Program helps move innovation ideas to market

Saluki Times
November 17, 2010
By Christi Mathis 11/17/2010 15:26:48

CARBONDALE, Ill. -- Southern Illinois University Carbondale faculty and staff are benefiting from a program designed to help them commercialize their research and innovation technologies.

During the 12-week Operation Mousetrap program, participants meet weekly to hear various experts discuss relevant topics essential to technology commercialization and entrepreneurship. The group members will make their final presentations and receive certificates signifying their completion of the program Friday, Nov. 19, at the Dunn-Richmond Economic Development Center.
Media Advisory

Reporter, photographers and camera crews are welcome to cover the Operation Mousetrap entrepreneurial technology transfer program achievement ceremony at 2 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 19, in Room 241 at the Dunn-Richmond Economic Development Center. John Koropchak, vice chancellor for research and graduate dean, will present certificates of achievement to participants completing the program. Several participants will also be available to discuss their research and technology innovations.

Discussions have focused on testing innovations and business concepts, exploring entrepreneurship, identifying funding sources and working with investors, protecting intellectual property and businesses, planning to succeed financially and much more. Hurley Myers, founder of DxR Development group and SIUC faculty emeritus, discussed entrepreneurship while David Gulley, an SIUC alumnus who is assistant vice chancellor for research at the University of Illinois-Chicago, spoke of building an organizational team. Ari Bai, partner in the St. Louis law firm of Polsinelli Shughart PC, explained how they could protect their intellectual property. These are just a few of the enlightening and informative sessions Operation Mousetrap provided.

“In addition to attending weekly programs, Operation Mousetrap participants have been working with their business coaches to further develop their elevator pitches, investor presentations and business plans. The one-on-one coaching aspect of the program allows us to customize the business assistance to each participant’s stage in the commercialization process,” said Lynn Andersen Lindberg, director of business innovation and research at SIUC.

The program works primarily with technology and life science researchers to help them bring their innovations from the concept stage to the marketplace. With the program’s emphasis on intellectual property, some participants are already seeking patents for their work.

“The ultimate goal of the program is to increase the University’s commercialization successes, both through licensing opportunities and technology-based startup companies in Southern Illinois,” said Kyle Harfst, SIUC director of technology and enterprise development.

Harfst and Lindberg saw the need for an entrepreneurship program for the University’s faculty and staff researchers and scientists. Mark Petrilli, state director of the Illinois Small Business Development Center, embraced the idea as well, providing partial funding for the inaugural session in spring 2010 and this fall through the Illinois Small Business Development Center at SIUC. The participants received scholarships, valued at about $1,500, to be part of the program.

“A new aspect for this semester’s program is working with MBA students in John Fraedrich’s marketing management class to provide secondary marketing research to the Operation Mousetrap participants. This information is assisting them in fine-tuning the market segments of their investor presentations. Students in Maryon King’s innovation class, along with several graduate and undergraduate assistants, have also provided market research assistance to the participants,” Andersen Lindberg said.

The program utilizes FastTrac TechVenture, an entrepreneurship and business program from the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation. The foundation fosters entrepreneurship throughout the country via such programs, giving people the essential tools for developing or enhancing their skills to enable them to better utilize and market technology.

Partnering to provide the SIUC program are the College of Business Center for Innovation, Illinois Small Business Development Center, Small Business Incubator Program and the Southern Illinois Research Park. Coaches for the fall session of the program include: Harfst, Maryon King, associate professor of marketing and director of the College of Business Center for Innovation; and Jonathon Mote, assistant professor of management.

All of the hard work and innovation instruction culminate Friday as each of the researchers and scientists makes PowerPoint investor presentations, gives 90-second elevator (funding solicitation) pitches and discusses their business plans. Then at 2 p.m., John Koropchak, vice chancellor for research and graduate dean, will award certificates of completion to those finishing the program.

Operation Mousetrap graduates are eligible for three months of free rent at the Dunn-Richmond Economic Development Center through the Small Business Incubator Program and can get additional business and technical assistance there.

“We will continue to work with these six participants, as well as the nine from the spring Operation Mousetrap program, on the next phases of their commercialization and entrepreneurial activities. This includes ongoing business coaching as well as follow-up workshops and seminars. Plans are under way for the third program to start in January 2011,” Harfst said.

Participating in the second Operation Mousetrap program are:

• Aldwin Anterola, assistant professor, plant biology.

• Nazeih Botros, professor, electrical and computer engineering.

• Bruce DeRuntz, associate professor, technology/engineering.

• Peter Filip, director, Center for Advanced Friction Studies.

• Andrei Kolmakov, associate professor, physics.

• Stephen Shih, professor and school director, information systems and applied technologies.

SIUC professor gathers moss for anti-cancer drug

Southern Business Journal
By Codell Rodriguez, The Southern
Posted: Monday, September 27, 2010

CARBONDALE — With a little bit of moss, Aldwin Anterola, hopes to make a more affordable anti-cancer drug.

The assistant professor in plant biology at SIUC is using moss to try and make a more cost effective way to produce the chemotherapy drug Taxol. He will discuss his research at the SIUC Technology

and Innovation Expo on Oct. 8, at

Dunn-Richmond Economic Development Building.

Taxol is produced from the Pacific Yew tree, which Anterola is scarce and led to higher prices. He said there have been discoveries on how to make the drug from the tree’s clippings.

“Even with the advances it’s still expensive,” Anterola said.

Anterola transfers the abilities of the yew to the Physcomitrella patens moss to find an alternate production for the drug. Work on the ent-kaurene/kauranol synthase in the moss revealed that a biosynthetic machinery controlled by a single gene can be diverted to produce anticancer compounds.

Anterola said with the expenses patients build up from doctor’s visits and procedures, “the only thing that can be cut is the drugs.”

He said he began looking into the process because he knows a lot of people with cancer and because Taxol was discovered through public funding.

“I think we owe the public since taxpayer money led to discovering Taxol,” Anterola said. “We should do something about the cost of Taxol.”

codell.rodriguez@thesouthern.com

618-351-5804

Moltz to kick off entrepreneurship speaker series

The Saluki Times
September 22, 2010
By Christi Mathis

Note to readers: Barry Moltz is also the morning keynote speaker at the SIUC Technology and Innovation Expo in Carbondale on October 8.

CARBONDALE, Ill. -- The new “Where Great Minds & Big Ideas Connect Speaker Series” from Southern Illinois University Carbondale’s Entrepreneurship and Business Development unit offers the opportunity to learn how to be successful in business from those who are succeeding.

“A Crazy Evening with Barry Moltz,” from 5 to 7:30 p.m. on Oct. 7, kicks off the series. The presentation is at the Newell House Grotto, 201 E. Main St. in Carbondale.

