http://www.matr.netMATR Newsen-gbSun, 11 May 2008 18:40:03 -0600Copyright: (C) MATR15Retired Hollywood film producer Peter Rosten plans some changes in the film instruction he began offering soon after he moved to the Bitterroot Valley in 2002. Rosten established a successful program called Media Arts in the Public Schools http://www.mediarts.org/ or MAPS. Teenagers have learned how to direct and film movies public service announcements and music videos. And they ve been paid. Full Story: http://www.montanasnewsstation.com/global/story.asp?s=8306981http://www.matr.net/article-29060.htmlhttp://www.matr.net/article-29060.htmlSun, 11 May 2008 14:40:00 -0600 If you want to look sharp in Montana s oilfields and then fuel your body with an organic takeout meal in your green home then some business students have plans for you. Business plans to be exact. Four teams of students culled as finalists gave their pitches Thursday at the 19th annual John Ruffatto Business Plan Competition at the University of Montana s School of Business Administration. By PAMELA J. PODGER of the Missoulian Full Story: http://missoulian.com/articles/2008/05/11/news/mtregional/znews09.txt http://www.matr.net/article-29059.htmlhttp://www.matr.net/article-29059.htmlFri, 09 May 2008 09:09:00 -0600University of Wyoming trustees on Friday approved initial planning for a building that will house a UW Wind Energy Research Center including a large closed loop wind tunnel. The action came after UW President Tom Buchanan and Vice President for Research Bill Gern updated trustees on the project which is a result of a 5 million gift from BP America Inc. Gern said the 2 million BP grant specifically for the wind energy building would be eligible for matching funds from the Legislature for academic facilities. Through the wind energy center UW seeks to become a leading national university based interdisciplinary research group focused on wind energy. By PHIL WHITE Star Tribune correspondent Full Story: http://www.casperstartribune.net/articles/2008/05/10/news/wyoming/fc3c233562c6cc0487257444008215d5.txt http://www.matr.net/article-29058.htmlhttp://www.matr.net/article-29058.htmlSun, 11 May 2008 18:28:00 -0600 Growing UM center tests limits of human endurance After cycling for 20 minutes Walter Hailes temperature rose nearly 1 degree. Hailes who once guided on Alaska s Mount McKinley began to sweat profusely as he bent into the handlebars breathing heavily countering the 212 watts of resistance against him. Only through one third of an indoor low intensity bike workout Hailes felt like he was working harder than that. Despite the winter weather outside he cycled in a 90 degree hot box that felt like a July afternoon in Montana. Once his temperature hits 39 degrees Celsius he s going to get a lot more uncomfortable says Brent Ruby the director of UM s new Montana Center for Work Physiology and Exercise Metabolism http://www.soe.umt.edu/hhp/ . The center awarded a federal grant in 2006 studies the limits of human performance in harsh occupational environments. The experiment Hailes tested was part of a graduate thesis studying how the body recovers from strenuous activity in heat and is representative of the center s research methods which mimic real life settings. Full Story: http://www.umt.edu/urelations/rview/spring08/strenuous.html http://www.matr.net/article-29057.htmlhttp://www.matr.net/article-29057.htmlSat, 10 May 2008 18:24:00 -0600 Living Large in Antarctica Scientists study polar gigantism Andes to Amazon Adventure UM offers remote South American field course CO2 Sea Change Researcher studies ocean impacts on global warming Strenuous Science Growing UM center tests limits of human endurance Full Publication: http://www.umt.edu/urelations/rview/ http://www.matr.net/article-29056.htmlhttp://www.matr.net/article-29056.htmlSat, 10 May 2008 18:22:00 -0600 The Zions Bank Women s Financial Group http://www.smartwomen.zionsbank.com on Thursday announced the availability of applications for a series of micro grants for women. The Smart Women Grants total 20 000 and will be provided to female candidates who excel in the following categories: Full Story: http://www.idahostatesman.com/business/story/375987.html http://www.matr.net/article-29055.htmlhttp://www.matr.net/article-29055.htmlSat, 10 May 2008 18:19:00 -0600Buses and lorries running on dead cows and a train station using commuters body warmth to heat an office block are two innovative solutions to lowering carbon emissions that have put Sweden top of an environmental league table. Gwladys Fouche Full Story: http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2008/apr/29/climatechange.carbonemissions http://www.matr.net/article-29054.htmlhttp://www.matr.net/article-29054.htmlSat, 10 May 2008 21:16:00 -0600 INVENTORS and companies like to court each other. Inventors need companies to move their ideas forward and companies need inventions to help their businesses grow. But suitors sometimes have trouble finding that perfect partner. Now a Web based service under development the USA National Innovation Marketplace http://www.planeteureka.com/ offers a new tool intended to help with the matchmaking. The marketplace is an online registry that will have descriptions of inventions for browsing by prospective buyers. But it will have an unusual twist: before inventions are listed the registry will provide in person or online workshops to help inventors recast their often technical prose in jargon free descriptions for the business and industrial customers that are expected to shop at the site. The registry and its translation service are the brainchild of Doug Hall chief executive of Eureka Ranch Technology a consulting firm in Cincinnati. It has developed workshops over the last five years for transforming the language of patent abstracts and other arcana into simpler prose. By ANNE EISENBERG Full Story: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/11/technology/11novel.html?