Prof Tom Kosnik started the seminar with a brief description of Silicon Valley (SV) as one area with one of the highest concentration of high-tech start ups. He further added that Singapore, Beijing and Bangalore also set up high-tech zones for entrepreneurship. To show his commendation for Singapore and NUS’s effort towards entrepreneurship, he reiterated “NOC and ilead are the coolest entrepreneurship programs.”

He went on to describe Stanford University as ground zero for entrepreneurship, particularly in high-tech ventures. In short, in Stanford University, professors get hands-on with new technologies research and students help to innovate. This astonishing combination of enthusiastic students and dedicated professors actually attracts an influx of entrepreneurs to Silicon Valley.

It is followed with the topic of the day – change of circles of influence. He briefly introduced that there are 3 circles of influence: players, stakes and code. Players include government, venture capitalists (VC), angel investors, research universities, public accounting firms, and investment banking (IB) firms, among others. Stakes are the time, money, customer relationship and technology from the players. Codes are the local implicit rules to raise funds or even to gather aid. They are different across industries in the same location and rooted in local entrepreneurial culture.

In the past decade, the leading players were IB and Nasdaq stock market while the smaller players were governmental agencies. Since the financial crisis in 2008, IB has invested less in VC funds. As raised by Prof Tom, there are 4 main reasons for less VC investment in SV: poor returns for VC funds in 20^th century compared with 1990s; returns from all other investments in their portfolios were less than expected so although a fixed percent of their portfolios was used for VC funds, total VC funds became smaller; fewer trusted IB to help with Initial Public Offering (IPO) and Mergence and Acquisition (M&A); public distrust requires VC to hold start-ups longer to reach profitability before exit.

Since VC funds become smaller, government, accelerators and incubators take over as the bigger players. For stance, government is eagerly encouraging and funding clean tech solutions. Interestingly, more entrepreneurs are using blogs and social media for quick start-ups and less dependence on funds.

He ended off the seminar charmingly with the ways entrepreneurs are coping with changes. These methods are beneficial and can act as references for local entrepreneur to handle changes or to raise funds. In general, more entrepreneurs are relying on parents for funding. Others are entering multiple competitions with same business ideas. Increasingly, entrepreneurs are sharing information of VCs on The Funded.com to inform others of good VCs – one that will provide more and demand less. In Prof Tom’s words, new generation of entrepreneurs are “avoiding the ‘old school VCs’ and working with ‘young guns’”. Fascinatingly, entrepreneurs of the past mainly focused on developing products whereas entrepreneurs of the new generation are focusing on developing products and customers at the same time. To cope with this new demand of entrepreneurs, entrepreneurs spend more time listening to and working with customers.

Incub3 proudly presents:

Abstract:
The workshop will focus on the following:
1. How to use Social Media as a business tool in building brands and
generating awareness.
2. How to use Social Media as a personal branding tool to improve your
online presence to boost your career prospects

About the Speaker:
Robin Low is an experienced social media and business consultant and has partnered with Harvard University to conduct research into social media since 2006. He has also conducted training for companies to leverage on social media in building brands and generating awareness. This includes running Digital Media Academy which trains companies in social media in Asia Pacific region and starting a social media academy in Colombo.

Getting there:
Map

click on image to register for event

Incub3 proudly presents:

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More on the speaker:

Prof Tom Kosnik is a Fenwick and West Consulting Professor, Stanford Technology Ventures Program (STVP), at Stanford School of Engineering. He is also the International Advisor for NUS Entrepreneurship Centre.

Prof Tom has an extensive experience in the field of system integration, marketing and business development roles. Currently, he is helping business and government leaders to create real time learning programs for stakeholders across their value chains, positioning products, services and brands, execute global sales and marketing campaigns, attract and develop talent, as well as to raise money.

Some of his past clients include: American Management Systems, Apple Computer; Applied Materials; BMC; Cummins Engine; Electronic Arts; Ernst & Young; Harris Bank; Hewlett Packard; Information Week; Microsoft; Nokia, Siemens, and numerous start-up technology companies.

With his experience and involvement with various start-ups over the past few years, the talk definitely is a must-go for any entrepreneurial minded students.

Do note that seats are limited, and we encourage you to register early to avoid disappointment! Click on the banner above to REGISTER NOW!