“We are very excited to launch the entrepreneurship speaker series. Being able to have our regional business owners network and learn from others who have walked in the same shoes is just another way for us to cultivate the entrepreneurial spirit in Southern Illinois. Our first speaker, Barry Moltz, will be a fantastic kick-off for the series. Barry is a high-energy, no-nonsense entrepreneur and will kick things off with a keynote tapping into his latest book, ‘BAM! Bust a Myth Delivering Customer Service in a Self-Service World.’ If there is one topic that is a common theme for ALL businesses, it is the importance of customer service,” said Emily Carter, director of entrepreneurship and business development at SIUC.

As an expert on entrepreneurship, Moltz has numerous television and radio appearances to his credit. He is also author or co-author of three books about business: “You Need to be a Little Crazy: The Truth About Starting and Growing Your Business,” “Bounce, Failure, Resiliency and the Confidence to Achieve Your Next Great Success,” and “BAM! Delivering Customer Service in a Self-Service World.” Printed multiple times and in several languages, his books have found a worldwide audience. Topics include the emotional trials of running a business, developing business confidence, and how customer service positively impacts marketing.

With many years of entrepreneurship experience acquired through his own business ventures and as a consultant for numerous other entrepreneurs, Moltz specializes in getting business owners to unlock their forgotten potential and help their businesses grow. His audiences range from crowds of 20 to 2,000 and he’s a member of the University of Illinois Chicago’s Chicago Area Entrepreneurship Hall of Fame.

He hosts his own radio show, “Business Insanity Talk Radio” and writes regular blogs for the “Chicago Tribune’s ChicagoNow” and Crain’s “Chicago Enterprise City.” Moltz also founded an angel investor group and angel fund and is a former advisory board member for the Angel Capital Education Foundation.

The $30 per person admission cost includes a reception, Moltz’s presentation, a copy of the book and the opportunity to have him sign it.

Seating is limited and registration required by Oct. 5. Call 618/453-3805 to sign up.

Students can compete in 'Idea 2 Product' contest

The Saluki Times
By Christi Mathis 09/20/2010

CARBONDALE, Ill. -- Southern Illinois University Carbondale is hosting an I2P competition for the first time, offering contestants who bring their Idea 2 Product (I2P) the opportunity to vie for cash prizes.

I2P, which originated at the University of Texas at Austin in 2001, has evolved into an annual worldwide competition with segments all over the U.S. as well as Asia and Europe. The goal is encouraging students to think -- to conceive the idea for a potentially successful technology-based product, service or business.

Contestants in the SIUC I2P Competition must be SIUC undergraduate or graduate students. The three-round competition is open to individuals or teams of up to four people.

This isn’t a business plan competition. Rather, contestants initially submit a two-page paper outlining details of the product, its purpose, the potential market and intellectual property issues regarding the product. The I2P report focuses on products and services in their very early stages, before they are ready for a business plan. This means the contest is relevant to students from all areas of SIUC.

The deadline to submit entries for the first round of the competition is Oct. 22. Based upon written submissions, a panel of judges will select semi-finalists with notification no later than Oct. 29. Those chosen to advance to Round 2 will have until Nov. 18 to complete and submit a five-page technology commercialization plan and can also include mock-ups, prototypes or other visual aides in their submission.

Entries will get feedback by Nov. 29 in preparation for the third and final round set for Dec. 6. The final round involves 10-minute PowerPoint presentations followed by a 15-minute session answering questions from the panel of judges.

Cash prizes totaling $2,000 are up for grabs. In addition, participants can then take their proposals to other similar competitions and acquire support if accepted. In addition, the SIUC contest offers the opportunity to compete for space in the future at the planned SIUC Student Innovation Incubator.

For more information about the I2P Competition, including the complete rules, look online at http://www.innovation.siu.edu/ or e-mail jenni@siu.edu.

The SIUC event sponsors include the Center for Innovation, the College of Business, the Small Business Incubator, the Technology Transfer Office, the Southern Illinois Research Park, the Office of Research Development and Administration and the School of Medicine.

SIUC offers resources to businesses

Southern Business Journal
By Christi Mathis, For The Southern thesouthern.com | Posted: Sunday, September 19, 2010

CARBONDALE - The Illinois Small Business Development Center at Southern Illinois University Carbondale offers a number of free resources for small businesses.

In coming weeks there are five sessions of the popular two-hour informational "Starting a Business in Illinois" workshop. Participants will learn the basic requirements essential when creating a successful business including legal structure, start-up requirements, finding financing and planning business basics.

The workshop is free. Participants have the option of purchasing a start-up kit for $15. The kit includes a jump drive with an electronic copy of a business start-up checklist, copies of the workshop presentation slides, a packet with financing questions and answers, a sample business plan, federal and state tax identification number applications and much more.

The schedule for "Starting a Business in Illinois" workshops includes:

l 1 to 3 p.m. Oct. 5, Dunn-Richmond Economic Devel-opment Center, Room 150, 150 E. Pleasant Hill Road, Carbondale.

l 10 a.m. to noon Oct. 27, Marion Man-Tra-Con building, 3000 W. DeYoung St., 800B. The Marion Chamber of Commerce and Marion Man-Tra-Con are co-sponsors for this session.

l 6 to 8 p.m. Nov. 10, Murphysboro Township Board Room at 1410 Walnut St., Murphysboro. SCORE and the Murphysboro Chamber of Commerce are co-sponsors.

In partnership with the John A. Logan Procurement Center, the SIUC Illinois Small Business Development Center will offer two sessions of "Intro to Government Contracting." The workshops will cover the basic requirements for businesses seeking state and federal contracts as well as local requirements and the various certifications business owners may apply for based upon their location, ethnicity and gender. The workshop is free and sessions are set as follows:

l 3-4 p.m. Oct. 5, Dunn-Richmond Economic Development Center, Room 150, 150 E. Pleasant Hill Road, Carbondale.

"Finding Financing" is a free seminar providing details about obtaining financing for a small business. Participants will receive in-depth information about the possible financing options currently available. The workshop will be Dec. 9 from 3 to 5 p.m. at Dunn-Richmond Economic Development Center, Room 150, 150 E. Pleasant Hill Road, Carbondale.

Pre-registration is necessary to attend any of these workshops. For more information, or to register, call 618-536-2424 or e-mail sbdc@siu.edu.

Christi Mathis is a staff writer for University Communications at SIUC.

DIABLA looks to improve medicine

By Codell Rodriguez, The Southern, thesouthern.com, Posted: Sunday, September 12, 2010

CARBONDALE - Drugs react differently for different people and an invention out of SIUC determines how the medi-cines work.

Luke Tolley, associate professor of chemistry and biochemistry, is the co-creator of Dynamic Isoelectric Anisotropy Binding Ligand Assay (DIABLA). The process uses high voltage to separate the proteins from each other in a capillary. Tolley said researchers look to see which proteins attach to the drug mole-cules.

Tolley will talk about DIABLA at the SIUC Technology and Innovation Expo Friday, Oct. 8, in the Dunn-Richmond Economic Development Building. Tolley said he will talk about recent data being researched through DIABLA, including a study on aminoanthracene, a common compound that can be found in cigarette smoke, damaging the pancreas of lab rats and leading to diabetes.

