CONNECT eNEWSLETTER - December 3, 2009

Innovation SPOTLIGHT

Attend the “Oscars” for San Diego Innovation – CONNECT MIP Awards – Dec. 11

There are just a few seats remaining for the 22nd Annual CONNECT Most Innovative New Product (MIP) Awards on Dec. 11 at the Hilton La Jolla Torrey Pines. Don’t miss this opportunity to check out the most innovative new products in San Diego and celebrate our region with over 800 business leaders and entrepreneurs. Finalists will be awarded in the categories of cleantech, aerospace & defense, life sciences, medical products, communications & IT, software, hardware and general technology and action & sports. General Atomics will be honored with the prestigious William W. Otterson Award for the Predator. To view the finalists! Click Here >> To register! Click Here >>

Health Information Technology and the Entrepreneurial Landscape

On November 17, 2009, an impressive audience of 244 attendees in the Salk Institute Auditorium in La Jolla participated in the MIT Enterprise Forum of San Diego case presentation moderated by Mike Murphy, CEO of Sharp Healthcare. Panelists were Michael Doyle, President/CEO, Medsphere Systems; Charles Gropper, VP of Research & Development, CardioNet; Vik Kheterpal, M.D., Principal, CareEvolution, and Tim Wollaeger, Managing Director, Sanderling Ventures. Read More >>

UC San Diego Entrepreneur Challenge

Have an Idea for a Business? Turn it into $1,000! The UC San Diego Entrepreneur Challenge is now taking submissions for its $1k Elevator Pitch Competition. Read More >>

Local pediatric cancer institute to compete for $1M in community giving campaign
Vote Here! >>

The Nicholas Conor Institute is competing in the inaugural "Chase Community Giving" campaign, in which Chase has partnered with Facebook to allocate a total of $5 million to small, local not-for-profits voted on by Facebook members. The winner gets $1 million in a grand-prize announcement on Feb. 1. Read More >>

Funding NEWS

Ilana Brand, Director, Innovation and Capital Programs

Apply today for the 2010 Life Science Venture Roundtable

The application deadline is December 14. Selected companies in the areas of instrumentation, diagnostics, bio-markers, microbiology, molecular biology, therapeutics, pharmaceuticals, and other life science specialties will have the opportunity to present to an exclusive audience of investors, including venture capitalists, angels and VIP high net worth individuals. Finalists also receive presentation coaching, business advice and gain valuable connections from seasoned business executives. Click here for details and to apply >>

CONNECT Scrubbed DEALS

By Ruprecht von Buttlar, Director, Business Creation and Development
Ilana Brand, Director, Innovation and Capital Programs

Web: StayClassy

MIT Selects Springboard grad StayClassy as Top 30 Startup in America Read More >>

Web: Extrabux

Xconomy covers Springboard graduate Extrabux and how old-fashioned TV has made their online shopping traffic skyrocket Read More >>

Life Sciences: Lite-Med, Inc.

Lite-Med, Inc., a Taiwanese medical device company with a solution for the treatment of kidney stones graduates from Springboard’s Global Bridge program. The program is held in partnership with CONNECT, UC San Diego’s Global CONNECT and the Institute for Information Industry in Taiwan.

Cleantech: Malama Composites

SDBJ features Springboard graduate Malama Composites: Taking Care of Environment Drives Search for Green Composite Alternatives Read More >>

Member NEWS

By Moya Gollaher, Executive Vice President, CONNECT

CONNECT welcomes new member Verizon Wireless

Verizon Wireless operates the nation’s largest wireless voice and 3G network serving 89 million Verizon Wireless customers with more than 175 switching facilities. Verizon’s network reaches approximately 289 million Americans and the company has invested more than $50 billion since it was formed – $5.5 billion on average every year – to increase the coverage and capacity of its national network and to add new services.

Verizon Wireless offers a host of multimedia and data services over its 3G network including: Mobile Broadband; V CAST Video; V CAST Music with Rhapsody; Get It Now services; and more.

Luis M. Cruz, president of the Southern California Region for Verizon Wireless has joined CONNECT’s Board of Directors. Mr. Cruz leads more than 3,100 employees in the region and is responsible for directing overall sales, marketing, operations and financial performance. More than twenty million people live within the region, which encompasses Imperial, Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, San Diego and Ventura counties.

Jumping into rare diseases, Pfizer inks $115M Protalix deal Read More >>

Invetech delivers Organovo’s first commercial 3D Bio-Printer for manufacturing human tissue and organs Read More >>

Gen-Probe plans more acquisitions Read More >>

What is a business model? A new approach Read More >>

Policy NEWS

By Camille Sobrian, COO, CONNECT
Jessie Womble, Business Development & Public Policy Manager

CONNECT weighs in on tax-extender package

The House Ways & Means Committee is considering using Rep. Sander Levin's (D - MI) carried interest bill to pay for an end-of-year tax "extender" package. CONNECT contends that the consequences of this bill would have a negative impact on start-up companies and job creation in San Diego, and the nation at large. At the request of the National Venture Capital Association, CONNECT sent a letter to San Diego legislators in opposition to the proposed policy. Read More >>

Bill introduced to repeal ARC loan program

Sen. Olympia Snowe (R-Maine), ranking member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship, recently introduced legislation (S. 2777) that immediately would repeal the America’s Recovery Capital (ARC) loan program at the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA). Read More >>

Healthcare Update

Section-by-Section Summary of the Senate Health Care Bill: Read More >>
Implementation Timeline: Read More >>

Partner NEWS

CleanTECH San Diego wins big with solar funding

Less than three months after coordinating Aug. 4 applications for $260 million in federal stimulus funds for photovoltaic solar power production at various San Diego public facilities, CleanTECH San Diego applications won $154 million in Clean Renewable Energy Bonds to pay for 192 solar installations. See story in SDBJ. Read More >>

Upcoming EVENTS

Dec. 8	Intro to IP
Dec. 11	MIP Awards Luncheon
Dec. 15	When Cells Go Rogue: Controlling Tumor Growth
Jan. 14	Establishing an Effective Bioscience IP Portfolio
>>	VIEW ALL CONNECT EVENTS

Upcoming COMMUNITY PARTNER EVENTS

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	CONNECT Newsletter Editor: Ilana Brand, Director, Innovation and Capital Programs