_r=1&adxnnl=1&oref=slogin&adxnnlx=1210464654 VVzHpSFaAWyzY8MKw44goQ http://www.matr.net/article-29053.htmlhttp://www.matr.net/article-29053.htmlSat, 10 May 2008 18:12:00 -0600 California s fascination with solar power has created thousands of jobs in the state and will probably add thousands more according to a new survey of the industry. The survey by two community college researchers estimates that solar companies in California now employ between 16 500 and 17 500 people and may hire another 5 000 in the next year. Many of those new jobs will be in the Bay Area. The region already has between 6 900 and 8 000 solar jobs and could add 1 900 more in the next 12 months the researchers found. David R. Baker Chronicle Staff Writer Full Story: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/05/10/BUGD10JVGP.DTL http://www.matr.net/article-29052.htmlhttp://www.matr.net/article-29052.htmlSat, 10 May 2008 18:01:00 -0600 Four state senators plan to request a special session in June to consider a proposal that would provide an additional 30 million to fund Montana schools. Democratic Sens. Don Ryan of Great Falls and Sam Kitzenberg of Glasgow said they discussed the idea with Sen. John Cobb a Republican from Augusta and Sen. Frank Smith a Poplar Democrat. Full Story: http://billingsgazette.net/articles/2008/05/10/news/state/29 funds.txt http://www.matr.net/article-29051.htmlhttp://www.matr.net/article-29051.htmlSat, 10 May 2008 17:58:00 -0600Many thanks to Mike Sparr of http://www.goomzee.com for passing along these words of wisdom he heard from Howard Hartenbaum of August Capital http://www.augustcap.com/ formerly of Draper Richards during a recent visit with him in San Francisco. "He shared insights that most never hear "straight from the horses mouth" as some might say and I felt compelled to share my lessons learned to help other scrapping entrepreneurs. Presentation order: 1. Vision 2. Problem 3. Solution 4. Market Opportunity 5. Team 6. Financing The real value add was less about what slides but more about the lessons learned in SELLING your vision. Most entrepreneurs forget that fundraising is selling not storytelling. Selling usually keys invokes emotions like excitement fear etc. excitement changing the world fear missing out and fundraising is no different. 1. Vision Investor needs to know: "I see the future" This is a single plain English sentence that describes the vision. This is NOT the mission but instead painting the picture for the audience in this case potential investors . The vision is EITHER "Brave new world" or "Faster better cheaper" but NEVER both. Howard gave me some example visions for known companies as an example hypothetical : Ebay "Everyone has an empty garage" Google "World s information is clean and organized" Skype "Everyone in the world can talk for free" actual Blue Nile "Men can buy diamonds without fear of getting ________." The Vision is not a MISSION but painting a picture and in plain language so that the investor is able to remember you your idea and accurately share it amongst his team most investors need another partner to agree before they can extend an offer so give them the fuel to clearly pitch you internally . The Vision may or may not necessarily relate to your product but instead paint the picture of how the world will be as a result. 2. Problem / 3. Solution This is fairly standard and you clearly state a recognized problem that leads into describing your product/service and how you solve it value proposition . Most investors will look for product/service defensibility barriers to competition entry etc. such as patents proprietary technology exclusive contracts or agreements special skills others do not possess etc. Realistically most solutions are duplicable so it all boils down to execution my team vs. their team and this is why so much emphasis is on the team. 4. Opportunity Investor needs to know: "We will make money together" This is where you want them to get the idea "we can make money together" and illustrate the sizing/market potential. What you need to get across is this is a growing market and we will capture X resulting in Y potential revenue. Don t walk in stating you will capture 100 or even 50 of the total potential market but instead truly segment your customer market and market potential preferably illustrated on rising bar chart and illustrating your slice in each bar per year . 5. Team Investor needs to know: "We are the people who can do it" There will be gaps in the team quite often so what you need to illustrate is one the founder s share a vision and others are willing to follow. Most VC will look for multiple founders given all the tasks required to build/run a successful startup and the respective skills required. They also want to know that the team in place can execute. The goal here is to establish each team member s brand worked at Microsoft managed X which means I can do Y . Highlight the team their experience and their brand. Also include what the team has accomplished to date to demonstrate what they are capable of. 6. Financing Investor needs to know: "Give me X and I ll give you Y" Howard told me a pet peeve he has with entrepreneurs is the way they ask for capital. He stated that lining up budgets for buying equipment paying rent salaries etc. is not what they want to hear they know this is what the money will be spent for . Instead asking for money should be framed in a way that it paints a picture of what they will get in return i.e. overall value that it will add to the company . Howard had a few great examples including an anecdote about his wife asking for money for a trip and a new purse. He noted how smart she was and upon getting turned down initially she came back and rephrased her request in terms of what s in it for him great trip on beach sipping beer and non avoidance as she ll be shopping for purse . Needless