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Top
Stories |
 China's
Venture Capital Industry Regains Confidence
China is expecting an improvement in its venture capital environment with the
end of the SARS epidemic, and the recent signing of the Closer Economic Partnership Agreement
(CEPA) between Hong Kong and China.
 Survey Reveals Executives' Need for Financial Planning
Middle-market
executives frequently receive inadequate advice when managing their personal finances, according to
a recent
survey.
 Speak at
Investment Seminar in Japan
JETRO Los Angeles is seeking individuals that wish to meet
with Japanese companies during the U.S. Investment Mission to Kitakyushu, Kyoto and Tokyo April
4-10. Speakers will be given opportunities to meet with high level U.S. and Japanese government
officials and potential business contacts.
 Come see 50 Companies Compete to be Company of the Year
The Venture Forum
is the largest showcase of investment-worthy companies in Southern California. "The annual Venture
Forum is a must attend VC event!" said Randy Lunn of Palomar Ventures. The 10th annual Venture Forum, on April 1, 2004, will feature 50
companies from all sectors and stages, selected by leading investment and industry experts.
Attendees will learn about the most exciting technologies in the marketplace. Investors will access
one of the largest deal pipelines in the nation. Service providers can actively participate in the
growth of emerging companies.
 Available Now
from Larta Institute
The Sand
Dollar Report 2004: An Analysis of Venture Investing in Southern
California
The Sand Dollar
Report 2004 features a historical analysis as well as the latest information and data on the
venture capital industry in Southern California, and includes interviews with leading venture
capitalists in the region. Available with the purchase of Larta Institute's Sand Dollar Report 2004
is PricewaterhouseCoopers/Venture Economics/National Venture Capital Association MoneyTree
Survey.
 Available Free from Larta Institute
Federal
Technology Funding Guide 2004
Larta Institute's Federal Technology Funding Guide is
recognized as the nation's leading survey on federal government technology funding. Learn how to
apply for and win government grants. Includes an in-depth look at SBIR and STTR programs, two
critical sources of R&D funds for small businesses. Don’t miss your chance to receive federal
technology grant money. Download the report
free of charge.
Send comments and submissions to James
Klein, Larta VOX Editor, at voxeditor@larta.org |
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Larta
University |
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SSTI, the State
Science and Technology Institute, calls Larta University one of the "best programs in the
country," having "helped hundreds of entrepreneurs, implemented innovative programs, and assisted
client companies to raise hundreds-of-millions of dollars.
April 15: How to
Prepare Winning Proposals for SBIR and STTR
This seminar will provide a brief
overview of SBIR and STTR programs, while focusing on how to prepare winning SBIR and STTR
proposals; bringing attendees one step closer to winning federal money. The workshop is for companies that already have an interest in using
the SBIR/STTR programs to pay for R&D activities and the capability to compete in a
scientifically and technically challenging program. Participants will walk away with a step-by-step
process for convincing reviewers to assign the highest possible ratings to their proposals, and the
proposal preparation process will become demystified.
Location: Los Angeles
April 21: Mergers
& Acquisitions
It is virtually every entrepreneur’s dream to build a business
that eventually provides a significant monetary return to the company’s shareholders through a
liquidity event. The two primary ways for a company to enact a liquidity event are through an IPO
or through a partial or complete sale of the business. In 2001 and the first half of 2002, there
were approximately 140 IPOs compared to approximately 15,000 M&A transactions. This session
will provide an opportunity for entrepreneurs to learn about the “path to liquidity”. The course
will discuss what makes a successful acquisition candidate and what a business can do to maximize
value before the sale process and how the M&A process works and how to maximize value during
the sale process.
Location: Los Angeles
Larta University's Course
Schedule |
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Top
Stories in Hot Technology Sectors
Biotechnology
Old drug,
new tricks (Red Herring)
A pharma startup may have found a faster, cheaper way to
market.
more Biotech news
Communications
Move Over
3G, Here Comes WiMAX (Reuters)
Just when mobile operators are finally getting their
costly third-generation (3G) networks up and running, a new wireless technology pushed by the
computer industry is about to mess things up.
more
Communications news
Consumer Electronics
Finally,
Apple Speaks to the Blind (BusinessWeek)
It's building innovative screen-reading
technology into OS X. That's essential for the visually impaired -- and a smart business
move.
more Consumer Electronics News
Internet
AOL chews
fat on sliced spam (CNet News)
America Online, the nation's largest Internet
provider, said that it has seen a dramatic decline in the amount of spam entering its network over
the past month.
more Internet news
Investments
Venture
Capital 'Give-Backs ' Down Sharply In 1Q (Wall Street Journal/NASVF)
In another sign
that venture capitalists are confident about their ability to put money to work, give-backs - or
the releasing of limited partners from their capital commitments - have virtually disappeared in
the first quarter.
more Investment news
Security
Cashing In
on Virus Infections (Wired)
After a recent epidemic of computer viruses that seemed
much worse than usual, security experts are questioning whether the antivirus software industry is
working hard enough -- or has enough incentive -- to develop new and better ways of stopping nasty
software.
more Security news
Semiconductors
A Chip That
Changes Its Stripes (Forbes)
If there's ever going to be a single handheld
do-everything device, it's going to need as its central brain a chip that's smart, small and
flexible.
more Semiconductor news
Software
The trials
of Microsoft (CNet News)
Settlement talks broke down this week between the European
Union and Microsoft, paving the way for a landmark antitrust legal ruling next week.
more
Software news |
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Events Calendar
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This calendar lists
events endorsed by Larta Institute.
