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Jun
24
Sat
Everything we do at Tech Valley Game Space (TVGS) is enabled by our enthusiastic members and volunteers. We are so grateful for your support, and we’re always striving to find new ways to leverage our collective energy to help the Capital Region game dev community thrive. We believe that the key to doing that is empowering all of you to take on a more active role in helping our local game development scene grow and flourish. With that in mind, we want to invite everyone to attend our volunteer coordination meeting. Many of you have been asking how you can get more involved with our group efforts, and this meeting will be a great chance to do just that. We’ve done so many great things together, and there’s no limit to what we can accomplish as long as we remain dedicated to improving. So, let’s get organized!
Jun
26
Mon
Achieving Operational Excellence in Rochester @ The Brighton Reserve Clubhouse Jun 26 all-day
Israeli Global leaders in Artificial Intelligence & Machine Learning are coming to Rochester to help companies transform current operations into optimal performance using data-driven decision making.
Million Dollar Mistakes w/ Christine Whitman – 7:30 – 9:00 AM
Enjoy a classic Israeli breakfast hosted by Christine Whitman while meeting Israeli entrepreneurs Iris Tsidon and Maya Gal. Find out about their journey to get funded and build a company with global impact.
Workshop – 4:00 – 6:30 PM
Partake in an interactive workshop about artificial intelligence, machine learning and how they are changing Business Intelligence and transforming into Operational Intelligence.
Founder Stories w/ Google Mentor – 6:45 – 8:00 PM
Meet for drinks with Google Mentor Sarah Nadav and get a chance to hear from Iris Tsidon and Maya Gal about operational mistakes and missed opportunities that are costing companies millions of dollars annually.
Jun
27
Tue
The first in a series of CEO/Owner workshops, this session will provide the essentials on preparing for, engaging in, and thriving after your transition, including structuring for maximum value, preparing for a smooth transaction, and preparing for life after succession.
Expert Panel:
Jon Anderson, President, Sidehill Group:
The Sidehill Group of Sales Xceleration brings over 1,000 of years of sales leadership experience to SMBs. We work hands-on to build and implement the sales strategies, function integration, systems and processes, and tactical execution that deliver sustainable growth.
Matthew Wagoner, Managing Partner, The Wagoner Firm, PLLC:
The Wagoner Firm has counseled hundreds of businesses and entrepreneurs on everything from formation to successful exits. We focus on your business goals and identify triggering events, valuation options and funding sources (e.g., insurance) to streamline your buy-sell plan giving you peace of mind to focus on what you do best.
Michael Testa, Partner, Tarella Financial:
David Tarella and Michael Testa have successfully transitioned small and Mid-sized family owned businesses within the capital region and across the United States for over 30 years. Helping you strategize and map out your future outcome is what we do. We work closely with your other advisors to maximize value and minimize taxes, protecting decades of your hard work.
The Capital Stack: Funding Sources @ University at Buffalo - Center of Excellence Jun 27 @ 5:00 pm – 8:00 pm
Want to learn more about funding businesses, including how to raise $20M in venture capital?
Learn about the differences between angel and venture equity, and different kinds of debt. Meet investors and lenders who support local businesses, and hear ACV Auctions’ story of how they raised significant venture capital, from CEO George Chamoun.
Early bird tickets are $60 before June 16, then increase to $70 for regular tickets. UVANY members and entrepreneurs save 50%. Use the code MEMBER to register. Not a member yet? Join UVANY today and get a free ticket!
Join us for our Monthly Audio Anything Meetup! Our group meets the last Tuesday of the month to talk anything audio (and sometimes video too!) This month, our fearless leader, Fuz Eller is going to be doing a walkthrough of the free audio editing program, Audacity. Join us to get an overview, learn some tips and tricks and get your audio editing started! If you’d like for him to focus on any particular areas of the program, please let us know.
See you there!
Spark Summer Series: eCommerce & Business Operations @ Universal Preservation Hall Jun 27 @ 6:00 pm – 7:30 pm
JUNE 27 – ENTREPRENEURIAL IMPROV – PERSONAL EXPERIENCE IN eCOMMERCE AND BUSINESS OPERATIONS & THE LESSONS LEARNED FROM FAILURE AND SUCCESS
In this informal session, you’ll meet three entrepreneurs who have started, grown, and successfully sold several businesses over a number of years, and who now work with clients to share the lessons they learned along the way.
Through examples and lessons learned, the Venture 7 Advisors will offer down-to-earth takeaways about the exciting and terrifying startup adventure, building business value, how to create the right team, branding and marketing, how to prepare to raise capital, how to find the right buyer for your business, and more.
INTRODUCTIONS: VENTURE 7 ADVISORS
- We’re getting the band back together.
- Help business owners build value.
- Management consulting for mid-size companies.
- Help business owners harvest value.
OUR JOURNEY: ONE EXAMPLE
- Very few believed we’d succeed. You have to believe in yourself and/ your partners.
- Toxic dentist’s office. One desk. Four chairs.
- Most exciting / terrifying activity you may ever engage in.
- When the right opportunity surfaces, make it happen. (“When you come to a fork in the road, take it.” – Yogi Berra)
- Small initial investment is OK if you’re prepared to bootstrap, BUT
- How to prepare to raise capital when you need it.
YOUR TEAM
- The most important decision you’ll make: Choosing your partner(s)..
- Complementary skill sets, different worldviews, common mission.
- Seek out others who are smarter than you.
- Hire people, not résumés. Take chances on the right people. Trust your instincts.
GROWING YOUR BUSINESS
- Cool ideas are easy. Execution is hard.
- Profits are good, but cash is king.
- Implement financial management systems early. Stay on track.
