NCET

The depressed business environment in Las Vegas can be a positive when it comes to starting a new business. In its August issue, Entrepreneur Magazine names Las Vegas as a top city for entrepreneurs. Record unemployment means a plentiful labor pool from which to hire the best workers. High commercial vacancy gives tenants bargaining power on lease rates. The article states that the startup phase of a business can be very cash intensive. A depressed economy creates discount rates for startup companies.

“Downturns in the economy create the perfect environment for innovative new businesses,” said Emmet Scott, principal of Entrepreneur Advisors, a business consulting firm. “Rental space is cheap, qualified labor is more available and entrenched relationships are now shakier, allowing the entrepreneur a chance to win the business.”

Along with startups, established companies are expanding in the changing market as well.

Entrepreneur Magazine quoted Pamela Jenkins, a New York transplant who owns two locations of The Cupcakery in Las Vegas and opened two more in Texas. She’s planning a fifth location near the Strip.

“As an entrepreneur, Vegas is a great place to start a business,” Jenkins said. “The community appreciates locals and they’ve supported me immensely. From what I’ve seen, Vegas is like a giant small town.

Technorati Tags: Las Vegas, Business, Las Vegas Review-Journal, Entrepreneur Magazine, entrepreneurs, Emmet Scott, Entrepreneur Advisors, Pamela Jenkins, The Cupcakery, NCET, Nevada’s Center for Entrepreneurship and Technology

In these challenging economic times, there is added incentive to increase energy efficiency and reduce operating cost in offices, retail outlets, and commercial buildings. Business owners/managers and property owners/managers will learn about how to save both energy and money at a free workshop presented by the University of Nevada, Reno’s Nevada Small Business Development Center and Business Environmental Program. Whether your business occupies your own building, is in leased space, or leases space to other businesses; opportunities, special programs, and approaches exist to help you save on energy costs. The seminar will be held in Carson City on August 11 and Las Vegas on August 18 both from 2 to 5 PM.

The seminar will review many low to no-cost opportunities and financial incentives available to make businesses much more energy efficient. Money not spent on energy represents cost savings which goes directly to the bottom line. Investments in energy efficiency outperform almost all other investments available today, often achieving 30% to 200% simple return on investment at minimal risk. Basic approaches for achieving greater energy efficiency will be outlined in this seminar. Resources to assist with implementing efficiency measures and realizing economic benefits will be presented. A representative from NV Energy will speak on generous cash incentives available from the company through their Sure Bet program for energy efficiency projects. A representative of the NSBDC will provide additional information on financing programs.

Event: Energy Efficiency for Buildings seminar
Speaker: Peter Millar, M.S. Energy Management Specialist, UNR-NSBDC-BEP

Date #1: Carson City – August 11, 2009 – Western Nevada College, 2201 W. College Parkway, Reynolds 113

Date #2: Las Vegas – August 18, 2009 – NV Energy, 6226 W. Sahara Ave., Wengert Room

Time: 2:00 PM – 5:00 PM
Fee: Free

To Register Call Toll Free: (866) 638-723
Email: registration@nsbdcbep.org
Fax: (775) 689-6689

To learn more visit: http://nsbdcbep.org/energy/index.cfm

Technorati Tags: University of Nevada Reno’s Nevada Small Business Development Center and Business Environmental Program, NV Energy, Peter Millar, NCET, Nevada’s Center for Entrepreneurship and Technology

With the contraction of the economy and with the reduction in funding from venture capital and angel funding groups, where are the innovative companies to turn for the start-up money  they need? Without external investments, most small, high-technology companies do not have the means to move from idea to demonstration of feasibility, to prototyping or testing and on to implementation.

The Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and the Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programs are the largest sources of early-stage funding for these companies in the United States. These federally mandated programs provide more than $2 billion every year to small, for-profit companies to carry out leading-edge high-risk research and to grow their businesses. More than 40 percent of these funds are awarded to companies with 10 or fewer employees and much of the money goes to companies with just 1-3 employees. Nearly one third of the awards go to first-time winners every year.

