Entrepreneurship Week at Stanford, February 21-28, 2010
Please visit periodically for updates.
| 2/21 | Sunday VIP Reception with Keynote Speaker, Steve Blank:“The Secret History of Silicon Valley” (Invitation only) Featured Speaker: Steve Blank, Serial Entrepreneur, Founder of E.piphany Software, and Stanford Lecturer We will kick off this year’s festivities with an intimate, invitation-only reception to honor Entrepreneurship Week sponsors and other important guests, including Stanford student leaders. Steve Blank will deliver a provocative and informative presentation on the “Secret History of Silicon Valley.” Hosts: Stanford Entrepreneurship Network (SEN) and Stanford Technology Ventures Program (STVP) |
| 2/22 | Monday The Power of Social Technology How do we leverage the incredible power of social technology to make a difference? How do we use it to support a clear, single, focused goal? Eavesdrop on this rare, public session of the Graduate School of Business marketing course, The Power of Social Technology, and hear from a panel of celebrity experts who have uncovered the secrets of harnessing social media to build wildly successful brands: MC Hammer, Robert Scoble and Loic Le Meur. Anyone arriving after 11:45 or once auditorium is full may watch the program from an overflow room. Host: Graduate School of Business Legal Tips for Startups in Today’s Economy: Panel Discussion/Brown Bag Lunch Silicon Valley is the heart of entrepreneurship, venture capital, and innovation. A panel of legal experts from one of the Bay Area’s leading law firms will address special challenges facing emerging companies in today’s economy, including how to build a startup in the current economic environment, venture capital and alternative funding methods, and how to address common pitfalls. Bring your lunch and take in dozens of useful tips. Host: Stanford Law and Technology Association (SLATA) Europe in the Global Entrepreneurship Scene Featured Speaker: Ignacio de la Vega, Chairman, Global Entrepreneurship Monitor (GEM); and Professor of Entrepreneurship and Strategic Management at the Instituto de Empresa (IE), Madrid, Spain Our special guest speaker, Dr. Ignacio de la Vega, will discuss the state of entrepreneurship globally, with particular attention to where Europe stands today in relation to North America and Asia. His talk will also cover the major results of the GEM 2009 Global Report that was recently released in January 2010 and is the largest single study of entrepreneurial activity in the world, covering 54 countries. Hosts: Department of Mechanical Engineering and Stanford Technology Ventures Program Creating and Leading Entrepreneurial Teams: Lecture and Workshop Featured Speaker: Dr. Rodrigo Jordan, Founder, Vertical, S.A. Nominated by Time magazine in 1995 as “one of the 100 young leaders for the new millennium,” and leader of the first successful South American expedition to Mt Everest and K2, Dr. Rodrigo Jordan will share his philosophy on applying to business and education the leadership and team-building skills needed to climb the world’s most challenging mountains. Through videos and jaw-dropping photographs, he will bring his gripping leadership stories to life. He’ll examine the dynamics of building and leading high-performance teams that produce great social and economic results. |
| 2/23 | Tuesday Biofuels and Bioproducts: The Road to Commercialization Featured Speaker: Jonathan Wolfson, Chief Executive Officer and co-founder of Solazyme Bring a brown bag lunch and hear a fascinating discussion on how to commercialize new discoveries in biofuels and bioproducts. Jonathan Wolfson, CEO of Solazyme, a leader in microalgae biotechnology and one of the nation’s top advanced biofuels companies, will discuss market trends in biofuels and bioproducts. He will also share Solazyme’s experience as a case study for understanding the road to commercialization within the clean technology sector. Host: GSB Energy Club and GSB Environmentally Sustainable Business Club How will Comparative Effectiveness Impact Medical Device Innovation? This panel discussion is a special presentation of the Biodesign Roundtables series and will look at the use of comparative effectiveness under the new healthcare reform initiatives. Comparative effectiveness is one component of comprehensive health reform as envisioned by Congress; its use is assumed to save costs by more clearly illustrating which treatments are effective and which are not. However, some device and drug companies worry that without specific limitations, comparative-effectiveness research will be used to support treatment protocols that restrict patient access to some device and drug treatments that may, in fact, better serve patient populations. A networking reception will follow. This event requires an RSVP. Please email marygorman@stanford.edu to ensure a seat. Hosts: Biodesign, Center for Primary Care and Outcomes Research (PCOR), and the Graduate School of Business (GSB) Careers in Product Creation and Manufacturing for New Graduates Itching to invent new products and be an innovator after graduation? Enjoy a light dinner while learning about career opportunities with established manufacturing companies looking for entrepreneurial talent. Stanford alumni and other representatives from blue-chip companies will talk about how manufacturing companies can offer all of the excitement of a startup without all of the risk. Representatives from the Career Development Center will also be on hand to share resources and offer career planning advice. This will be a highly interactive session, with plenty of opportunity to ask questions of the panelists. (This session is open to students only. Space is limited. First come, first served.) |
