platform for gamers, and Nomuda Games from University of Virginia, providing story-based games for mobile platforms.
Kelly Queijo of Smart College Visit, Inc. received first place in the Open Business Concept Competition for her business venture - a travel planning website and blog for college students, their families, and anyone seeking information on visiting college campuses. Queijo won business acceleration services at VT KnowledgeWorks and workspace in the VT Corporate Research Center this summer. Other entrepreneurs that presented in the Open Competition were Anne Giles Clelland of Handshake 2.0, Fred Cook of Actifity.com, Amjad Hussein of CollabKode, and Bob Giles of RRx.
John May, Managing Partner of the New Vantage Group, led a session on the Valuation of Early-Stage Ventures at 9:30 a.m. on April 8. May discussed the various valuation methods, key characteristics of good capital access planning, the importance of alignment and communication, and exit factors to be mindful of. Over the last 20 years, May has been an advisor to, or a general partner of, five early-stage venture capital funds, and is the co-author of Every Business Needs an Angel (Crown Business: 2001).
The event concluded on April 8 with the Open Angel Forum, moderated by Bob Summers, CEO and co-founder of EnergyWare and Ken Maready, corporate attorney for the Hutchison Law Group. The Open Angel Forum was a live pitch session providing a unique opportunity for company founders of 3D-4U, Inc., RRx, LimbGear, Actifity.com, and NewCityLabs to present in front of a panel of business leaders and investors.
VT KnowledgeWorks is a unique growth enhancement program open to entrepreneurs in the New River Valley and beyond. Acceleration center and incubation facilities are located in the Virginia Tech Corporate Research Center in Blacksburg, Virginia. Programs for Members are divided into two categories according to the evolutionary status of the member company. Pre-Launch program components are carefully constructed to help market-worthy ventures organize, formulate strategy, obtain outside investment, and launch in an efficient manner. Enterprise class members benefit from emphasis on strategic support for ongoing growth, continuing intra-preneurship, and professional development for the corporate leader.
The event sponsors for the Second Annual Entrepreneurship Summit included LeClairRyan, Synchrony, and SunTrust Bank.
VT KnowledgeWorks corporate sponsors include Attaain, Inc., BB&T, Handshake 2.0, Harris Office Furniture, Hodges, Jones & Mabry, P.C., Hutchison Law Group, LeClairRyan, Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC) and The Becher Agency (TBA).
WilderWeber to focus on helping firms compete more effectively
BLACKSBURG, Va. – Paula Wilder and Carol Huntley-Weber have formed WilderWeber, a consulting firm that specializes in helping leaders plan and execute strategic change initiatives.
The firm represents the combined experience of executives in organizational development, and strategic marketing and brand development.
“We help leaders build a sustainable advantage by facilitating change that’s strategic and that delivers both a competitive marketplace focus and enhanced organizational effectiveness,” said Wilder, a registered organization development consultant with more than 35 years’ experience in leadership, research, consulting, facilitation, coaching, training and teaching.
“We share a deep commitment to helping others achieve success,” said Huntley-Weber, a senior sales and marketing executive with more than 30 years’ experience in business-to-business and consumer packaged goods companies. “Our collaborative approach allows us to deliver the full spectrum of our collective know-how and experience.”
Using proven change-management techniques that involve people throughout the organization, the firm brings a unique approach to organizational change. With combined expertise in over 20 industries the firm focuses on:
Achieving clear strategic focus
Establishing Strong Corporate Identity
Building successful brands
Creating winning cultures
Developing effective leaders
Prior to forming WilderWeber, Wilder worked as an independent consultant, providing the full range of organization development services with proven results to more than 60 organizations in the region, including Delta Dental of Virginia, Virginia Tech, Warm Hearth Village, The Branch Group, Anthem, United Pet Group and the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality.
Huntley-Weber most recently served as divisional vice president of marketing for the Cincinnati-based United Pet Group, a global pet care company with operations in Blacksburg. She has extensive experience in strategic planning, organizational design, global marketing, brand development, product development, public relations, trade and customer marketing, process design, package design, e-commerce, social media marketing, sales and key account management, and category management.