Eligible companies can find out how to take advantage of these programs at Re-Energizing America: The 2009 National SBIR/STTR Conference, which is hosted this year by the University of Nevada, Reno and being held in Sparks, Nev., Nov. 2-5, 2009.
Registration and other information about the conference is found at http://www.unr.edu/sbir-sttr2009 .

Grants of up to $100,000 are available to successful companies under Phase One of SBIR and several hundred thousand dollars under Phase Two. The grants and contracts pay for research, innovation and general business needs. They are not loans or equity investments. Neither do they dilute ownership of the intellectual property of the company. These highly competitive programs present opportunities to convert exciting ideas into reality. Often the grants transition into a third phase in which either the government or other companies purchase the technological development.

This exciting conference provides opportunities for entrepreneurs to engage in one-on-one meetings with representatives from federal laboratories, primary and medium-sized contractors and with 11 federal agencies. For more information, email Dr. Fritz Grupe at fhgrupe@gmail.com or visit the conference website at http://www.unr.edu/sbir-sttr2009

Who is this event for? National technology-transfer conference brings venture capitalists, angel investors, university researchers, federal agencies, businesses and technology developers together for a valuable exchange of information, ideas and innovation. Conference registration, sponsorship/exhibitor opportunities and more information are available at http://www.unr.edu/sbir-sttr2009. .

Technorati Tags: The Small Business Innovation Research, Small Business Technology Transfer, Re-Energizing America: The 2009 National SBIR/STTR Conference, University of Nevada Reno, Dr. Fritz Grupe, NCET, Nevada’s Center for Entrepreneurship and Technology

Biochemist John Cushman is investigating how plants thrive in warmer, drier climates, which may become more widespread in the future due to global warming. The University of Nevada, Reno researcher and faculty member has received a nearly $1 million grant from the National Science Foundation to continue studying the molecular genetic and biochemical pathways in the common ice plant, which improves water use efficiency up to 10 times of normal.

Cushman’s research explores a photosynthetic adaptation to water limitation on molecular and biochemical levels. CAM (crassulacean acid metabolism) is a process by which plants take up and store carbon dioxide during the night and release it slowly during the day, reducing water loss and improving the water use efficiency of photosynthesis so that plants are better able to thrive in hot, dry climates.

“Increased understanding of the molecular mechanisms responsible for controlling the expression and regulation of CAM will provide new knowledge about the molecular basis of this important water-saving photosynthetic adaptation,” Cushman said.

The three-year $988,389 National Science Foundation grant will allow for several post-

doctoral, graduate students and lab personnel to work on the functional genomics project. There are also undergraduate research training opportunities and an exhibit and teaching module to be developed for K-12, community colleges, universities and the general public for community outreach to help increase understanding of how plants adapt to harsh environments.

In an announcement earlier this month, Sen. Harry Reid said this economic stimulus package funding will ensure continued excellence in such scientific research.

Technorati Tags: John Cushman, University of Nevada Reno, National Science Foundation, Sen. Harry Reid, NCET, Nevada’s Center for Entrepreneurship and Technology

Coming off a fiscal year in which it helped 17 companies create 743 jobs in northern Nevada, the Economic Development Authority of Western Nevada is undertaking a fine-tuned approach to woo California companies.

The target: Fast-growing companies that appear ready to expand.

EDAWN is working with the Nevada Commission on Economic Development, which contracted with Whittaker Associates of Holland, Mich., which crunches through data to identify prospects.

While the program has been running for only about 90 days, it’s generating about 50 good-quality leads a month, said Tina Iftiger, director of business development for EDAWN.

EDAWN is enlisting the support of Reno-area executives to extend invitations to their California counterparts to take a close look at Reno. For instance, a Reno software executive might make contact with a software company identified as a prospect by the Whittaker Associates data-crunching. Read full story:

Technorati Tags: Northern Nevada Business Weekly, John Seelmeyer, Economic Development Authority of Western Nevada, Nevada Commission on Economic Development, Tina Iftiger, Chuck Alvey, EDAWN, NCET, Nevada’s Center for Entrepreneurship and Technology