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

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.

June 8: How to Write a Winning SBIR Proposal
Winning federal money begins with a winning SBIR proposal. Get access to the millions of dollars that are set aside by the United States Government and private organizations to fund technology research and development activity. This session will cover the search process to find SBIR/STTR grants appropriate for your technology, general information about the culture and requirements of each agency offering these types of grants, and the business structures/collaborations/research plans found in winning proposals.
Location: Los Angeles

July 15: Successful Selling Skills and Tactics
This 3-hour boot camp helps participants learn how to use a defined sales process to sell successfully. In an interactive setting, you will create specific and customized scripts (or prompters) to assist in your selling process. We will focus on how to turn the prospect who is “not looking” into a buying customer. We will discuss how to uncover your buyer’s needs and how to qualify your buyer by using a defined sales process. In addition, we will touch on getting past the “gate keepers” and how to control sales costs (by using marketing collateral, demos, proposals, etc., as a way to stall the decision). By creating a repeatable sales process, you will be able to build a sales team who will follow a defined series of steps and sell your product successfully. Once the sales process is in place, you will be able to manage with accurate forecasts month after month.
Location: Los Angeles

Larta University's Course Schedule

Top Stories in Hot Technology Sectors

Biotechnology
Biotech coalition calls for state help (San Diego Union-Tribune)
California is the leader in the world of biotechnology, but the industry says it needs the support of the state government to stay on top.
more Biotech news

Communications
State Toughens Telecom Laws (Wired)
California became the first state in the nation to adopt consumer protections for cell phone customers, after a four-year tussle with the industry.
more Communications news

Consumer Electronics
Networked homes move closer to reality (CNet News)
At the Samsung Tower Palace, even the refrigerators are logged onto the Net.
more Consumer Electronics News

Hardware
HP, Iomega unveil low-end storage systems (CNet News)
Hewlett-Packard and Iomega are offering new lower-end network storage devices aimed at small and midsize businesses.
more Hardware news

Internet
Big Possibilities in Proposed New Internet Domains (Washington Post)
A new batch of proposed Internet domains could make it easier to fight spam and filter out smut, but the head of the regulatory body that will usher them sees even broader possibilities.
more Internet news

Investments
IPO Watch: The cost of going public (Red Herring)
A company with IPO dreams has to put a lot of money where its mouth is.
more Investment news

Media
Showdown at Time Warner (BusinessWeek)
Problems with AOL accounting leave Dick Parsons in a tight spot: Settling with the SEC could fuel an investor lawsuit.
more Media news

Security
Homeland Security's Missing Link (BusinessWeek)
The US is spending plenty on tech, but it could spare far more. Even more important is cohesive planning and implementation.
more Security news

Software
Sun to upgrade Linux desktop software (CNet News)
Sun Microsystems plans to release the second version of its Java Desktop System, the server maker's version of Linux for desktop computers, augmenting the software with new management and programming tools.
more Software news

This calendar lists events endorsed by Larta Institute.

May 31-June 1: Focus on Business
At Focus on Business you will gain up to date knowledge and networks to help you win new business. Around the themes of innovation, networking, federal politics, world class government administration and exporting, Focus on Business is the premier biennial regional business event, and a tremendous opportunity to involve your organisation in a bold initiative designed to showcase Canberra and the surrounding region as a thriving centre of business excellence.

June 6-9: Bio 2004 Annual International Convention
The biotechnology industry will go back to where it all began – San Francisco – to celebrate the benefits of biotech to health, agriculture, the economy and the environment. More than 16,000 biotech executives, investors, journalists, policymakers and scientists from more than 55 countries are expected to attend.

June 8: How to Write a Winning SBIR Proposal
This Larta University workshop will cover the search process to find SBIR/STTR grants, information about the agencies offering the grants, and the elements found in winning proposals.

June 8: Where Will the Next Wave of Technology Take Us...?
Technolink Association presents a roundtable forum with high-tech, life sciences, innovative, international, and political leaders discussing the impact that the next generation of technologies will have on our business and society.

June 9-11: 5th Annual Venture Capital Investing Conference
International Business Forum presents the flagship event for private equity investors and VCs. This conference will show each group ways to profit from the inevitable changes ahead.

June 14-17: North American IPv6 Summit
The North American IPv6 Summit welcomes everyone interested in meeting the pioneers and time-to-market developers and adopters of Internet Protocol version 6 (IPv6), the Next Generation Internet. The North American IPv6 Summit is the premier event for the world IPv6 community, providing an international forum for advancing the development and implementation of next generation Internet networks, technologies, applications and policies.

June 15: OCVG Monthly Breakfast Program
Orange Coast Venture Group has lined up the “Chief Revenue Officers” of four industry-leading, Orange County-based venture-stage companies with notably successful sales and marketing programs to share their insights on how to find and win customers in today’s brutally competitive marketplace.

June 19: Entrepreneurial Opportunities in Software
Join the Caltech/MIT Enterprise Forum and the Software Council of Southern California for a look at areas of software holding special entrepreneurial promise. The panel will examine software opportunities from several perspectives and will look at the industry as a whole and distill the highest potential opportunities for entrepreneurs during the next several years.

July 15: Successful Selling Skills and Tactics
This 3-hour Larta University boot camp helps participants learn how to use a defined sales process to sell successfully. By creating a repeatable sales process, you will be able to build a sales team who will follow a defined series of steps and sell your product successfully. Once the sales process is in place, you will be able to manage with accurate forecasts month after month.

July 22: Preparing the Financial Forecast Model
This Larta University workshop will show you how to build a financial forecast model using Excel. You will learn how to build your forecast from the bottom up, in a format that potential investors will find attractive.

Larta Institute's Events Calendar

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

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Tel: (213) 744-1314
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