Entrepreneur Announcements

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Posted on: June 18, 2010

Collegiate Inventors Competition 

Submit your invention or groundbreaking patentable research to the Collegiate Inventors Competition. 
In addition to national recognition, entrants into the 2010 Competition are competing for the following cash awards (the winners’ academic advisors receive cash prizes too):

Graduate Level Undergraduate Level

  • Gold: $15,000 Gold: $10,000
  • Silver: $10,000 Silver: $5,000
  • Bronze: $5,000 Bronze: $2,500

Ten to twelve finalist inventors or inventor teams will receive an all expenses paid trip to Washington D.C. to present their work to an esteemed panel of judges including several National Inventors Hall of Fame Inductees. The winners will be announced at a special event attended by the national media and prominent scientists and inventors. Previous winners of the Competition have gone on to receive MacArthur Foundation grants, form start-up companies, gain honor and recognition for their work in national publications and receive prestigious fellowships. Enter the Competition by downloading the Official Entry Form at www.invent.org/collegiate. The deadline is June 25, 2010. 

Special Funding Opportunity Concerning the Gulf of Mexico Oil Spill 
The National Science Foundation (NSF) posted a special announcement concerning the Gulf of Mexico Oil Spill using their Rapid Response Research (RAPID) mechanism on May 27, 2010. To ensure that all resources and possible innovations are available to help solve this terrible disaster, NSF is encouraging all companies that have viable solutions to help solve this problem to submit a one-time only proposal to this special announcement. All proposals must be submitted on or before September 30, 2010. 

http://www.nsf.gov/eng/iip/sbir/2010_ann_rapid_oil_response.pdf . Guidance on submitting a RAPID proposal is located on NSF’s website at http://www.nsf.gov/pubs/policydocs/pappguide/nsf10_1/gpg_2.jsp. 

New Advanced Course: Market Positioning and Marketing Strategy for Scientists and Engineers

In commercializing research, understanding market positioning and market strategy for the innovation is critically important for a successful launch. The National Council of Entrepreneurial Tech Transfer has developed a new online Advanced Course to explicitly teach researchers/entrepreneurs and those advising researchers/entrepreneurs on Market Positioning and Market Strategy. This 5-lecture (7.5 hour) course is offered at for $100 for professionals and $35 for students and post docs. To register for the online course, click here to be taken directly to the course page at http://center.ncet2.org/ (sorry this is mid-course that I am sending the announcement). 

Online Course: Structuring and Leading the Research-Intensive Company
This class, offered through The National Council of Entrepreneurial Tech Transfer, will provide participants who are seriously considering starting a company to commercialize the science they are working on, the tools to start to plan the venture and avoid making common mistakes that are made by many first time entrepreneurs. This course will cover various topics related to starting a company like evaluating business opportunity, developing value proposition and building entry barriers, recruiting management team, board of advisors, identifying and seeking various sources of financing opportunities, structuring founders equity and incentive compensation and incorporating company. 

http://center.ncet2.org/index.php?option=com_joomla_lms&Itemid=53&task=course_guest&id=5 

This workshop course is offered evenings and talk by Johns Hopkins and Boston University. This 5-lecture (7.5 hour) course is offered at for $100 for professionals and $35 for students and post docs. 

  • Thursday June 24, 9:00-10:30pm ET 
  • Thursday July 1, 9:00-10:30pm ET 
  • Thursday July 8, 9:00-10:30pm ET
  • Thursday July 15, 9:00-10:30pm ET 
  • Thursday July 22, 9:00-10:30pm ET