| 2/24 | Wednesday “Startup 101” Job Fair Explore job opportunities with startups and larger companies looking for entrepreneurial talent. Employers represent a wide range of industries, from Web 2.0 to cleantech, medical devices, and biotech. Raffle prizes will be given away throughout the event. Employers should register here for an exhibition space. Host: A partnership of several student entrepreneurship groups on campus and the Career Development Center Building a Revolution: Lessons in Entrepreneurship, Innovation, and Leadership Featured Speaker: Steve Case, Chairman and CEO, Revolution; Co-Founder, AOL; Chairman, The Case Foundation Join us for a thought-provoking, inspirational talk about entrepreneurial leadership by Steve Case, CEO, Revolution, co-founder of America Online (AOL), philanthropist, and inductee, Academy of Achievement. His insights come from his experiences leading a fledging company, AOL, through several near-death experiences to become a driving force in the adoption of online services by everyday users prior to the creation of the World Wide Web. His career has taken him to the highest highs and the lowest lows, including the high-profile yet disappointing results of AOL's merger with Time Warner. Today he is focused on building Revolution, a company that seeks to drive transformative change by shifting power to consumers; and philanthropic efforts that include Accelerate Brain Cancer Cure (ABC2), The Case Foundation, and the exploration of new operating models for agriculture and sustainable development. An audience Q&A will follow the talk. This is a special presentation of the DFJ Entrepreneurial Thought Leaders Seminar. Hosts: Stanford Technology Ventures Program (STVP) and Business Association of Entrepreneurial Students (BASES) Entrepreneurship Mixer THIS EVENT IS NOW FULL. We will NOT be admitting walk-ins. Network with students, entrepreneurs, venture capitalists, and other members of the entrepreneurship community, while enjoying complimentary hors d'oeuvres and beverages. This loosely structured event will help ensure that you get an opportunity to talk to others who share your entrepreneurial interests. To facilitate networking, you will receive upon arrival a name badge and booklet of information about other attendees. Host: GSB Entrepreneur Club Ladies Who’ve Launched: A Women’s Entrepreneurship Panel Many women have dreamed of starting a business of their own but knowing how to begin can be daunting. This event offers you the opportunity to hear the success stories and lessons learned from three outstanding Stanford alumnae, each of whom launched her own business. Our entrepreneurship panel will feature Gina Bianchini, founder of Ning, a social networking creation site; Mae O’Malley, who launched Paragon Legal, an on-demand corporate counsel services firm; and Judy Estrin, who co-founded seven companies, most recently JLabs, a firm that advises in areas of leadership, entrepreneurship, and innovation. The moderator of our panel will be Garth Saloner, Stanford Graduate School of Business Dean and Center for Entrepreneurial Studies Director. Join us and learn how each alumna conceived her business idea, uncover the challenges she faced, and take away valuable lessons on how to launch your own business. It promises to be an extraordinarily informative evening, filled with ideas, anecdotes and advice from our knowledgeable panel. Host: Stanford Professional Women, a Stanford Alumni Association Club |
| 2/25 | Thursday Entrepreneurship at the Intersection of Three Cs: Cleantech, Computing, and the Cloud Featured Speakers: Warren Packard, a Managing Director at Draper Fisher Jurvetson, and Andrew Feldman, CEO of Seamicro This brown-bag lunch presentation will examine entrepreneurship, founder/board member relations, and innovation taking place at the intersection of Cleantech, Computing, and the Cloud. Hear the sparks fly between two seasoned industry experts who were also classmates at the GSB. Host: GSB Entrepreneur Club and GSB Energy Club Water Technology Startup Expo Come enjoy a showcase of startups offering water-related technologies and network with other people interested in the sector. Walk through at your leisure, visit their tables, and talk with the entrepreneurs about their offerings while enjoying light snacks and beverages. Host: GSB Entrepreneur Club From Shaky to Solid in a Sour Economy: The Mint.com Story Featured Speaker: Aaron Forth, VP of Product, Mint.com In just two years, Mint.com went from being a shaky startup to being acquired by Intuit for $170 million, despite a troubled economy and dismal liquidity environment. Aaron Forth, VP of Product, will share the secrets of the fledgling company’s success, which hinged largely on a maniacal focus on understanding and delivering what customers needed and wanted. For an online company, this meant product design decisions driven by customer input and sophisticated analytics; striving to perfect the user experience by marrying design and function; and strategic partnerships. Come with a list of questions or simply open ears. He will gladly share whatever you want to know about the journey, including the good, the bad and the ugly. Host: Stanford Computer Forum |
