Kettering names incubator director

There's a new landlord hanging around Kettering University - and he's looking to assist entrepreneurs and inventors.

Peter Scott was named the director of Kettering's new Fuel Cell and Advanced Technology Incubator.

"What I am hoping to accomplish is starting and building companies," Scott said. "That's what I have been doing the last while. Working with inventors, high tech/high growth (opportunities) is what I will be focusing on."

Scott said many inventors and entrepreneurs often have great ideas and amazing potential products, but tend to be a little light on the business-skill side of the ledger.

That's where the incubator comes in. It can help with marketing, protecting and developing an invention or idea into a full-blown business, Scott said.

Currently, the incubator has three tenants, one in the fuel cell arena, one in the automotive area and a marketing research firm, he said.

The incubator, on the second floor of Kettering's Mott Engineering and Science Center, features cubicles, small offices and a high-tech conference room.

Using the incubator also unlocks access to Kettering's many other advantages and knowledge bases, Scott said.

Scott grew up in Birmingham and earned dual bachelor's degrees in mechanical engineering and aerospace engineering from the University of Michigan in 1987.

For the next five years, he designed aircraft engines for General Electric.

He added a master of science degree in aerospace engineering from the University of Cincinnati in 1992 and a master of business administration degree from UM in 1994. He speaks three languages - English, French and Polish.

He has also taught master's of business administration students in Poland how to develop marketing plans, worked in Atlanta and Detroit, and comes to Flint from Ann Arbor Spark, a nonprofit business accelerator.

Aiding Scott and Kettering in the endeavor will be the Michigan Small Business & Technology Development Center.

The center soon will begin offering regional services to small businesses in Genesee and Lapeer counties from the fifth floor of the Campus Center on Flint's west side.

The Michigan Small Business & Technology Development Center regional office will be staffed with an intake administrator, regional director and traditional business consultant. It will provide office space for one of 10 statewide technology business consultants.

To contact Scott, call (810) 762-9729 or e-mail him at pscott@kettering.edu.

LOAD-DATE: March 14, 2007

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

NOTES: Incubator offerings



Services that Kettering University's Fuel Cell and Advanced Technology Incubator offers:



* Marketing strategy development



* Intellectual property guidance



* Management team building



* Strategic partnership development



* Financial analysis



* Government funding (including Michigan Economic Development Corp. programs) assistance



* Technology assessment and mapping



* Preparing clients for angel or venture capital pitches and presentations, and securing investment



Source: Kettering University