WilderWeber is based at VTKnowledgeWorks, a regional business acceleration center with offices in the Virginia Tech Corporate Research Center.
For more information, visit www.wilderweber.com or contact Carol Huntley-Weber or Paula Wilder at 540-443-9242.
(Blacksburg, VA) – On Thursday, April 8 at 9:30 a.m., John May, Managing Partner of New Vantage Group (NVG) and former chairman of the Angel Capital Association will present on the Valuation of Early-Stage Ventures at the VT KnowledgeWorks Entrepreneurship Summit at The Inn at Virginia Tech. Over the last 20 years, John has been an advisor to, or a general partner of, five early-stage venture capital funds. He is an authority on "angel" investors and is the co-author of Every Business Needs an Angel (Crown Business: 2001).
Pat Matthews, VP of Cloud Computing at Rackspace, will deliver the keynote address at the Summit’s Welcome Breakfast on April 7 at 8:00 a.m. Pat Matthews is a successful entrepreneur, business executive, and angel investor. He is a Virginia Tech Alumnus and was the co-founder of Webmail.us, a Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) company that focused on corporate email for businesses worldwide. Pat was CEO of Webmail from 2002-2007, until he led the sale of the company to Rackspace, the world's leader in hosting and cloud computing.
Also on April 8, Michael Drzal, Attorney and Shareholder in LeClairRyan, will lead a Venture Capital Panel comprised of veteran VCs, including Scott R. Horner, Ph.D., Managing Director of Third Security, Theodore J. Bender, III, Managing Director of Croft & Bender, and Brian C. Carney, Principal of the Harbert Management Corporation. This interactive panel will cover a wide range of topics, including what VCs look for in a deal, the current investing environment, investment philosophy differences, company valuations and deal pricing, and how VCs view angel-backed companies.
Other outstanding speakers at the Entrepreneurship Summit include Bob Flores, former CTO of the Central Intelligence Agency; Steven Rogers, serial internet entrepreneur and founder of Cryptek, Objective Communications, Cetacean Networks, Rivulet Communications, and Centripetal Networks.
Please join us April 7-8, 2010 for two business concept competitions, a Technology Showcase, Open Angel Forum, educational seminars, and the NewVa Corridor Technology Council’s TechNite Awards Banquet! A more detailed event itinerary is available online at www.vtknowledgeworks.com/esummit2010/home.html. Also, visit our website to learn how businesses can exhibit at the Technology Showcase on April 7 and 8. Contact Lindsey Eversole for details at 443-9100 or via email at lindsey.eversole@vtknowledgeworks.com.
Register online at www.vtknowledgeworks.com. Because of the generous sponsorship of LeClairRyan, Synchrony, and SunTrust Bank the fees for this two day event including workshops, competitions, luncheon, and seminars are only $30 for April 7 and $50 for April 8.
In conjunction with the VT KnowledgeWorks Entrepreneurship Summit, the NewVa Corridor Technology Council (NCTC) will host its annual TechNite Awards Banquet on the evening of April 7 at The Inn at Virginia Tech. NCTC’s TechNite Awards Banquet is an annual celebration of the NewVa region’s technology community and an opportunity to network with more than 300 leaders in business and innovation.
VT KnowledgeWorks is a unique growth enhancement program open to entrepreneurs in the New River Valley and beyond. Acceleration center and incubation facilities are located in the Virginia Tech Corporate Research Center in Blacksburg, Virginia. Programs for Members are divided into two categories according to the evolutionary status of the member company. Pre-Launch program components are carefully constructed to help market-worthy ventures organize, formulate strategy, obtain outside investment, and launch in an efficient manner. Enterprise class members benefit from emphasis on strategic support for ongoing growth, continuing intra-preneurship, and professional development for the corporate leader.