the second request won her the money and he received a great vacation. In entrepreneurial terms if a company came to him stating I need X dollars because we have to rent some new space and pay for marketing payroll etc. it is more likely to get shut down. Had the entrepreneur came to him and stated "we are growing and to accommodate heightened demand we are going to expand operations and bring on additional staff to support the additional business we anticipate" they would be more likely to get the money. These examples illustrate how asking for money is not just lining up budgets and stating this is how I m going to spend your money. As an entrepreneur you need to articulate what their money is buying the investor. If you invest X we will hire 5 new people that will make 400 calls per day and help us close 200 more clients monthly resulting in 3 million in additional revenue in the next 18 months. The investor would translate this into "increased investment value" which is their primary goal. Most investors will want to know the competitive landscape and your positioning against direct/indirect competitors plus other anticipated risks. They will also want to know any "analogs" that allow them to size up the opportunity and benefit from lessons learned in other successful ventures that shared similar traits. The key here is to anticipate customer adoption so if you can say this customer has bought X which means they are willing to buy our product/service because of these indicators. X achieved Y market penetration within Z years and we anticipate a similar trajectory. I hope these "lessons learned" and great insights provide some value to other entrepreneurs who may decide to seek some form of capital to grow their business. The bottom line is fundraising is selling not storytelling. Go get em Mike"http://www.matr.net/article-29050.htmlhttp://www.matr.net/article-29050.htmlSat, 10 May 2008 20:49:00 -0600 AAA http://www.aaamtw.com/ and Helena Area Habitat for Humanity HAHFH today announced a new partnership to help build two residences in Helena. Through this partnership AAA aims to advance Habitat for Humanity s affordable housing program in Helena by providing a low interest loan in the amount of 200 000 to build two shared walled condominium residences located at the Prickly Pear Condominium complex. AAA also plans to galvanize employee volunteers to donate time to help build houses over the next three years. AAA is proud to establish this partnership with Helena Area Habitat for Humanity as a part of our commitment to community development said Jim Twardos President/CEO of AAA MountainWest. This partnership offers us an opportunity to extend assistance to the growth of Helena. We are also eager to roll up their sleeves to make a difference in the communities where our members and employees live and work. We admire Habitat s many accomplishments and look forward to working together to provide affordable homes to those in need. Since October of 1992 HAHFH has built 27 homes in partnership among income challenged families. Sponsorship by various organizations has proved a successful endeavor making the construction of these homes possible and creating good will and public awareness of the sponsor. As Habitat for Humanity works to bring new homes to those less fortunate in Helena we re thankful to begin this partnership with AAA said Melony Bruhn HAHFH Executive Director. It s important for us to join forces with organizations and people who share our commitment to affordable. AAA MountainWest is dedicated to providing its more than 163 000 members in Alaska Montana and Wyoming with travel insurance financial and auto related services. AAA MountainWest Inc. strives for improvement of motoring and traveling conditions and is a leader for travel civic and safety issues and is dedicated to enhancing the communities of its members. Helena Area HFH PO Box 459 Helena MT 59624 0459 Phone: 406 449 4663 Fax: 406 457 0444 E mail: helenahabitat@qwest.net *** Denice Harris Manager Corporate Brand and Public Affairs AAA MountainWest 2100 11th Avenue Helena MT 59601 http://www.aaamtw.com/ 406 447 8130 p 406 442 5671 f http://www.matr.net/article-29049.htmlhttp://www.matr.net/article-29049.htmlSat, 10 May 2008 08:22:00 -0600 Dear FSB: I have developed a technology I would like to commercialize and I m looking to bring in partners to help me develop a business plan and seek venture capital/collaboration. What percentage of the company is typical given away in such cases? Assume the company will be an LLC? By Kathleen Ryan O Connor Full Story: http://biz.yahoo.com/hfsb/080509/050708_finding_company_partners_fsb.html?.v=2 http://www.matr.net/article-29048.htmlhttp://www.matr.net/article-29048.htmlSat, 10 May 2008 08:22:00 -06002008 05 15 05:30:00 Stensrud Building 314 North First West Contact: Susan Anderson 543 5324 SBC Sustainability Lecture and Year End Celebration Social Time begins at 5:30 p.m. Our 4th Annual Sustainability awards will be given at 6:00 p.m. The lecture on Socially Responsible Investing with Susan Estep of the Rocky Mountain Group of Merrill Lynch will begin at 6:15. Raffle for Sustainability winners will be drawn at 7:15 pm. The event is free and open to the public. http://www.matr.net/article-29047.htmlhttp://www.matr.net/article-29047.htmlSat, 10 May 2008 08:15:16 -06002008 05 15 05:30:00 Stensrud Building 314 North First West Contact: Susan Anderson 543 5324 SBC Sustainability Lecture and Year End Celebration Social Time begins at 5:30 p.m. Our 4th Annual Sustainability awards will be given at 6:00 p.m. The lecture on Socially Responsible Investing with Susan Estep of the Rocky Mountain Group of Merrill Lynch will begin at 6:15. Raffle for Sustainability winners will be drawn at 7:15 pm. The event is free and open to the public. http://www.matr.net/article-29046.htmlhttp://www.matr.net/article-29046.htmlFri, 09 May 2008 22:48:32 -0600