Federal Stimulus and Cleantech Infrastructure
By Lee Bruno, Innovation Pipeline

No doubt, cleantech companies were upbeat when the White House stimulus package allocated 13 percent of the total $104 billion stimulus package for green technology. Much of the economic stimulus will flow to cleantech infrastructure, but exactly where will it go?

Cleantech sectors, which were big winners, include smart grid technology with $4.5 billion, energy efficiency for federal buildings with $4.5 billion and wind and solar with $6 billion for new loan guarantees. Read more ...

End the University as We Know It
By Mark C. Taylor, Chairman of The Religion Department at Columbia University
New York Times - Opinion

Graduate education is the Detroit of higher learning. Most graduate programs in American universities produce a product for which there is no market (candidates for teaching positions that do not exist) and develop skills for which there is diminishing demand (research in subfields within subfields and publication in journals read by no one other than a few like-minded colleagues), all at a rapidly rising cost (sometimes well over $100,000 in student loans). Read more ...

Innovators Selected to Present at The 2009 Life Sciences Venture Forum

Last week, a selected group of emerging companies where selected to present at the fifteen annual edition of the Life Sciences Venture Forum. These companies offer innovative approaches in the areas of Biotech, Healthcare IT, Medical Devices, Pharmaceutical, Biotech, and Diagnostics. The quality of these companies’ propositions has already been vetted as many of them are current recipients of the National Institutes of Health SBIR Phase II grants. Universities such as Stanford, Oklahoma and North Carolina State will also present at the Forum.

Full descriptions of these promising technologies will be released later this week on the event’s website; VOX readers get a sneak peek of the topics they cover: (1) tendon/ligament repair, (2) pharmaceutical treatments for Age-Related Macular Degeneration, Diabetic Retinopathy, Ocular Inflammation, Angiogenesis, and systemic diabetes, (3) biologic-based nanoparticle drug delivery, and more.

Complementing the technology presentations, the Forum will also feature relevant discussions on innovation and the state of the life science industry. A keynote speech by bestselling author Dr. Richard N. Foster will open the event, while a keynote conversation between Ed Penhoet, Co-Founder of Chiron, and Mathew Bishop, Chief Business Writer of The Economist; will close the day. Two discussion panels focusing on post stimulus response and product development approaches will frame the company presentations.

Sounds like something you would like to attend? Find more information at www.theventureforum.com. Use code VOXVF09 for a 30% discount off of registration.

Cleantech Briefing

All companies, regardless of whether or not they focus on the "Cleantech" sector, will be affected by the new opportunities, rules, and regulations that the new administration is in the process of implementing. Understanding the emerging framework and, in many cases, taking action now, is essential not only to mitigate potential risk and liability but also to capture some of the benefits and new business opportunities generated by the green revolution.

Morrison & Foerster LLP and Larta Institute invite you to a panel of Cleantech industry experts and legal practitioners. Together these leaders in the field will address the top ten legal issues related to Cleantech and Sustainability that every company should know.

For information on the topics and speakers please click here
To register for the panel that is taking place on June 2 in Pasadena, CA click here

Larta's CEO to Deliver a Webinar on Commercializing Your Product
The long and winding road: commercializing your product in hard times
May 28, 2009 - 2:00 PM EST

This session will look at the few key practices a company should adopt in commercializing their product or service, especially when things seem to be "locked in place" because of sub-optimal economic conditions. Smaller companies have had to deal with the difficulties of navigating new or established markets in any case; the current economic climate provides them with opportunities that may not have been available before. The session will discuss the National Institutes of Health Commercialization Assistance Program, designed and managed by Larta Institute for the NIH, to demonstrate how these approaches are being put into practice, and present some results from the program showing the importance of new perspectives for emerging and established companies alike. Webinar is hosted by Q1 Productions - Register

Green Entrepreneurs to Present at the Ag Innovation Showcase

Innovation has never been so "green". With the stimulus package pushing it's way through the federal grants, researchers are pleased to see their work being looked at not as an expensive alternative but a necessity.

Over a dozen Ag entrepreneurs will be presenting at the Showcase in St. Louis, MO on May 18-19. This is not your usual green showcase in the sense that it features renewable and sustainable technologies as well as aquaculture, soil and water management, food safety, biotech genetics and more. The list of all presenting companies and their descriptions is available here.

Keynote speakers from Monsanto and Garten Rothkopf, and three panels will be debating on issues that concern today's Ag research, investment and product development approaches. More information on that here.

Larta CEO Joins The 3rd Annual Public Engagement and Science Communication Symposium

Cornell Center for Life Sciences Enterprise is looking forward to an interesting discussion on the importance of clear science communications between the researchers, investors and strategic partners when it comes to putting the technology to practice. With Larta CEO Rohit Shukla as the keynoted speaker and panelists from Boehringer-Ingelheim, USDA and KensaGroup the Engagement and Science Communications Symposium is to take place on May 12th at the Cornell University Ithaca campus.

Larta Institute has been selected by Paris-based OECD (the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development) to conduct a study project on “SME Innovation and Intellectual Asset Management”. The project, including templates for case studies in creative industries and select manufacturing and service sectors, will cover up to six OECD countries. The project, under the direction of the Deputy Director of the Centre for Entrepreneurship, SME’s and Local Development (CFE) and the Working Party on SME’s and Entrepreneurship (WPSMEE), will present the final report by the end of 2009.