- Spirit: at 8+ hours a day, how you treat people and the tone you set are company assets.
- In the beginning: employees paid first, owners last. Later: share the wealth.
- Divide and conquer. No one person can do everything necessary to succeed in business.
- Don’t neglect tangential business opportunities that relate to your core competency. But learn to say no.
- Be prepared for life-long learning.
MARKETING
- Think carefully about the business you’re in. (EDI consulting vs. business integration.)
- Branding matters.
- Invest time and resources in brand identity early.
- Excellence in design has real dollar value.
- Alamo marketing.
- Spend time with your customers and listen: service center, help desk, etc.
- It’s about business process, not technology.
THE EXIT
- Be realistic about what your business is worth.
- Manage your company like you plan to sell it, even if you’re not planning to sell it.
- The disruption of the M&A industry by internet.
CHANGE IS INEVITABLE. AND RAPID. BE READY TO GET DISRUPTED.
eCommerce
- eCommerce pre-Internet and post-internet.
- Paper to EDI – technology was easy. Business impact was harder….and more profitable.
- Riding boom and bust cycles.
- B2B focus transitioned to B2C.
- Choosing an eCommerce provider is the easy part
- Managing new business processes is hard
- 24×7 Timing / Order confirmations
- Option overview
- Distribution / Logistics
- Shipping
- Return processing
- Volume considerations
- Customer expectations
- Customer Service
- 24×7 Timing / Order confirmations
VENTURE 7 ADVISOR TEAM
We are a team of successful entrepreneurs and C-level executives with complementary skills and wide-ranging industry experience. Together and as individuals, the principals have founded, built, sold and led companies in the industrial automation, consumer goods, information technology, marketing, design and construction industries.
Bryan Ducharme
Bryan is a business consultant, entrepreneur, strategist and implementer. His entire career has involved managing mission-critical projects for Fortune 500 companies, launching new companies and merging business operations post acquisition. Clients have ranged from individual inventors and technology startups to household name companies like GE, Whirlpool, Stanley Tools and Hoffmann-LaRoche.
With leadership experience in marketing, finance, sales, operations and information technology, in a range of industries from industrial automation and renewable energy to construction, Bryan is able to see the big picture and develop practical plans for achieving measureable results. He is a troubleshooter, a manager and a mentor.
Larry Chernicoff
Larry has had a varied career in business and design. Early in his career he owned an ad/design agency, and went on to lead companies in IT, management consulting, marketing communications, design, and consumer goods. He was CEO of an eCommerce startup which grew at an annual rate of over 100% and was sold after 5 years. Larry subsequently served as Group Vice President for the publicly-traded acquiring firm.
As a management consultant, he has spent time in boardrooms and conferences rooms, on shop floors and distribution centers. He quickly grasps the key issues of a client’s industry and applies sharp thinking to create effective business and messaging solutions. He comfortable both leading and following, working with executive level clients, hiring staff and building teams. He is skilled at sharpening clients’ core messages, product and service positioning, brand identity, and communications design.
Tony Silvanic
Tony is a problem solver. As a business owner, business strategist and consulting practice leader, he has managed multi-million dollar multi-organizational projects in complex environments with aggressive timelines, for a premium clientele including Staples, HP, GE and many others.
Throughout his wide-ranging career, Tony has maintained a steadfast commitment to a business-focused approach that keeps operational activities in line with strategic goals. He incorporates a variety of quality management, project management and system development best practices in each engagement based on his experience in the retail, computer manufacturing, process manufacturing, pharmaceutical, and automotive industries.
Every Tuesday night we gather with food and conversation. Check this calendar for various themes.
This event is free and open to the public. No registration is needed.
This is the PERFECT night to come by the Center of Gravity and get a feel for this amazing creative community. Get a tour, get social, get your questions answered and get some quality pot luck. You never know WHAT the fare might be on TVCOG Pot Luck Nights! Could be anything from”Tacos Tuesday,” to “Can You Fry It?” to “Nitrogen Ice Cream” and more. Check our Facebook Group http://www.facebook.com/home.php?sk=group_228909937126448
Weekly meetup for Interlock Members (and their guests) to come and visit, work on their projects, or share what they’ve been working on. It’s open to visitors but the First Tuesday’s of the month are the best time to visit if this is your first time.
The Zero To Maker series is a sequence of classes to introduce new members to key peices of equipment and training at the Center of Gravity. Members who need a refresher on the topic are also welcome to attend!
This week’s class will be an introduction to the fiber arts / crafts / galss cutting area available at the COG. Focus will be on the sewing machines, loom and embroidery machine, as well as crafting and glass cutting, and will be taught by Irene Purificato, the SRP for that zone.
The Zero To Maker series is a sequence of classes to introduce new members to key pieces of equipment and training at the Center of Gravity. Members who need a refresher on the topic are also welcome to attend! For info on becoming a member:http://www.tvcog.net/membership-plans-fees/ This week’s class will be an introduction to the fiber arts / crafts / glass cutting area available at the COG. Focus will be on the sewing machines, loom and embroidery machine, as well as crafting and glass cutting, and will be taught by Irene Purificato, the SRP for that zone.
Jun
28
Wed
1 Million Cups is a Kauffman Foundation supported event that meets monthly at various locations across the Capital Region. These meetup provide entrepreneurs, technologists and creatives with an opportunity to connect and present in front of a group of their peers. Each presenter receives honest feedback to help their venture take flight.
This month we welcome the team from Illuminate. Our presenter will be Ryan Foster. Illuminate is a core team in the IgniteU NY summer accelerator, and a graduate of the UAlbany / Blackstone Launchpad program.