He said the process will also be used with re-searchers out of Norway working on cancer stem cells. He said they have drugs that can kill the cancerous cells but they don't know how they work.

"It's hard to make a compound more effective if you don't know how it works," Tolley said.

Tolley created DIABLA about four years ago with fellow chemistry and biochemistry professor, Matthew McCarroll. He said DIABLA is important because drugs do not act the same for everyone and some drugs have positive results but how they reach that result is a mystery.

"We've been using Ty-lenol for 50 years and we still don't know how it works," Tolley said.

He said an example of drugs working differently is BiDill, a drug for congestive heart failure that only works with African American patients. Another is Gleevec, a cancer fighting drug that will not work if certain mutations are present. Tolley said DIABLA could identify such variations and make it to where a patient would not have to go through taking a medicine that isn't going to work for them.

"It wouldn't solve every problem with drugs but it certainly could help in many applications," Tol-ley said.

He said he has set up a company to use DIABLA commercially but being a full-time professor the process is rather slow. Tolley said he is looking forward to speaking at the expo because people should know exactly what SIUC researchers are capable of.

"We really do some great stuff here," Tolley said.

codell.rodriguez@thesouthern.com

618-351-5804

Entry deadline nears for Innovate Illinois contest

The Saluki Times
August 26, 2010
By Christi Mathis 08/26/2010 09:54:40

CARBONDALE, Ill. -- The statewide 2010 Innovate Illinois competition, offering $80,000 in prizes, is open to new and prospective businesses and Southern Illinois University Carbondale is the downstate host for the contest.

This marks the sixth year for the challenge, created to recognize high-growth Illinois businesses offering or planning to offer an innovative service or product. More than 100 businesses compete each year in one of the contest’s two divisions, with a top prize of $30,000 cash for the winners of each division and $10,000 prizes for each runner-up.

The early stage category is for companies with an idea for an innovative product, service or process that could have a lasting economic impact. The late stage category is for new companies that have recently created or implemented an innovative process, service or process that is already showing an economic impact in the state.

“The Innovate Illinois challenge allows our clients and successful Southern Illinois companies to compete head to head with companies from all over the state, demonstrating their intelligence and innovativeness,” said Robyn Laur Russell, director of business development and international trade. She noted that in 2008, client Clipius Technologies Inc., a Carbondale company led by former SIUC mechanical engineering professor Ajay Mahajan, brought home the $10,000 state runner-up prize in the early stage business category.

Now is the time to enter for 2010, as the entry deadline is Sept. 10. You can only submit applications for the competition online at www.innovateillinois.org.

From the total pool of southern region applications submitted, the top eight entrants from each category will get notification on Oct. 1 that they will advance to the Southern Area Competition Oct. 12 in Carbondale. Eight early stage companies will make presentations in the morning and eight late stage companies will make afternoon presentations. Two winners from each semi-final category advance to the state competition.

Central and northern Illinois semi-finals will be Oct. 20 and Oct. 27, respectively. The six early stage and six late stage competition finalists will go to Chicago Dec. 16 where they’ll make seven-minute presentations before a judging panel representing entrepreneurship and investment organizations.

Since the challenge’s inception, 33 statewide winners have claimed $530,000 in cash and prizes while generating more than 500 new jobs, securing $20 million in financing and, in 2008 alone, generated in excess of $50 million in new revenues. The competitions produce winners in more way than one, Russell said. In addition to having the chance of winning cash prizes, the competitors all get to showcase their innovations for potential investors, mentors and customers and this could spark accelerated business growth.

The Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity and the Chicagoland Entrepreneurial Center, an affiliate of the Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce, are the joint administrators for the Innovate Illinois Program.

For more information or assistance with the Innovate Illinois online application, contact Russell at 618/453-3805 or visit www.growsi.com. You can also learn more on the state website at www.innovateillinois.org.

Southern Illinois University Carbondale and School of Medicine holding steady on technology transfer activities

The Southern Illinois University Carbondale Technology Transfer Program recently announced fiscal year 2010 patent and licensing activity statistics for SIUC and the SIU School of Medicine.

Twenty-nine new inventions were disclosed, six new licenses or options executed, 15 US patent applications filed, and two patents were issued by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.

"Our technology transfer activity is holding up very well in view of the tough economic times. A particularly important indicator of success is that two of our licensees are start up companies based on University research located here in Carbondale," Senior Technology Transfer Specialist Jeff Myers said. "Our licensing activity for inventions from previous years is also showing good results."

SIUC is increasingly active in the field of technology transfer and commercialization. Over the past decade, SIU Carbondale and School of Medicine have disclosed 217 inventions, issued 54 licenses/options, filed 113 patent applications with a resulting 39 issued patents, and received more than $3.8 million in royalties.

The SIU Carbondale Technology Transfer Program helps University inventors with inventions and intellectual property resulting from University research. The program conducts invention assessment, files patent applications, and develops strategies to market and license technologies to existing businesses and start up companies.

For more information, visit http://techtransfer.siuc.edu, or go directly to the Tech Transfer Stats Page.

SIUC to host ‘Invention to Venture’ workshop

The Saluki Times
July 30, 2010
By Christi Mathis 07/30/2010 14:41:54

CARBONDALE, Ill. -- Could your idea for a new product, service or business be a commercial success and if so, how do you make it happen?

That’s what participants can find out at a fall workshop at Southern Illinois University Carbondale. “Welcome to Invention to Venture: Southern Illinois University” is set for 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Oct. 7 at the Dunn-Richmond Economic Development Center, 150 E. Pleasant Hill Road in Carbondale.

The focus of the workshop is on moving great ideas toward commercialization. While the target audience is university and community college students, anyone with an interest is welcome to attend. Workshop presentations will cover a variety of topics including securing venture capital, marketing, intellectual property, business plans and much more. Experts from throughout the region will provide important information about invention entrepreneurship.

The registration fee includes a participant guide, lunch, a continental breakfast and all workshop presentations. The fee schedule is:

• $5 -- Saluki CEO Corps members.

• $10 -- all other students.

• $15 -- faculty/staff (from any university/college).

• $20 -- all other community members.

The event is a cooperative effort from the SIUC College of Business and its Center for Innovation, Saluki CEO Corps, the Small Business Incubator Program, Southern Illinois Research Park and the National Collegiate Inventors and Innovators Alliance (NCIIA). To register, or for more information about the workshop, visit the website at www.invention2venture.org/soillinois/. Or, you can learn more by calling the Center for Innovation, at 618/453-7788.

Technology Transfer and Economic Development at SIUC in the news

Tech transfer keeps innovation flowing
By Codell Rodriguez, Southern Business Journal, July 18, 2010

With Southern Illinois University Carbondale being a research university, innovations are made and the Technology Transfer Program is there to ensure those innovations are successful.

The program helps identify potential successes at the university and help make them successful by acquiring patents and marketing inventions to industries.

