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DECEMBER 2007 |
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The Latest News
Pitch Dingman
Competition - Now win up to $2,500 in awards - The Dingman Center held its
first $2,500 Pitch Dingman competition on Friday,
November 30. The Pitch Dingman Competition
is held the last Friday of every month and students
compete for up to $2,500 for their business. Alumni
judges select the best pitches and audience members
choose their favorite pitch for a $250 "People's Choice Award."
Check out who won in
November's Competition!
Dingman Portfolio
Company featured in the news this week -
Watch Cherry Kwunyeun talk about
Blumpari,
her handbag company, on December 6 at 7:30 p.m.,
December 9 at 7:30 a.m. or December 10 at 4:30 a.m.
on Channel 22 for D.C. Metro and Channel 67 for
Baltimore.
Dingman Center Featured
in BusinessWeek - BusinessWeek featured
an
article on
businesses run by undergraduates that prominently
profiled the Smith Store. An accompanying slideshow
included a photo of Smith Store student directors.
Dingman Center's Capital
Access Network gains national attention -
The Capital Access Network program is gaining
national attention at universities across the
country. Through her involvement with the National
Council of Entrepreneurship Tech Transfer, Melissa
Carrier was a panelist on a 4-session webinar series
called "Leveraging Alumni Investors to Bridge the
Funding Gap". The purpose of this series was to help
universities create and run their own alumni angel
group. The workshops provided a comprehensive
overview of university angel groups and dealt with
creating and managing angel networks, generating
deal flow, conducting due diligence and addressing
legal risks.
Dingman Center EIR
appointed to Braintech, Inc. Board of Directors
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Braintech, Inc., a
vancouver-based public company founded in 1994 that
designs, develops and deploys software for
Vision-Guided Robotics (VGR) Systems, appointed Tien
Wong, a Dingman Center EIR, to its Board of
Directors. Five out of the six board members are
based in the D.C. metro area.
Melissa Carrier was
featured in Smith Newslink Inside
- Read the December issue of
Inside
to learn about
Melissa Carrier's new role.
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Also Inside This
Issue...
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Pitch Dingman News
Alumni judges divide $2,500 award
between three undergraduate student businesses.
Audience members select winner for $250 People’s
Choice Award.
The Dingman Center for Entrepreneurship at the
University of Maryland’s Robert H. Smith School of
Business held its first $2,500 Pitch Dingman
competition on Friday, November 30, 2007. A panel of
alumni guest judges awarded $1,000 each to Stephen
Steinberg for his all natural odor killing spray
business and Henry Zhou for his magnet-based home
lock system. Sam Balto’s student photography
business focused on capturing fan photos at
university sporting events won $500. Audience
members awarded an additional $250 “people’s choice”
award to Stephen Steinberg for his business pitch.
The Pitch Dingman Competition is a monthly
contest open to all members of the University of
Maryland community – including students, faculty and
staff – that is designed to promote entrepreneurship
and the launch of new businesses. The format allows
for a five-minute presentation of a business idea
followed by three minutes of questions and feedback.
Judges for this month’s competition included
University of Maryland alumni Chad M. Gillenwater,
CEO of SPL Integrated Solutions, Mitchell E.
Gorochow, a managing director with RSM McGladrey,
Inc., and Brian Taff, a Dingman Center board member.
Stephen Steinberg’s product, Vapor Fresh,
is an all-natural sanitizing and deodorizing spray
for sports equipment. Steinberg will use the
Competition proceeds and people’s choice award to
test market demand for Vapor Fresh.
Beginning first quarter 2008, Steinberg will place
his product at select stores. Steinberg is an
undeclared sophomore.
Henry Zhou’s product, magnetic cipher locks,
will introduce a new type of lock to home security
systems. The lock includes a magnet that only opens
with a corresponding magnetic key that cannot be
duplicated. Zhou is a senior majoring in
cell biology and molecular
genetics.
Sam Balto’s business, TerpShots, is a
student photography company that captures photos of
fans during University of Maryland sporting events.