Incub3 presents to you a live video conference event with a panel of 4 entrepreneurs in Beijing


Please sign up here

More on the speakers
Lu Bo- Has served in many charitable organizations in countries i.e. China, Dubai, Hong Kong
Tony Tang Tong Ngee – Expert in mass communication to the unique Chinese market with 16 years in advertising industry experience in China
Lee Kheng Joo – Started several companies including gas exploration company, mobile operations company, venture fund etc
Jing Yun Chuan – Started a famous legal firm in China called King & Partners

If you have any questions, please email incub3ppl@gmail.com or call 9722 4282.

NUS Entrepreneurship Centre

(a division of NUS Enterprise)

Title : “Emerging Tech and Venture Investment Trends in Asia” Speakers : Ms. Rebecca A Fannin, International Business Journalist, Author of Silicon Dragon (McGraw-Hill, 2008) Date : 3 March 2010 (Wednesday) Time : 6:00 – 8:00pm Venue : National University of Singapore University Hall Auditorium, Lee Kong Chian Wing Level 2, 21 Lower Kent Ridge Rd Please click HERE for location map Registration : Admission is FREE Please register your details here by 03 Mar 10, noon. Seats are limited so please register early to secure a place Program : 5:30pm – Registration 6:00pm – Emerging Tech and Venture Investment Trends in Asia by Rebecca Fannin 6:45pm – Panel Discussion Moderator, Prof. Wong Poh Kam Director of NUS Entrepreneurship Centre; Chairman of Business Angel Network (SEA) Ltd Michel Birnbaum, General Partner, iGlobe Partners Neo Kok Beng, Co-Founder, President & CEO, AWAK Technologies Dr. Jeffrey Chi, Managing Director, Vickers Venture Partners & Vice President- Investments, Vickers Capital Group Rebecca Fannin 7:30pm – Networking and Refreshment

Mobile, Internet, e-commerce, gaming, biotech, cleantech – they’re all booming in the emerging markets of Asia. Some startups with venture funding in these spaces have already scored successes with public listings at high valuations and acquisitions. Others are poised to return profits to their investors as the IPO window begins to open. Startups in Asia scale and get to profitability quickly. The region’s rapid economic growth and switched-on digital communications markets provide the spark for successful entrepreneurship and innovation. Rebecca Fannin, author of Silicon Dragon and a columnist with Forbes, discusses the emerging trends she sees from dozens of recent interviews with entrepreneurs and investors in China, India, Vietnam, Hong Kong and Singapore.

About The Speaker

Rebecca A. Fannin is a journalist and author of Silicon Dragon (McGraw-Hill, 2008), which was favorably reviewed by The Wall Street Journal and Financial Times and translated into several languages. She is an authority on entrepreneurship, innovation and venture capital in emerging markets.

Rebecca is a contributor to Forbes. During the height of the dotcom boom, Rebecca was international news editor at Red Herring and, in 2003, she joined the Asian Venture Capital Journal as international editor. She publishes e-newsletters on China and India and organizes events in Silicon Valley and Asia’s innovation hubs.

Ms. Fannin’s work has appeared in Inc., Worth, Fast Company, Chief Executive, Wired, The Deal and Huffington Post, as well as Merrill Lynch and NASDAQ publications. Earlier in her career, Ms Fannin was deputy editor at Ad Age International and editor of the Pulitzer-owned International Business.

A public speaker and guest commentator, Rebecca also has written a white paper on outsourcing trends for KPMG’s Thought Leadership Series. She is a member of the Overseas Press Club, the Foreign Correspondents’ Club and the World Affairs Council.

Rebecca is a graduate of the Scripps School of Journalism at Ohio University and a recipient of an Asian studies fellowship from the Freedom Forum. She resides in New York City and San Francisco, and travels frequently to Asia.
More info can be found at www.rebeccafannin.com

About the panelists:

Michel Birnbaum brings to iGlobe over 25 years of operational and advisory experience to technology companies, with his background in Investment Banking, Venture Capital/Private Equity and industry. He has managed close to 30 IPOs, follow-on debt/equity financings as well as M&A and Private Placement transactions. His wealth of experience in the technology sector serves him in good stead as an invaluable advisor to iGlobe’s investments. Until recently, as Managing Director of Investment Banking at Landsbanki Kepler (Paris), Michel was responsible for TMT & Renewable Energy Group. He led the first European buyout of a solar energy company, Azur Space Solar Power.

