Startup America Looks to Washington
J.D. Harrison, Portfolio.com

If you ask Startup America Chairman Steve Case what Washington can do to increase entrepreneurship to a level that will refuel the economy and reignite job growth, he has no shortage of ideas. For starters, Case believes the federal government must rethink immigration policies, tear down barriers that keep companies from going public, and increase available seed funding. Read more...

Re-generation: The Next Wave of Entrepreneurship is in Sustainability
Adam Hurwitz, Clean Technica

Our nation’s economic success has always been based on our technological superiority coupled with an entrepreneurial spirit: In the 1940′s, it was our superior infrastructure and distribution capabilities. In the 60′s and 70′s, we had an explosion of scientific revolutions through the “space race.” And in the late 80′s and 90′s, the technological revolution turned into the internet revolution...

In 2011, there is no longer a debate regarding the five key issues of sustainability: energy supply and demand, petro-politics, climate change, energy poverty, and biodiversity loss... Read more...

Larta Institute’s life-sciences network consists of over 700 early stage companies, growing at 125+ companies a year, and it actively shares funding opportunities with its members. We have established a close working relationship with The Michael J. Fox Foundation (MJFF) and we’d like to highlight a new funding opportunity of theirs.

This past month, MJFF announced the launch of its Repositioning Drugs for PD 2012 program. The program follows a successful 2011 during which the Foundation funded nine awards totaling $3.4 million repositioning existing drugs that could benefit Parkinson’s disease patients.

The program seeks projects that will test drugs that are either already FDA-approved or that have been proven safe in a clinical trial for a certain indication, to determine whether the drug might be efficacious in the treatment of PD. By identifying therapies that are already clinically available, MJFF hopes to reduce the time and cost it takes to bring potential drugs to market. The studies can be pre-clinical or clinical in nature.

Find out more about the 2012 RFA, and upcoming dates, including an October 18 conference call here.

Larta Launches 2011-2012 TATRC-CAP

After a successful pilot program in 2010-2011, Larta is pleased to announce the launch of the 2011-2012 Telemedicine & Advanced Technology Research Center Commercialization Assistance Program (TATRC-CAP) for the U.S. Army. Larta’s two-phase program is designed to assess and assist TATRC-funded technologies transition into the commercial marketplace.

Pfizer Animal Health Joins Larta Agritech Advisory Board

Pfizer Animal Health, a business unit of Pfizer dedicated to transforming the care of animals, including livestock, for a healthier world, has recently joined Larta's Agritech Advisory Board. Larta's Industry Advisory Boards consist of over fifty Fortune 1000 companies, leveraged to benefit participants of Larta's Commercialization Assistance & Global Bridge Programs.

Larta to Host Commercialization Training Workshop for NIH Grantees

The Larta developed and managed 2011-2012 NIH Commercialization Assistance Program (NIH-CAP) will kick-off November 1-2 with a Commercialization Training Workshop (CTW). Open to NIH-CAP enrolled SBIR Phase II companies, the CTW features interactive sessions led by Larta advisors and experts from the legal, investment and industry communities. Over 800 entrepreneurs have attended 16 Larta organized CTWs since 2004.

Larta Speaks on Using Networks to Advance Innovation

Larta joined the World Bank at a seminar on October 20th where they launched a World Bank report evaluating top networked organizations around the world. Larta was one of three organizations invited to discuss their networked approach to accelerating innovation. The objective of the seminar was to raise awareness for the role of supporting innovation through networked-based approaches, including mentoring networks, advisory networks and broker networks.

Our pick of Larta-alumni companies that are making the news and already on their way to making it big!

Microfluidics Firm Micronics Acquired by Sony

Micronics, Inc., 2006-07 Larta NIH-CAP participant and leading developer of near patient in vitro diagnostic products for disease diagnosis, prognosis and treatment monitoring, was acquired by Sony last month. The deal is expected to accelerate the commercialization of Micronics' technologies.

Just one year ago, Micronics also received a $2.6 million Molecular Diagnostic Blood Screening Award from DOD. Looking back on their participation in Larta's Commercialization Assistance Program, the company stated "The results of the CAP program overall, coupled with our ability to leverage aspects of the technologies advanced under the grant for other applications, has had a major impact."

The Virtual Reality Medical Center Raises $5M

The Virtual Reality Medical Center (VRMC), a 3-time Larta NIH-CAP participant from 2005-2008 recently raised $5M from True North Equities. The funds will be used to focus on pain management, treating traumatic brain injury and PTSD. Mark Wiederhold, President of VRMC, said "We were consistently pleased with the quality of instruction and consultation from Larta's program. Because of the excellent guidance of Larta personnel, we have been able to successfully present VRMC to investors."

The company was recognized as "Best in Show" at Larta's 2007 Life Sciences Venture Forum.

Opportunity Green Conference 2011
November 10-11, 2011 - Los Angeles Center Studios, Los Angeles, CA

The 5^th Annual Opportunity Green - the premier sustainable event. The Larta Institute Community receives a special discount of 30% off regular price. When registering ENTER CODE: LARTA2011

Opportunity Green is where today's thought-leaders and innovators at the forefront of sustainable technology, design and business converge. If you are committed to accelerating the growth of profitable and sustainable companies, this is the most important event of the year!

This two-day executive event brings together change-agents from companies such as KPMG, NBC, Patagonia, Deloitte, Google, SAP, Coca-Cola, BMW, Newsweek, JP Morgan Chase, Universal Music Group, Latham & Watkins, P&G, Vans, Conde Nast, Xerox, Sony and more as we gather again in Los Angeles for OG'11.

Contact OG: opportunitygreen.com or call 310.765.2233 for group rates or to sponsor

OCTANe Medical Device & Investor Forum
November 15-16, 2011 - Hyatt Regency Irvine, CA

OCTANe’s Medical Device & Investor Forum is the leading medtech conference in the West. Industry leaders, entrepreneurs, and investors come together in the nation’s most dynamic medical device environment to see the latest technologies and investment trends.

Joshua Makower, M.D., world-renowned doctor, entrepreneur and VC, will keynote the event. He is an M.D. from NYU, MBA from Columbia, Stanford professor, Pfizer executive, venture partner with New Enterprise Associates, CEO and founder of ExploraMed Development, a medical device incubator. Dr. Makower will discuss the changing face of the FDA and its impact on the United State's global leadership position in medical devices.

AIMA - BioMedTech Conference Los Angeles 2011
November 15, 2011 - Skirball Cultural Center, Los Angeles, CA

The American Israeli Medical Association (AIMA) is a networking organization based in Los Angeles. This event will bringing together investors, professional firms, MDs, and academicians to share ideas, build a greater network, and expand their knowledge about the current trends in the biotechnology and medical industry. Mr. Alfred E. Mann, Chairman & CEO of MannKind Corporation, will deliver the keynote speech on "Creating Medical Device Enterprise”. Learn more and register here.

The Globally Networked Approach to Commercializing High-Tech Innovation
November 17, 2011 - Virtual Event (GoToWebinar)

Larta Institute is proud to present a Webinar aimed at entrepreneur support programs and organizations as part of Global Entrepreneurship Week. It will discuss a new approach to building and cultivating networks for the benefit of entrepreneurs in your region.

Globalization has brought great opportunities – and challenges – for entrepreneur support organizations. While conventional wisdom prescribes localized strategies for venture accelerators, the global environment calls for a new strategy and tactics: a “network-centric” approach. Learn more about the Webinar and register here.



Visit our Events Calendar for a list of Larta's partners' events.