SSTI Digest

Attendees at SSTI's 11th annual conference will be fortunate to participate in plenary sessions led off by keynote addresses highlighting two of the most critical elements of TBED — successful entrepreneurship and engaged institutions of higher learning. 



Our opening plenary session provides the opportunity to hear from Kevin Plank, chairman and chief executive officer of Under Armour Inc. Call it an enterprising hunch, a brilliant brainstorm or a stroke of pure genius, Mr. Plank started Under Armour in 1995, when he was special teams captain for the University of Maryland football team. Tired of repeatedly changing the cotton T-shirt under his jersey as it became wet and heavy during the course of a game, he set out to develop a next-generation shirt that would remain drier and lighter and consistently perform under the most extreme conditions. A few tireless years later, Mr. Plank oversaw the company's November 2005 IPO, the first to double on opening day in five years, and the December 2006 move from the NASDAQ to the New York Stock Exchange. In 2006, he was the distinguished recipient of the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year national award in the Retail and Consumer Products Category. An inspiring speaker, Mr. Plank will provide the perfect opening to why TBED is practiced in every area of the country.



Our second keynote speaker is also a special honor for SSTI. Dr. William E. "Brit" Kirwan is chancellor of the University System of Maryland and a nationally recognized authority on critical issues shaping the higher education landscape. Universities provide the foundation of the most TBED and innovation-based strategies to encourage growth, and nearly every academic institution in the nation is being challenged to adapt to the forces of global competitiveness and fiscal realities. Dr. Kirwan is a much sought-after speaker on a wide range of topics, including diversity, access and affordability, cost containment, accountability, economic impact, gender equity, financial aid, partnerships, and innovation. SSTI is excited to have him enlighten us with his insights during our lunch plenary session.



Full bios for each keynote speaker are provided at: http://www.ssticonference.org/Conf07/keynote.htm

SSTI's annual conference is as much a community homecoming as it a unique professional development opportunity. With our latest addition to the schedule, SSTI is making it even more of both! By attending SSTI's annual conference this year, you have the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to be present for the inaugural-year announcement of SSTI's Excellence in TBED Award winners. The Award recognizes the longstanding achievements made by the TBED community in promoting research, entrepreneurial development, a skilled workforce, and innovation in existing companies. The celebration will be held following lunch on Oct. 18.



Strong evidence of the need for a recognition program for the TBED community was provided by the breadth and sheer number of applications SSTI received for the first-ever awards in six categories:

It isn't every conference you consider attending that offers so much content in such a dynamic and fun location - so much that this one warrants extending your stay in Baltimore to play over the weekend. Our conference site is strategically located at the center of the Baltimore's exciting Inner Harbor. The active waterfront is beautiful, offering dozens of options to satisfy all of your cravings — dining, tourist attractions, arts, nightlife, shopping and convenient walking tours. The Inner Harbor is just one of the reasons Baltimore is a perennial destination city. Don't just take our word for it, though. Check it out here:  http://www.ssticonference.org/Conf07/amenities.htm

A fun-filled evening of music, drinks and scrumptious hor d'oeurves awaits participants of SSTI's conference with the opening reception at the Marine Mammal Pavilion of the world-famous National Aquarium in Baltimore. This festive event is possible due to the generosity of Team Maryland, a group of 21 Maryland organizations supporting technology-based economic development in their state and region:

SSTI's annual conference is the field's most stimulating and rewarding professional development event of the year. We hope you are planning on joining us in Baltimore, Oct. 18-19. You can expect:

In addition to the 21-member Team Maryland, led by the Maryland Department of Business and Economic Development, the Maryland Technology Development Corporation (TEDCO) and the University System of Maryland, SSTI's 11th annual conference is made possible by the support of its national partners. SSTI extends its appreciation and thanks to the generous support received by the following exemplary organizations:

You can bring the whole team to SSTI's 11th Annual conference in Baltimore, Oct. 18-19. Members receive a $100 discount on up to seven conference registrations. Multiple attendees from the same organization allow broader coverage of more of the 19 concurrent breakout sessions, greater networking opportunities with more of the field's top thinkers and practitioners, and super savings on registrations. We encourage you to check out the brochure or the conference website soon to see what we have in store for this year's exceptional conference: http://www.ssticonference.org



Join today and while supplies last, we will send you a copy of A Resource Guide for Technology-based Economic Development. The resource guide provides a starting point for transferring the collective wisdom of top TBED professionals from the past two decades to current practitioners. Each of the three main sections can serve separately or together as required reading before your next staff meeting, retreat or brainstorming session to help refine your approaches to transforming regional economies.



Additional member benefits include:

Linda Burger was named technology manager of the Howard County Economic Development Authority.

The Tech Council of Maryland/MdBio has appointed Dr. Richard Zakour to lead MdBio and the MdBio Foundation as executive director.

SSTI is wrapping up the conference brochure for our 11th annual conference, Transforming Regional Economies, a mailing that goes to more than 12,000 TBED practitioners. Your organization could be included if you become a conference partner by August 17. Contact Noelle Sheets, director of membership services, to discuss which partnership opportunity best fits your marketing strategy.



SSTI’s annual conference provides the opportunity to place your organization at the center of the most dynamic and influential community of tech-based economic development professionals, reinforce your brand, and build relationships in 2007 and beyond.



Your organization will enjoy outstanding exposure. In all the right company.



As an SSTI conference partner, you have the chance to showcase your organization with the decision makers responsible for crafting and implementing local and state-level policies and programs that directly contribute to the nation's competitiveness. No other event brings together the nation’s top players in the TBED community.



Take advantage of our annual conference’s powerful reputation to help your organization:

Sen. Patrick Hogan announced he would step down from the Maryland State Senate to become vice chancellor for government relations for the University System of Maryland.

The Maryland Technology Development Corporation has awarded more than $500,000 to seven start-up technology companies. The program, TEDCO’s Maryland Technology Transfer Fund (MTTF), is designed to help businesses transfer technology from Maryland universities and federal laboratories into the marketplace. The grants range between $70,000 and $75,000.

 

TEDCO reports that MTTF has provided funding to 71 companies. With a total investment of $4,078,793, these companies have gone on to receive downstream funding from angel and venture investors, federal awards and other resources exceeding $152.4 million.

 

You can learn firsthand about this program and other TEDCO initiatives underway at SSTI’s 11th Annual Conference, Transforming Regional Economies, Oct. 18-19, 2007. Register and learn more about the conference at http://www.ssticonference.org/conference07.htm.