TerpShots marketed its work at two games this
fall and will use the award to expand and further
develop the business. Balto is a senior
communications major.
The Pitch Dingman Competition is held monthly at the
Dingman Center for Entrepreneurship at the
University of Maryland’s Robert H. Smith School of
Business during the academic calendar year. Also
during the academic year, working sessions
(non-competitive sessions) are held each Friday from
11am to 12 pm to assist entrepreneurs in preparing
their pitches and to offer feedback and advice once
competitors’ businesses are up and running. For more
information about the Pitch Dingman Competition, the
Pitch Dingman work sessions, and to register as a
participant, email
PitchDingman@rhsmith.umd.edu. |
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Portfolio
Company Updates
Hook & Ladder Brewing Company, a Dingman Center
portfolio company, reached a new level of success in
November. The Wall Street Journal featured an
article on Hook & Ladder Brewing Company. The
company’s commitment of giving back to local burn
centers and firefighter burn foundations has
highlighted the company as unique and
forward-thinking. The company looks forward to
continuing growth and recognition for its mission of
developing a company with strong ties to the
community. Read a copy of the story
online!
'Tis the season for shopping and what better gift
to give during the holiday season than North Star
Game's Wits & Wagers or Cluzzle?
North Star Games is
a board game company that was incubated in the
Dingman Center. Over the past three years, the
Dingman Center has provided assistance in the form
of advice, business contacts and a small equity
investment. Their latest award-winning party game,
Wits & Wagers, is stocked at all 1,550 Target
locations. Shop at
Target today!
Homslice LLC, a parent company of On the Fly and
a Dingman Center portfolio company,
was created in early 2007 by three individuals who
saw a void that needed to be filled in their
Hometown: fresh, local food options that can be
found on the street, in the metro or even in the
gym. As a result, On the Fly was launched in
partnership with the Washington, D.C. Government,
Global Electric Motorcars (GEM) and local food
providers.
On the Fly's
zero-emission SmartKarts will be placed in strategic
locations throughout Washington, D.C. and will offer
hot and cold fare around a central culinary theme,
as well as snacks and beverages like hummus, pita
chips, teas and fruit drinks.
On the Fly was featured in
NBC Video,
NBC Online,
Washington Business Journal
and
Washington Post. To
learn more about Homeslice LLC and On the Fly,
please visit their
Web site.
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Social Venture
Highlights
In celebration and in recognition of a successful
year-and-half relationship, serial entrepreneur and
founder of Grassroots.org Michael Mann, along with
his wife Lynn, hosted 13 MBA Dingman Social Venture
Consultants for a dinner reception at his home in
Bethesda on November 28 where students presented
their projects to Dingman staff and Grassroots board
members. This is the third semester where MBAs have
used their strategic business skills to consults for
non-profits who are members of Grassroots.org.
This semester's projects range from the building
of a database for a development corporation in
Chicago to primary research and a marketing plan for
a technology-based education consulting program in
the Washington area. Thanks to Michael Mann's
generosity, for the first time this semester
students can apply for funding to augment their
consulting experience, including visits to their
client, attending a conference or simply buying
relevant literature.
If you're interested in gaining real world
consulting experience and want to give back to the
community at the same time, contact
Melissa Carrier.
For more photos of the event, please click
here.
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CAN Companies
Dyscern, founded in
2002 by Jennifer Canty who is a Smith Alum,
specializes in the recovery and resale of PDAs, MP3
Players and Apple products. The result is an
unprecedented value that the company can pass on to
its customers. Dyscern is one of Dingman Center's
CAN Companies and was featured in three news stories
over the past few weeks, including the CBS News on
November 23,
WJLA-ABC 7 News on
November 25 and the
CBS News on
November 27.
MAX Endoscopy, a developer of medical devices used in
gastrointestinal endoscopy and related
specialties, presented during the CAN breakfast on
November 7. As a result, two private investors of
the CAN network have made a total investment of $75K
in the company. Additionally, the company has
completed its desired fund raising for this round.