Learn more: https://illuminateesi.com
Not sure if Coworking will work for you or your business? Well why not try it before you buy it! Come visit us EVERY WEDNESDAY from 9am – 5pm to see if it is right for you, meet some new people, have some good coffee and try out a new style of working alone, together!
Elevator Pitch Workshop @ University at Albany - Massry Center for Business, 2nd Floor Standish Living Room Jun 28 @ 2:00 pm – 4:00 pm
Join Innovate 518 for a workshop to get the attention of investors and clients.
WHAT YOU WILL LEARN
• A 20 second handshake pitch
• Practice your pitch with investors/ mentors
• Receive one on one feedback
• Learn how to create any length pitch
• Focus on the need to get client and investor interest
WHO SHOULD PARTICIPATE
• Entrepreneurs
• Startups who want to refine their pitch
• Anyone who wants to pitch their startup idea
This workshop will be on the second floor of the Massry Business Building in the standish living room space. Light refreshments will be served. Get your tickets now!
Jun 28 @ 4:00 pm – 5:00 pm
Startup Growth Opportunities in Syracuse
A talk with Mac Cummings, CEO and Co-founder of Terakeet
Join us to hear the startup success story of local entrepreneur Mac Cummings, CEO and Cofounder of Terakeet, including insight on getting started, raising capital, managing growth and adopting to change. Learn how he grew Terakeet into a leading engagement marketing technology company with customers that span the globe. Space is limited, please register today
Strategic Sales & Seduction: Stop Chasing Clients
FINALLY get paid what you’re worth and learn the strategy/ tools that will allow you to seduce your dream client and more importantly sell them.
This is ONLY for small business owners and entrepreneurs that are sick of chasing leads and want to put cash in their pockets.
A deep dive presentation and interactive experience into the system of Strategic Sales, Seduction and Marketing.
Disclaimer: This is NOT your typical boring lecture on how to advertise locally and run Facebook ads.
Workshop Facilitator Bio:
Ryan Obernesser is the owner of one of the fastest growing training facilities in Central New York, O.B. Training & Sports Performance. Utilizing the unique sales and marketing system of “Strategic Seduction”, Ryan has grown O.B. Training from a single man shop to a staff of 5 coaches in just 3 short years. All while doubling revenue each year in that process.
Welcome to the Tech Valley Game Space Community Night! Updates from the community are encouraged! Volunteer for events at the TVGS and around the area to be a part of making them a reality for everyone. If you want to be in the know, and get involved, then this is the meeting to attend! If you have a project that you need help with, this is also the time to request any assistance from the community! The TVGS has a goal to help create local games, and there are multiple projects ongoing. Use your skills and help make games! Each month, we hold a “shark tank” session, where anyone with a game idea was invited to present a five minute pitch. The pitches were then voted on by attendees, and a team of TVGS volunteers have been working together over the intervening month to develop the concept that received the most votes into a working prototype. Now that a full month has elapsed, the progress that was made on the winning project will be presented. The team will share their results at this meeting, and provide time for feedback and questions. Participants at this event will again have a chance to pitch a game idea, all for an opportunity to lead a group of TVGS volunteers in a team effort to develop that idea into a functional prototype over the month ahead. We do need to limit the total number of pitches for scheduling purposes. Therefore, if you wish to participate in the event, we ask that you please RSVP in advance using the registration form: goo.gl/forms/bffPovTE9jG58XLh2
Together with the Rochester Software Development Meetup group, we’re hosting a night of hacking on your own projects before going on vacation to celebrate Independence Day. Whether you’re still ideating or have loops that won’t terminate, you’ll have the opportunity to make some progress at HTR’s BetaSpace located on the third floor of the Sibley Building. Even if you don’t have anything to hack on, you’re still welcome. There will be plenty of people who want a second pair of eyes or just want another technical person (they don’t work with) to talk to. There will be beverages like water, Coke, Mt. Dew, etc. We’re working on food. If you happen to misread the event title and bring beer, you might make a friend. ***NOTE: This is a cross posting for announcement purposes. You can RSVP here or, ideally, join the Rochester Software Development Meetup and RSVP there 🙂 https://www.meetup.com/meetup-group-BkuJclOW/ See you there!
Together with Girl Develop It ROC, we’re hosting a night of hacking on your own projects before going on vacation to celebrate Independence Day. Whether you’re still ideating or have loops that won’t terminate, you’ll have the opportunity to make some progress at HTR’s BetaSpace located on the third floor of the Sibley Building. Even if you don’t have anything to hack on, you’re still welcome. There will be plenty of people who want a second pair of eyes or just want another technical person (they don’t work with) to talk to. There will be beverages like water, Coke, Mt. Dew, etc. We’re working on food. If you happen to misread the event title and bring beer, you might make a friend.
You’re invited to one of the year’s most exciting entrepreneur events! Join us at the Bright Buffalo Niagara Entrepreneur Expo & LIVE Pitch Event!
Agenda: Top 5 Exhibitor Registration: 9 a.m. – 10:30 a.m.
Exclusive Investor Luncheon: 11a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
90 Second Presenter Exhibitor Registration: 11:00 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
Attendee Registration: 12:30 p.m. – 1 p.m.
Opening Remarks: 1:00 p.m. – 1:15 p.m.
Live Pitches: 1:15 p.m. – 3:45 p.m.
Entrepreneur Expo: 4:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Keynote Address | Frans Johansson: 5 p.m. – 6:30 p.m.
Awards Ceremony and Closing Remarks: 6:30 p.m. – 6:45
Jun
29
Thu
Come celebrate with the Summer 2017 cohort as they wrap up their work in the Student Sandbox. Teams will provide an overview of their progress as we share in some pizza & wings to celebrate their hard work.
