Dancing With the Bear: Business, Government & Politics
We've watched the NASDAQ crash, Boeing's move to Chicago and the incidents 9/11. In this time of devastating economic news, government's role in the economy as both sponsor and customer seems to be expanding. Some CEOs have sought gold in the B2G sector and leveraged their success in commercial markets.
They danced with the bear of government bureaucracy until they established trust and credibility. They found strategic partners who have given them access and provided seed money. They got help from government officials and economic development departments.
Come join us and hear the lessons our panelists learned. What are the critical issues that entrepreneurs should know about when relating to the government? What resources are available to start-ups that hope to have the government as a customer? Is the government a viable market segment upon which to build a business plan? Our panel will cover topics like:
- Getting access
- Making the system work for you
- Identifying the need and choosing your customers
- Working with under-funded and risk-averse agencies
- Using strategic alliances
Moderator:
- Kathy Wilcox, President and CEO of WSA
Presenting Company:
- Jim Adler, CEO of VoteHere and former General Dynamics rocket scientist
Panelists:
- David Giuliani, Chairman, Washington Technology Center
- Clayton Lewis, President and COO, Onvia
- Ron Woodard, President and CEO, MagnaDrive Corp
Register now for the forum on Wednesday, April 17 at 5:00p.m. at the Bellevue Hyatt Regency. Tickets are $35, and $45 after Friday, April 12, space permitting. Prepaid reservations are required, and may be arranged as follows:
Register online at www.mitwa.org or call (206) 283-9595. VISA, MasterCard and American Express are welcome. Companies may reserve a table of 10. Social hour and registration begin at 5:00 p.m. Dinner is served at 6:15 p.m.
The MIT Enterprise Forum of the Northwest (MITEF) is a volunteer, non-profit organization chartered to foster entrepreneurial activities in the Pacific Northwest. It provides today's fast-moving start-ups and emerging growth companies with a chance to learn from the experiences of their peers and competitors, gain feedback and insight from leading industry experts, and establish relationships with potential business partners. MITEF is affiliated with the Alumni Association of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and all events are open to anyone interested in growing or enhancing a business.
