Venture Capitalists,
mark your calendars for the next
Capital
Access Network Breakfast, February 21 and the
upcoming
Technology Visionary Series, March 7.
The Robert H. Smith School and ExecutiveBiz have
teamed up to present
Surviving and Thriving in the Flat World - China,
India and You! February 28.
Entrepreneurs,
be sure to watch the
Smith Video:
Entrepreneurship Checklist featuring the Dingman
Center's Managing Director, Asher Epstein.
Also,
don't forget to take advantage of our Mentor Program
which resumes regularly throughout the spring
semester starting January 16. Dingman Center staff
and experienced mentors are available every Tuesday
from 8 - 11 a.m.
Alumni,
do you have a business in need of
$15,000? Or
possibly more exposure and some expert mentoring? If
you answered yes, then be sure to
submit your
entry into the Cupid's Cup Business Competition!
Find out
more!
Students,
get your pitches ready for our weekly Pitch Dingman
Review sessions and our next $500 monthly
competition February 9 and March 9. The Dingman Center is having its first annual
Start-Up Night Networking Reception for all MBAs
interested in seeking internships and full time
positions with start-up companies.
Read more about this exciting new event below.
Also, be sure to mark your calendars for the next
Dingman Day Lunch, featuring Allen Andersson
founder of PaperBoy Ventures. This is one speaker
you won't want to miss!
Are you running a
business and balancing being a student? If so, you
should be rewarded! How does
$15,000 sound? You may be eligible to
enter the
2nd Annual Cupid's Cup Business Competition. To
find out more,
read below or contact
Andrea
Galati. If you don't have a business but a great
idea, check out some of the
upcoming business plan competitions from
universities all across the US.
Other interesting
links:
Upcoming Events
Upcoming February Events
Pitch Dingman $500 Competition
— 5 minutes is all it takes to win $500!
Come to the monthly competition, present your
business idea in five minutes to a panel of judges from
the Dingman Center, and you could win
$500!
For
information about the weekly Pitch Dingman sessions
on Fridays or the monthly Pitch Dingman
competitions, e-mail
PitchDingman@rhsmith.umd.edu. Pre-registration is required for the
Pitch Dingman Competition. To register, contact
PitchDingman@rhsmith.umd.edu.
Friday, February 9, 11:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.,
3570 Van Munching Hall
CAN Breakfast
(invitation only)
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. The
next CAN Breakfast will be held February 21.
Entrepreneurship Start-Up Night Networking Reception
The Dingman Center for Entrepreneurship,
in partnership with leading venture
capital firms in the D.C. Metro region,
invite Smith MBA students to experience
Start-Up Night, an alternative to
traditional campus recruiting. At
Start-Up Night on February 27, a panel
of venture capitalist partners and CEOs will provide
rare insight into the types of positions
available at their portfolio companies.
Start-Up Night is designed to provide
entrepreneurial-minded Smith students
with a better understanding of job
descriptions and career possibilities at
early stage companies. In addition,
Start-Up Night provides a unique
opportunity to network with high growth
ventures in the area.
Students should
submit statements of interest and
resumes via Source for a Resume Book to
Laverne Chapman in OCM by February
16th. This Resume Book will be sent
to Start-Up Night firms, as well as
companies that contact the Dingman
Center with an interest in hiring
students. Please register. Refreshments will be served.
Tuesday, February 27,
6:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m., 2517 Van Munching Hall
REGISTER TODAY!
|
Venture
Capital Firms Confirmed |
|
Core Capital
Partners |
Columbia
Capital |
|
Start-Up
Companies Confirmed |
|
Agent Logic |
GlobalPawn |
|
Exponential
Storage |
Hillcrest
Labs |
|
Freewebs |
Tipton
Equity |
|
Geocentric |
XTS, Inc. |
|
More companies to be added!! |
Upcoming March
Events
Dingman Day Lunch featuring Allen Andersson, Founder
of Paperboy Ventures
 Paperboy
Ventures is named after founder, Allen
Andersson's, very first job, a paperboy. His most
recent venture celebrates the importance of
delivering new ideas to people with the
working-class values and determination of a
paperboy. Allen Andersson founded Paperboy Ventures
with a very personal vision that would benefit many:
helping scientists and out-of-the-box thinkers turn
their innovations into commercially successful
businesses that serve a public good.