About: The Annual Technology Awards celebrate and honor the Capital Region’s most innovative and inspiring companies and individuals whose pioneering and entrepreneurial successes are bettering our communities by strengthening our workforce and creating new jobs and opportunities. Each year, we give out between 5-7 awards. The winners are selected by our awards committee, comprised of local technologists, business leaders and entrepreneurs.
Event Details: For our 21st year, CEG’s Awards will take on a new format. The traditional luncheon will now be an evening Awards Ceremony with Keynote speaker, followed by a networking cocktail reception.
Registration is Open!
Individual Tickets:
CEG Investors*: $60
General Public: $80
Register now!
Discounted Block (10 Tickets):
CEG Investors*: $550
General Public: $750
To purchase, please contact Courtney Heinbach.
*Executive, Director & Corporate level investors: please contact Courtney Heinbach to secure your tickets.
Seeking Inspirational Companies & Individuals!
CEG is accepting applications for award recognition from both Companies and Individuals working in Tech Valley’s technology community. Nominations are encouraged from a variety of high-tech industries, including advanced materials, manufacturing, renewable energy, biotech/medical, software/IT and nanotechnology.
Self-nominations are encouraged. All applications will remain confidential. Award winners will be recognized in front of hundreds of Tech Valley leaders at an awards ceremony and profiled in a Times Union insert sent to nearly 100,000 subscribers, published on the day of the event.
Award Categories:
- Economic Winner: Company with 20+ employees in the region, $8M+ in annual revenue. Must exhibit substantial & sustained growth in sales & profitability.
- Lift-Off: Company is 1-10 years old with revenue less than $5M. Young, promising start-up company.
- Technology Innovation: Company that has delivered or utilized new technology either internally or externally.
- Technology Trailblazer: An individual who has contributed to the development of the technology economy through the formation of new business(es) and exemplifies risk-taking entrepreneurial spirit.
- Jeffrey A. Lawrence Lifetime Contributor Award: An individual who has shaped the technology community through championing the vision of Tech Valley as well as by offering their time, expertise and knowledge networks in support of individual companies and entrepreneurs.
AFRL Commercialization Academy Spring 2017 Demo Day @ Mohawk Valley Community College Jun 29 @ 5:00 pm – 8:00 pm
Celebrate four months of accomplishment with the six startups of the Spring 2017 Commercialization Academy class at Mohawk Valley Community College’s new campus in Rome, NY!
Griffiss Institute and Wasabi Ventures would like to invite you to join the six startups of the Spring 2017 Commercialization Academy class as they pitch a panel of judges and the audience on the companies they have built around Air Force Research Laboratory Information Directorate (AFRL/RI) technology. A judges’ vote and a live audience vote will be held, with two cash prizes of $15,000 and $5,000, respectively, to be given to the winners of the two best pitches of the day.
That means each startup will have the opportunity to win much-needed seed money!
The six startups are, ADK Ops, After Zero Technologies, E-Health Now, Indago Innovation, Intake, and Mentis Technologies. Over the last four months, these entrepreneurs have received an abundance of tools and resources, including a startup educational platform that has taught each of them the logistics of building a startup.
We’ll also virtually welcome back Aerial Force and Qwik Supply from the 2016 Commercialization Academy class to provide updates on their companies. At last Fall’s Demo Day, MakeIt3D won the Judges’ Choice Award and Sensible Spreader Technologies won the Audience Choice Award.
This conversation-centered, small group language class is offered through the InterAct Language Center. Courses are $120/mo for four (weekly) 1.5 hour courses.
New sessions start each month.
Discounts available for CoWork members.
Are you curious about drones? Multirotors? UAVs? Drone Racing? Aerial Photography? FPV? Designing and flying your own aircraft? Join us and we can share what we know, demonstrate our latest projects, and even fly together!
Looking for an excuse to work on that project you’ve been putting off? Want to build something awesome but need some help? Join your fellow hackers on Thursday nights to initiate creative collisions and concoct contrivances of every conceivable kind! If you have questions about Open Hack, contact Samson Bonfante at samson@bonfante.org.
Jun 29 @ 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm
Chris is an entrepreneur hailing from Buffalo, NY who has been working in the music business for nearly 20 years. As the owner and president of After Dark Entertainment, Inc., Chris currently books and produces over 200 concerts a year throughout Western NY including shows at his own club Waiting Room, a multi room venue located in Downtown Buffalo.
In addition to booking concerts Ring also owns and operates Tour City, Inc., a merchandise company specializing in the needs of touring musicians. When Chris isn’t booking gigs for the kids or printing shirts and banners for the rock n rollers he enjoys golfing, golfing, and more golfing.
Due to the recent surge of interest in the blockchain realm, we’ve decided to have casual meetups every Thursday evening at Ashkers, in addition to the formal monthly meetups.
Bring your own project (sewing, knitting, needlework…or hey, anything portable) and a beverage for a fun evening stitching and sipping in good company. The CoG provides an empty table, well-lighted work space and electricity, as well as witty banter and camaraderie. No instructor, craft along with fellow Makers. Free to members, $5 cash fee at check-in for non-members. (Membership has its privileges, join the Center of Gravity to access our awesome equipment, including sewing machines!)
Bring your own project (sewing, knitting, needlework…or hey, anything portable) and a beverage for a fun evening stitching and sipping in good company. The CoG provides an empty table, well-lighted work space and electricity, as well as witty banter and camaraderie. No instructor, craft along with fellow Makers. Free to members, $5 cash fee at check-in for non-members. (Membership has its privileges, join the Center of Gravity to access our awesome equipment, including sewing machines!)