VT KnowledgeWorks sponsors include Attaain, Inc., BB&T, Handshake 2.0, Harris Office Furniture, Hodges, Jones & Mabry, P.C., Hutchison Law Group, LeClairRyan, Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC) and The Becher Agency (TBA).
(Blacksburg, VA) – VT KnowledgeWorks is pleased to announce the finalists selected to present in the Student and Open Business Concept Competitions on April 7th in conjunction with the Second Annual Entrepreneurship Summit at The Inn at Virginia Tech. The five finalist student teams and five finalist entrepreneurs will present their business concepts before a panel of angel investors, and business leaders, as well as Summit attendees. Participation for the Student and Open Competition was encouraged throughout the Commonwealth of Virginia and western North Carolina.
The finalist student teams from Virginia Tech, North Carolina A&T State University, and University of Virginia will present their business concepts at 10:00 a.m. on April 7th and compete for a $5,000 cash prize and workspace provided in the VT Corporate Research Center for summer 2010. The finalist teams include Eco-Health Cube, mapMonkeys, Nomuda Games, PattonsList.com, and UltraGenome LLC. The competition encouraged students to develop their entrepreneurial ideas, enhance their understanding of the requirements for a successful business venture, and showcase the creativity of students in Virginia and western North Carolina.
The finalist entrepreneurs chosen to present their businesses at 2:00 p.m. on April 7th in the Open Business Concept Competition, include Anne Giles Clelland of Handshake 2.0, Fred Cook of Actifity.com, Amjad Hussein of CollabKode, Bob Giles of RRx, and Kelly Queijo of Smart College Visit, Inc. The Open Competition provides entrepreneurs who are starting a business a forum to test their business concepts and receive feedback from leaders in the entrepreneurial community. The winning concept will receive a customized suite of business acceleration services at VT KnowledgeWorks, as well as workspace provided in the VT Corporate Research Center for summer 2010.
Register online at www.vtknowledgeworks.com. Because of the generous sponsorship of LeClairRyan, Synchrony, and SunTrust Bank the fees for this two day event including workshops, competitions, luncheon, and seminars are only $30 for April 7 and $50 for April 8. Also, visit our website to learn how businesses can exhibit at the Technology Showcase on April 7 and 8. Contact Lindsey Eversole for details at 443-9100 or via email at lindsey.eversole@vtknowledgeworks.com.
In conjunction with the VT KnowledgeWorks Entrepreneurship Summit, the NewVa Corridor Technology Council (NCTC) will host its annual TechNite Awards Banquet on the evening of April 7 at The Inn at Virginia Tech. NCTC’s TechNite Awards Banquet is an annual celebration of the NewVa region’s technology community and an opportunity to network with more than 300 leaders in business and innovation. For more information and to register, please visit their website at: www.TheTechnologyCouncil.com or call 540-443-9232.
VT KnowledgeWorks is a unique growth enhancement program open to entrepreneurs in the New River Valley and beyond. Acceleration center and incubation facilities are located in the Virginia Tech Corporate Research Center in Blacksburg, Virginia. Programs for Members are divided into two categories according to the evolutionary status of the member company. Pre-Launch program components are carefully constructed to help market-worthy ventures organize, formulate strategy, obtain outside investment, and launch in an efficient manner. Enterprise class members benefit from emphasis on strategic support for ongoing growth, continuing intra-preneurship, and professional development for the corporate leader.
VT KnowledgeWorks sponsors include Attaain, Inc., BB&T, Handshake 2.0, Harris Office Furniture, Hodges, Jones & Mabry, P.C., Hutchison Law Group, LeClairRyan, Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC) and The Becher Agency (TBA).
“Hundreds of technology entrepreneurs are alive and well and thriving in Blacksburg, Virginia. But this town is one of the best kept secrets in the start-up world. DayOne Ventures aims to change that by inviting the brightest and best from anywhere to come here and join the party.” - Doug Juanarena
DayOneVentures @ VT KnowledgeWorks is an invitation-only seed stage investment and mentoring program for technology-based startups, funded and operated by experienced, successful entrepreneurs who are also angel investors. It is housed at the VT KnowledgeWorks Business Acceleration Center, located in the Virginia Tech Corporate Research Center in Blacksburg, Virginia, home of Virginia Tech.