Paperboy Ventures’ background and experience in
science enables it to find the best ideas that
others may overlook. Paperboy views its portfolio
companies as much more than investments in rarified
invention, bur rather as long-term partnerships to
protect and nurture successful businesses built on a
strong foundation of protected intellectual
property.
Paperboy Ventures is an
intellectual property merchant bank. It seeks out
path-breaking scientific discoveries and unlocks
their value. Paperboy Ventures actively nourishes
its portfolio companies, scientists and
entrepreneurs — all chosen because they share the
same background: innovation, realization,
working-class values.
Contact
Andrea
Galati for more details or
REGISTER TODAY!
Friday, March 2,
12:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m., 1528 Van Munching Hall
Technology Visionary Series — The
Digital Divide (invitation only)
The Tech Visionary panel brings
together researchers and thought
leaders from the University of
Maryland to provide insight to the
venture capital community as to how
to understand technological
developments and what market
opportunities are ripe for
investment over the coming years.
For more information about this
event and to receive an invitation,
contact
Andrea Galati. The next panel
discussion will be held March 7.
Pitch Dingman $500 Competition
— 5 minutes is all it takes to win $500!
Come to the monthly competition, present your
business idea in five minutes to a panel of judges from
the Dingman Center, and you could win
$500!
For
information about the weekly Pitch Dingman sessions
on Fridays or the monthly Pitch Dingman
competitions, e-mail
PitchDingman@rhsmith.umd.edu. Pre-registration is required for the
Pitch Dingman Competition. To register, contact
PitchDingman@rhsmith.umd.edu.
Friday, March 9, 11:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.,
3570 Van Munching Hall
Capital Access
Network Review Day
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!
To Register, click here!!
—
Presentations begin
at 10:00 a.m., 11:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m.
Please arrive promptly for the time slots you wish
to attend.
Friday,
March 9, 10:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m., 1528 Van
Munching Hall
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Event Summaries
Dingman Day Lunch and Open House - February 2
The
Dingman Center hosted its first open house of the
year September 22, 2006, welcoming those interested
to learn more about the Center and the resources it
has to offer. Students, staff, Dingman Scholars and
members of the Maryland Undergraduate Society of
Entrepreneurs mingled over refreshments and
discussed business ideas as well as upcoming events
at the center.
Entrepreneurs in
residence were also on hand to help further
introduce students to the center and assist with
development of business ideas along with Managing
Director, Asher
Epstein, who addressed the crowd
and emphasized that, at the Dingman Center,
“students get access to a great amount of knowledge
with a group of people who want to share it.”
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The Dingman Center Gets a New Look!
On January 25, 2007 the
Dingman Center for Entrepreneurship launched its
newly designed website. The more user-friendly and
interactive site will allow browsers to easily
find all the information they may need about the
Center and its programs and services. Associate
Director, Melissa Carrier, commented that "as
we continue to innovate our programs and services,
it is critical that our web presence keeps pace. Our
constituencies — entrepreneurs, students, faculty,
investors, mentors and partners — need to quickly
find information about the Dingman Center and be
able to refer fellow entrepreneurs to the website.
We are thrilled with the result!"
The
updated website also has a more personal feel with
several quotes and testimonials from alumni,
entrepreneurs and Dingman staff. "The new website
demonstrates the Dingman Center and Smith School's
continuing commitment to providing entrepreneurial
leadership throughout the University of Maryland
community. The emphasis on successful
entrepreneurial students and alumni shows that the
Dingman Center is the place to go to start your
business," reflected Managing Director, Asher
Epstein. The Dingman Center
hopes that the new website is just one of many
improvements to be made during 2007.
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Surviving & Thriving in the Flat World: China,
India and YOU!
Date: Wednesday February 28, 2007, 7:30 - 10
a.m.