“We’ve always felt one of the key aspects of research is to get it out there into the public, to utilize it and do some good,” said Jeff Myers, senior technology transfer specialist.

One of the professors making use of the program is Luke Tolley, associate professor of chemistry and biochemistry. He developed the DIABLA method with fellow associate professor Matt McCarroll. Tolley said the method helps understand how drugs and molecules work in the human body.

Proteins and drugs are placed in a small tube. Drugs are hit with a laser and look for slow-spinning drug molecules to know which proteins react with which drugs.

Tolley said the process could help design better drugs and reduce the amount of side effects. He said he has enjoyed working with the program.

"I'm very excited to have the opportunity to bring my product to the market," Tolley said. "It's been a very good experience."

Getting the university's research out on the forefront is something SIUC Chancellor Rita Cheng has shown great interest in. Her husband, Tom, who has a background in business, said he would volunteer time to help in any way to boost the success of the program. He said he is still exploring his options for getting involved and helping out.

Myers said the program can help the university's name recognition by getting quality-inventions on the market and can also help the region in ways such as producing startup businesses.

"We think it's going to make a difference for the region's economic development," Myers said.

Read the full article with photos on Southern Business Journal.

Visit the related websites:
SIUC Technology Transfer
Dr. Tolley's Homepage
Dr. Tolley's technology available for license

News out of Southern Illinois Research Park

Georgia firm brings office, jobs to research park

The Saluki Times, June 25, 2010, by Christi Mathis

CARBONDALE, Ill. -- At a time when many companies are protecting the bottom line through layoffs or overseas outsourcing, a Georgia technology services business has brought a new office and new jobs to the Southern Illinois University Carbondale campus.

Liaison Technologies, whose chief operating officer is an SIUC alumnus, is the newest tenant at the Southern Illinois Research Park. The company, which opened earlier this month in the Dunn-Richmond Economic Development Center, has hired seven employees and plans to employ at least three more in the coming weeks. Company officials are hopeful that heading into 2011, they’ll have about 15 local employees and increase its Southern Illinois workforce to about 25 by 2012.

As Liaison considered expansion, the options included overseas outsourcing of highly skilled technology positions or expanding existing metropolitan office locations. But Larry Mieldezis, Liaison Technologies COO, said he had another idea, a plan involving his alma mater.

“We decided instead of going offshore to other countries with these jobs, we would try a different approach, staying onshore and finding a partner in Illinois to keep these jobs in the U.S.,” Mieldezis said. He said the concept involved finding a rural location near a good university producing quality graduates in the field of information technology.

Because of the lower cost of living in such communities, companies can offer competitive wages and benefits to employees more economically than they could in metropolitan areas. He noted that keeping the jobs stateside avoids common problems associated with outsourcing jobs overseas, including language and cultural barriers, regulatory compliance and security requirements, political uncertainties and time zone differences.

“In fact, it’s proven that for every one resource we hire in the United States, we would have to hire 1.5 in India or China. We’ve found an avenue that is cost-effective and it keeps jobs here at home in the states rather than overseas,” said Mieldezis, a Marion native. “When I graduated with a bachelor’s degree in computer science in 1986 from SIUC, I would have liked to have stayed in the area but I had to move away to really utilize my degree, first to New York and then to Seattle and finally to Georgia. But I’ve maintained a relationship with SIUC and the computer science department over the years.

“The information technology talent is so strong at SIUC, we really wanted to come here. I believe there’s an opportunity to offer people a really good career and a comfortable lifestyle here in Southern Illinois,” Mieldezis added. “I would have loved to have stayed in Southern Illinois but couldn’t. I think Liaison’s rural sourcing strategy is a great thing for the University and the community. I have a strong loyalty to SIUC and there is a lot of talent here. We were looking for an investment where the company itself and the employees can benefit for the long term.”

Liaison provides integration and data management services on a global basis. Serving businesses and organizations in more than 35 countries, the company offers a wide variety of business-to-business and enterprise application integration and data transformation services. Essentially, Mieldezis said the company utilizes specialized technology in combination with highly skilled integration and data management specialists to connect companies with their business community and trading partners. Liaison’s hosted technology leverages the Internet and links companies with their suppliers as well as business partners to ensure that all are speaking the same e-commerce technological language.

For instance, a manufacturing company deals with distributors as well as suppliers. There are all sorts of documents involved in order to carry out various transactions, including orders, invoices and shipping notices. Mieldezis said Liaison is “a software-as-a-service (SaaS) network that facilitates and guarantees the delivery of that data and transforms it into the appropriate forms.”

The company began in 2000, initially working with the pulp and paper industry. Since then, it has evolved into an international information technology company serving many different industries including pharmaceutical, distribution and financial services, along with an array of manufacturing markets. Headquartered in Alpharetta, Ga., north of Atlanta, Liaison employs about 180 people at locations that include London, Amsterdam, Helsinki and Tampere, Finland. The Technology Association of Georgia, a leading non-profit technology organization, this spring named Liaison one of the “Top 40 Most Innovative Technology Companies” in Georgia.

“We welcome Liaison to Southern Illinois and to SIUC. This is an excellent example of an alternative to offshore outsourcing and we’re excited to be a part of it, especially when it involves jobs for talented young University graduates. Liaison’s COO is a Saluki and when they were exploring the idea of locating near a university, he thought of his alma mater and I don’t think we’ve disappointed him with our response to his idea,” said Kyle Harfst, executive director of the Southern Illinois Research Park and director of technology and enterprise development for SIUC.

Mieldezis said as Liaison continues to grow, it looks for ways to offer more value to customers, to build in additional intelligence and offer the best possible combination of technology delivery and integrated managed services. One popular new concept getting attention is “cloud-based” integration services through which Liaison customers subscribe to and are able to utilize the latest technology software and solutions without having to purchase them at considerable cost.

Mieldezis is confident that the firm’s implementation of rural sourcing will also be good for Liaison, its customers and its employees.

“We are happy we’ve been able to expand onshore where there’s a good University producing students with a quality education and strong work ethnic,” he said. “We are an established company and we are profitable but we have benefited from the connections with SIUC’s Small Business Incubator and Kyle Harfst. It’s been valuable to get help with the facilities and infrastructure in close proximity to the University. Our employees in Carbondale are an extension of our workforce around the world. Through the use of Internet and technology, we all work as a single, virtual network.”

Mieldezis said the employees at the Southern Illinois office provide very technical IT support around the world as well as software and platform development and IT outsourcing for client companies. In making the initial hires, Liaison has worked with various academic units at SIUC including the Department of Computer Science and the School of Information Systems and Applied Technologies. Information about job opportunities is also on the company website, www.liaison.com.

Ultimately, Mieldezis said the goal is to achieve such success at SIUC that Liaison moves from the Small Business Incubator to larger headquarters in the region and the SIUC office becomes Liaison’s model for onshore-based rural sourcing.

Visit the Southern Illinois Research Park website.