Each spring, DayOne engages with up to three early stage enterprises through a competitive evaluation process. Winning teams receive a generous stipend to cover personal and business expenses related to participation in the summer mentoring program, plus class A office space and high-speed internet access during their stay. Throughout the summer, each team receives regular mentoring by successful entrepreneurs who have built and sold technology businesses.
The program typically begins in late May and concludes in late August. At the end of the summer, each firm has the opportunity to present to potential investors via a demo day event. Up to three teams will be invited to spend the summer in Blacksburg. Winning teams will receive a cash award related to team size. Teams live and work in Blacksburg from late May to August. In exchange for the package of cash, office services, and mentoring, DayOne receives an equity stake in the emerging enterprise.
“At DayOneVentures @ VT KnowledgeWorks, we roll up our sleeves and help you to build and grow your business. We act as a member of your team with the same motivation, risk, and reward.” – Bill Boebel
Simple Rules
Proposed businesses should have a relatively low capital requirement and the ability to generate revenue within one year. Examples: web apps, software, ready-to-go widgets.
The minimum team size is two persons. The maximum is four persons.
The team must be willing to move to Blacksburg, Virginia and work on the business from late May until late August.
A business plan is not necessary, just a clear and concise description of the concept, business model, and value proposition.
Team experience is not as important as team passion.
Demo day: At the conclusion of the summer, each team will be afforded the opportunity to showcase their company, concept, and team at a private forum attended by local entrepreneurs, local angel investors and venture capital funds.
For more information, call or email Lindsey Eversole at 540.443.9147, lindsey@dayoneventures.com.
(Blacksburg, VA) – VT KnowledgeWorks presents the Second Annual Entrepreneurship Summit on April 7 and 8 at The Inn at Virginia Tech and Skelton Conference Center, Blacksburg, VA. This two-day comprehensive workshop is custom designed for prospective company founders, entrepreneurs launching or re-vamping a business, growing companies seeking expansion capital, and individuals interested in investing in early-stage companies.
The first day of the Entrepreneurship Summit, April 7 will run from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., including the finals of two Business Concept Competitions, a Technology Showcase featuring the latest regional high-tech companies, and several business seminars. The Business Concept Competitions showcases students and entrepreneurs throughout Virginia and western North Carolina as they test their business concepts before a panel of faculty and local business leaders. The winning team in the Student Competition receives a $5,000 cash prize. The winner of the Open Competition receives business acceleration services at VT KnowledgeWorks. Both first place teams also receive summer workspace in the VT Corporate Research Center to develop their ideas further.
The Entrepreneurship Summit extends into another full day on April 8 when five ready-to-fund companies will present before a panel of angel investors. The Open Angel Forum is a live pitch session providing a unique opportunity to undersstand how capital is raised, with real companies and investors. The five presenting companies are Actifity.com, LimbGear, Maxtena, NewCityLabs, and RRx.
Also on April 8, John May, Managing Partner of the New Vantage Group, will lead a session on the Valuation of Early-Stage Ventures. Over the last 20 years, John has been an advisor to, or a general partner of, five early-stage venture capital funds, including the UK-based Seraphim Capital formed in 2006, and is the co-author of Every Business Needs an Angel (Crown Business: 2001).
Some of the other outstanding speakers at the Entrepreneurship Summit include Bob Flores, former CTO of the Central Intelligence Agency; Steven Rogers, serial internet entrepreneur and founder of Cryptek, Objective Communications, Cetacean Networks, Rivulet Communications and Centripetal Networks; Pat Matthews, founder of Webmail.us and General Manager of Rackspace Apps; and Mike Drzal, Attorney and Shareholder in LeClairRyan.