Location:
Hilton McLean, Tysons Corner
The Smith School has
teamed up with ExecutiveBiz to present "Thriving &
Surviving in a Flat World: China, India, and You!"
The panel will be moderated by
Howard Frank, dean of the Robert H. Smith School
of Business. The panel will address how
globalization is affecting business locally and ways
that every business leader can thrive in this new
global economy. This is a great opportunity to hear
practical advice and learn from executives
recognized for their impressive business acumen.
Panelists:
-
Tien Wong - CEO, Opus8, Inc.,
Entrepreneur-in-Residence at the Smith School
- Wei-wu He, PhD -
General Partner, Emerging Technology Partners,
Entrepreneur-in-Residence at the Smith School
- Jai Saboo -
Principal, Saboo Business Group
- Amir Hudda -
CEO, Apptix
All members of the
Robert H. Smith School of Business community
(alumni, students, faculty, staff, and partners)
qualify for the promotional discount rate of $55
(vs. $75 for non-members). The Smith School is
devoted to bringing you quality content designed to
give you the tools to succeed. We hope you will join
us for this informative and interactive event. Be
sure to use promotion code
RHS for the
Smith School discount. The event fee includes a full
breakfast.
►Find
out more and register online today!
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2nd Annual
Cupid's Cup Business Competition Call for Entrants!
The
2nd Annual Cupid's Cup Business Competition is looking to give
$22,500
to young entrepreneurs like you!
1st Place wins $15,000
2nd Place wins $7,500
The Dingman
Center for Entrepreneurship is now accepting entries for the
2007 competition.
Cupid's Cup is
an annual
business
competition
showcasing young
entrepreneurs
from the
University of
Maryland. This
competition is
made possible by
one of UMD's most
successful
entrepreneurs,
Kevin Plank, CEO
of Under Armour,
whose generous
donation of
$22,500 is
awarded each
year to the
first and second
place companies.
Eligible
contestants must
be enrolled in
an undergraduate
or graduate
program at the
University of
Maryland. Alumni
of the University of Maryland who earned an undergraduate
or graduate
degree between
May 2004 and
December 2006
are also
eligible for the
competition.
Eligible contestants not only get the chance to
compete for the prize money, but they also get the chance to showcase their unique business
idea to the Maryland community. Finalists will
also be profiled in future monthly newsletters and on the Cupid's
Cup website. All entrants may receive free coaching and mentoring
from the Dingman Center's knowledgeable staff and Entrepreneurs In
Residence.
Visit our
Cupid's Cup Website to learn more about
the competition, or
contact
Andrea Galati
for
additional information.
If you are interested in competing and learning
more about the upcoming competition,
please complete our Intent to Compete
online
registration!
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Smith Video Views:
Entrepreneurship Checklist—
A
Good Idea, Seed Money, Hard Work… and, Oh Yeah, China
When U.S.
entrepreneurs show up at the Smith School’s Dingman
Center for Entrepreneurship for advice, they better
be prepared to think about a nation far from home.
In this Smith Business Video View, the center’s
managing director, Asher Epstein, explains why it’s
risky business for today’s start-ups to ignore China
no matter what industry they’re in.
AUDIO/VIDEO PODCAST
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Buy
Your Smith-Branded Merchandise for Departmental
Speakers and Conferences 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. A few of these items are shown below, and
others are available as well. With two weeks notice,
the "sky is the limit" in terms of item selection.
If you are short on time and only have a few days,
The Smith Store can help you out by providing one of
their items that is in stock.
There are a few great products in
stock this semester, ranging in price. For exasmple, 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 Chris Wu at
cwu38@rhsmith.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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Business Plan Competitions for Undergraduates and
MBAs
The University of Texas at Tyler 2007 New Venture
Business Plan Competition
Participants will compete for
$235,000 in cash prizes. The $200,000 Grand Prize is
designed to foster a drive for excellence in the
competition. Students involved in the competition
will gain access to networks of successful
entrepreneurs, lenders and investors, and have the
opportunity to learn greater team-building and
business planning skills. The contest will also help
student teams gain media exposure for their
entrepreneurial goals.