With its final breakfast of 2007 on December 12, investors in the
Capital Access Network will have reviewed ten
companies this fall. These Maryland, Virginia and
Washington, D.C. start-ups represent a wide range of
industries. Additional information on each
presenting company follows.
Cagic
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Cagic, a wholly-owned
subsidiary of
Dyscern, is focused on new products in the digital
picture frame marketplace with unique technology based on simple interfaces.
Inspire
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Inspire provides HIPPA compliant online health
communities for patients, their families and
caregivers. Using Inspire's platform,
disease-specific communities have a safe places for
members to find and support one another, share
stories, and share as much or as little personal
information as they wish.
ContentNow
- ContentNow provides reseller services to
online subscription content providers, such as Napster and
Rhapsody, by arranging timely and relevant ad placement on
partner merchant websites.
Idalis Software
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Idalis Software offers a suite of data management
tools including the Anti-Spammer System, ViDentity,
BrowserSafe. The Anti-Spammer System provides a
globally connected URL or point-of-contact filter
and signature based “bot” tracking and blocking
system that provides spam filtering of 99.9%.
IntelliGov - Intelligov
delivers a web-based software suite that automates many of
the city and county functions required to provide services to
citizens.
It allows city and county governments to measure,
track and manage the delivery of their services.
MAX Endoscopy
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MAX Endoscopy develops medical devices used in
gastrointestinal endoscopy and related
specialties. One product currently in development
has applications in the treatment of hemorrhoids;
assists a physician in performing a colonoscopy.
MDLogix
- Enterprise-level
software products and services from MDLogix help
health research institutions automate and integrate
complex health research and clinical care processes.
Founded in 1997, MDLogix combines industry expertise
with technology to provide tailored solutions to its
clients.
Snikiddy Snacks
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Founded in late 2006, Snikiddy Snacks provides a
variety of simple, organic healthy snacks. The
products are distributed through a variety of
channels including natural/specialty stores,
traditional grocery, mass/club distribution, and
schools/food service programs.
SwipePay Mobile
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SwipePay Mobile is mobile application and middleware
platform provider focusing on the largest cost
component of the prepaid reload component. Its
product is targeted towards mobile operators,
publishers/aggregators, and mobile subscribers.
Zymetis -
Zymetis has developed enzyme technologies
that will enable the commercial production of cellulosic
ethanol. These enzymes will be used to improve the production of biofuels.
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Upcoming
Dingman Center Events
Tuesday, December 11, 11:45 a.m.- 2:00 p.m.
Betsy and Walter Stern Conference Center Hudson Institute
1015 15th Street, N.W., 6th Floor, Washington, D.C.
20005
Chad Moutray, chief economist for the
Small Business Administration Office of Advocacy,
will discuss his new paper, "Educational Attainment
and Other Characteristics of the Self-Employed." He
will present evidence that education is a strong
predicator of self-employment and discuss the
importance of other characteristics: wealth,
military experience, age, marital status, race and
Internet Usage.
Bruce Phillips, senior fellow in
Regulatory Studies at the NFIB Research Foundation
will comment.
Diana Furchtgott-Roth, Director of
Hudson’s Center for Employment Policy, will
moderate.
This event is free and open to the public. Lunch
will be served.
11:45 a.m.
Registration and Buffet Lunch
12:00 p.m.
Presenter: Chad Moutray, Small Business
Administration
Discussant: Bruce Phillips, National Federation
of Independent Business Research Foundation
2:00 p.m.
Adjournment
To RSVP (acceptances only) or to request information,
please contact Hudson Institute at 202.974.6451 or e-mail
Andrew Brown at
Abrown@hudson.org.
Hudson’s Center for Employment Policy is grateful
to the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation for the support
of this program.
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Partner
Events
$50K Business
Plan Competition Mixer and Information Session will be held on Friday, December 7
from 12:00-1:00 p.m. at 1107 Jeong H. Kim
Engineering Building. Meet potential teammates,
share ideas and get started launching your own company
for a chance to win a share of $50,000 in prizes!
