Jumpstarting the New Green Economy

The Green Invention 2 Venture Track consists of several linked components during the conference aimed specifically at students and young entrepreneurs. These components include:

• Two entrepreneurs’ panels, with the founders of several successful green ventures providing their stories and answering questions about their experiences
• A session on Intellectual Property and other legal issues of special concern to startups
• A discussion of funding sources – including government funding programs and opportunities, and “green tech” angel and venture capital investing
• A discussion of strategic alliances and partnerships

Students registering for the Green I2V Track are eligible to receive a special discount if they do not wish to attend the rest of the conference, and can sign up for I2V Track only for $45 prior to the actual date of the conference.

Those attending all of the I2V sessions are also eligible for the Advanced Invention to Venture program offered by NJIT in June. For more information, see Advanced I2V.

Here is the program for the Invention to Venture track at the Conference:

Please note: All I2V sessions are held in the Rothman Institute Forum, except for the Lunch Panel.

Wednesday, May 20

9:30 a.m. Green Entrepreneurship and Innovation

Starting a green venture. Opportunities and challenges. Getting help with the basics. How NJ’s incubators assist new companies, create jobs, and help new ventures cross the threshold from idea to reality.

Panelists:

• Patricia Boswell, Safonique
• Frank Zammataro, Rentricity
• Leon Baptiste, LB Electric

Moderator: Dr. Ethné Swartz, Chair, Marketing and Entrepreneurship Department
Silberman College of Business, Fairleigh Dickinson University

11 a.m. Green IP

Creating and protecting intellectual property.

Panelists:

• Carole E. DeNatale, Porzio Bromberg & Newman
• Robert Paradiso, Lowenstein Sandler

Moderator: Judith Sheft, NJIT

12:30 p.m. – Plenary Lunch Panel on Green Venture Opportunities (Gym)

Panelists

• Shihab Kuran, Petra-Solar
• Leslie Joy, Joy Organics
• Robert Wisniewski, Lincoln Park Coast Cultural District
• Brad Neilley, Green Planet Group

Moderator: Jim Barrood, Rothman Institute

- Gym, Ferguson Recreation Center

2 p.m. Financing Your Green Venture

This panel will introduce a variety of organizations that provide financing for startup ventures. Each organization will review their unique offerings any specific investment criteria and current market insights. After that an open audience question and answer session will be facilitated.

Panel:

• Paula Durand, NJEDA
• Chuck Slotkin, Nature’s Equity
• Mario Casabona, Jumpstart NJ
• Randy Harmon, Foundations Business Development Group

Moderator: Bill Russell, SKN Worldwide-USA, Inc.

4 p.m. Finding Strategic Partners

Panelists:

• Tom Bryant
• Baye Adofo-Wilson, Lincoln Park Coast Cultural District

Moderator: Judith Sheft, NJIT

5 p.m. I2V Wrap-up and Look Ahead to Advanced I2V

Judith Sheft, NJIT

---

Entering its seventh year, Invention to Venture workshops have been held in such technology hot-spots as Boston, MA, Fresno, CA, Chicago, IL and Orlando, FL. The introductory I2V teaches technology entrepreneurship basics, helps build networks and provides a framework for moving ideas forward. This year several specialized workshops will also be offered.

Invention to Venture workshops are directed to:

Students/faculty interested technology entrepreneurship and how to commercialize research

• Members of the university community who are entrepreneurially ambitious
• Business people seeking connections with university students and faculty
• Investors seeking high growth potential companies
• Businesses seeking to identify new technology opportunities

Invention to Venture is a program of the National Collegiate Inventors and Innovators Alliance with sponsorship from The Lemelson Foundation and the Kauffman Foundation.