KALAMAZOO ? The deadline to apply for the FastTrac TechVenture training program scheduled at Southwest Michigan First is Friday Feb. 22 ? the first time Great Lakes Entrepreneur?s Quest has offered this intensive business-plan training program on the West side of the state.
The program was launched last year, but only offered training in Ann Arbor, Detroit and Troy. Now that six-session training program is coming Feb 27 to Kalamazoo. It concludes April 10.
FastTrac is for Michigan technology and life science entrepreneurs and gives them the tools needed to start or refine their business venture, including the business concept itself, learn to access capital, and advance their venture to the next business stage. It was created by The Kauffmann Foundation.
FastTrac TechVenture focuses on the specific needs of entrepreneurs with businesses based on:
Developing and marketing technology
.
Developing technology that enables creation or enhancement of a non-technology business.
Developing biotechnology and life sciences products and/or services.
FastTrac TechVenture sessions are led by experienced facilitators and business coaches who make tech entrepreneurship come alive by sharing real-world expertise, practical tips, and success stories. Expert guest speakers from the entrepreneurial, corporate, investment, legal, and financial communities are frequent contributors to the program.
The goal of FastTrac TechVenture is to enable you to develop your Elevator Pitch, Business Plan, and Investor Presentation in order to effectively communicate your message.
Unlike GLEQ, FastTrac is not a free program. The cost is $600 per team, with a 50 percent rebate ($300) if (at least) one person from the team attends all sessions.
What: Six working sessions, followed by investor presentation event
When: Wednesday, February 27 6-10 p.m. ? Exploring Entrepreneurship, Defining Markets
Wednesday, March 5, 6-10 p.m. ? Market Analysis, Testing Your Concept
Wednesday, March 12, 6-10 p.m. ? Entering the Market, Planning for Financial Success
Wednesday, March 19, 6-10 p.m. ? Building your Team, Protecting IP
Wednesday,
March 26, 6-10 p.m. ? Grant Opportunities (SBIR/STTR), Investor Due Diligence, VC and Angel Investors
Wednesday, April 2, 6-10 p.m. ? Bonus Session: Review, Expert Q&A
Presentation Practice
Thursday, April 10, 5-9 p.m. ? Investor Presentation Event
Where: Working Sessions ? Southwest Michigan First, Kalamazoo, Michigan (beverages and light meal provided by GLEQ)
Investor Presentation Event ? Battle Creek, Michigan (hosted by Battle Creek Unlimited)
Confirmed Presenters include:
Patrick Morand, Managing Director
SWMF Life Science Fund, Kalamazoo
Bob Forgey, COO
ProNAi
Brian Mullally, CEO
GlobeFunder Ventures, Inc.
Alan N. Harris, Attorney
Bodman, LLP
Jonathan O’Brien, Attorney
Miller Canfield
Gerry Roston, Ph.D., Principal
Pair of Docs
Phil Torrence, Attorney
Miller Canfield
Mary Sue Hoffman, Advisor/Consultant
Michigan Small Business & Technology Development Center
Tom Kelly, Advisor/Consultant
Michigan Small Business & Technology Development Center
Arcadio D. Ramirez, Advisor/Consultant
Michigan Small Business & Technology Development Center
Sponsored by:
Michigan Small Business Technology & Development Center (MI-SBTDC),
Great Lakes Entrepreneur?s Quest,
Southwest Michigan First,
Battle Creek Unlimited,
Lakeshore Advantage,
The Right Place
Presenter Bios:
Patrick Morand, Managing Director
SWMF Life Science Fund, Kalamazoo
Past Executive in Residence of the Pittsburgh Life Sciences Greenhouse, a Public/Private investor, providing executive support to founders, investors and executives of promising regional life sciences start-up and development stage companies. At PLSG, Mr. Morand grew his portfolio from 14 to 65 companies (diagnostics, therapeutics, medical devices, services), representing $100M of investment and 121 employees. Three-time CEO in the biologics industry, Vice President of Commercial Operations for Genesis Therapeutics (an Aventis Behring spinout company) and Executive Vice President of Sequitor Medical Technologies.
Bob Forgey, COO
ProNAi
Former Manager, Discovery Financial Business Administration/Senior Financial Analyst with Pfizer-Pharmacia. He served as Leader, Oncology Operations in Pharmacia Discovery. Pharmaceutical industry experience in research and development with G.D. Searle, Pharmacia and Pfizer development. Expertise in molecular biology methods development, project support, business management and financial control of discovery research organizations.
Brian Mullally, CEO
GlobeFunder Ventures, Inc.
GlobeFunder is an early-stage venture based in Kalamazoo that has recently launched an online portal to match lenders and borrowers in the $1.1 trillion global microlending industry. Mr. Mullally is a licensed attorney and was Vice President, Greenleaf Trust, driving 25 percent asset and revenue growth annually from 2001 and a Goldman Sachs analyst. Also, a Georgetown University Foreign Service graduate, Notre Dame JD/MBA honors graduate, Certified Trust and Financial Advisor (CTFA) designee and honors graduate, National Trust School.
Alan N. Harris, Attorney
Bodman, LLP
Practicing in the areas of intellectual property law and complex litigation, Alan N. Harris specializes in litigation and transactional work in the areas of copyright, trademark, trade secret, computer law, and Internet law. Mr. Harris also handles complex commercial litigation and arbitration matters in a variety of forums. Member of the Section of Litigation of the American Bar Association, serving as co-chair of the section’s Trademark Subcommittee and is coeditor-in-chief for the section’s Model Jury Instruction Project on Copyright, Trademark, and Trade Dress. Also a member of the Section of Intellectual Property Law, he serves on its Special Committee on Trademarks and the Internet.
Jonathan O’Brien, Attorney
Miller Canfield
Specializing in patent and licensing matters, Jonathan O?Brien represents large and small domestic and international pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies, as well as companies focused on medical device, battery, and telecommunication products. Former Patent Counsel (Patent Agent) for Pharmacia/Pfizer Corporation, Kalamazoo
Gerry Roston, Ph.D., Principal
Pair of Docs
Technology consultant working closely with startup ventures to develop technology, product and business roadmaps. Doctoral research at Carnegie Mellon University focused on meta-design methodologies, specifically the use of genetic programming-like techniques to design real world artifacts. Founding member of the Mars Rover team at NASA?s Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Currently Vice President of Programs for the New Enterprise Forum (an Ann Arbor organization that assists technology-focused start-ups) and sits on the NIH Clinical Neurophysiology, Devices and Neuroprosthetics SBIR/STTR Study Section.
Phil Torrence, Attorney
Miller Canfield
Specializing in corporate, finance, securities and venture capital, including private and public securities offerings (representing issuers and investors), public company representation, mergers and acquisitions, financing, venture capital financing (representing issuers, venture capital firms, and individuals), executive compensation planning, corporate restructuring, going-private transactions, various regulatory and compliance matters, entity formation, shareholder relations, and other corporate matters, with a particular emphasis on banks and bank holding companies. Experienced in high-technology ventures and life science representing issuers and investors in life science compani
