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SSTI, the State Science and Technology Institute, calls Larta University one of the "...best programs in the country," having "...helped hundreds of entrepreneurs, implemented innovative programs, and assisted client companies to raise hundreds of millions of dollars."

Find the Business Tools you Need Today
Register for the Entrepreneurship Series 2005-2006!

Plus: Opportunity to Present at Larta's Venture Forum 2006!
For the first time, Series enrollees who meet requirements may have the exclusive opportunity to present in front of hundreds of potential investors, customers, and/or partners at Larta's annual Venture Forum conference in June. Each workshop will build on each other to provide a comprehensive, step-by-step process to increase your business success by helping you develop a well-rounded business case presentation by the end of the Series. Call Joe Escamilla for eligibility requirements and details at 213-765-4829.

Series attendees can expect:

• Expert mentoring and instruction from Larta's network of seasoned business professionals
• Guidance on developing a well-rounded business case presentation
• To learn practical and relevant steps to build a successful business operation
• Interactive discussions, activities, and stories from successful entrepreneurs
• Networking opportunities into the business community

Upcoming Courses:

Session #4: Building Effective Barriers to Competition (West Los Angeles, Jan. 12)
Intellectual property, long considered the primary asset of technology companies, can attract capital, create revenue, and contribute to a company's long-term success, assuming that it is strategically managed. But as important are a multitude of other competitive advantages that serve as effective barriers to competition. These include being better, faster, or cheaper than competition; having the product concept validated early in the design process, the customer service strategy, the power of strong distribution, as well as a variety of other attributes. This workshop covers the most crucial legal and business strategies every company should know before exposing its technology to the competitive marketplace. We will discuss the costs and benefits of IP protection, since enforcement is often so costly that it is not worth filing protection as well as licensing, patenting, copyrights, and trade secrets.

Entrepreneurship Series #5: The Big Picture: Building a Profitable Financial Model (West Los Angeles, Feb. 9)
This workshop covers crucial aspects of financial processes for startup companies. Topics include: examining your business and distribution model, developing realistic financial assessments, budgeting and forecasting, preparing financials for the business plan, how to be fiscally prepared for foreseeable budget cycles, valuation, reporting to financial stakeholders as well as understanding your exit strategy or end game.

Larta University's Course Schedule

Top Stories in Hot Technology Sectors

VCs Settle for a Bit Less (Red Herring)
Venture capitalists suffered fewer big losses, but also scored fewer big wins during 2005 as they became increasingly risk averse.

California VCs Bankroll New Generation of Internet Firms (San Francisco Business Times)
The Bay Area tech world is starting to party like it's 1999. Sort of. Tech hiring is back and VC firms are pouring cash into a slew of baby tech companies with questionable paths to profitability.

Stem Cell Programs Forge Ahead (Los Angeles Times)
Universities hire scientists and build labs even though Prop. 71 funds are tied up in court. Officials say they can't afford to wait.

But Biotechnology Bucks the Trend (Washington Post)
Shares of the nation's largest biotechnology companies are trading at or near record levels as the year comes to a close, a payoff for investors in companies that have been putting intensive focus on cancer and other hard-to-treat diseases over the last few years.

This calendar lists events endorsed by Larta Institute.

January 12: Entrepreneurship Series #4: Understanding What IP Can Do For You: Building Effective Barriers Against Competition (West Los Angeles)
Intellectual property, the primary asset of a technology company, can attract capital, create revenue, and contribute to a company's long-term success, if it is strategically managed. This workshop covers the most crucial legal and business strategies every company should know before exposing its technology to a competitive marketplace, including: licensing, patenting, as well as copyrights and trade secrets.

January 21-25: LabAutomation2006
LabAutomation2006 is the place where laboratory technologies emerge and merge.

February 9: Entrepreneurship Series #5: The Big Picture: Building a Profitable Financial Model (West Los Angeles)
This workshop covers crucial aspects of financial processes for startup companies. Topics include: examining your business and distribution model, developing realistic financial assessments, budgeting and forecasting, preparing financials for the business plan, how to be fiscally prepared for foreseeable budget cycles, valuation, reporting to financial stakeholders as well as understanding your exit strategy or end game.

March 2-4: 2006 AUTM Annual Meeting
The AUTM Annual Meeting gathers between 1,500 and 2,000 technology transfer and intellectual property professionals from across the globe.

Larta Institute's Events Calendar

Larta Institute
connecting people to drive innovation

We bring people together to move technologies into the marketplace. Our client solutions include: conferences, training workshops, technology transfer, advisory services, and research and analysis.

Since 1993, companies helped by Larta Institute have raised over $1.5 billion in capital. Larta Institute's conferences and seminars provide insights to thousands of businesspeople each year. Larta Institute's weekly electronic magazine on business innovation is read by over 20,000 people.

www.old.larta.org

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

Washington DC Office:
Larta Institute
c/o Kelly, Anderson & Associates
424 North Washington Street
Alexandria, VA 22314
(703) 740-8330

Chicago, IL Office:
Larta Institute
474 N. Lake Shore Drive
Suite 4208
Chicago, IL 60611