Tampa Bay Innovation
Center Events
Tuesday
April 10, 2012
8:30 - 10:30 am
Tampa, Florida
StartUp XchangeMonday
April 23, 2012
5:00 - 7:00 pm
Clearwater, Florida
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Partner Events Lunch & Learn
Patents 101
April 17, 2012
12:00 - 1:00 pmTampa, FL
Sales and Marketing Workshop
April 28, 2012
9:00 am - 12:00 pm
Tampa, FL Business Licenses, Permits and Legal Requirements
May 1, 2012
12:00 - 2:00 pm
Clearwater, Florida
Florida Venture Forum2012 Early Stage
Venture Capital Conference
May 10, 2012
Orlando, FloridaCoolTECH 2012
June 22,2012
9:00 am - 5:00 pm
Tampa, Florida
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 WELCOME
We're sharing some big news with you - the launch of Tampa Bay Innovation Center's Entrepreneurs' Hub. More details are in the following article, but we wanted to let you know how the Hub came about.
We know that local innovators and entrepreneurs need a "place" to meet and share ideas. Many of you are early stage entrepreneurs or are still working your "day job," and don't have the time or resources to join organizations or spend time networking. Some of you are more interested in meeting online at a time that's convenient for you.
So...we took our Innovation Center offerings -- StartUp Xchange, IDEA Camp, TECH Talk, Launch Lab, Mentors Corner, newsletter, podcasts, conferences and other special interest events -- and put them together under one umbrella that's been developed just for you.
Welcome to the Entrepreneurs' Hub! We look forward to growing this with you and meeting you there.
Tonya Elmore
President
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Tampa Bay Innovation Center invites you to get social
| With the boom of smart phones and tablet computers, social media has become a faster moving field than ever. Billions of people are using the technology to socialize, network and market their businesses.
Now, Tampa Bay Innovation Center is becoming a bigger player in the social network game, launching Entrepreneurs' Hub. The new online community, geared toward entrepreneurs, innovators, investors and others interested in the growth of the local technology community, is dedicated to developing entrepreneurship and venture activity, combining topical forums with networking opportunities.
Hub members now have an always-accessible way to share ideas, knowledge and inspiration, participating in an open forum that helps them communicate, build their network and grow their business. Just like other social media networks, members create a profile, uploading photos and other information they would like to share. The site features forums for members to post or answer questions. Topics range from tech tools to building your business to funding a startup. There is also an area for members to share blogs, videos and photos.
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Capturing the essence of your business in 60 seconds or less
by Mike Eitler
|  Making a good first impression is crucial in the business world, especially for entrepreneurs trying to build profitable business partnerships with investors. One of the best ways to stand out in a matter of seconds is with the perfect pitch or elevator speech.
The perfect pitch should be quick and to the point. No longer than a minute. It's not about getting an investor to sign over a check, it's about getting that person interested enough to seek additional information or request a follow up meeting.
It's important to start strong. The first sentence should be engaging, including a person's name, the name of the business and a brief explanation of what that business does. This information should take no longer than 10 seconds to articulate. In some instances, when time is limited, people can be cut off after just a few seconds. It is vital to make that time count.
The remainder of an elevator speech should fill in the blanks about the business. It should be clear and concise, answering the questions:
* What is the product or service?
* What is the market for sales?
* What is the revenue model?
The delivery should be conversational. Avoid using technical jargon or overly detailed explanations of the business or industry. That's a sure fire way to turn off a prospective investor. (More ...) |
| TECH Talk
|  Presented by Tampa Bay Innovation, Center, TECH Talk is a monthly breakfast, networking and education event developed specifically to meet the interests of the local technology community. Attendees include new and start-up technology companies, as well as entrepreneurs and those interested in the growth and success of technology innovation and entrepreneurism in the Tampa Bay area.
Our next TECH Talk presentation will be held Tuesday, April 10, 2012 from 8:30-10:30 a.m. at Microsoft, 5426 Bay Center Dr., 7th floor, Tampa 33607. Nat Roland, Shareholder, Trenam Kemker, will present "How to Raise Money for Your Business (Without Losing Your Assets or Going to Jail)". Learn how to prepare your business when looking to raise capital. Nat joined Trenam Kemker in 2003. His practice focuses primarily on mergers and acquisitions, corporate formation and structuring matters, capital raising, private placements, lending transactions and commercial contracts.
Click here to register. There is no fee to attend but space is limited.
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| StartUp Xchange | Have questions about your next steps in entrepreneurship? Entrepreneurs at all stages are invited to attend the next StartUp Xchange from 5-7 p.m. on Monday, April 23 at Metro 528 Grill (formerly Krave), 528 Cleveland St., Clearwater, FL 33755
This is a great informal opportunity for entrepreneurs, talent in transition, scientists, funders, innovators, technology professionals and engineers to make connections in the Tampa Bay area innovation marketplace and learn from each other and from the Tampa Bay Innovation Center mentors whose experience can help further their idea or startup company.
Our mentors will be Mike Eitler, Group125 and Chris Paradies, Fowler White Boggs.
Follow the StartUp Xchange Meetup Group here.
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| Innovators Digest | In case you missed them, here are some recent articles and blog posts for innovators and entrepreneurs.
How Startups are Key to the Economic Recovery
By Justin Moore for TechCrunch.com
CEO and co-founder of Axcient, Justin Moore shares why he believes entrepreneurs and startups are the key to fueling our economic recovery. (More...)
Five Tips for Surviving a Startup
By Shazi Visram for Inc.com
The path of entrepreneurship isn't smooth. Here are five tips to survive the start-up roller coaster. (More ...)
Five Simple Ways Startups Can Save Money
By Gwen Moran for Entrepreneur.com
So you're launching a business on a shoestring. Here are a few money-savers that you may have overlooked. (More...)
6 Start-up Tips from the World's Biggest Tech Companies
By John Brandon for Inc.com
Looking for start-up advice? Here are some helpful tips from some of the world's biggest tech companies. (More ...)
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Based in Largo, Florida, Tampa Bay Innovation Center is an innovation and entrepreneurship center that assists emerging and entrepreneurial technology companies in accelerating their success.
If you'd like to learn more about our services, click here for our website, email us or call 727-547-7340.
Tampa Bay Innovation Center
7887 Bryan Dairy Road, Suite 220
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