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UVC Photo Gallery
Jun
24
Sat
Everything we do at Tech Valley Game Space (TVGS) is enabled by our enthusiastic members and volunteers. We are so grateful for your support, and we’re always striving to find new ways to leverage our collective energy to help the Capital Region game dev community thrive. We believe that the key to doing that is empowering all of you to take on a more active role in helping our local game development scene grow and flourish. With that in mind, we want to invite everyone to attend our volunteer coordination meeting. Many of you have been asking how you can get more involved with our group efforts, and this meeting will be a great chance to do just that. We’ve done so many great things together, and there’s no limit to what we can accomplish as long as we remain dedicated to improving. So, let’s get organized!
Jun
26
Mon
Achieving Operational Excellence in Rochester
@ The Brighton Reserve Clubhouse
Jun 26 all-day
Israeli Global leaders in Artificial Intelligence & Machine Learning are coming to Rochester to help companies transform current operations into optimal performance using data-driven decision making.
Million Dollar Mistakes w/ Christine Whitman – 7:30 – 9:00 AM
Enjoy a classic Israeli breakfast hosted by Christine Whitman while meeting Israeli entrepreneurs Iris Tsidon and Maya Gal. Find out about their journey to get funded and build a company with global impact.
Workshop – 4:00 – 6:30 PM
Partake in an interactive workshop about artificial intelligence, machine learning and how they are changing Business Intelligence and transforming into Operational Intelligence.
Founder Stories w/ Google Mentor – 6:45 – 8:00 PM
Meet for drinks with Google Mentor Sarah Nadav and get a chance to hear from Iris Tsidon and Maya Gal about operational mistakes and missed opportunities that are costing companies millions of dollars annually.
Jun
27
Tue
The first in a series of CEO/Owner workshops, this session will provide the essentials on preparing for, engaging in, and thriving after your transition, including structuring for maximum value, preparing for a smooth transaction, and preparing for life after succession.
Expert Panel:
Jon Anderson, President, Sidehill Group:
The Sidehill Group of Sales Xceleration brings over 1,000 of years of sales leadership experience to SMBs. We work hands-on to build and implement the sales strategies, function integration, systems and processes, and tactical execution that deliver sustainable growth.
Matthew Wagoner, Managing Partner, The Wagoner Firm, PLLC:
The Wagoner Firm has counseled hundreds of businesses and entrepreneurs on everything from formation to successful exits. We focus on your business goals and identify triggering events, valuation options and funding sources (e.g., insurance) to streamline your buy-sell plan giving you peace of mind to focus on what you do best.
Michael Testa, Partner, Tarella Financial:
David Tarella and Michael Testa have successfully transitioned small and Mid-sized family owned businesses within the capital region and across the United States for over 30 years. Helping you strategize and map out your future outcome is what we do. We work closely with your other advisors to maximize value and minimize taxes, protecting decades of your hard work.
The Capital Stack: Funding Sources
@ University at Buffalo - Center of Excellence
Jun 27 @ 5:00 pm – 8:00 pm
Want to learn more about funding businesses, including how to raise $20M in venture capital?
Learn about the differences between angel and venture equity, and different kinds of debt. Meet investors and lenders who support local businesses, and hear ACV Auctions’ story of how they raised significant venture capital, from CEO George Chamoun.
Early bird tickets are $60 before June 16, then increase to $70 for regular tickets. UVANY members and entrepreneurs save 50%. Use the code MEMBER to register. Not a member yet? Join UVANY today and get a free ticket!
Join us for our Monthly Audio Anything Meetup! Our group meets the last Tuesday of the month to talk anything audio (and sometimes video too!) This month, our fearless leader, Fuz Eller is going to be doing a walkthrough of the free audio editing program, Audacity. Join us to get an overview, learn some tips and tricks and get your audio editing started! If you’d like for him to focus on any particular areas of the program, please let us know.
See you there!
Spark Summer Series: eCommerce & Business Operations
@ Universal Preservation Hall
Jun 27 @ 6:00 pm – 7:30 pm
JUNE 27 – ENTREPRENEURIAL IMPROV – PERSONAL EXPERIENCE IN eCOMMERCE AND BUSINESS OPERATIONS & THE LESSONS LEARNED FROM FAILURE AND SUCCESS
In this informal session, you’ll meet three entrepreneurs who have started, grown, and successfully sold several businesses over a number of years, and who now work with clients to share the lessons they learned along the way.
Through examples and lessons learned, the Venture 7 Advisors will offer down-to-earth takeaways about the exciting and terrifying startup adventure, building business value, how to create the right team, branding and marketing, how to prepare to raise capital, how to find the right buyer for your business, and more.
INTRODUCTIONS: VENTURE 7 ADVISORS
- We’re getting the band back together.
- Help business owners build value.
- Management consulting for mid-size companies.
- Help business owners harvest value.
OUR JOURNEY: ONE EXAMPLE
- Very few believed we’d succeed. You have to believe in yourself and/ your partners.
- Toxic dentist’s office. One desk. Four chairs.
- Most exciting / terrifying activity you may ever engage in.
- When the right opportunity surfaces, make it happen. (“When you come to a fork in the road, take it.” – Yogi Berra)
- Small initial investment is OK if you’re prepared to bootstrap, BUT
- How to prepare to raise capital when you need it.
YOUR TEAM
- The most important decision you’ll make: Choosing your partner(s)..
- Complementary skill sets, different worldviews, common mission.
- Seek out others who are smarter than you.
- Hire people, not résumés. Take chances on the right people. Trust your instincts.
GROWING YOUR BUSINESS
- Cool ideas are easy. Execution is hard.
- Profits are good, but cash is king.
- Implement financial management systems early. Stay on track.
