Archive for the 'Entrepreneurship' Category

The City of Reno 2008 Green Summit is scheduled for September 20. I’m stoked that Rocky Anderson is speaking. As many of you know, Twelve Horses has a significant and growing presence in Salt Lake City and because of that I’ve spent a lot of time in the SLC vicinity over the last two years. With every day I spend in Salt Lake City, I become more and more impressed with the accomplishments of that city and the business community. Reno can definitely learn from their success. Rocky Anderson had a lot to do with that success.

I’ve spent about two weeks there over this summer. Between the Utah Transit Authority’s rail system, my bike and some creative carpooling I didn’t have to drive to one meeting, or even to our offices in Draper. It was like living in San Francisco yet surrounded by mountains and ski resorts. Every time I hang out in downtown catching great music shows (like Lucero and Langhorne Slim) I can’t help but think that Reno is but 20 years behind in size yet poised with the opportunity to focus our town’s growth curve with more emphasis on land resource planning, mass transit and all the green-in-between. Where Salt Lake will suffer is that their hockey-stick growth phase occurred during cheap gas and real estate. Consequently their town is a very car-dependent culture where people live dozens and dozens of miles from their place of work.

So back to Reno:

Jason Geddes kicks ass. Not only does he share in my penchant for cowboy boots, shirts with mother-of-pearl buttons and chasing Chukar, but he’s local visionary leader that’s dragging Reno (sometimes kicking and screaming) into a future that I want to live in. A Winnemucca/Gabbs native, petroleum chemist and former State Assemblyman, Jason assisted Chuck Alvey take the patchouli-edge off of “green” in the EDAWN business development and economic diversification dialog and made huge progress in his time there. Currently he’s a Regent with the University of Nevada and serves the City of Reno as our town’s Environmental services Administrator. He’s also married to Cindy Geddes who’s one of the best writers here locally.

Jason got the Green Summit off of the ground last year. The first Green Summit was held in April of 2007 and served as a dialogue between Council, staff, and citizens on what the City could do to make Reno more “green”. There were almost 400 people in attendance. The 2008 Green Summit is intended to be a report back to the community on action taken since the last summit, and a continued dialogue on what the City should have as priorities in the 2008-2009 Green Action plan.

[Side note: Jason works with another great organization in this community, Nevada EcoNET. Every Wednesday night this summer the City of Reno's West Street Market features “Eco-Nights” produced by Nevada EcoNet. Click here to read about it. Props to Lauren Siegel and the City of Reno for putting this on!] 

Here’s the deets on the 2008 City of Reno Green Summit:

Location: Joe Crowley Student Union-Ballroom, University of Nevada, Reno

Time: 1-5pm, Date: September 20

Program:

• 1:00-1:45 Welcome by Mayor and Council and Report to Community
• 1:45-2:30 Keynote Speaker- Rocky Anderson, Former Mayor of Salt Lake City
• 2:30-3:00 Break
• 3:00-5:00 Concurrent Break-Out Sessions –Moderated
• A- Single Stream Recycling and Plastic Bag Bans
• B- Education/Youth Programs-EnAct/Youth City Council
• C- Green Building and Sierra Green Guidelines
• D- Transportation

Keynote Speaker - The Honorable Rocky Anderson, founder of High Road for Human Rights, practiced law for 21 years; representing plaintiffs in antitrust, securities fraud, professional negligence, and civil rights cases. He then served as mayor of Salt Lake City from 2000 to 2008.

His comprehensive environmental programs, including an aggressive climate protection campaign, achieved a 31% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions in Salt Lake City’s municipal operations.

For his leadership on climate change, Anderson received the Climate Protection Award from the EPA, the Distinguished Service Award from the Sierra Club, and the World Leadership Award from the World Leadership Forum.

Anderson is now working to achieve municipal and regional support for climate protection initiatives and to provide grassroots education and advocacy opportunities in the areas of human rights and climate change.

  Incidentally, here’s some photos I snapped on the ‘ol trusty Nokia N95 while I was roaming downtown Salt Lake City with @leilanis during National Ride Your Bike to Work Week campaign. Obviously I thought it was brilliant!

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Nevada’s Center for Entrepreneurship and Technology (NCET) will host “Tech Tuesday” July 15 at UNR’s Redfield Campus. One of Greater Reno-Tahoe’s premier technology and entrepreneurial networking events, this month’s Tech Tuesday will preview NCET programs through the remainder of the year and into 2009. You’ll learn more about:

-WiFi Wednesdays
-eWeek 2009
-NCET’s Entrepreneur Expo
-Silver & Gold VC Conference

Tuesday, July 15 - 5:30 - 7:30 p.m.
$10 donation
RSVP by Friday, July 11 to Emily@NCET.org

Redfield Campus - Nell J. Redfield Building
18600 Wedge Parkway
Reno, NV 89511
(775) 850-2710

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Nevada’s Center for Entrepreneurship and Technology (NCET)’s June 17 “Tech Tuesday” will feature an AT&T-hosted IP Technology Showcase with multiple

vendors and solutions, as well as the newest innovation for residential customers. Tech Tuesday is Greater Reno-Tahoe’s premier technology and entrepreneurial networking event. Stop by and see what’s new on the tech horizon!

Details: Tuesday, June 17, 5:30 - 7:30 p.m.; $10 donation

RSVP to Emily@NCET.org

AT&T: 645 E. Plumb Lane, Reno Nevada (park and enter on the west side of the building off of Yori Avenue and follow signs and balloons to the cafeteria.)