The $200,000 Grand Prize is larger
than that of most college business plan contests. To
receive the $100,000 Cash Prize, student teams must
be committed to launching their venture. In order to
receive the $100,000 Relocation Prize, the winning
team must relocate the proposed venture to Tyler,
Texas. The judges in all rounds will be acting as
venture capitalists and will analyze the ventures to
determine those which represent the best investment
opportunity. For more information and to fill out
the intent to compete form visit the
competition website!
McGinnis Venture Competition For Graduate
Students
The McGinnis Venture Competition, hosted by Carnegie
Mellon, offers cash prizes and an automatic berth in
Moot Corp®. It's a different kind of competition
because it revolves around emerging industries such
as information technology, biotechnology, robotics,
nanotechnology and telecommunications. Participants
will include teams from the top business schools in
the country. The event will be held in Pittsburgh at
elite venues throughout the city. You can find
details about the McGinnis Venture Competition on
the website. If you are interested in entering a team,
participating as a sponsor, or if you want more
information visit the
competition website,
or feel free to contact us at
djc@andrew.cmu.edu.
MoshPit!
Created by the Greater
Baltimore Technology Council, MoshPit! provides an
opportunity for students from Maryland colleges and
universities to experience every aspect of starting
a business. Student participants learn how to form a
qualified team, write a competitive and realistic
2-5 page business plan, and present their ideas in a
concise and clear format. And of course, there's the
cash prizes. The winning teams will take home
$30,000 in prizes.
MoshPit! Important Dates
• January - February 2007: On Campus Mixers
• Deadline for Ideas: Wednesday, February 28 by 5:00 p.m.
Submit Idea
• Selection of Ideas: March 2
• MoshPit!
BootCamp: Tuesday, March 6 - 5:30 p.m.
-7:30 p.m.
•
The Pit: Wednesday, March 28 - 5:30
p.m. - 8:30 p.m.
Register
• Business Plans Deadline: Wednesday, April
11 - by 5:00 p.m.
•
Finals: Thursday, April 26 - 3:30 p.m.
-6:30 p.m.
**Please note you
are responsible for your own transportation to and
from MoshPit! events**
We would also like to
acknowledge the Emerging Technology Center for their
donation of office space at the ETC at Johns Hopkins
Eastern for one year. Please note: the winner must
meet ETC's insurance requirements. For more
information and to register visit the
competition website.
Wake Forest MBA Elevator
Competition
Hosted by the Wake
Forest University MBA program, this event attracts
pioneering MBA candidates from around the nation's
top programs, creating one of the premier business
plan competitions and a truly unique experience.
Previous competitions
have included MBA teams from Chicago, Columbia,
Duke, Harvard, Hong Kong University,
Illinois-Chicago, Michigan, MIT, Northwestern, Penn
(Wharton), Utah, Wisconsin, and Yale.
The 2007 Wake Forest MBA
Elevator Competition is March 31. Apply to pitch
your business idea to the venture capitalist of your
dreams. To be considered, submit a 4-page
business plan by Feb. 14. Learn more at
www.mba.wfu.edu/elevator .
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Upcoming Partnered Events
Human-Computer Interaction Lab's
24th Annual Symposium
May
31 – June 1, 2007 at the
University of Maryland
Mark
your calendars!
The Human-Computer Interaction Lab's
24th Annual Symposium will take
place May 31 – June 1, 2007 at the
University of Maryland.The Symposium
will be held on May 31
followed by a day of tutorials and
workshops on June 1.
Registration begins in March.
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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,
Associate Director
Mr. John LaPides, Chairman of the
Board and
Entrepreneur In Residence
Dr. Scott Koerwer, Associate Dean,
Professional Programs and Services
Please visit our website at
http://www.rhsmith.umd.edu/dingman.
Past
Newsletters:
-
January,
2007
-
December, 2006
-
November, 2006
-
October, 2006
-
September,
2006
-
August, 2006
-
July, 2006
-
June, 2006
-
May, 2006
-
April, 2006
-
March, 2006
-
February, 2006
-
January, 2006
-
December, 2005
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