- Spirit: at 8+ hours a day, how you treat people and the tone you set are company assets.
- In the beginning: employees paid first, owners last. Later: share the wealth.
- Divide and conquer. No one person can do everything necessary to succeed in business.
- Don’t neglect tangential business opportunities that relate to your core competency. But learn to say no.
- Be prepared for life-long learning.
MARKETING
- Think carefully about the business you’re in. (EDI consulting vs. business integration.)
- Branding matters.
- Invest time and resources in brand identity early.
- Excellence in design has real dollar value.
- Alamo marketing.
- Spend time with your customers and listen: service center, help desk, etc.
- It’s about business process, not technology.
THE EXIT
- Be realistic about what your business is worth.
- Manage your company like you plan to sell it, even if you’re not planning to sell it.
- The disruption of the M&A industry by internet.
CHANGE IS INEVITABLE. AND RAPID. BE READY TO GET DISRUPTED.
eCommerce
- eCommerce pre-Internet and post-internet.
- Paper to EDI – technology was easy. Business impact was harder….and more profitable.
- Riding boom and bust cycles.
- B2B focus transitioned to B2C.
- Choosing an eCommerce provider is the easy part
- Managing new business processes is hard
- 24×7 Timing / Order confirmations
- Option overview
- Distribution / Logistics
- Shipping
- Return processing
- Volume considerations
- Customer expectations
- Customer Service
- 24×7 Timing / Order confirmations
VENTURE 7 ADVISOR TEAM
We are a team of successful entrepreneurs and C-level executives with complementary skills and wide-ranging industry experience. Together and as individuals, the principals have founded, built, sold and led companies in the industrial automation, consumer goods, information technology, marketing, design and construction industries.
Bryan Ducharme
Bryan is a business consultant, entrepreneur, strategist and implementer. His entire career has involved managing mission-critical projects for Fortune 500 companies, launching new companies and merging business operations post acquisition. Clients have ranged from individual inventors and technology startups to household name companies like GE, Whirlpool, Stanley Tools and Hoffmann-LaRoche.
With leadership experience in marketing, finance, sales, operations and information technology, in a range of industries from industrial automation and renewable energy to construction, Bryan is able to see the big picture and develop practical plans for achieving measureable results. He is a troubleshooter, a manager and a mentor.
Larry Chernicoff
Larry has had a varied career in business and design. Early in his career he owned an ad/design agency, and went on to lead companies in IT, management consulting, marketing communications, design, and consumer goods. He was CEO of an eCommerce startup which grew at an annual rate of over 100% and was sold after 5 years. Larry subsequently served as Group Vice President for the publicly-traded acquiring firm.
As a management consultant, he has spent time in boardrooms and conferences rooms, on shop floors and distribution centers. He quickly grasps the key issues of a client’s industry and applies sharp thinking to create effective business and messaging solutions. He comfortable both leading and following, working with executive level clients, hiring staff and building teams. He is skilled at sharpening clients’ core messages, product and service positioning, brand identity, and communications design.
Tony Silvanic
Tony is a problem solver. As a business owner, business strategist and consulting practice leader, he has managed multi-million dollar multi-organizational projects in complex environments with aggressive timelines, for a premium clientele including Staples, HP, GE and many others.
Throughout his wide-ranging career, Tony has maintained a steadfast commitment to a business-focused approach that keeps operational activities in line with strategic goals. He incorporates a variety of quality management, project management and system development best practices in each engagement based on his experience in the retail, computer manufacturing, process manufacturing, pharmaceutical, and automotive industries.
Every Tuesday night we gather with food and conversation. Check this calendar for various themes.
This event is free and open to the public. No registration is needed.
This is the PERFECT night to come by the Center of Gravity and get a feel for this amazing creative community. Get a tour, get social, get your questions answered and get some quality pot luck. You never know WHAT the fare might be on TVCOG Pot Luck Nights! Could be anything from”Tacos Tuesday,” to “Can You Fry It?” to “Nitrogen Ice Cream” and more. Check our Facebook Group http://www.facebook.com/home.php?sk=group_228909937126448
Weekly meetup for Interlock Members (and their guests) to come and visit, work on their projects, or share what they’ve been working on. It’s open to visitors but the First Tuesday’s of the month are the best time to visit if this is your first time.
The Zero To Maker series is a sequence of classes to introduce new members to key peices of equipment and training at the Center of Gravity. Members who need a refresher on the topic are also welcome to attend!
This week’s class will be an introduction to the fiber arts / crafts / galss cutting area available at the COG. Focus will be on the sewing machines, loom and embroidery machine, as well as crafting and glass cutting, and will be taught by Irene Purificato, the SRP for that zone.
The Zero To Maker series is a sequence of classes to introduce new members to key pieces of equipment and training at the Center of Gravity. Members who need a refresher on the topic are also welcome to attend! For info on becoming a member:http://www.tvcog.net/membership-plans-fees/ This week’s class will be an introduction to the fiber arts / crafts / glass cutting area available at the COG. Focus will be on the sewing machines, loom and embroidery machine, as well as crafting and glass cutting, and will be taught by Irene Purificato, the SRP for that zone.
Jun
28
Wed
1 Million Cups is a Kauffman Foundation supported event that meets monthly at various locations across the Capital Region. These meetup provide entrepreneurs, technologists and creatives with an opportunity to connect and present in front of a group of their peers. Each presenter receives honest feedback to help their venture take flight.
This month we welcome the team from Illuminate. Our presenter will be Ryan Foster. Illuminate is a core team in the IgniteU NY summer accelerator, and a graduate of the UAlbany / Blackstone Launchpad program.
