Equity Capital Working Group Launches Long Term Plan

Charles Broming, President/CEO of the Association of Angel Investor Clubs, LLC, (AAIC) is developing the long term plan for the Central Florida Technology Partnership's Equity Capital Working Group. This working group started as an activity of the Mayor's High Tech Advisory Board, and continued under the support of the CFTP.

"I see this working group as a continuing project over the next five to ten years," said Broming, "focusing on what will be the most effective fundamental changes in investment practices in the State during that period."

Five new members have been appointed, including W. Scott Miller, Co-Founder and Managing Director of Lovett Miller & Company, Inc., Jim Boyle, Managing Partner of Inflexion Partners, Robert S. Wight, Chairman of the Board and CEO of Channel Intelligence, Inc., George D. Livingston, CIPS, President/Principal of NAI Realvest Partners, Inc., and Jeffrey E. Decker, Partner and Co-Chairperson of the national Private Capital practice team of Baker & Hostetler, LLC.

"As I see the working group's responsibilities at this time, its primary objective is to attract and organize capital sources for early stage companies to the Florida High Tech Corridor (FHTC)," says Broming. To achieve this goal, preliminary agenda items have been determined, with activities encompassing supporting State legislation, securing new venture capital funds, and activities to survey and promote a strong angel investment community in the Florida High Tech Corridor.

As President/CEO and Co-Founder AAIC, Charles is an experienced financial executive and consultant to startup and early stage companies. He managed two small venture capital funds, where he invested in early stage companies and startups from industries that included biotechnology, surgical tools and medical instruments, computer hardware, and microwave technology. He also served as a member of the Boards of Directors of six portfolio companies, including one that was publicly traded.

Prior to his tenure at these funds, Charles was active in commercial, asset-based lending at financial institutions in New England where he became a Vice President. Charles' most recent operating experience includes two years as CFO of Kirby & Allen, Inc. where annual revenues grew from $2.5 million to $11.5 million during that period.

Charles earned his MBA from the University of Michigan with a concentration in Finance and Strategy. Graduating from a self-designed major titled "Studies in Logic", he earned his BA from the University of California with a focus in Philosophy and Mathematics.

For more information on the Equity Capital Working Group, contact Charles Broming at charles.broming@angelinvestorclubs.us.

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Central Florida Innovation Corporation (CFIC) is providing private strategy workshops to established high tech companies in Central Florida. The workshops consist of 4 one-day sessions spread over a span of eight weeks. These workshops are targeted towards existing high-tech companies that are looking to expand or grow, existing companies launching a new product or service, and companies that are experiencing internal growth challenges. The workshops utilize a methodical approach to develop a consistent and coherent set of strategies that can be applied to a division or a company as a whole. The workshops are tailored to solve particular business problems and the two-week time span between workshops allows for the businesses to do "homework" assignments, conduct research and formulate plans.

CFIC provides a unique methodology, which has been refined over eight years. It is the same methodology CFIC uses to spin out or commercialize technology from large defense contractors. Richard Fox explained "We found that the creation of new high growth potential companies requires a deep and rigorous approach to the definition and development of the strategies for the new companies. Some of the larger high tech firms in town recognized the significance of that approach, and engaged CFIC to provide a fresh analysis of the future direction for those firms."

"Most companies pick up baggage as they grow, and as their market changes. CFIC provides a method for the management to identify the future opportunities, and to eliminate the excess projects that hinder future growth."

The results of the workshops have been spectacular. One CEO called CFIC with some bad news, and some good news. The bad news was that the VP of Sales had resigned the evening after a workshop session. The good news was that the VP of Sales had quit because the workshop had crystallized a difference in strategic direction between the VP and the rest of the company management.

For more information on these workshops please contact Lydia Giffin at 407-277-5411 ext. 102.

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Students, faculty, and aspiring inventors and innovators from across the state will gather for Invention to Venture on Friday, November 14, 2003 at UCF's Engineering Building II Auditorium, room 102.

The University of Central Florida (UCF) and the National Collegiate Inventors and Innovators Alliance (NCIIA) teamed up to bring this top quality event to Central Florida. The five locations selected for the event include College Park, Maryland, La Jolla, California, Chicago, Illinois, and two locations in Florida, UCF and the University in Florida (UF). UF will host the second Florida event on November 15, 2003, the day after the UCF workshop.

Invention to Venture is series of one-day workshops in technology-driven entrepreneurship for students, faculty, and regional industry representatives. The workshops focus on technology commercialization while providing opportunities for participants to learn technology entrepreneurship basics, build their networks, and develop plans for moving their ideas forward. The project was developed and implemented with Greyhead Associates, an international management consulting firm focusing on technology commercialization/entrepreneurship an university/industry partnerships.

On November 14th, guests will hear from top executives, both locally and nationally known for their entrepreneurial success. The keynote address will be given by Barry Schuler, former CEO of AOL, and Dr. Gene Landrum, Founder of Chuck E. Cheese and Developer of Atari, will give an insightful lecture on Is Technology Entrepreneruship for You? The day will conclude with an open panel discussion on Finding the Money followed by a closing reception. Cost is $25 for members of the business community, and free for students and faculty. A continental breakfast and lunch will be provided.

Founding sponsorship for these workshops is provided by The Kauffman Foundation, The Lemelson Foundation, and the NCIIA. The NCIIA is a national alliance promoting invention, innovation, and entrepreneurship education at U.S. institutions of higher education. Local sponsorship is provided by UCF, the Florida High Tech Corridor, Inflexion Partners, and Ernst & Young.

For more information, visit www.invention2venture.org.

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Each year, Orlando is host to the national Interservice/Industry Training, Simulation and Education Conference, the I/ITSEC conference.

This year's conference is being held December 1-4th. And the theme is 25 years: Enhancing Warfighter Performance Through Advanced Learning Technology. The conference is being held at the Orange County Convention Center on International Drive in Orlando, FL. Supporters of the 2003 conference are Edmond Scientific, Northrop Grumman, L3 Communications and MultiGen-Paradigm.

The conference was first started in 1966 as the Naval Training Device Center/Industry Conference and later it expanded greatly due to joint efforts between the Army, Air Force, Marine Corps, Coast Guard and Industry. In 1979 the name was changed and it became known as the Interservice/Industry Training Equipment Conference due to its evolution towards a total systems philosophy. From 1979 to 1997 the conference underwent three more name changes which showed just how greatly the conference was growing and developing.

In 2002, the conference had more than fourteen thousand participants with an attendance of over three thousand one hundred and fifty people. Twelve percent of the attendees were government conference attendants. A total of forty-three countries had delegates with one thousand five hundred and ninety international conference registrations.

The Interservice/Industry Training, Simulation and Education Conference is an annual conference that promotes cooperation among the Armed Services, Industry, Academia and various Government agencies in pursuit of improved training and education programs, identification of common issues and development of multiservice programs.

For more information and to register for the conference please visit http://www.iitsec.org

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