SSTI Webinars

SSTI Webinars are a great way to keep up on the major issues and initiatives impacting technology-based economic development. The live interactive webinars provide a convenient and cost-effective platform to learn about new approaches and tools that can help you in your work. This informative and educational webinar series is hosted by SSTI staff, thought leaders and colleagues from around the country with relevant experience and knowledge.

WHAT TO EXPECT

  • In-depth examinations of current state and regional approaches to financing startup companies, crowdfunding and commercializing university research, among others;
  • Strategies for successful economic transformation through intelligent, strategic investments in tech-based economic development; and,
  • Stimulating dialogue and thought-provoking exchange among your peers from across the country.

February Webinar:

High-Growth Companies: Identifying and Learning from Them
Less than 1 percent of companies in PA are creating 74 percent of the net new jobs, according to a new report. The Team PA Foundation intends to harness the power of these high-growth firms (higros) through a new pilot program in Pittsburgh. In the first installment of our SSTI's new monthly webinar series, Team PA will provide an insider's look at their new high-growth pilot program, a program intended to learn from the region's higros and potentially incorporate their best practices into economic development policy. You also will have the opportunity to learn about the characteristics of higros and what separates them from other businesses.

Presenters:

Gary Kunkle, Founder, Outlier, LLC
Gary Kunkle is Founder of Outlier LLC, a boutique consultancy specializing in economic development projects that increase employment growth. Mr. Kunkle also is Partner of Research and Analytics with Evolution Capital Partners, a private equity firm that helps second-stage growth companies overcome the capital gap. In addition, he is Research Fellow at the NASDAQ-funded Institute for Exceptional Growth Companies, which is based at the Edward Lowe Foundation. As an expert on the topic of sustained firm growth, Mr. Kunkle provides research and consulting services to development agencies and foundations, and to corporate and private equity clients. Mr. Kunkle currently conducts ground-breaking research into the expansion patterns of more than 40 million U.S.-based businesses using a unique longitudinal dataset and proprietary algorithms. On behalf of the Team Pennsylvania Foundation, he conducted field research with more than 600 CEOs of high-growth firms regarding issues related to expansion challenges and tactics. These unique projects provide new insights that can radically improve the ability of development agencies, B2B businesses, and investors to identify and assist firms with the most potential for future growth. Mr. Kunkle holds a Ph.D. in Public Policy and Regional Economy from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte (2009); an M.B.A and an M.A. in International Management from the University of Texas at Dallas (1989); and a B.A. in Political Science from Texas A&M University (1985).

Matt Zieger, President & CEO, Team Pennsylvania Foundation

Date: Thursday, February 16
Time: 3:00 PM - 4:00 PM EST
Cost: $49 member, $69 non-members
Registration Deadline: Thursday, February 16 12:00 PM EST
Login Instructions: Emailed to participants on Monday, February 13
Last date to request a refund or cancel registration: Thursday, February 9

March Webinar:

Infusing Technology into Companies: A Case Study
Spin-offs get all the attention, but infusing new technologies into companies results in significant economic impact. In this webinar, presented by the Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP), we’ll explore the process by which this can be done and examine in depth a case study of an intermediary, a company and other partners coming together to bring technology to the marketplace resulting in new products and increased sales.

Date: Thursday, March 15
Time: 3:00 PM - 4:00 PM EST
Cost: $49 member, $69 non-members
Registration Deadline: Thursday, March 15 12:00 PM EST
Login Instructions: Emailed to participants on Monday, March 12
Last date to request a refund or cancel registration: Thursday, March 8

Upcoming Webinars:

Crowd Funding 101: Sometimes It Takes a Community to Raise a Startup
Is crowd funding just "another fad" or a "revolutionary funding method" for your organization? Our panel of experts will discuss this topic and provide a tutorial on crowd funding for tech-based economic development professionals. It also will look at the impact of proposed federal crowd funding legislation and regulatory issues that will determine the usefulness of the proposed exemption.

Using Cluster Roadmapping to Determine Your Strategic Direction
Roadmaps can provide strategic guidance for economic development efforts to accelerate commercial activity and create economic progress and jobs. This webinar will provide a behind-the-scenes look at how one region embarked on a nine-month process with advanced energy cluster organizations to answer the questions, "Where do we want to be?" and "How do we get there?" Representatives from NorTech will discuss how a unique roadmapping model was deployed to develop a detailed plan with a vision for the future shared by its stakeholders and grounded in leveraging regional assets.

Instructions and Technology:

Instructions and dial-in information will be sent up to three days in advance and a minimum of two times. If you do not receive an email from SSTI 24 hours prior to the start of the webinar, it is your responsibility to email sheets@ssti.org. No refunds or credits will be given for not receiving the dial-in information for the webinar.

Audio:

Participants will need to dial into 1-866-740-1260.

Web:

Most participants will be able to quickly attend conferences by using ReadyTalk's Flash-based participant application, which requires no download. For the best conference experience, we recommend participants use Flash 9.0.115 or higher. Participants who do not have a compatible version of Flash and cannot install it can join the conference with ReadyTalk's alternative application, which requires Java 1.3.1 or higher.

Refund Policy:

Refunds minus a $5.00 processing fee will be given upon written request to sheets@ssti.org if made by the deadline.