Learn more: https://illuminateesi.com
Not sure if Coworking will work for you or your business? Well why not try it before you buy it! Come visit us EVERY WEDNESDAY from 9am – 5pm to see if it is right for you, meet some new people, have some good coffee and try out a new style of working alone, together!
Elevator Pitch Workshop
@ University at Albany - Massry Center for Business, 2nd Floor Standish Living Room
Jun 28 @ 2:00 pm – 4:00 pm
Join Innovate 518 for a workshop to get the attention of investors and clients.
WHAT YOU WILL LEARN
• A 20 second handshake pitch
• Practice your pitch with investors/ mentors
• Receive one on one feedback
• Learn how to create any length pitch
• Focus on the need to get client and investor interest
WHO SHOULD PARTICIPATE
• Entrepreneurs
• Startups who want to refine their pitch
• Anyone who wants to pitch their startup idea
This workshop will be on the second floor of the Massry Business Building in the standish living room space. Light refreshments will be served. Get your tickets now!
Jun 28 @ 4:00 pm – 5:00 pm
Startup Growth Opportunities in Syracuse
A talk with Mac Cummings, CEO and Co-founder of Terakeet
Join us to hear the startup success story of local entrepreneur Mac Cummings, CEO and Cofounder of Terakeet, including insight on getting started, raising capital, managing growth and adopting to change. Learn how he grew Terakeet into a leading engagement marketing technology company with customers that span the globe. Space is limited, please register today
Strategic Sales & Seduction: Stop Chasing Clients
FINALLY get paid what you’re worth and learn the strategy/ tools that will allow you to seduce your dream client and more importantly sell them.
This is ONLY for small business owners and entrepreneurs that are sick of chasing leads and want to put cash in their pockets.
A deep dive presentation and interactive experience into the system of Strategic Sales, Seduction and Marketing.
Disclaimer: This is NOT your typical boring lecture on how to advertise locally and run Facebook ads.
Workshop Facilitator Bio:
Ryan Obernesser is the owner of one of the fastest growing training facilities in Central New York, O.B. Training & Sports Performance. Utilizing the unique sales and marketing system of “Strategic Seduction”, Ryan has grown O.B. Training from a single man shop to a staff of 5 coaches in just 3 short years. All while doubling revenue each year in that process.
Welcome to the Tech Valley Game Space Community Night! Updates from the community are encouraged! Volunteer for events at the TVGS and around the area to be a part of making them a reality for everyone. If you want to be in the know, and get involved, then this is the meeting to attend! If you have a project that you need help with, this is also the time to request any assistance from the community! The TVGS has a goal to help create local games, and there are multiple projects ongoing. Use your skills and help make games! Each month, we hold a “shark tank” session, where anyone with a game idea was invited to present a five minute pitch. The pitches were then voted on by attendees, and a team of TVGS volunteers have been working together over the intervening month to develop the concept that received the most votes into a working prototype. Now that a full month has elapsed, the progress that was made on the winning project will be presented. The team will share their results at this meeting, and provide time for feedback and questions. Participants at this event will again have a chance to pitch a game idea, all for an opportunity to lead a group of TVGS volunteers in a team effort to develop that idea into a functional prototype over the month ahead. We do need to limit the total number of pitches for scheduling purposes. Therefore, if you wish to participate in the event, we ask that you please RSVP in advance using the registration form: goo.gl/forms/bffPovTE9jG58XLh2
Together with the Rochester Software Development Meetup group, we’re hosting a night of hacking on your own projects before going on vacation to celebrate Independence Day. Whether you’re still ideating or have loops that won’t terminate, you’ll have the opportunity to make some progress at HTR’s BetaSpace located on the third floor of the Sibley Building. Even if you don’t have anything to hack on, you’re still welcome. There will be plenty of people who want a second pair of eyes or just want another technical person (they don’t work with) to talk to. There will be beverages like water, Coke, Mt. Dew, etc. We’re working on food. If you happen to misread the event title and bring beer, you might make a friend. ***NOTE: This is a cross posting for announcement purposes. You can RSVP here or, ideally, join the Rochester Software Development Meetup and RSVP there 🙂 https://www.meetup.com/meetup-group-BkuJclOW/ See you there!
Together with Girl Develop It ROC, we’re hosting a night of hacking on your own projects before going on vacation to celebrate Independence Day. Whether you’re still ideating or have loops that won’t terminate, you’ll have the opportunity to make some progress at HTR’s BetaSpace located on the third floor of the Sibley Building. Even if you don’t have anything to hack on, you’re still welcome. There will be plenty of people who want a second pair of eyes or just want another technical person (they don’t work with) to talk to. There will be beverages like water, Coke, Mt. Dew, etc. We’re working on food. If you happen to misread the event title and bring beer, you might make a friend.
You’re invited to one of the year’s most exciting entrepreneur events! Join us at the Bright Buffalo Niagara Entrepreneur Expo & LIVE Pitch Event!
Agenda: Top 5 Exhibitor Registration: 9 a.m. – 10:30 a.m.
Exclusive Investor Luncheon: 11a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
90 Second Presenter Exhibitor Registration: 11:00 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
Attendee Registration: 12:30 p.m. – 1 p.m.
Opening Remarks: 1:00 p.m. – 1:15 p.m.
Live Pitches: 1:15 p.m. – 3:45 p.m.
Entrepreneur Expo: 4:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Keynote Address | Frans Johansson: 5 p.m. – 6:30 p.m.
Awards Ceremony and Closing Remarks: 6:30 p.m. – 6:45
Jun
29
Thu
Come celebrate with the Summer 2017 cohort as they wrap up their work in the Student Sandbox. Teams will provide an overview of their progress as we share in some pizza & wings to celebrate their hard work.