Between late 2003 to early 2006, he was associated with Keystone Financial Partners / Bryan Garnier (London / Paris) as their Senior Advisor of Investment Banking. Prior to that, he was founder/managing partner of Dakota Partners, a VC/advisory firm focused on applications of next generation materials. In July 2000, he was named CEO/Board Director of e-capital investments plc, an investment company listed on the London Stock Exchange and responsible for direct investments in semiconductor, advanced materials and processes. He led the strategic restructuring of the group and its subsequent merger with Avanti Capital in November 2001.

Michel was Executive SVP of the European Capital Markets at Hambrecht & Quist from 1996-1997 and became the Managing Director of Technology Investment Banking and Exchange Relations. He managed 23 technology IPOs as lead or Co-Manager on both the European markets and NASDAQ. Between 1987 to 1996, Michel worked for Fleet/Nash Weiss in the United States initially as a Senior Technology Trader and later as Manager. He began his career in 1979 as a Project Engineer at Massachusetts-based GE Military Engine Group where he was responsible for the Apache/Blackhawk helicopters engine evaluation and qualification programs.

Michel holds a Bachelor of Science in Aerospace Engineering from the Polytechnic University of New York and an MBA from London Business School (Merit Honours). He also attended General Electric’s Advanced Engineering program.

Neo Kok Beng has experiences in building up entrepreneurial ventures from concept to commercialization. He specialised in new products and new business; and has setup companies in the areas of information security, telematics, portable digital/computing devices and biomedical systems & services. Kok Beng worked for Singapore Technologies in the corporate HQ (investment & entrepreneurship programme), aerospace, information technology and electronics sectors. He graduated with MBA(NTU) and B.Eng (Hons)(NUS); and was awarded an IES Fellowship at JFK School of Government, Harvard University. He is currently an adjunct associate professor at the National University of Singapore and has also a Fellow/Council Member & Hon Treasurer of the Institution of Engineers, Singapore.

Dr. Jeffrey Chi is a Managing Director of the General Partner and a member of the investment Committee. Based in Shanghai, he oversees investments in China, sits on the boards of Cambridge Real Estate (REIT IPO, July 2006), Mobinex and California University of Technology. He is also responsible for the supervision of Saybot, iPartment and United Eagle Airlines. The performance of Vickers Meta Fund, which includes some of the above investments, is looking promising after the estimated 14x return on the investment in Cambridge Real Estate.

Dr. Chi’s experience covers a variety of industries including information technology, healthcare and media. Formerly a corporate finance specialist with and Executive Director at Pegasus Capital, Dr. Chi has managed engagements for large and small clients in both the public and private sectors. Prior to Pegasus Capital, Dr. Chi was a senior consultant with the Monitor Group, a top tier strategy consulting firm co-founded by business guru Michael Porter. While with Monitor, Dr. Chi delivered strategic solutions to a diverse client base, including government agencies and large multi-national companies. As an experienced practitioner in system dynamics modeling, Dr. Chi was also responsible for pioneering Monitor’s system dynamics practice in Asia.

Dr. Chi’s operational background includes seven years on the management team of an engineering and construction group. As its Managing Director, he led the group into the Enterprise 50 in 1997, a ranking of the top 50 privately held enterprises in Singapore. Dr. Chi oversaw operations in Singapore, Malaysia, Taiwan and Indonesia, established the group’s construction business and successfully combined it with the original engineering business enabling the firm to become a provider of integrated solutions to its clients. From 1994-1995, he managed the firm’s joint venture with a major Chinese construction group. After being appointed Group Managing Director in 1996, he successfully tripled the firm’s revenues within a short time span of three years.

Dr. Chi is also active in promoting entrepreneurship. He frequently speaks at public events including ones hosted by INSEAD, Fudan University and Zhejiang University. He is a co-founder of the MIT Enterprise Forum, Shanghai Chapter, a not-for-profit alumni organization promoting technology entrepreneurship.