Event to match businesses, lenders

http://www.thesouthern.com/business/local/article_8d664e3c-6ba8-11df-a069-001cc4c002e0.html

CARBONDALE-A lender and business matchmaking event will aim to provide small business owners access to capital. "Meet The Lenders," is co-sponsored by the Small Business Administration and the Illinois Small Business Development Center at Southern Illinois University Carbondale.

The event will be held from 9 a.m. to noon June 16 at Holiday Inn Conference Center in Carbondale. The event is free to attend and seeks to aid small business owners or potential small business owners learn about the different types of commercial loan opportunities in Southern Illinois.

Emily Carter, director of entrepreneurship and business development at SIUC, said the participants will learn about the many programs, loans and funding options available to small businesses. Carter said the event will allow participants the opportunity to speak directly with commercial loan officers. She said it's a great opportunity for small business owners who are in the start-up phase of their business to make a connection to lenders.

"A lot people in the community may be in the start up phase of their business," she said. "We hope it will provide direct access to lenders and the opportunity to build a relationship with lenders."

Carter said organizers hope to draw more than 150 participants, but seating is limited and interested parties are asked to RSVP to the Illinois Small Business Development Center.

Small businesses will meet one-on-one with loan officers from participating Small Business Administration lenders. Interested participants are encouraged to bring their business plan to discuss their business loan proposal with lenders.

Valerie Ross, branch manager with the Springfield SBA, said the Small Business Administration will discuss how loan program funding through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act allows the organization to help small businesses in need. She said funding through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act has allowed the SBA to further reduce the risk to lenders by guaran-teeing a higher percentage of loans. She said the additional funding allows them to guarantee 90 percent of a small business loan and allows the SBA to waive the one time guarantee fee for small business owners.

Ross said participants will also learn about small business loan programs available through federal, state and community agencies.

She said organizers are encouraging anyone interested to attend because the event will provide critical information about capital.

"Access to capital, that's what it's all about," Ross said. "We encourage business owners to come out. There's no fee, it's one morning of their time and they should take advantage of this opportunity.

stephen.rickerl@thesouthen.com

618-351-5823

IP Marketing Advisor Discusses "Operation Bootstrap"

SIU combines tech fair with entrepreneurship training in "Operation Bootstrap"

Many universities sponsor showcases to give inventors the opportunity to present their technologies to potential investors and partners. A growing number also sponsor courses on entrepreneurism to prepare would-be start-up leaders for the real world. Southern Illinois University-Carbondale has taken an approach that combines both strategies. Its most recent innovation showcase was preceded by a 12-week course, many sessions taught by alumni and others who have achieved entrepreneurial success. The structure of the course was based on FastTrac TechVenture, a program developed by the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation.

“About two years ago one of our offices of economic development’s entrepreneurship committee got funding for entrepreneurial training for low- to moderate-income folks,” recalls Kyle Harfst, PhD, MBA, executive director of the Southern Illinois Research Park and director of technology & enterprise development at SIU Carbondale. The new program, dubbed Operation Bootstrap, followed the Kauffman model, and though it was limited by income requirements it “piqued some interest” in the university community.

The Kauffman program, explains Lynn Andersen, MBA, director of business and research in SIU’s Office of Economics and Regional Development, is designed specifically for the type of group she and Harfst had in mind — university-based scientists. Kauffman offers training and certification to allow others to offer its training. Individuals who achieve certification are then eligible to purchase the curriculum and facilitate their own program. The cost of the course, she says, ranges from $1,200 to $1,500 per participant. A detailed article on the program appears in the May 2010 issue of Intellectual Property Marketing Advisor. For subscription information, CLICK HERE.

Entrepreneurship Training: Operation Bootstrap begins June 19

Operation Bootstrap adds orientation sessions

The Saluki Times
April 27, 2010
By Christi Mathis 04/27/2010


CARBONDALE, Ill. -- If owning your own business sounds appealing, the entrepreneurship team from Southern Illinois University Carbondale could be just what you need to make that dream come true.

Operation Bootstrap, the entrepreneurship program serving 16 Southern Illinois counties, is so popular in 2010 that the University’s entrepreneurship team is adding several new orientation sessions to the schedule. That assures that everyone considering signing up for the next session of the training program this summer can find out all about it and how they could qualify for free training and for grant funding.

The SIUC Office of Economic and Regional Development’s Entrepreneurship and Business Development Unit pairs with the Delta Regional Authority to offer “Operation Bootstrap: Seeding Southern Illinois Start-ups” to unemployed or underemployed low- and moderate-income people. Each of the new May informational sessions includes a 30-minute presentation giving an overview of Operation Bootstrap. Those attending may also ask questions and if they want to pursue the training opportunity, they can complete a program application and interview.

The next session of Operation Bootstrap begins June 19 in Du Quoin with graduation set for Aug. 18. The 12-session training program provides participants with the skills they need to begin and sustain their own business. And, those successfully completing the whole program and creating business plans can compete for up to 15 seed capital grants of up to $3,000 each.

The program is open to those living in Alexander, Pulaski, Massac, Pope, Johnson, Hardin, Union, Jackson, Williamson, Randolph, Perry, Franklin, Hamilton, White, Gallatin and Saline counties. The first three rounds of Operation Bootstrap produced 102 graduates and interest is so strong this year, organizers have scheduled four new orientation overviews preceding the summer training program.

Here’s the schedule for the additional orientation sessions:

• Tuesday, May 4, 2:30-3:30 p.m., Du Quoin City Hall, 302 E Poplar St.

• Thursday, May 6, 9-10 a.m., Dunn-Richmond Economic Development Center, 150 E. Pleasant Hill Road, Carbondale.

• Tuesday, May 11, 10-11 a.m., Franklin Hospital Conference Room, 201 Bailey Lane, Benton.

• Thursday, May 13, noon-1 p.m., Du Quoin City Hall, 302 E. Poplar Street. Participants can enjoy a free box lunch during this session only but must RSVP to 618/453-2070 no later than May 11 if planning to attend.

For more information about the Operation Bootstrap program or orientation sessions, contact the SIUC Office of Economic and Regional Development at 618/453-2070 or e-mail startbiz@siu.edu, or visit the website at www.operationbootstrap.biz.

Aquarists to hold first meeting in Carbondale Wednesday

The Southern: http://www.thesouthern.com/news/local/article_12b67fec-5152-11df-8225-001cc4c002e0.html

BY TIM CROSBY, For The Southern | Posted: Monday, April 26, 2010 11:37 am

CARBONDALE - Fishery experts at Southern Illinois University Carbondale are forming an outreach group aimed at assisting and encouraging fish businesses and hobbyists.

The Southern Illinois Aquarists Association will hold its first meeting at 5 p.m. Wednesday, April 28, in the John C. Guyon Auditorium at Morris Library. The event, which is free and open to the public, will feature guest speaker Kevin Kohen, director of marine aquaculture at liveaquaria.com.