Register online at www.vtknowledgeworks.com. Because of the generous sponsorship of LeClairRyan, Synchrony, and SunTrust Bank the fees for this two day event including workshops, competitions, luncheon, and seminars are only $30 for April 7 and $50 for April 8.
Also, visit our website to learn how businesses can exhibit at the Technology Showcase on April 7 and 8. Contact Lindsey Eversole for details at 443-9100 or via email at lindsey.eversole@vtknowledgeworks.com.
In conjunction with the VT KnowledgeWorks Entrepreneurship Summit, the NewVa Corridor Technology Council (NCTC) will host its annual TechNite Awards Banquet on the evening of April 7 at The Inn at Virginia Tech. NCTC’s TechNite Awards Banquet is an annual celebration of the NewVa region’s technology community and an opportunity to network with more than 300 leaders in business and innovation. For more information and to register, please visit their website at: www.TheTechnologyCouncil.com or call 540-443-9232.
VT KnowledgeWorks is a unique growth enhancement program open to entrepreneurs in the New River Valley and beyond. Acceleration center and incubation facilities are located in the Virginia Tech Corporate Research Center in Blacksburg, Virginia. Programs for Members are divided into two categories according to the evolutionary status of the member company. Pre-Launch program components are carefully constructed to help market-worthy ventures organize, formulate strategy, obtain outside investment, and launch in an efficient manner. Enterprise class members benefit from emphasis on strategic support for ongoing growth, continuing intra-preneurship, and professional development for the corporate leader.
VT KnowledgeWorks sponsors include Attaain, Inc., BB&T, Handshake 2.0, Harris Office Furniture, Hodges, Jones & Mabry, P.C., Hutchison Law Group, LeClairRyan, Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC) and The Becher Agency (TBA).
Director of the i3Network, David W. Denny, addressed delegates from across the globe at the 11th UK Business Incubation (UKBI) conference, held in Belfast. The conference theme was ‘Driving Forward Economic Recovery’ and it ran from 1–3 December.
UKBI is the professional body for the business incubation industry. With over 1,000 members it works to help create the right environment for entrepreneurs and innovative young businesses to succeed. UKBI partnered with Enterprise Northern Ireland, the membership body for the local enterprise agency network, to bring the conference to Northern Ireland for the first time. The conference was attended by over 250 delegates from the UK, Europe and various international locations
Addressing delegates at the session entitled, “Different Models with One Aim: Learning from International Perspectives” Denny said; “By providing access to international markets through the innovative i3Network of global hubs at the earliest stages of building a business, we give young companies added chances of success. However, highly innovative young businesses require specialized support. Using existing resources, programs and “softlandings” services globally within the network; efficient and effective development of international opportunities helps improve the survival rates of early stage businesses.”
Denny’s presentation focused on the two year development project with partners from the UK to establish and proof the i3Network concept by conducting five inbound and outbound missions comprised of a total of 28 companies. The companies from the UK visited the NewVA Technology Corridor region in order to meet with potential partners and customers and to learn more about the region as a great place to set up US operations. Denny’s presentation highlighted some of the successes that have been achieved to date through the i3Network and the plans for future development. Denny emphasized that the i3Network is not a new organization, but is a new way of organizing existing resources and support programs.
He stated that, “The i3Network takes the form of existing specialized programs of support that address the key concerns of young innovative businesses such as attracting investment, protecting intellectual property, funding prototypes, and establishing a market presence; and applies them creatively through global collaboration.”
The i3Network is a membership organization formed for the specific purpose of promoting and supporting international trade activities and collaboration, and in particular those involving early stage or small sized companies and entrepreneurs with the potential to achieve high growth. Organizations throughout the world that are engaged in the support and development of businesses, economic development and international trade at whatever level can become “hub” organizations and gain access to the network. The i3 Network is a project-based activity, organized, managed and coordinated by its members. It currently consists of six hubs (N.Ireland, SE England, Finland, Poland, USA(Virginia) and France and has fifteen organizations around the globe seeking establishment as hubs.