Dr. Chi is a CFA Charter holder and graduated from Cambridge University with 1st class Honours in Engineering. He earned his PhD from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in organizational knowledge and information technology.

Prof. Wong Poh Kam is currently a Professor at National University of Singapore (NUS)’s Business School and concurrently serves as Director of the Entrepreneurship Centre at NUS. He also holds joint professorship appointment (by courtesy) at the LKY School of Public Policy and the Engineering School’s Division of Engineering & Technology Management (DETM). He obtained two BSc.’s., an MSc. and a Ph.D. from MIT. Prior to joining NUS in 1988, he co-founded two IT companies and a consulting firm in Malaysia. He was a Fulbright Visiting Scholar at UC Berkeley, a visiting scholar at Stanford University and the Royal Institute of Technology Stockholm (KTH), and a visiting professor at Korea University Business School.

As Director of NUS Entrepreneurship Centre, he spearheads the university’s entrepreneurship education and outreach programs and various university technology spin-off support programs including incubator facilities, seed funding and mentoring. He also directs the centre’s research program on technology entrepreneurship and innovation strategy.

An active business angel investor, his current portfolio of investee companies include iWow Technology (a past Singapore Enterprise 50 winner), GlobalRoam (first company quoted on Singapore OTC market), Mozat and TenCube (past Red Herring Asia 100 finalists) in Singapore, Teralene in China, Invantest in Silicon Valley, USA, and iXigo in India. He is the founding chairman of Business Angel Network (Southeast Asia) and BAF Spectrum Pte Ltd, an angel investment fund co-invested in by the Singapore government. He is a board member of NUS Technology Holdings and a member of the evaluation panel of The Enterprise Challenge (TEC) fund under the Prime Minister’s Department and the Technology Enterprise Commercialization Scheme (TECS) of SPRING Singapore.

You know things are getting out of hand when gadgetry website Crunchgear starts reporting on the total instances of “iPad” appearing on various news websites. Yesterday Apple released the iPad upon a (mildly) unsuspecting world and unleashed a tidal wave that crashed Twitter (almost, again).

Why, you might ask, is the iPad the recipient of so much scorn from the tech head community? Scott Adams, author of Dilbert, says the iPad “looks like committee work to me”; Mashable lists 4 very good reasons why the iPad disappoints; and GigaOM gives a couple of true reasons why the iPad won’t make headway with business users.

If you ask me, there are 5 thoughts that are worth mentioning:

• The iPad is a device that will appeal to casual users of the web who don’t want a clunky, unintuitive computer like a regular Windows desktop. (first suggested by Daniel Tenner)
• As regular users of the web and technology, it escapes our notice that there are literally masses of people who don’t use computers to surf the web, blog, shop, and chat endlessly.
• This is the computer that can replace your old photo album, your recipe book, and even your TV. If it can overcome the potential glare issues associated with reading off the screen for hours, it can replace your kindle too.
• There was a time when smartphones were considered not powerful enough to be much use for business, and too cumbersome for casual use. The same could now be said for the iPad. It is breaking new ground.
• Apple’s bet is probably that the iPad will take root in places where nobody expected before. Who would have thought that you can have a portable electronic recipe book with full colour in the kitchen?

Now, as a thank you for entertaining the thoughts of this blogger, here is Hitler’s disappointment on learning about the iPad.

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Hi everyone here is the talk video. Some of you may be wondering why I chose Veoh rather than Youtube. Thats an interesting and necessary question, especially since Veoh is asking you to install their player. There are 2 reasons. First is that Youtube limits the length of each video to 10 minutes, unless you have a ‘director’ account. Veoh has no such limitation. Second, my research tells me that the Veoh player is small and harmless (ie. no spyware). The different video services are worthy of a blog post on their own, but that is a story for another day. Enjoy the talk!

Watch Hungry? Gothere! part 1 of 4 in Educational & How-To  |  View More Free Videos Online at Veoh.com

Watch Hungry? Gothere! part 2 of 4 in Educational & How-To  |  View More Free Videos Online at Veoh.com

Watch Hungry? Gothere! Part 3 of 4 in Educational & How-To  |  View More Free Videos Online at Veoh.com

Watch Hungry? Gothere! part 4 of 4 in Educational & How-To  |  View More Free Videos Online at Veoh.com