Send comments and submissions to James Klein, Larta VOX Editor, at voxeditor@larta.org

PricewaterhouseCoopers Expert Access Series
Combines Larta University’s classroom-style seminars with the advisory expertise of PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC). A set of four high-impact workshops that address finance, audit, tax and accounting topics for technology start-ups. Classes are interactive and structured to present the most important aspects of accounting for growth and start-up companies. Instructors are PwC Partners with extensive experience serving technology companies and who understand the key business and accounting issues that are inherent in the industry. Classes are basic to intermediate level and require no prerequisites and no advanced preparation. CPE credits are available for Accounting and Auditing and/or Taxation.
Locations: Los Angeles and Irvine

August 26: Protecting Trade Secrets from Employees and Contractors
Trade secrets are some of a company's most important assets, but unlike patents, they're often overlooked and not properly protected. Many companies are not even aware that certain lists, techniques, formulas, processes and/or methods are considered trade secrets, which can be legally protected. This session will teach you to identify your trade secrets, take appropriate practical and legal measures to protect those trade secrets, and will discuss why doing so provides a competitive edge and adds value to your company's bottom line.
Location: Downtown Los Angeles

September 17 & 18: Entrepreneurship Series #4: Protecting Your Technology: Intellectual Property Rights
Intellectual property can be the primary asset of a technology company, and strategic management of IP can attract capital and monetize revenue, and impact the long-term results of a company's success. This workshop covers the most crucial legal and business strategies any company should know before exposing its technology to a competitive marketplace, including: copyrighting and trade secrets, working with an independent contractor to develop a product, and licensing.
Locations: Century City and Irvine

September 23: Successful Negotiation Series #2: The Difficult Negotiation
Effective, professional tactics for dealing with real-life difficult negotiation situations, such as "uphill" negotiation where one party has substantially more negotiating power. Structural techniques for successfully dealing with uncertainty in negotiations will also be discussed. The three-hour workshop includes interactive team and individual exercises that help to consolidate new negotiation skills. The instructor is Eric Klein of Shaw Pittman LLP.
Location: Downtown Los Angeles

Larta University's Full Course Schedule >

Top Stories in Hot Technology Sectors

Biotech
First Cloned Horse Created in Italy (WashingtonPost.com)
Scientists Could Copy Prizewinners, Preserve Rare Breeds.

Wireless
WorldCom Settlement Approved By Judge (WashingtonPost.com)
Stock and Bond Holders To Get $750 Million In Civil Fraud Case.

Software
EU to Fine Microsoft for Antitrust Abuses (LAtimes.com)
The European Union intends to fine Microsoft for past antitrust abuses regardless of how the software giant changes its future business practices.

Internet
Judge orders eBay to pay $29.5 million (CNN.com)
A federal judge ordered online auction house eBay to pay $29.5 million to a Virginia inventor who accused the company of stealing his ideas.

Investments
Gulp! Yahoo and Overture Are Only The Beginning (Business 2.0)
The tech industry is poised for a major eat-or-be-eaten phase. Who dines, and who's bait? The answers will reshape the IT landscape -- and dictate much about the future of jobs and investment.

This events calendar is provided as a service by Larta about events vetted and endorsed by Larta.

August 12: 14th Annual Venture Capital Panel
Part of the Los Angeles Venture Association (LAVA) Breakfast Meeting series. Learn about what's changed in the industry and in the venture capitalist's approach to their portfolio companies from a diverse array of panelists from Southern California venture capital funds.

August 12: How the New Tax Law Impacts Technology Companies
A class at the Los Angeles County Community Development Commission's Business Technology Center. The new tax law substantially increases deductible expenses for capital equipment and lowers some tax rates. But look out for creeping tax traps. What you need to know about taxes for your company, your investors and you.

August 14: 2003 Technology Leadership Award
Dr. Wendie Johnston, Director of the LA/Orange County Biotech Center, will be honored with the 2003 Technology Leadership Award at an event hosted by San Gabriel Valley Economic Partnership and Pasadena Entretec.

August 20: Build Your Brand with Public Relations
Brown bag lunch series by LACCDC's Business Technology Center. A public relations campaign is essential for launching new products, creating new markets and establishing the credibility of new technology companies. Successful public relations consultants Michael Goldstein and Robert Sax will discuss strategies and tactics that will put your company on the road to recognition and riches.

August 21: Big eSchmooze
The San Diego Regional Technology Alliance (RTA) presents the fifth annual Big eSchmooze at the San Diego Aerospace Museum. The RTA has partnered with UCSD CONNECT and BIOCOM to make Big eSchmooze 2003 the biggest and most powerful tech and biotech networking event San Diego has ever seen.

August 26: Protecting Trade Secrets from Employees and Contractors
Trade secrets are some of a company's most important assets, but unlike patents, they're often overlooked and not properly protected. This Larta U session will teach you to identify your trade secrets, take appropriate practical and legal measures to protect those trade secrets, and will discuss why doing so provides a competitive edge and adds value to your company's bottom line.

August 26: Venture Physics I – Harnessing Market Forces for High-Tech Venture Growth
The Business Technology Center hosts this program for high-tech companies. Markets adopt advanced technology in a predictable and characteristic manner. This characteristic is the result of powerful economic and market forces governing the adoption of new technology and the sensitivity of buyers to risk and uncertainty. By harnessing these forces, ventures can catapult themselves into new markets with minimum cost and effort.

Larta's Full Events Calendar >

Business Development Associate
Business Development Associate will assist the Business Development Director with sales, new business sourcing, and marketing.

Since 1993, Larta has been the leader in convening technology companies, researchers, and investors. We help our clients access the technology industry through world-class conference and seminar services, research, and consulting.

Companies helped by Larta have raised over $1.5 billion in capital. Larta's conferences and seminars provide insights to thousands of businesspeople each year. Larta's weekly magazine on business innovation is read by 20,000 people.

www.Larta.org

714 W. Olympic Blvd.
Suite 750
Los Angeles, CA 90015
Tel: (213) 744-1314
Fax: (213) 744-1791

Orange County Office
16269 Laguna Canyon Road
Suite 100
Irvine, CA 92618
(949) 789-1110