People
Bill Duncan is the first president of the Kansas City Area Life Sciences Institute, which held its inaugural event at the end of March.
Resources Available for Displaced Workers Interested in Entrepreneurship
In an effort to help combat the present economic downturn, the Kauffman Center for Entrepreneurial Leadership at the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation is looking to partner with groups across the U.S. to provide training to displaced workers interested in starting new businesses.
Wisconsin Legislature Considers VC Bills
The Wisconsin Legislature presently faces two bills which could greatly boost venture capital funds in the state.
'WIN-WIN' Situation Created for Wisconsin Technology Council
The Wisconsin Venture Network (WVN) in Milwaukee has folded into the Wisconsin Innovation Network (WIN) Foundation in Madison, and the combined WIN entity has become a subsidiary of the Wisconsin Technology Council.
Wisconsin University System Joins Consortium to Compete for Defense R&D Funds
As trends in federal funding priorities shift from domestic R&D to defense-related R&D, universities are scrambling to get their piece of the pie. The president's fiscal year 2006 budget request for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) includes increased funding of 6.6 percent over the fiscal year 2005 appropriation (see the Feb. 14 issue of the Digest).
Kauffman Foundation Launches 'Giving Back' Website
The Kauffman Foundation recently launched "Giving Back to Entrepreneurship," a website dedicated to informing entrepreneurs how they can use their energy and creativity to support their communities and help jumpstart the next generation of entrepreneurs.
Study Finds Angel Groups Receive Returns Consistent with Other Investments
By nature, angel investing is a risky endeavor. Angels are often involved with unproven seed- and early-stage companies and are frequently the first outside investors to become involved in a new venture. Despite these risks, a report released by the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation and the Angel Capital Education Foundation argues that angel investors working through investor groups often achieve attractive returns.
People
Craig Heim was named licensing manager for start-up companies at the Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation.
People & TBED Organizations
Colin Scanes is the new vice chancellor for research and economic development at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. Scanes formerly was the chief economic development strategist at Mississippi State University.
Better Late than Never: Wisconsin Budget Supports Energy, TBED and University R&D
Nearly four months into the current fiscal year, Wisconsin Gov. Jim Doyle signed into law the biennial 2007-09 budget last week, investing in renewable energy, university R&D and expanding tax credits to attract angel and venture capital investment.
SSTI Job Corner
Complete descriptions of these opportunities and others are available at http://www.ssti.org/posting.htm.
Missouri Passes Embryonic Stem Cell Amendment
Voters in Missouri approved, 51 percent to 49 percent, an amendment to the state constitution that will prohibit state or local governments from preventing embryonic stem cell research. The amendment also defines what type of research is permitted.
Kauffman Launches eVenturing™ Website
To help entrepreneurs start and manage businesses, the Kauffman Foundation recently launched Kauffman eVenturing™ ( www.eVenturing.org).
People & TBED Organizations
RiverVest Venture Partners, a life science venture capital firm headquartered in St. Louis, announced it will be opening an office at the BioEnterprise facility in Cleveland. The office will be managed by Karen Spilizewski, who is joining RiverVest on a part-time basis as a vice president on Jan. 1.
People & TBED Organizations
Bob Calcaterra announced he is resigning as president of the Nidus Center for Scientific Enterprise, effective this spring, to help form a venture capital fund.
People & TBED Organizations
Bo Fishback is the new vice president of entrepreneurship for the Kauffman Foundation.
People
John Gee was named president and CEO of the Information Technology Association of Wisconsin.
Wisconsin Early-stage Capital Interventions Lead to Gains in 2006
Like many states, Wisconsin has struggled to attract consistent attention from the national venture capital industry. Capital can be especially difficult to obtain in the state, since entrepreneurs with limited resources are often unable to participate in the expensive and complicated process of presenting their cases to venture capital firms based on the coasts.
TBED People
Thom Ruhe is leaving JumpStart Inc., a venture organization in Cleveland, to become director of online initiatives at the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation.
People
Brian Thompson, formerly a managing director of Wisconsin's TechStar, is now senior advisor for research and strategic initiatives at the University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee Foundation.
People
Barbara Fleisner is the new vice president of economic development for the Green Bay Area Chamber of Commerce. She succeeds Paul Ehrfurth, who retired in June.
People & Organizations
James DeLong is the new vice president of the St. Louis Regional Chamber and Growth Association.
People & Organizations
Rob Monsees left his position as Gov. Matt Blunt's deputy chief of staff-policy to become the executive director of the Missouri Technology Corporation.
People & Organizations
The University of Wisconsin-Green Bay's Paper Technology Transfer Center has changed its name to the Paper Industry Resource Center.
Harvard Prof Receives Kauffman Prize Medal for Research on Social Networks and Innovation
The Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation has awarded its second Kauffman Prize Medal for Distinguished Research in Entrepreneurship to Professor Toby Stuart of the Harvard Business School. The medal is given every two years to a scholar under the age of 40 whose research has made a significant contribution to the study of entrepreneurship and innovation. Stuart accepted the medal last month, along with a cash award of $50,000, at the Academy of Management's annual meeting in Atlanta.