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Send comments, articles, requests and suggestions to James Klein, Larta VOX Editor, at voxeditor@larta.org

PricewaterhouseCoopers Expert Access Series
This series combines Larta University’s classroom-style seminars with the advisory expertise of PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) to provide a set of four high-impact workshops that address finance, audit, tax and accounting topics for technology start-ups. Classes are interactive and structured to present the most important aspects of accounting for growth and start-up companies. Instructors are PwC Partners with extensive experience serving technology companies and who understand the key business and accounting issues that are inherent in the industry. Classes are basic to intermediate level and require no prerequisites and no advanced preparation. CPE credits are available for Accounting and Auditing and/or Taxation.
Locations: Los Angeles and Irvine

August 5: Preparing the Financial Forecast Model
This workshop will explain how to build a financial forecast model. Using Excel, you will learn how to create your forecast from the bottom up, using the primary elements of your business (sales, cost of goods sold, staffing and overhead) to construct an accurate Income Statement, Cash Flow Statement and Balance Sheet in a format that potential investors will find attractive.
Location: Downtown Los Angeles

August 26: Protecting Trade Secrets from Employees and Contractors
Trade secrets are some of a company's most important assets, but unlike patents, they're often overlooked and not properly protected. Many companies are not even aware that certain lists, techniques, formulas, processes and/or methods are considered trade secrets, which can be legally protected. This session will teach you to identify your trade secrets, take appropriate practical and legal measures to protect those trade secrets, and will discuss why doing so provides a competitive edge and adds value to your company's bottom line.
Location: Downtown Los Angeles

September 17 & 18: Entrepreneurship Series #4: Protecting Your Technology: Intellectual Property Rights
Intellectual property can be the primary asset of a technology company, and strategic management of IP can attract capital and monetize revenue, and impact the long-term results of a company's success. This workshop covers the most crucial legal and business strategies any company should know before exposing its technology to a competitive marketplace, including: copyrighting and trade secrets, working with an independent contractor to develop a product, and licensing.
Locations: Century City and Irvine

September 23: Successful Negotiation Series #2: The Difficult Negotiation
Effective, professional tactics for dealing with real-life difficult negotiation situations, such as "uphill" negotiation where one party has substantially more negotiating power. Structural techniques for successfully dealing with uncertainty in negotiations will also be discussed. The three-hour workshop includes interactive team and individual exercises that help to consolidate new negotiation skills. The instructor is Eric Klein of Shaw Pittman LLP.
Location: Downtown Los Angeles

Larta University's full course schedule >

Top Stories in Hot Technology Sectors

Biotech
Lion Bioscience Expects Break-Even Q4 (Bio IT World)
Lion Bioscience AG reported a significant decline in first quarter revenues,citing slowed investment from the life sciences industry, but said that cost-cutting measures would allow it to break even in the fourth quarter.

Wireless
Telecom Giant Barred From US Contracts (LA Times)
Federal agency says WorldCom lacks internal controls and business ethics.

Software
AOL Tries to Stop the Bleeding (Wired)
America Online released Thursday an overhaul of its software that relies on improved tools and content to keep current customers from defecting, even as the company's dialup business continues to shrivel.

Internet
Efforts to Stop Music Swapping Draw More Fire (New York Times - registration required)
The recording industry's stepped-up pursuit of online music swappers faced two new challenges yesterday, as SBC Communications questioned the constitutionality of theindustry's tactics in a lawsuit and Senator Norm Coleman opened an inquiry on whether the anti-piracy campaign is violating the privacy rights of innocent people.

Investments
Venture Funding Up From the Abyss (Los Angeles Times)
Amount invested rises nationwide, and doubles in Southern California, in the second quarter.

This events calendar is provided as a service by Larta about events vetted and endorsed by Larta.

August 4-5: iWireless World
Meet industry leaders at LA's largest wireless industry event. Join our third annual summit devoted to the practical solutions for wireless enterprise, mobile computing, consumer content and applications.

August 5: Preparing the Financial Forecast Model
This Larta U workshop will explain how to build a financial forecast model using Excel to create accurate Income Statements, Cash Flow Statements and Balance Sheets in a format that potential investors will find attractive.

August 12: 14th Annual Venture Capital Panel
Part of the Los Angeles Venture Association (LAVA) Breakfast Meeting series. Learn about what's changed in the industry and in the venture capitalist's approach to their portfolio companies from a diverse array of panelists from Southern California venture capital funds.

August 12: Accounting & Taxes for Technology Companies
A class at the Los Angeles County Community Development Commission's Business Technology Center taught by Yvonne Flint, CPA; Jim Rider, CPA, MBT; and Mark Schaefer Associates of Mark Schaefer Associates.

August 20: Build Your Brand with Public Relations
Brown bag lunch series by LACCDC's Business Technology Center. A public relations campaign is essential for launching new products, creating new markets and establishing the credibility of new technology companies. Successful public relations consultants Michael Goldstein and Robert Sax will discuss strategies and tactics that will put your company on the road to recognition and riches.

August 21: Big eSchmooze
The San Diego Regional Technology Alliance (RTA) presents the fifth annual Big eSchmooze at the San Diego Aerospace Museum. The RTA has partnered with UCSD CONNECT and BIOCOM to make Big eSchmooze 2003 the biggest and most powerful tech and biotech networking event San Diego has ever seen.

August 26: Protecting Trade Secrets from Employees and Contractors
Trade secrets are some of a company's most important assets, but unlike patents, they're often overlooked and not properly protected. This Larta U session will teach you to identify your trade secrets, take appropriate practical and legal measures to protect those trade secrets, and will discuss why doing so provides a competitive edge and adds value to your company's bottom line.

August 26: Venture Physics I – Harnessing Market Forces for High-Tech Venture Growth
The Business Technology Center hosts this program for high-tech companies. Markets adopt advanced technology in a predictable and characteristic manner. This characteristic is the result of powerful economic and market forces governing the adoption of new technology and the sensitivity of buyers to risk and uncertainty. By harnessing these forces, ventures can catapult themselves into new markets with minimum cost and effort.

Larta's full event calendar >

Business Development Associate
Business Development Associate will assist the Business Development Director with sales, new business sourcing, and marketing.

Since 1993, Larta has been closely involved with cutting-edge business trends, growing sectors, and innovative companies. We apply this "insider" knowledge to help our clients find new customers, open new markets, tackle tough issues, and raise capital.

Companies helped by Larta have raised over $1.5 billion in capital. Larta's seminars provide insights to 1,000 businesspeople each year. Larta's weekly electronic magazine on business innovation is read by 20,000 people.

www.Larta.org

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