About: The Annual Technology Awards celebrate and honor the Capital Region’s most innovative and inspiring companies and individuals whose pioneering and entrepreneurial successes are bettering our communities by strengthening our workforce and creating new jobs and opportunities. Each year, we give out between 5-7 awards. The winners are selected by our awards committee, comprised of local technologists, business leaders and entrepreneurs.
Event Details: For our 21st year, CEG’s Awards will take on a new format. The traditional luncheon will now be an evening Awards Ceremony with Keynote speaker, followed by a networking cocktail reception.
Registration is Open!
Individual Tickets:
CEG Investors*: $60
General Public: $80
Register now!
Discounted Block (10 Tickets):
CEG Investors*: $550
General Public: $750
To purchase, please contact Courtney Heinbach.
*Executive, Director & Corporate level investors: please contact Courtney Heinbach to secure your tickets.
Seeking Inspirational Companies & Individuals!
CEG is accepting applications for award recognition from both Companies and Individuals working in Tech Valley’s technology community. Nominations are encouraged from a variety of high-tech industries, including advanced materials, manufacturing, renewable energy, biotech/medical, software/IT and nanotechnology.
Self-nominations are encouraged. All applications will remain confidential. Award winners will be recognized in front of hundreds of Tech Valley leaders at an awards ceremony and profiled in a Times Union insert sent to nearly 100,000 subscribers, published on the day of the event.
Award Categories:
- Economic Winner: Company with 20+ employees in the region, $8M+ in annual revenue. Must exhibit substantial & sustained growth in sales & profitability.
- Lift-Off: Company is 1-10 years old with revenue less than $5M. Young, promising start-up company.
- Technology Innovation: Company that has delivered or utilized new technology either internally or externally.
- Technology Trailblazer: An individual who has contributed to the development of the technology economy through the formation of new business(es) and exemplifies risk-taking entrepreneurial spirit.
- Jeffrey A. Lawrence Lifetime Contributor Award: An individual who has shaped the technology community through championing the vision of Tech Valley as well as by offering their time, expertise and knowledge networks in support of individual companies and entrepreneurs.
AFRL Commercialization Academy Spring 2017 Demo Day
@ Mohawk Valley Community College
Jun 29 @ 5:00 pm – 8:00 pm
Celebrate four months of accomplishment with the six startups of the Spring 2017 Commercialization Academy class at Mohawk Valley Community College’s new campus in Rome, NY!
Griffiss Institute and Wasabi Ventures would like to invite you to join the six startups of the Spring 2017 Commercialization Academy class as they pitch a panel of judges and the audience on the companies they have built around Air Force Research Laboratory Information Directorate (AFRL/RI) technology. A judges’ vote and a live audience vote will be held, with two cash prizes of $15,000 and $5,000, respectively, to be given to the winners of the two best pitches of the day.
That means each startup will have the opportunity to win much-needed seed money!
The six startups are, ADK Ops, After Zero Technologies, E-Health Now, Indago Innovation, Intake, and Mentis Technologies. Over the last four months, these entrepreneurs have received an abundance of tools and resources, including a startup educational platform that has taught each of them the logistics of building a startup.
We’ll also virtually welcome back Aerial Force and Qwik Supply from the 2016 Commercialization Academy class to provide updates on their companies. At last Fall’s Demo Day, MakeIt3D won the Judges’ Choice Award and Sensible Spreader Technologies won the Audience Choice Award.
This conversation-centered, small group language class is offered through the InterAct Language Center. Courses are $120/mo for four (weekly) 1.5 hour courses.
New sessions start each month.
Discounts available for CoWork members.
Are you curious about drones? Multirotors? UAVs? Drone Racing? Aerial Photography? FPV? Designing and flying your own aircraft? Join us and we can share what we know, demonstrate our latest projects, and even fly together!
Looking for an excuse to work on that project you’ve been putting off? Want to build something awesome but need some help? Join your fellow hackers on Thursday nights to initiate creative collisions and concoct contrivances of every conceivable kind! If you have questions about Open Hack, contact Samson Bonfante at samson@bonfante.org.
Jun 29 @ 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm
Chris is an entrepreneur hailing from Buffalo, NY who has been working in the music business for nearly 20 years. As the owner and president of After Dark Entertainment, Inc., Chris currently books and produces over 200 concerts a year throughout Western NY including shows at his own club Waiting Room, a multi room venue located in Downtown Buffalo.
In addition to booking concerts Ring also owns and operates Tour City, Inc., a merchandise company specializing in the needs of touring musicians. When Chris isn’t booking gigs for the kids or printing shirts and banners for the rock n rollers he enjoys golfing, golfing, and more golfing.
Due to the recent surge of interest in the blockchain realm, we’ve decided to have casual meetups every Thursday evening at Ashkers, in addition to the formal monthly meetups.
Bring your own project (sewing, knitting, needlework…or hey, anything portable) and a beverage for a fun evening stitching and sipping in good company. The CoG provides an empty table, well-lighted work space and electricity, as well as witty banter and camaraderie. No instructor, craft along with fellow Makers. Free to members, $5 cash fee at check-in for non-members. (Membership has its privileges, join the Center of Gravity to access our awesome equipment, including sewing machines!)
Bring your own project (sewing, knitting, needlework…or hey, anything portable) and a beverage for a fun evening stitching and sipping in good company. The CoG provides an empty table, well-lighted work space and electricity, as well as witty banter and camaraderie. No instructor, craft along with fellow Makers. Free to members, $5 cash fee at check-in for non-members. (Membership has its privileges, join the Center of Gravity to access our awesome equipment, including sewing machines!)
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