| 2/26 | Friday Relief 2.0 in Haiti: Enabling Agile Crisis Response with Entrepreneurship The fundamental question is: How might entrepreneurial skills and social ventures help us rethink the world’s approach to disaster relief, with an initial focus on Haiti? “Official” organizations have been, according to some, slow to respond to the crisis in Haiti; meanwhile, ad-hoc, crowdsourced relief efforts championed by individuals and aided by social media, have been able to play a critical first-responder role. In Relief 2.0, we'll take an inside look of an emergent phenomenon - Agile Crisis Response made possible by social media, crowdsourced solutions and other entrepreneurial approaches. We will look at lessons learned and how we might rethink and redesign the way we approach disaster relief and rebuilding, starting with Haiti’s reconstruction effort. Enjoy a full day of panel discussions on relief, health services, education, social entrepreneurship, and housing. Visit the event website for details on each panel and a list of panelists. Host: Digital Vision Fellows Neerja Raman, Margarita Quihuis and Carlos Miranda Levy Exploring The Myths Of Japanese Entrepreneurship Long before the current global economic crisis, Japan adopted important reforms in commerce, corporate governance, finance, and education. These changes stemming from the 1990s "lost decade" have created new opportunities for entrepreneurial activity. Following a presentation of new cross-sectional data on 60,000 operating Japanese corporations started in the last decade, there will be a panel discussion of the state of Japanese entrepreneurship. What companies are forming? Who is behind them? What are their potential fates? Host: Stanford Program on Regions of Innovation and Entrepreneurship (SPRIE) Annual GSB Entrepreneurship Conference This intensive session addresses practical issues associated with creating sustainable businesses. It features speakers and panels for aspiring and early stage entrepreneurs. The program includes a keynote presentation by Isadore Sharp, Founder, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Four Seasons Resorts and Hotels. See the detailed agenda and register at http://www.econference.org/. Host: Center for Entrepreneurial Studies, GSB VC3: Venture Capital Speed Dating Stanford students: Pitch your business ideas to Silicon Valley venture capitalists (VCs). Apply in advance for 3-4 opportunities to give three-minute pitches to VC pairs and receive three minutes of feedback. This portion of the event is restricted to pre-registered students and VCs. At 6:00, the event opens to the public for a networking session. Come join us to meet entrepreneurial students and VCs. Capacity is extremely limited. First come, first served. |
| 2/27 | Saturday Pitching and Presenting Workshop: How to Make Your Story Compelling Featured Speakers: Theresa Lina Stevens, STVP and Lina Group, Inc., and Forrest Glick, STVP Learn how to tell your story in a way that will hold your audience captive, whether you’re pitching ideas, products, your company, or yourself. Feel free to arrive with a pitch in mind that you’d like to work on. You’ll find out how to structure your message, make it irresistible, and WOW your audience with visuals. Apply these principles and tips to pitches of any length and to any audience, whether it be customers, partners, employees, employers, the media or others. This fast-paced, hands-on workshop will be led by marketing expert, Theresa Lina Stevens, and design guru, Forrest Glick, both of the Stanford Technology Ventures Program. Host: Stanford Technology Ventures Program “Bring Your Product to Life” Workshop Ideas to prototype to market – Entrepreneurs are those that can successfully navigate this path. Bringing products to life is about taking necessary steps early on, so that products can scale in the market and survive competition. Led by Marc Theeuwes, Consulting Associate Professor, Stanford's Mechanical Engineering Design Division, this is an interactive workshop with a world-class panel that brings practical insights from over 100 years of collective experience with leading products and services. Bring your product ideas to this workshop and learn from the experts. (This session is open to students only. Space is very limited. First come, first served.) Host: Product Realization Network (PRN) Pitching Workshop: How to Make Your Story Compelling Featured Speaker: Theresa Lina Stevens, STVP and Lina Group, Inc. Learn how to tell your story in a way that will hold your audience captive, whether you’re pitching ideas, products, your company, or yourself. Feel free to arrive with a pitch in mind that you’d like to work on. You’ll find out how to structure your message, make it irresistible, and "sell" it to your audience. Apply these principles and tips to pitches of any length and to any audience, whether it be customers, partners, employees, employers, the media or others. This fast-paced, hands-on workshop will be led by marketing expert, Theresa Lina Stevens of the Stanford Technology Ventures Program and Lina Group, Inc. This workhop content is identical to that delivered in the pitching portion of the morning workshop, with more time devoted to working on your individual pitches. Host: Stanford Technology Ventures Program Entrepreneurship as an Extreme Sport Featured Speaker: Tina Seelig, Executive Director, Stanford Technology Ventures Program, and author, What I Wish I Knew When I Was Twenty Entrepreneurship is all about seizing opportunities, leveraging limited resources, and delivering results. In this lecture, Tina Seelig discusses how she and her colleagues teach students at Stanford how to think and act in an entrepreneurial fashion. They are given assignments without one right answer, asked to take on challenges that seem impossible, and are encouraged to break the “rules”. This animated lecture will be filled with surprising stories and video clips of students turning problems into opportunities, challenging assumptions, and making remarkable things happen. Host: Stanford University Parents’ Weekend and Stanford Technology Ventures Program |
| 2/28 | Sunday Structures for Social Enterprise: Panel and Showcase Moderated by Kriss Deiglmeier, executive director for the Center for Social Innovation, this panel will discuss nonprofit, for-profit and hybrid models for starting and growing a social enterprise. Featured social entrepreneurs include leaders from FORGE, REDF, and Lotus Foods. Immediately after, mingle with entrepreneurs at a fair showcasing their intriguing early-stage social ventures, sponsored by Neerja Raman of Media X at Stanford University. Hosts: Center for Social Innovation, GSB, and Neerja Raman of Media X at Stanford University |
Entrepreneurship Week at Stanford is generously supported by