James Garvey, director of the Fisheries & Illinois Aquaculture Center at SIUC, said the organization's initial focus would involve the ornamental fish industry, which procures, breeds, distributes and sells fish commonly found in aquariums.

"A typical ornamental fish is a gold fish," Garvey said. "We're talking about fish that are a little bit harder to take care of or breed in captivity, but that have a distinctive price advantage to produce."

An example of such a fish -- a discus fish -- inhabits an aquarium in Garvey's office. The fish, a flat, circular fish with colorful markings, was produced at Rocky Mountain Discus in southern Indiana. Garvey said such fish sell for $40 to $70 each, depending on their breed.

Garvey said businesses that supply ornamental fish hold strong economic promise, if owners are well trained and responsible.

"We want to promote the industry but at the same time educate consumers about the way in which fish like these are procured," Garvey said. "We want to promote wise conservation and make it possible for hobbyists to consider that when the make their purchases."

In too many cases currently, some fish suppliers capture ornamental fish in the wild, depleting populations. The SIAA will work with suppliers to promote responsible procurement and breeding methods, while helping hobbyists understand the entire system and make informed choices. They also want to educate hobbyists about the consequences of re-releasing ornamental varieties in local waterways, where their presence could damage the ecosystem.

"Right now, the aquarist hobby is huge and it seems to be growing," Garvey said. "We look at promoting it because it's a gateway to getting people more interested in general fishery issues, such as fish farming, which we want to promote. We want to help people reconnect with the wild and look at fishing as an interactive hobby."

Another big potential business the association will support involves cultivating live coral, which brings a pretty penny on the hobbyist market, as well, Garvey said.

Brian Small, associate professor of animal science, food and nutrition at SIUC, a fish endocrinologist, also will be heavily involved in the association and will serve as valuable resource on captive breeding methods, Garvey said.

The association also will work with existing local fish farmers and those who are interested in starting a fish farm, providing information and expert support, Garvey said. He also hopes the association will provide outreach for students who want to someday help

‘Operation Mousetrap’ is all about innovation

http://news.siuc.edu/news/April10/040810cjm10103.html

CARBONDALE, Ill. -- Operation Mousetrap isn’t about finding a better way to capture a furry rodent; rather, it focuses on ways to help commercialize the research and innovation technologies developed by Southern Illinois University Carbondale faculty and staff.

The inaugural sessions of the entrepreneurial technology transfer program draw to a close this week with nine special presentations highlighting a small fraction of the technology, research and innovation that exists at SIUC. Participants will demonstrate their projects, offering PowerPoint presentations and discussing their business plans while honing their “pitches” for funding.
Media Advisory

Reporters, photographers and camera crews are welcome to cover the Operation Mousetrap entrepreneurial technology transfer program presentations set for Friday, April 9, in Room 241 at the Dunn-Richmond Economic Development Center. Presentations begin at 12:30 p.m. with graduation set for 2:30 p.m. John Koropchak, vice chancellor for research and graduate dean, will present certificates of achievement to participants completing the program.

Since early 2010, participants have been meeting each week to hear a variety of experts discuss topics of interest. They’ve learned about testing their innovations and business concepts, exploring entrepreneurship, identifying funding and working with investors, protecting their business and intellectual property, planning for financial success and much more. Curt Jones, founder and CEO of Dippin’ Dots and an alumus of SIUC, spoke about defining a target market. Jack Goecken, founder of MCI, addressed entering and capturing the market. Participants also heard about testing their business concepts from Curtis Baird, chairman of the board of the School Center in Carbondale.

“In addition to the weekly training and speakers, participants have been meeting with their business coaches to further develop their business plans and investor pitches. This one-on-one assistance gives each faculty or staff member the opportunity to focus on the stage of business development that is most important and applicable to them at this time,” said Kyle Harfst, director of technology and enterprise development at SIUC.

Harfst and Maryon King, director of the College of Business Center for Innovation and associate professor of marketing, both served as business coaches for Operation Mousetrap participants. Operation Mousetrap uses FastTrac TechVenture, an entrepreneurship and business program provided by the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation. The foundation fosters entrepreneurship through such programs all over the U.S., giving people the tools they need to develop or hone their skills to better utilize and market technology.

Essentially, the program works with technology and life science researchers and developers in bringing their innovations from the concept stage to the marketplace. There is an emphasis on intellectual property and some of those participating in the current program are already seeking patents for their work. The participants received scholarships, valued at about $1,500, to be part of the program.

Harfst’s desire to establish an entrepreneurship program for faculty and staff researchers and scientists at the University led Lynn Andersen Lindberg, director of business innovation and research, to approach Mark Petrilli. Petrilli, state director of the Illinois Small Business Development Center, was enthusiastic about the concept and provided partial funding for the inaugural session, according to Andersen Lindberg. The University’s Technology Transfer staff helped identify faculty and staff who had technologies that were ready to take the next step toward commercialization and they received invitations to the program.

Partnering to provide the SIUC program are the College of Business Center for Innovation, Illinois Small Business Development Center, Small Business Incubator Program and the Southern Illinois Research Park.

Operation Mousetrap participants successfully completing the intensive 12 sessions will get certificates of achievement on Friday, April 9, from John Koropchak, vice chancellor for research and graduate dean. The graduates are eligible for three months of free rent at the Dunn-Richmond Economic Development Center through the Small Business Incubator Program and can also apply for $5,000 to $10,000 in challenge grant funds from the Southern Illinois Entrepreneurship Center.

The ultimate goal of the program is increasing the number of technology-based companies emerging from SIUC research and locating in Southern Illinois, Andersen Lindberg said.

“The program has been so successful that plans are already under way for the second Operation Mousetrap program, set to begin in August,” said Andersen Lindberg. “In addition, the program staff will continue to work with this first group of participants to assist them in the next phases of their entrepreneurial tech transfer activities. We’ll be offering them business coaching, follow-up workshops and seminars throughout the year.”

Participants in the inaugural Operation Mousetrap include:

• Ken Anderson, professor, geology.

• Bakul Dave, associate professor, chemistry and biochemistry.

• Peter Fadde, associate professor, curriculum and instruction.

• Thad Heckman, assistant instructor, architecture school.

• Yuqing Hou, assistant scientist, graduate school.

• David Lightfoot, professor, plant, soil and agricultural systems.

• Sebastian Loh, assistant professor, curriculum and instruction.

• Luke Tolley, associate professor, chemistry and biochemistry.

• Tom Upton, associate professor, Rehabilitation Institute.

"Operation Bootstrap" Orientation Saturday

http://www.duquoin.com/news/x998213411/-Operation-Bootstrap-Orientation-Saturday

Carbondale, Ill. -

Round four of the popular and successful Operation Bootstrap, a training program from the Southern Illinois University Carbondale entrepreneurship team, is kicking off soon.

