2010 UTEN Training Week #3

1 Sep 2010

New Paradigms in University-Based Technology Business Incubation

Days 1 and 2: May 25-26, 2010

This UTEN training week focused on university-based technology business incubation. It presented different perspectives and practical overviews of trends in incubation models and key tasks and  responsibilities of incubators and TTOs regarding venture creation, company growth and internationalization. Ms. Laura Kilcrease, managing director of Triton Ventures, founding director of the Austin Technology Incubator and chief architect and consultant for more than 20 years to US and global incubators, kicked off the workshop. She highlighted several global trends in business incubation centered around practical and proactive ways to create ventures from scratch using existing human and capital resources. She discussed how to quickly form companies to take technologies to market.

Mr. Omar Hakim, director of the Research Valley Innovation Center,  an incubator associated with Texas A&M University, former CEO of IP Knowledge Ventures and a long-time global consultant in IP, technology commercialization and international venture creation, presented several complementary globalization and internationalization models. They were considered in conjunction with ways to create competitive advantage through creative and innovative global capital sourcing models and market access across international partnerships.

Ms. Aruni Gunasegaram, manager of operations and finance for the Austin Technology Incubator and former CEO of Babblesoft, discussed tools and methodologies related to more traditional aspects of incubator management, such as due diligence, company selection, community engagement and incubation services. These areas and supporting tools were considered relative to the new paradigm of incubation and current challenges and with particular focus on ways to leverage international partnerships to enhance local assets and succeed within a local context and operating environment. Workshop participants engaged in multiple learning objectives through highly interactive presentations, discussions and exercises, including case studies, live roleplays of international venture creation, individual learning libraries and proposed exercises, as well as group discussions of key topics.

Brief presentations were augmented by group discussions and hands-on assignments focusing on:

• Internationalization and soft-landing
• Incubator formation, growth and sustainability
• Regional context and business incubation
• Company selection and growth: challenges and successes

Learning objectives:

• How do we move beyond the current paradigm of business incubation to launch more high-growth global companies?
• How do we select and service companies for success?
• How do we utilize international partnerships to leverage commercialization resources, capital, research, technology, infrastructure, market access and talent?
• How can we best support portfolio companies to prepare to go global?
• How can we facilitate successful engagements between companies and international partners? landing pads? commercialization partners?
• What is required to foster trust with international partners?
• How can we prepare our companies so that they are able to quickly form partnerships and minimize time-to-market internationally?

During the second day of the workshop, participants formed teams. They underwent live negotiation exercises illustrating the challenges and opportunities associated with company formation and aligning diverse international stakeholders to take a technology to market. Each participant received a role to play and defended or advocated for his or her position. The facilitators challenged each group to reach a deal within a limited period of time. The outcome was very effective and yielded a robust and energetic exchange of ideas and perspectives.

Group 1: Omar Hakim and Laura Kilcrease facilitate a negotiations exercise with workshop participants.

DAY 3: May 27, 2010
Meetings with speakers

UTEN speakers and staff met with workshop participants and UTEN stakeholders from the Minho region to dive deeper into specific initiatives. They discussed ways to collaborate across portfolios to accomplish common objectives. Participants took this opportunity to present and discuss their most promising and challenging opportunities for U.S. on-shoring as well as bi-directional venture creation opportunities. The entrepreneur, innovator and other select stakeholders were also invited to be present when possible. A full schedule of meetings yielded several actionable opportunities. Participants drafted action plans for follow-up.

Group 2: Aruni Ganasegaram and Eli D. Mercer facilitate a negotiations exercise with workshop participants.

UTEN would like to thank the University of Minho and AvePark/SpinPark for hosting this event. We convey our sincere appreciation to all who attended, especially to those who supported the operations and helped to make this event possible.