Larta CEO Rohit Shukla was recently quoted in an article Securing NIH Stimulus Funds Proves Tricky by Jonathan Matsey, DowJones VentureWire. "From the agency's perspective, this is on a different authorization track and the requirements of the program are stiff … You have to turn around in a very short period of time and there is a stringent reporting component", he said referring to the stimulus package funds in comparison to the regular SBIR/STTR grants. Full article

Our picks of companies that are making the news and already on their way to making it big!

2008-2009 USDA Commercialization Assistance Training Program (CATP) participant and Ag Innovation Showcase presenter Kona Blue Water Farms, is a market leading offshore mariculture company with an integrated marine fish hatchery that produces what Fortune calls a "wonder fish". The Company produces marine fish (i.e., ocean fish) for the U.S. and other markets. With its marine fish hatchery technology, open ocean fish grow-out methodology and proprietary fish health management techniques, Kona Blue has integrated the key technological components necessary to produce marine fish in a sustainable and scalable manner. Kona Blue also has a trademarked fish known commercially as Kona Kampachi®, a sushi-grade tropical yellowtail which independent laboratory tests indicate is healthy (rich in omega-3 fatty acids) and pure (safe from mercury contamination).

Ag Innovation Showcase presenter, Divergence, Inc., a world leader in the application of genomics and informatics to agriculture and infectious disease, discovers and develops products for the safe and effective control of parasites. The company's initial focus is on parasitic nematodes, devastating unseen pests that cause billions of dollars in crop loss annually and widespread disease in humans and animals.

The Neurotechnology Industry Investing and Partnering Conference
May 12-13, 2008, Tuesday- Wednesday
May 11: Collaborating for Cures Summit
St Regis San Francisco

The 4th annual Neurotech Industry Investing and Partnering Conference will take place May 11-13 at the St. Regis in San Francisco. The conference features keynotes on the state of the neurotech industry, cutting edge emerging company presentations and panel discussions on a comprehensive selection of CNS topics of interest to drug, device and diagnostics investors and executives. Over 70 executives will be speaking on next generation treatments for Alzheimer's, addiction, anxiety, depression, epilepsy, multiple sclerosis, obesity, pain, Parkinson's, schizophrenia, stroke and traumatic brain injuries.

Find out more and register at www.regonline.com/neurotech2009

Cleantech Forum XXIII

Over September 9-10, 2009, clean technology sector leaders—representing trillions of dollars in capital—will assemble in Boston for Cleantech Forum XXIII at the Boston Convention & Exhibition Center to drive demand and open clean technology markets. Entrepreneurs, CEOs, scientists, policy-makers and an assembly of global forerunners of the clean technology sector will meet to discuss, debate and forge solutions to the current global economic challenges as they relate to cleantech.

Register for the annual East Coast cleantech gathering at www.cleantech.com/bostonforum

For more information, call 810 224 4310 or email info@cleantech.com

BioExec Institute

In a volatile economy, it is more important than ever to understand core business decisions in BioPharma. The BioExec Institute focuses on management decision-making in a complex R&D, operational, regulatory and market environment. Join other managers at BioExec Institute 2009 to debate and discuss the business, issues and trends facing BioPharma.

This Institute is the only Executive Education series specifically designed to discuss business strategies with key leaders who have provided unique value to the industry.

Co-produced by UC Berkeley, Deloitte and Prescience Intl, the BioExec Institute brings together director and VP-level management for this six-day interactive program [3 modules of 2 days each]. For more information or to register, visit http://www.prescienceintl.com/bioexec.html.

Venture Summit East
May 20-22, 2009 – Mandarin Oriental Hotel, Boston, MA

Venture Summit East, copresented by JPMorgan, is a two-day gathering that highlights the significant economic, political and technology trends impacting the global growth investor. Now more than ever, staying abreast of market conditions and innovations is crucial to financial success. Venture Summit East features the most influential institutional investors, venture capitalists, corporate buyers, investment bankers and research analysts in the Eastern US in keynote presentations and panel debates. Venture Summit East will also debut AlwaysOn's Northeast 100 Companies list, and play host to CEO Showcases from qualified companies seeking later-stage capital or potential acquirers. For more information please visit alwayson.goingon.com

5th Germany California Solar Day
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
PG&E Auditorium, 245 Market Street, San Francisco, CA

The German American Chamber of Commerce Inc., California Branch (GACC), will hold its “5th Germany California Solar Day,” a highly successful bilateral platform for U.S. and German businesses to exchange the latest knowledge, thoughts and trends in the solar power industry with the goal of fostering successful transatlantic business partnerships. German and American expert speakers will discuss the newest solar power industry developments during the first half of the conference. In the afternoon, the German companies will have a chance to present their products and services to the audience. The day will conclude with a Networking Reception and a B2B Meeting Forum. Please visit www.gaccsanfrancisco.com for more information. Register here

Going Green West
September 14-16, 2009 – Cavallo Point, Sausalito, CA

GoingGreen is where cutting-edge greentech CEOs meet the movers and shakers from the biggest industries on earth. Green technology innovators are transforming trillion dollar industries - and the solutions they are delivering not only promise to clean up pollution and restore ecosystems, but also to bring abundance and prosperity to everyone on earth. In fundamental areas, water, energy and land, resource abundance is just around the corner, through the power of technology and free markets. This two-and-a-half-day executive event features CEO presentations and high-level debates on the most promising emerging green technologies and new entrepreneurial opportunities. At GoingGreen, our editors will also honor the GoingGreen 100 Top Private Companies. Fifty of the top CEOs from the GoingGreen 100 will pitch their market strategies to a panel of industry experts in our "CEO Showcase." For more information please visit alwayson.goingon.com

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