The program is open to aspiring and new business owners in the southern 16 counties of Illinois. Already 102 graduates from the first three classes are reaping the benefits of the business-training program. The SIUC Office of Economic and Regional Development’s Entrepreneurship and Business Development Unit and the Delta Regional Authority provide the training for “Operation Bootstrap: Seeding Southern Illinois Start-ups” to unemployed or underemployed low- and moderate-income residents in the Illinois Delta counties.

A new class session will begin in June. However, all who are interested in the intensive, 12-session program must attend an orientation session, which provides information about how the program works and all of the requirements.

Here’s the schedule for the orientation sessions:

• Saturday, April 10, 1-2 p.m., Du Quoin City Hall, 302 E. Poplar St.

• Tuesday, April 13, 4:30-5:30 p.m., SIUC Dunn-Richmond Economic Development Center, 150 E. Pleasant Hill Road, Carbondale.

• Wednesday, April 21, 2:30-3:30 p.m., SIUC Dunn-Richmond Economic Development Center, 150 E. Pleasant Hill Road, Carbondale. The Illinois Small Business Development Center is sponsoring a free workshop, “Finding Financing,” that will immediately follow this training session and participants are welcome to attend.

“SIU is so proud to be able to offer this training again. Our successes tell the Operation Bootstrap story best. Take a look at our Web site, www.operationbootstrap.biz, and see the results. These new business owners are hard working, inspired and determined to make a living for themselves and make a difference in Southern Illinois. With very little start-up costs, these entrepreneurs are bootstrapping their way into successful business ventures,” said Robyn Laur Russell, director of business development and international trade at SIUC.

It gives them all of the tools to help them start their own business or formalize a business they already have. The program is beneficial to entrepreneurs of all kinds, whether they are starting a small downtown business or planning a high-growth, global operation. There’s no cost to participate.

And, in addition to gaining vital information and assistance, graduates of the program are also eligible to compete for monies to help them start their new businesses. Those completing the program and developing individual business plans will vie for competitive grant awards of up $3,000. As many as 15 participants could earn funds to help them launch their businesses and create new jobs in Southern Illinois.

Operation Bootstrap 4 kicks off June 19 with an intensive “blast class” incorporating the first four sessions. Classes continue the next eight weeks running from 3-6 p.m. each Wednesday. The class meets at the Man-Tra-Con Family Opportunity Center in Du Quoin.

For more information about Operation Bootstrap or the SIUC Office of Economic and Regional Development, call 618/453-2070 or e-mail startbiz@siu.edu.

FutureGen and Economics

Note: This post was meant for the SIUC Energy Tech Blog, but I'll leave it here in case anyone's linking to it.

Recent news: Peabody Energy Acquires Equity Interest in Calera Corporation

The Calera Corporation Technology captures emissions from coal- or gas-fired fuel plants and converts them into green building materials. Another byproduct is fresh water.

FutureGen is seemingly becoming more of a reality as more companies join the roster and more research funding is pumped into the related technologies.

What will the impact be on our region if FutureGen is implemented? In case you missed it, Dr. Ira Altman from SIUC Department of Agribusiness Economics wrote a report entitled

FutureGen: The Economic Impacts of Clean Coal for Illinois

Ira Altman, PhD
Assistant Professor
Department of Agribusiness Economics
College of Agricultural Sciences
Southern Illinois University-Carbondale
June 2007
Link to the full report (pdf).

Table of Contents:

Table of Contents
Summary 3
Introduction 4
Study Area Description 4
Results and Analysis 10
Economic Impacts of Facility Operations – Statewide 11
Economic Impacts of Construction – Statewide 11
Economic Impacts of Facility Operations – Two County Model 12
Appendix A Input-Output Analysis and IMPLAN 14
Appendix B Output Impact- Two County Model 16
Appendix C Output Impact State Model- Facility Operation 23
Appendix D Output Impact State Model- Facility Construction 30

Summary:

This research concludes that the economic impact of locating a coal gasification and carbon sequestration project in either Coles County or Douglas County would result in significant positive economic activity for the state of Illinois and the local economy.

Impact results are calculated using the IMPLAN Professional Version 2.0® for two models: a state level model and a two county model. Report highlights include the following impacts from the operation of a coal gasification facility:

---A $135 million increase in statewide economic output from facility operation
---A $34 million increase in statewide labor income from facility operation
---A $91 million increase in statewide value added from facility operation
---An $11 million increase in tax revenue from facility operation
---An increase of 510 jobs in Illinois from facility operation
---A $258 million increase in statewide economic output from construction
---A $116 million increase in statewide labor income from construction
---An increase of 2,525 jobs in Illinois from construction
---A $85 million increase in local economic output
---A $19.98 million increase in income for local labor
---A $59 million increase in local value added
---A $8.1 million increase in taxes and
---An increase of 360 new jobs to the local area.

Dr. Altman is interested in doing additional research more focused on the impact of Illinois coal from FutureGen.

SIUC team wins fourth in global innovation contest

Saluki Times, March 31, 2010
By Tim Crosby

CARBONDALE, Ill -- A team of Southern Illinois University Carbondale researchers, students and entrepreneurs brought home a top prize in a national technology innovation contest.

The team won fourth place at the Global Venture Challenge 2010, a contest based at Oak Ridge National Laboratory. The SIUC team was one of just 22 finalists from five countries competing for cash prizes at the contest, aimed at finding innovative ideas from graduate students to address the world’s needs for energy and security.

The team pitched the so-called “nanoscopic electronic nose,” a device in which tiny nano-scale wires stand in for the biological smell detector cells present in a mammal’s nose. Because of their tiny size and chemical reactivity, nanowires can detect extremely small concentrations of chemicals in the parts-per-billion range. Sensors based on this technology also are extremely stable and power efficient.

When assembled in arrays of sensors and coordinated by software, such sensors can form a sort of electronic nose that can send detailed information about the environment. Applications might include very small, power-efficient sensors that can send doctors real-time information about a patient’s blood glucose level, for example, or lead to improved radio frequency identification tags -- often used in the retail sales industry, but with many other potential applications -- that can sniff the air for explosives or other chemicals.

The team presenting the device included Andrei Kolmakov, assistant professor in the Department of Physics; Victor Sysoev, a former visiting Fulbright Scholar from Saratov State Technical University in Russia; physics doctoral student Evgheni Stlecov; Renee Favreau, a senior in marketing; Jenni Janssen, assistant director of the SIUC Center for Innovation; Gina Montgomery, a senior in industrial design; and Maryon King, associate professor of marketing. Read More...

Technology and Innovation Expo in One Week

Want to attend SIU's Technology and Innovation Expo - Spring 2010 in Edwardsville on Tuesday, March 30? Email techtran@siu.edu now. Event details at http://techtransfer.siuc.edu/tie/s10/.

SIU To Present System Technology & Innovation Expo March 30

http://www.prweb.com/releases/technology_innovation/expo_biochemistry/prweb3597054.htm

The Southern Illinois University system, which for decades has provided a fertile environment for the development of major technologies, will showcase current research and inventions March 30 when the system presents the Technology and Innovation Expo on the SIU Edwardsville campus.

