September 2006 Archives
Maintaining a Culture of Innovation
Jeffrey Phillips, vice president of sales and marketing for OVO, discusses the importance of innovation in this recent guest column.
He identifies the difficulties in maintaining a focus on innovation as startups grow and mature. To stay committed to innovation over time, Phillips recommends that companies better understand three inter-connected factors: culture, compensation and strategic direction.
Tech 2006 Un-Conference Kick-off
CED will kick off Tech 2006 with an "Un-Conference," starting at 3 p.m. on Oct. 10 at the North Carolina Biotechnology Center in RTP.
The idea behind an Un-Conference is that all program content is fluid, interactive and made by and for attendees.
Creating a Market Conversation Strategy
Garrett French of MarketSmart Interactive writes extensively on search engine optimization and media creation strategies.
Check out Garrett's recent article on "A Market Conversation Strategy Guide for SMBs: Driving Search Presence through Industry Participation."
Getting Connected in Asheville - Part 2
CED President Monica Doss blogs again from the recent "Connect" conference Asheville:
BREC and Asheville are becoming a magnet for the pockets of innovation that are spread throughout western NC and eastern Tennessee.
We’ve all talked about our sense that pockets of serious innovation are erupting far outside of the traditional technology hot beds and that is validated here.
Getting Connected in Asheville
From CED President Monica Doss:
I'm writing from Asheville, NC, at the 4th BREC Carolina Connect Conference in the company of about 300 entrepreneurs, investors, students and local business leaders.
BREC (Blue Ridge Entrepreneurcial Council) and BRAIN (Blue Ridge Angel Investor Network) were created by Advantage West, the economic development regional partnership that serves 20+/- western North Carolina counties, and is supported also by the Appalachian Regional Comission.
The main and breakout sessions have been enthusiastic and packed, and lots of laughter and applause everywhere.
Tech 2006 Video
CED's Tech 2006 is coming up Oct. 10-11 in RTP and Raleigh. Check out this video to see how you can explore, interact and learn at the conference:
Innovation Spotlight: Xulura Measurement
CED is kicking off a new series of startup company profiles called “Innovation Spotlight.”
We'll begin by profiling recent graduates of CED's FastTrac Tech, a 10-week entrepreneurial training program that addresses the needs of start-up entrepreneurs practicing and refining their business pitches and seeking to grow high-tech, life science or other high-growth companies.
Kyle Mankes, CEO of Raleigh-based Xulura Measurement, recently spoke with us about his company.
Online Marketing Tips
Kauffman eVenturing, a Web site for growth-oriented entrepreneurs operated by the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation, has posted a new collection of articles to help entrepreneurs evaluate different aspects of online marketing.
The eVenturing articles focus on a range of topics, including search engine optimization, key word advertising, blogging, online publishing and using eBay as a distribution channel.
Seeding Startups
The Research Triangle Regional Partnership hosts a weekly radio show on its competitiveness strategy, "Staying on Top: Winning the Job Wars of the Future."
In RTRP's latest interview (WMA file), NC IDEA's Dave Rizzo talks about recent grants to early-stage companies in the region.
Top Tech Hubs
For the second year in a row, the Silicon Valley Leadership Group (SVLG) has ranked the Research Triangle as the country's top region for technology companies.
According to the News & Observer's report, the Triangle scored well in its vibrant job market, affordable housing and manageable traffic.
Sparking Innovation
How do you spark innovation?
UNC's Ted Zoller has an answer in this guest column: "So You’ve Never Had An Original Idea In Your Life - Go Start A Business Anyway."
Rankings suggest that entrepreneurs across the region are taking Zoller's advice. For example, Entrepreneur Magazine's 2006 list of the best cities for entrepreneurs has two North Carolina metro areas -- Charlotte and Raleigh-Durham -- ranked 2nd and 3rd on the national list.