Wayne State Holding Major Event To Jump Start Entrepreneurism

Posted: Monday, 08 June 2009 5:31PM

Wayne State Holding Major Event To Jump Start Entrepreneurism

http://www.wwj.com/Wayne-State-Holding-Major-Event-To-Jump-Start-Entr/4557608

Anyone in Southeast Michigan who’s thinking about their next career move is invited to attend FastTrac to the Future: The First Day of Your Entrepreneurial Adventure, a free all-day conference that will provide a jump-start on the road to entrepreneurship.

FastTrac to the Future is Wednesday, June 24 from 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. in the Community Arts Auditorium, Cass at Kirby on Wayne State University campus.

The program features breakout sessions that will give guidance and free resources to people who think entrepreneurship might be right for them. This could include displaced workers, the unemployed and people looking for alternative employment options. This is not a job fair, however.

Local and national experts will discuss the challenges of starting a new business. This conference also will be highly interactive. For example, in a session called Curbside Consulting, every attendee will have the chance to pitch their idea to an expert in a relaxed, informal setting. Curbside Consulting will be available all day.

In addition, there are 11 different session topics on entrepreneurship. These include:

* Intellectual Property Do’s and Don’ts
* Organization Expo -- Providing introductions to existing entrepreneurial programs in the community, including the SBTDC, TechTown, Ann Arbor SPARK, Automation Alley and more
* What’s Your Role in a Startup?
* Pitch & Comment -- A facilitated session where people with ideas pitch to the group and get constructive feedback
* Money Tables -- Providing information on bootstrapping, raising money, and grants, plus a roundtable discussion on funding your idea
* Entrepreneurial opportunities in clean tech, logistics and medical technology

Attendees will have the opportunity to sign up that day for FastTrac, award-winning programs for entrepreneurs designed by the Kauffman Foundation. Three FastTrac programs, which will be delivered over several days or weeks, will be available locally immediately following the event:

* First Step FastTrac -- The desired outcome of this program is a written feasibility plan that helps you determine if your idea can be turned into a profitable business, and whether the life of an entrepreneur is right for you.
* FastTrac NewVenture -- Designed specifically for entrepreneurs in the early stages of business development, this program helps you uncover answers and determine which questions to ask.
* FastTrac TechVenture -- Take an analytical look at your business and discover what you need to consider in starting, operating, funding or growing a technology- or life sciences-based company.

The event is free, but registration is required. Only 500 spots are available, so early registration is strongly encouraged. Lunch will be provided.

An agenda, a complete list of breakout session topics and a link to the registration page can be found at http://events.wayne.edu/techtown/view/16818/date/57619/.

A link to the event can be found at http://techtownwsu.org/. A FastTrac to the Future Web page will be available soon on the TechTown Web site with updates on the conference, including confirmed speakers.

The community is pulling together to help refocus the talents of the unemployed and underemployed. Support for this event is provided by TechTown, Great Lakes Angels, Ann Arbor Spark, Ann Arbor Boot Camp, Cantillon, Entrepreneurial Initiative of Southeast Michigan, MIT Forum, the New Enterprise Forum, NextEnergy, Automation Alley, ConnecTech, the Small Business and Technology Development Center, SCORE, Great Lakes Entrepreneur’s Quest, Wayne State University, Biotechnology Business Consultants, Detroit Micro-Enterprise Fund, Shorebank Enterprise Detroit, the Michigan Economic Development Corporation, TiE-Detroit, Mid States Capital, Microsoft, Bizdom U and MichBio. New partners are being added every day.

The Kauffman Foundation is a key partner in FastTrac to the Future, providing resources and speakers for the event.

FastTrac to the Future is the first stage of the $9.25 million program funded by the New Economy Initiative, announced May 18. In partnership with the Kauffman Foundation, the program will assist automotive suppliers and advance entrepreneurship in Detroit.

“We are setting out to help establish 400 new companies in the next three years,” TechTown Executive Director Randal Charlton said. “That is a very ambitious goal, but if we are successful on this scale, we will have a major impact on the economy of Detroit and Southeast Michigan. This grand experiment can help lead Detroit and Michigan out of recession and provide an example to the rest of America of the way to rebuild our economy.”

TechTown is an urban community of entrepreneurs, investors, mentors and corporate partners creating an internationally influential village in Detroit. TechTown brings the resources of Wayne State University to high-technology startup companies so as to diversify and strengthen Michigan’s economy in high-growth emerging industries. For more information, visit www.techtownwsu.org

The Ewing Marion Kaffman Foundation is a private nonpartisan foundation that works to harness the power of entrepreneurship and innovation to grow economies and improve human welfare. Through its research and other initiatives, the Kauffman Foundation aims to open young people's eyes to the possibility of entrepreneurship, promote entrepreneurship education, raise awareness of entrepreneurship-friendly policies, and find alternative pathways for the commercialization of new knowledge and technologies. Founded by late entrepreneur and philanthropist Ewing Marion Kauffman, the Foundation is based in Kansas City, Mo. and has approximately $2 billion in assets.

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