Edwardsville, Ill. (Vocus/PRWEB ) February 12, 2010 -- The Southern Illinois University system, which for decades has provided a fertile environment for the development of major technologies, will showcase current research and inventions March 30 when the system presents the Technology and Innovation Expo on the SIU Edwardsville campus.

Faculty inventors in the fields of biochemistry, engineering, medicine and pharmacy from SIU Carbondale, SIU Edwardsville and the SIU School of Medicine in Springfield will combine forces to showcase the latest research under way on the three campuses. The Expo also will focus on opportunities for potential partners to help make this cutting-edge research a commercial reality.

The Expo is scheduled from 9:30 a.m.-5 p.m. that Tuesday in SIUE’s Morris University Center. The event will feature presentations by SIU faculty inventors who have technology to license. The event promises to bring together academics, entrepreneurs and business people to increase awareness of available technologies that can lead to new products and innovations in a networking environment.

“American universities have carried much of the responsibility for technology transfer from the laboratory to the commercialization of ideas and inventions," said SIU President Glenn Poshard. “The SIU system is proud to have played a major role in this endeavor over many years.

“The SIU Technology and Innovation Expo allows the campuses to display our efforts in this process,” he said.

Faculty inventors will present throughout the day, including SIU School of Medicine's William Halford, PhD, who will talk about the latest progress of his work in herpes vaccine. Inventors from SIU Carbondale will reveal the latest research in biofuels and advanced materials startup companies that have resulted from university research.

SIU Edwardsville’s featured inventions range from new drugs for treatment of Alzheimer's to magnetic refrigeration, a promising energy technology.

Keynote talks will be given by successful industry collaborators James Bashkin, chemistry director/co-founder of NanoVir, and Matt Kulig, serial entrepreneur and currently COO for Aisle411.com

Also featured at the Expo in the afternoon will be a panel of experts discussing “Ideas to Markets: Successful Technology Commercialization.” Panel members from industry, university administration, inventors and investors will provide insight into the technology commercialization process.

Throughout the day exhibits and poster presentations by speakers, SIU faculty, students, and event sponsors will be on display in the common areas. The event will include lunch and a catered reception for attendees. Registration is required and tickets are $25 per person.

Event information—including the Expo agenda, speakers, sponsorship opportunities and registration—is available online: http://techtransfer.siuc.edu/tie/s10, or by calling (618) 650-2166.

Sponsors for the event include Ameren Economic Development, Husch Blackwell Sanders LLP, Madison County Community Development, St. Louis Regional Chamber and Growth Association, the Madison-Bond Workforce Investment Board and Leadership Council Southwestern Illinois.

The event is being organized by the SIUC Technology Transfer Program, the SIU School of Medicine, the SIUE Graduate School, the SIUE Southwestern Entrepreneurship Center and SIUE’s University Park, a research park on the campus.

Southern Illinois University Carbondale:
Founded in 1869 as a small teachers college, SIU Carbondale is a student-centered, comprehensive research university offering more than 200 majors, minors and specializations. SIUC is a Carnegie II doctoral/research-extensive (the highest category) institution offering more than 60 master’s and 30 doctoral programs. The National Science Foundation ranks SIUC 101st among public universities in the United States for total research and development expenditures, and 142nd among all universities in the country—placing the University among the top 4 percent of U.S. higher education institutions for research.

Southern Illinois University School of Medicine:
The mission of the SIU School of Medicine is to assist the people of Central and Southern Illinois in meeting their health care needs through education, patient care, research and service to the community. The School of Medicine trains caring and competent physicians, while developing new models for providing health care in rural areas. Our medical research provides the engine for continued growth in biomedical related economic development and clinical care. Our 220-plus full-time faculty physicians, who practice as SIU HealthCare, offer primary care and a variety of specialized services, many not available elsewhere in downstate Illinois.

Southern Illinois University Edwardsville:
SIU Edwardsville boasts a unique academic portfolio offering undergraduate and graduate degrees in the arts and sciences, nursing, education, business and engineering as well as professional degrees in dental medicine and pharmacy. In fiscal year 2009, SIUE faculty and staff received more than $29 million in grants and contracts for research, teaching and service initiatives. For the fifth consecutive year, U.S.News & World Report has heralded SIUE for its Senior Assignment Program, and lists SIUE among the top 15 public Master’s universities in the Midwest and in the top one-third of all public and private Midwestern universities. Also, in its 2010 Best College edition, U.S. News included SIUE as one of 77 “up and coming” schools in the nation, specifically referring to SIUE as “firmly focused on improving the job they’re doing today.”

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SIUC Technology Advances to the Semi-Final Rounds of Global Venture Challenge 2010

The Center for Innovation is excited to announce that Dr. Andrei Kolmakov's Nanoscopic Electronic Nose technology advanced to the semi-finals round in Global Venture Challenge 2010.

C4I has been spearheading efforts to advance select SIUC technologies via participation in new venture competitions, with support from the SIUC Tech Dev team members. The extra focus the competitions bring to the technologies can lead to additional research and commercial opportunities.

For the next step of the Challenge, teams are required to complete a 5-page commercialization plan for submission by March 8th. First place winners will be awarded $25,000.

Read more about Dr. Kolmakov's technology on the SIUC Technology Transfer website or in this summary (PDF).

Economic Espionage Seminar

FBI Special Agent Shevlin gave a very informative and eye-opening seminar yesterday in Carbondale about economic espionage. In case you were not able to attend, you can read more about the topic in this "2008 Annual Report to Congress on Foreign Economic Collection and Industrial Espionage."

Understanding this topic will be integral to the continued expansion of university technology commercialization efforts.

Here's some additional information from this white paper by Xerox about the cost in billions of economic espionage.

What is the cost of economic espionage? Fortune 1000 companies reported losing proprietary information and intellectual property valued at between $53 and $59 billion dollars during the period beginning July 1, 2000 and ending June 30, 2001. This finding was based on a survey entitled Trends in Proprietary Information Loss, sponsored by the American Society of Industrial Security Foundation (ASIS), PricewaterhouseCoopers and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. FBI Director Robert S. Mueller III claims an even higher number—as much as $200 billion—is lost annually to economic espionage.

If you would like more information on this topic or if you want to talk to SA Shevlin about any behavior or activities you've observed that may be suspect, you can contact him at:

3423 Office Park Drive
Marion IL 62959
Tel: 618 997 6847

Upcoming Events

Please follow the links below for PDF files with more information.


Spring and Summer 2010 Start-Up Workshop Schedule (pdf), courtesy of the Illinois Small Business Development Center

Meeting Business Needs Workshop (pdf) on Unemployment Insurance Claims/protest issues and value-added programs and services available to business owners, Feb 2

Excellence in Illinois: Creating Value and Results in Turbulent Times, March 8-9

Don't forget about the Seminar on Economic Espionage and Theft of Trade Secrets coming up Jan 28.