Register
for
the mixer today!
The Global Social Venture Competition (GSVC) is
seeking promising social entrepreneurs to enter the
2008 competition. If you are an entrepreneur with a
financially sustainable venture that addresses a
social or environmental problem, we encourage you to
apply. Winning plans in the past have ranged from
global health to microfinance, from cleantech to
education, from fair trade to community development,
from business concepts to operating companies, and
have included for-profit and non-profit models.
The Dingman Center will sponsor teams that make
it to the finals in Berkeley, California. For more
information please contact
Jen Howell
or visit
www.gsvc.org.
The 2007 SBIR Conference, "From Awareness to Awards
and Commercialization," will be held on Tuesday,
December 18 at the Inn and Conference Center of the
University of Maryland University College in
Adelphi, Maryland. The event will kick-off on
Monday, December 17 with pre-conference sessions and
a networking reception.
The SBIR Conference has two general session panel
discussions, three repeat panel sessions, a dynamic
exhibit floor with a special SBIR Winner Poster
Session and more, including Opening Remarks by Edsel
Brown, assistant director, Office of Technology,
U.S. Small Business Administration.
For more information, please visit TEDCO at
www.marylandtedco.org.
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Fall 2007 Calendar
These catered luncheons are open to all University
of Maryland students. Successful entrepreneurs will
talk about their experiences and answer questions from
the audience.
Friday, December 7, Scott Nash, president and
founder of My Organic Market
12:00 - 2:00 p.m.
1511
VMH
Similar to the Pitch Dingman reviews. Business
ideas found viable will find further support in the
Dingman Center and will also be awarded with a prize
of up to $2,500.
Friday, December 14
11:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
Room TBD
Students are invited to pitch their ideas to the
Dingman Center every Friday between 11:00 a.m. and 1:00
p.m. Each student will have 5-10 minutes to give an
overview of their business idea and Dingman Center staff/EIRs
will provide immediate feedback. Business ideas found
viable will find further support in the Dingman Center.
Every Friday
11:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.
3570 VMH
The CAN Breakfasts are by invitation only to angel
investors who are qualified investors in the CAN network.
Investors will have an opportunity to hear a 10 minute
presentation from approximately four start-up entrepreneurs
who are seeking funding for their business. For more
information on the CAN Program and to participate, contact
Melissa Carrier.
Wednesday, December 12
9:30 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.
2505 VMH
Students and faculty are invited to hear start-up
companies present to our Entrepreneurs-in-Residence
and Dingman staff as they prepare for Capital Access
Network angel investor presentations. Listen to feedback
by our experts, give some advice of your own, and learn
about some of the new businesses being started today.
It's a great experience for everyone!
Wednesday, January 9
9:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.
The Mentor Program is an innovative consulting service
for entrepreneurs and small-medium businesses that assists
companies in identifying solutions to business problems
with the support of experienced, senior management professionals.
Every Tuesday
8:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m.
3570 VMH
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Dingman Center
Programs
Got a business idea? Want free advice from seasoned
entrepreneurs? Join us every Friday from 11:00-1:00
p.m. to pitch your business in five minutes, no appointment
necessary. Your next opportunity to win up to $2,500 at the
Pitch Dingman Competition is on December 14 at 11:00
a.m. Please note that registration
is required for the Pitch Dingman Competition dates.
For more information, e-mail
PitchDingman@rhsmith.umd.edu.
In partnership with tech councils, incubators, and
state-funded institutions, the Capital Access Network
(CAN) enables entrepreneurs of start-up companies in
Maryland, Washington DC, Virginia, and Delaware to connect
with active, accredited angel investors. The purpose
of (CAN) is to provide open
and efficient access to early-stage capital for entrepreneurs
in the DC Metro area. This year's sponsors are: Morrison
& Foerster LLP, Deloitte, Silicon Valley Bank, and Emerging
Technology Centers. To apply for potential exposure
to capital and investor coaching, email
Melissa Carrier.