David W. Denny
Director
I3Network: Founders Hub
2200 Kraft Drive, Suite 1200N
Blacksburg, Virginia 24060
Phone: 540-443-9248 ext 4330
Fax: 800-886-1499
Cell: 540-392-3321
director@i3network.biz
January 20,
2010
BLACKSBURG, Va. – LeClairRyan is pleased
to announce that Abokia has been selected as
the recipient of the first Southwest Virginia
Connection for Originating Unique Technology
(SCOUT) Award. The LeClairRyan SCOUT award
recognizes an entrepreneur or emerging business
in southwest Virginia with a unique idea that
is poised for the next stage of its evolution.
Abokia seeks to deliver easily customizable and
massively accelerated biocomputing software in
order to address the inability of today’s
computing technology to keep up with the
exponential growth in genomic sequencing
information. Specifically, with the
computing required to perform routine sequence
analysis increasing 100-fold every 18 months, a
growth rate that is 50-fold more than the
projected computing capability of processors,
Abokia’s innovative software solutions promise
to bridge this ever-widening gap, thus enabling
scientists and engineers to accelerate
discovery in the life sciences.
“With the looming deluge of DNA promised by
today’s sequencing technologies, our society
sits at the dawn of a new era where high-end
computing has become the key to unleashing
discoveries in the life sciences,” said Dr.
Heshan Lin, founder of Abokia. “As such,
Abokia sits at the nexus of high-end computing,
bioinformatics, and genomics to enable
scientists to make discoveries faster and at a
fraction of the cost. Initially, we will
be commercializing the cutting-edge
bioinformatics research coming out of Virginia
Tech.”
Abokia will deliver their massively accelerated
biocomputing software through the use of
emerging commodity computing platforms that
will enable users to access information on
demand – whether on their smartphone, laptop or
desktop. Abokia’s products encompass
technology related to algorithmic
transformation, computational acceleration, and
I/O acceleration. The end result of the
convergence of these technologies will be an
increase in both processing speed and data
transfer capabilities that will ultimately
enhance a multitude of downstream processes
such as biomanufacturing, rational drug design,
and real-time pathogen detection.
“We are invested in knowing the business needs
of our venture capital clients,” said
LeClairRyan Venture Capital Practice Area Team
Leader Michael Drzal. “Being immersed in the
industry, we recognize there are many
exceptional Southwest Virginia entrepreneurs
with great ideas who are seeking capital.
Establishing this award was a natural outgrowth
of our desire to invest in those entrepreneurs
and their ideas. I am very pleased we can
assist Abokia in bringing this cutting edge
technology to the bioinformatics/genomics
market.”
As the recipient of the award, Abokia will
receive up to $15,000 in legal services over
the next 12 months. The firm plans to
offer the award again in 2011. The
application process will begin in August 2010.
About LeClair Ryan
Founded in 1988, LeClairRyan provides business
counsel and client representation in corporate
law and high-stakes litigation. With
offices in California, Connecticut,
Massachusetts, Michigan, New Jersey, New York,
Pennsylvania, Virginia and Washington, D.C.,
the firm has more than 300 attorneys
representing a wide variety of clients
throughout the nation. For more
information about LeClairRyan, visit
www.leclairryan.com.
For more information: Christina Llames (804)
783-7518
According to Amazon.com's Hot New Releases in Nanotechnology, what's hot is Nanotechnology Environmental Health and Safety: Risks, Regulation and Management, co-edited by
Matthew
Hull and
Diana Bowman.
Hull founded NanoSafe, headquartered
in the Virginia Tech Corporate
Research Center in
Blacksburg,
Virginia.How hot is nanotechnology safety? So hot, nanotechnology environmental health and safety (EHS) even has its own acronym - nanoEHS - and many federal agencies and international councils are intensely focused on its study.
Handshake 2.0 asked Matthew Hull why nanotechnology is hot and why we need to read this book.
Read more at http://www.handshake20.com/2010/01/nanotechnology.html.