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Interested in venture capital investment? Reno Angels will meet tonight at 5:30 in the Hale Lane conference room at 5441 Kietzke Lane (second floor). Please RSVP ASAP if you plan to attend. Friends and colleagues who meet the SEC criteria for accredited investors are invited as well.

Meeting Agenda:

• Preliminary Mission Statement
• List of Interested Persons  -  Planning, Stages of “Buy-in”
• Training / Knowledge opportunities & resources
• Determination of Entity
• Expected Meeting Time, Place, Frequency
• Timelines, Task Lists
• Budget

RSVP to Emily at Emily@ncet.org or call (775) 337-3328.

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It’s the single most important VC conference outside Silicon Valley… and it’s happening right here in Reno October 20 & 21.

The 8th Annual Silver & Gold Venture Capital Conference will bring in a substantial base of actively investing angels and venture capitalists, including many Silicon Valley investors and presenting companies. Conducted by NCET, Nevada’s Center for Entrepreneurship and Technology, Golden Capital Network and the Sierra Angels, the two-day event will feature 30 - 50 angel investor and VC firms, 30-40 early-stage “presenting” companies, and some serious high-power networking. Learn more about how you can be involved by visiting www.ncet.org/venture-capital-conferences.

Save the Date:

When: October 20 & 21, 2008

Time: 8:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.

Location: Peppermill Convention Center, Reno, NV

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There’s a lot of tech talent to be found right here in Northern Nevada colleges. If you’re interested in getting a firsthand look at some of the innovative ideas coming out of our universities, plan to attend Nevada’s Center for Entrepreneurship and Technology’s (NCET) Governor’s Cup oral presentations April 21 & 22. The event is free and open to the public. Finalists in this statewide business plan competition are vying for big bucks – more than $110K. This is a good way to support Nevada’s best and brightest and check out what might be on horizon on the sustainable/renewable energy & technology fronts.

Governor’s Cup finalists oral presentations:
Monday, April 21 - 10 am - 5 p.m.

Lt. Governor’s Award oral presentations:
Tuesday, April 22 - 9 a.m. - 5 .pm.

All oral presentation are at John Ascuaga’s Nugget in Sparks. Winners of the Donald W. Reynolds Governor’s Cup and the Lt. Governor’s Awards will be announced on April 25 at the Awards Luncheon at the Green Valley Ranch in Las Vegas. Tables of eight are $750 and individual tickets are $100. Please RSVP by
April 18 to Emily Lowe at Emily@NCET.org or (775) 332-3000 x3228.
Visit www.2008GovCup.com for more details.

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Finalists have been announced for the 2008 Donald W. Reynolds Governor’s Cup Collegiate Business Competition. Presented by Nevada’s Center for Entrepreneurship and Technology (NCET), Governor’s Cup winners will be announced an awards luncheon on Friday, April 22 at the Green Valley Ranch in Las Vegas.

2008 Donald W. Reynolds Governor’s Cup Finalists

Undergraduate Finalists:  KG BioSolutions - Sierra Nevada College; SciSpace - University of Nevada, Reno; The Garage 777 – Great Basin College ; Voxspot - University of Nevada, Reno;  WATTs - Waster Alternatives Transfer Technologies - University of Nevada, Las Vegas;  Wolfpack Works - University of Nevada, Reno.

Graduate Finalists : Bio-Grounds LLC - University of Nevada, Reno; GoGreenOutdoors.com - University of Nevada, Reno; Mobile Advertising Ltd. - University of Nevada, Las Vegas;  Mobile Business Solutions - University of Nevada, Las Vegas;  More Water Company - University of Nevada, Reno; SportsRiffic - University of Nevada, Las Vegas.

2008 Lt. Governor’s Award Finalists:

Undergraduate Finalists:  KG BioSolutions - Sierra Nevada College; Sierra Biofuels - University of Nevada, Reno; West Coast Helios - University of Nevada, Reno; WunderBeer - University of Nevada, Reno.

Graduate Finalists:  Bio-Grounds LLC - University of Nevada, Reno;  More Water Company - University of Nevada, Reno; Power Development Technologies - University of Nevada, Reno.

Complete details on each team here

If you’d like more information about sponsoring this event, or attending the awards ceremony, please contact Emily Lowe at (775) 337-3328 or Emily@NCET.org. Tables of eight are $750 and individual seats are $100. Featured speakers will include Nevada Governor Jim Gibbons, Nevada Lt. Governor Brian Krolicki and honorary chair Patty Wade. For more information, visit www.2008govcup.com.

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If you’re interested in learning more about angel investing, a second informational meeting for the recently formed Reno Angels group is slated for Monday, April 7 from 5:30-7:30 p.m at Truckee Meadows Community College’s Meadowood Campus, Room 206. The event is open to potential new investors, as well as to those who attended the Reno Angel’s previous launch meeting. You’ll hear from active angel investors, and from companies who have previously received angel investing. A Q&A will follow. For more information, visit www.renoangels.org. To RSVP for the April 7 meeting, e-mail Emily Lowe at Emily@NCET.org.

Need more information on what it takes to be certified as an “accredited investor?” CLICK HERE:

Technorati Tags: Reno Angels, angel investing, NCET, Nevada’s Center for Entrepreneurship and Technology

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