If you are interested in attending presentations by
entrepreneurs and hearing feedback from Dingman's Entrepreneurs-in-Residence,
attend the next CAN Review Day(student audience only please).
The Mentor Program at the Dingman Center is an innovative consulting service for entrepreneurs
and small-medium businesses that assists companies in
identifying solutions to business problems with the
support of experienced, senior management professionals.
Office hours are every Tuesday from 8:00 a.m. - 11:00
a.m. Contact
Melissa Carrier
for an appointment, to set up a session, or for more
details. Additionally, consultative services will be
available for select companies looking for longer-term
support from mentors at $250/hour payable to the Dingman
Center.
Check out the latest MD student business,
Feed the Turtle. This
business offers
an interactive database including menus, phone numbers,
addresses and hours of operation of the restaurants
and bars in College Park at
www.FeedTheTurtle.com.
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Feed
the Turtle
Hungry? Look no further than this new student business
at
www.feedtheturtle.com.
FeedTheTurtle.com was started in the Fall of 2007
by three students at the University of Maryland. Jimmy
Lyons, Sarah Kornides and Clinton Masterson grew tired
of always ordering food from the same restaurants. They
searched everywhere for menus and phone numbers, but
realized that this was an extremely frustrating experience.
After endlessly brainstorming a solution to this problem,
an interactive database including menus, phone numbers,
addresses, and hours of operation of ALL the
restaurants and bars in College Park, was born.
Although it took hard work, business negotiations
and extensive research, Jimmy, Sarah and Clint knew
that their all-inclusive online menu guide would greatly
benefit the students, faculty and residents of College
Park.
Their Web site includes all the menus for College
Park, some ridiculous food specials and nightly entertainment
information.
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Buy Your Smith-Branded Merchandise at the Smith
Store
 Your
VIP visitors and departmental guest speakers should
leave Smith with an elegant Smith-branded gift as a
thank you for their visit, and The Smith Store is THE
place to go for these items. The Smith Store has been
working hard to develop a selection of high-quality
merchandise that will be appreciated, displayed and
used back in your visitor's home or office. With two
weeks notice, the "sky is the limit" in terms of item
selection. If you are short on time the Smith Store
has in stock.
There are a few great products in stock now, ranging
in price. The Smith Store has newly designed T-shirts,
sweatshirts, hats, coffee mugs, coffee thermoses, wine
openers and many more items to come. Always available
from The Smith Store is the Smith polo shirt, available
for $25.00, or brown leather money clip wallets for
$15.00.
Questions? Contact Tarak Dave at
tarakd@umd.edu.
The Smith Store is located in 3570-U, in the Dingman
Center for Entrepreneurship. The hours of the Smith
Store vary and appointments are always available to
meet your needs.
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The Dingman Center for
Entrepreneurship
Founded by Rudy Lamone in 1986, the Dingman Center
was one of the first of its kind in the country and
has emerged as a top-ranked entrepreneurship center.
Thanks to initial funding with a generous grant from
Michael D. Dingman, founder of the Signal Corporation
(now part of Honeywell International), the Dingman Center
continues to grow as a regional and national catalyst
in the field of entrepreneurship. The Center is now
aggressively evolving, and in some areas, is expanding
its services to further its role as a leader in the
student, regional, and academic entrepreneurial communities.
The Dingman Center is currently led by:
Asher Epstein, Managing Director
Melissa Carrier, Director of Venture
Investments and Social Entrepreneurship and
Acting Director, Office of Career
Management
Mr. John LaPides, Chairman of the Board and Entrepreneur-In-Residence
Please visit our Web site at
http://www.rhsmith.umd.edu/dingman.
Past Newsletters:
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November, 2007
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October, 2007
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September, 2007
- August, 2007
- July, 2007
- June, 2007
- May, 2007
- April,
2007
- March, 2007
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February, 2007
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January, 2007
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December, 2006
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November, 2006
-
October, 2006
-
September,
2006
-
August, 2006
-
July, 2006
-
June, 2006
-
May, 2006
-
April, 2006
-
March, 2006
-
February, 2006
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January, 2006
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