March 22-23: Science,
Technology and Economic Growth: A Practicum for States
National Governors
Association Center for Best Practices hosts a two-day event that addresses the challenges of
technology growth and funding faced by governors across the nation.
March 23 and 25: SBIR
Workshops
The US Environmental Protection Agency is holding workshops in Northern
and Southern California intended for small businesses interested in the EPA's Small Business
Innovative Research Program in general, and the Pacific Southwest Region Phase 1 Solicitation in
particular.
March 31: Budget
and Trade Deficits: Linked, Worrisome in the Long Run, but not Twins
Technolink
Association and the National Association of Business Economics present Special Guest The Honorable
Edward M. Gramlich, Governor, Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System to discuss budget
and trade deficits.
April 1: 2004
Venture Forum
The Venture Forum is the largest showcase of investment-worthy
companies in Southern California. The 10th annual Venture Forum will feature 50 companies from all
sectors and stages, selected by leading investment and industry experts. Attendees will learn about
the most exciting technologies in the marketplace. Investors will access one of the largest deal
pipelines in the nation. Service providers can actively participate in the growth of emerging
companies.
April 13: Livermore LifeScience Conference 2004
Elbert Branscomb, chief
scientist for the Department of Energy’s Genome Program and the former director of the Joint Genome
Institute in Walnut Creek, is among the speakers scheduled for Livermore LifeScience Conference
2004 at Wente Vineyards in Livermore.
April 15: How to
Prepare Winning Proposals for SBIR and STTR
This Larta U seminar will provide a
brief overview of SBIR and STTR programs, while focusing on how to prepare winning SBIR and STTR
proposals; bringing attendees one step closer to winning federal money.
April 21: Mergers
& Acquisitions
This Larta U session will provide an opportunity for
entrepreneurs to learn about the “path to liquidity”. The course will discuss what makes a
successful acquisition candidate and what a business can do to maximize value before the sale
process and how the M&A process works and how to maximize value during the sale
process.
April 26-28: Global
Conference 2004
Milken Institute's 7th Annual Global Conference will be held at the
Beverly Hilton Hotel in Los Angeles. Each spring, this event brings together some of the most
extraordinary people in the world – from business executives, institution investors and
philanthropists to government leaders, academics and Nobel laureates – to discuss, debate and
deliberate today’s crucial social, political and economic issues. Larta VOX is offering
attendees a $1,000 discount: put in discount code LARTA2004GC when registering. Registration
deadline is April 16, 2004.
April 27: The
Investment Capital Conference: Sources of Capital for Emerging Growth and Middle Market
Companies
The Los Angeles Venture Association's Investment Capital Conference (ICC)
is a one-day event that brings together principals of emerging growth and middle market companies
with the information and resources they need to raise investment
capital.
April 28: Selling
the Steak, Not the Sizzle: Technology Marketing in the New Century
This Larta
workshop will teach you what marketing strategies and specific tactics work and those that are best
avoided. Learn from industry experts as they share their real-world experiences in the technology
trenches about what works in today’s environment.
Larta
Institute's Events Calendar |
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Job
Opportunities |
Larta
Institute
Business
Development Associate
The Business Development Associate will assist the Business
Development Director in sales, new business sourcing, and marketing. As Business Development
Associate, you will aid in selling and marketing sophisticated consulting services, training
programs, and custom packaging Larta Institute's capabilities into tangible, sellable
products.
full description
To apply for this or any position, email a resume and cover letter to: jobs@larta.org.
Larta
Institute's Job Opportunities | |
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Come see
50 Companies
Compete to be
Company of the
Year
"The annual Venture
Forum is a must attend VC event!" said Randy Lunn of Palomar Ventures.
Click here
to register now! |
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sponsored by
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Larta
Institute
connecting people to drive innovation
We bring people together to move technologies
into the marketplace. Our client solutions include: conferences, training workshops, technology
transfer, advisory services, and research and analysis.
Since 1993, companies helped by Larta Institute
have raised over $1.5 billion in capital. Larta Institute's conferences and seminars provide
insights to thousands of businesspeople each year. Larta Institute's weekly electronic magazine on
business innovation is read by over 20,000 people.
www.Larta.org
Los Angeles Office
714 W. Olympic Blvd.
Suite
750
Los Angeles, CA 90015
Tel: (213) 744-1314
Fax: (213) 744-1791
Orange County Office:
2 Peters
Canyon Road
Second Floor
Irvine, CA 92606 |
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| Sponsorship: To sponsor VOX, Larta events or publications, contact Carlos
Gutierrez | |
