Invention to Venture

CONFERENCE
2004

Speakers

Dr. A.T. Ariyaratne, Sarvodaya

Neil Cantor, Design That Matters

Carl Frankel, Author

Paul Polak, International Development Enterprises

Anil Rajvanshi, Nimbkar Agricultural Research Institute

Nirmal Sethia, Center for Business and Design, California State Polytechnic University

Aaron Slettehaugh, ApproTEC

Jeff Smith, Lunar Design

Joseph Steig, NCIIA

Tom Stoner, Econergy

Phil Weilerstein, NCIIA

Overview
This pre-conference is a discussion of the development process for entrepreneurial ventures targeting “bottom of the pyramid” market opportunities in developing countries. The event has a particular focus on technology-based ventures. It is designed to develop a dialog among presenters and participants about these issues with the goal of furthering the conversation about sustainable development, invention and entrepreneurship and articulating best practices. Some of the questions the event will address include:

1. How does the business development model for entrepreneurial startups differ when addressing so-called “bottom of the pyramid” market opportunities?
2. In what ways do entrepreneurs need to think differently when addressing products to customers in developing countries?
3. What is the ideal interplay between the design process and the entrepreneurial process when developing products that address the needs of the urban and rural poor?
4. How can market principles be employed to support environmental sustainability and sustainable economic development?
5. Can entrepreneurial ventures companies set a high growth trajectory and provide adequate return to investors and still advance human development in a socially and environmentally sustainable way?

Background
The National Collegiate Inventors & Innovators Alliance is convening this event under its Invention to Venture program. The NCIIA supports technology entrepreneurship at colleges and universities throughout the United States through grant funding and program development assistance. In 2003 NCIIA launched the Invention to Venture program to provide technology entrepreneurship seminars to science and technology faculty and students. This Invention to Venture event at the Sustainable Resources conference is the first in the “I2V” series focusing on sustainable development. More information about Invention to Venture can be found at www.invention2venture.org and information about NCIIA at www.nciia.org.

Workshop Schedule:

9:00 am

Moderator and sponsor introductions. Introduction to the event.

9:15 am

Panel discussion: Opportunity Assessment. Examples of companies that have identified business opportunities in developing countries, talking specifically about the assessment process.

3 - 10 minute presentations with panel discussion and audience Q&A

10:45 am

BREAK

11:00 am

Panel discussion: Product Design. How can one design products that meet a triple bottom line and can be sold successfully to poor people?

3 - 10 minute presentations with panel discussion and audience Q&A

12:30 pm

LUNCH

1:30 pm

Panel discussion: Marketing and Sales. Examples of companies that have successfully marketed, distributed and sold products in developing countries to very low income customers.

3 - 10 minute presentations with panel discussion and audience Q&A

3:00 pm

BREAK

3:15 pm

Panel discussion: Financing. Examples of companies that have successfully secured financing from debt and equity sources for large scale, multi-country, for-profit ventures.

3 - 10 minute presentations with panel discussion and audience Q&A

4:45 pm

Wrap-up

5:00 pm

ADJOURN

Registration Fee: $75 Register Online!

Sustainable Resources • 717 Poplar Avenue • Boulder, CO 80304, USA
303-998-1323 • 888-317-1600 • Fax: 303-449-1348 • info@sustainableresources.org

Program

Invention to Venture:

Sustainable Development, Invention and Entrepreneurship

Speakers