Great to see the interest and energy among the attendees and speakers.

Two resonating messages:

• One doesn’t need to have millions in order to be a VC; investing one’s time, knowledge, experience, and network in support of an entrepreneur can lead to his/her success
• Never allow anyone else to determine your fate — if all else fails, at least go out swinging!

This effort is the start of something big in Miami and in Florida in general!

The legislation would enable immigrant entrepreneurs who are creating new companies to secure visas to come to the United States, if there is investment capital available from a sponsoring US venture capital or angel investor of at least $100,000 in an equity financing of not less than $250,000.   If, after two years, the immigrant entrepreneur can show that he or she has generated at least five full-time jobs in the United States, attracted $1 million in additional investment capital or achieved $1 million in revenue, then he or she would receive permanent legal resident status.

Similar legislation (H.R. 4259) was proposed in the House of Representatives last year by Representative Jared Polis (D-CO), and was rolled into the House Comprehensive Reform Bill.

The Startup Visa Act is a tremendous positive step for immigrant entrepreneurs, and has been endorsed by over 100 venture capital and angel investors.  Unfortunately, the House version’s inclusion in the contentious immigration reform debate makes its outcome uncertain.

Follow the progress of both the Senate and House legislation on the Startup Visa blog.

When: March 19-21, 2010!

Location: Miami Tower (100 SE 2nd Street, Miami, FL 33131)

More details to follow as released by event organizers.

What is Startup Weekend?

Startup Weekend is a 54 hour startup event that provides networking, resources, and incentives for individuals and teams to go from idea to launch.  Get connected with local developers, innovators, and entrepreneurs.  Build community.  Start companies.  No talk.  All action.  Startup Weekend Miami will take place Friday, March 19 through Sunday, March 21, 2010.

Who can attend?

Anyone!

Why attend?

• Have you ever thought about starting your own business?
• Have you ever had an idea and wondered how to turn it into a business?
• Do you want to to network with other creative and motivated people?
• Do you want to participate in something that will raise the image and profile of Miami ?

If you answered yes to any of these questions, then you should strongly consider participating in Startup Weekend – Miami.  (The networking opportunity is alone makes the event worth attending.)

Cost:  $75.

For more information, visit the Startup Weekend Miami website.

Entrepreneur’s “How To” Webinar Series

Webinars are broadcasted seminars that you can access from anywhere.
All you need is a phone and computer to access it.  We bring the seminars to you!

Spring 2010 Webinars
“You’re Not Crazy – You’re an Entrepreneur”
“Wiring Product Innovation into your Company DNA”
“Shameless Self Promotion: Pitching Your Business”
“Social Media Marketing”
“How to Fund Your Company & Bring It to Life”

All webinars are held online on Tuesdays from 11:00 a.m. – 12:30p.m.
(1 hour presentation, 30-minutes Q&A)

Fee:
$25 per session
To register for a webinar, please click here.

Tuesday, March 9, 2010

“Shameless Self Promotion”
Pitching Your Business

Leader: Alex Acosta, Analyst, Trivest

Determine whether your company is ready to attract investment. This session will introduce you to the decision making process of private equity and venture capital firms when evaluating investment opportunities.

“Social Media Marketing”

Leader: John C. Fleming, Founder and CEO, Outcome Labs, LLC

This session will introduce practical tools and tips for establishing a cost effective online presence that any business can implement. Become familiar with different processes such as domain registration, website development, ecommerce, hosting, search engines, ad networks and social media.

“How to Fund Your Company & Bring It to Life”

Leader: Camilo A. Mejia, Associate in Litigation and Intellectual Property Practice,
Hunton & Williams, LLP

Learn how to determine the right legal, management, and financial structure of your business. This session will introduce how to generate sources of funding for your start up and how to use your business plan to tell a story.

Pricing:
$25 for each session.

To register for a webinar session, please click here.
For more information, please send an e-mail to: entrepreneurship@fiu.edu.

Entrepreneurship Workshop Series

FIU’s Pino Global Entrepreneurship Center’s popular Workshop Series promise to equip you with and deliver practical tools and real world knowledge from experts in each field.

Spring 2010 Workshops

“Developing a Killer Business Plan”
“Creating Breakthrough Products”
“Business Plans that Raise Money”
“Going to Market in a Customer Centric, Social World”
“How to Fund Your Company & Bring it to Life”
“The FIU Pino Shark Tank”

All workshops are held from 9:00a.m. – 4:00p.m.
at
FIU’s College of Business Complex
Special Events Center, CBC 232
Modesto A. Maidique Campus
11200 SW 8th Street
Miami, Florida 33199

Fee (per session):
$95 – General Admission.
$75 – FIU Students, Alumni, Faculty and Staff.

To register for a workshop, please click here.

REMAINING WORKSHOPS:

Speakers:
Rade Zrilic, Chief Executive Officer, Technia North America
Robert H. Hacker, Managing Director, GH Capital Partners

Learn how to analyze the market through technology landscaping and product profiling. Assess intellectual property (IP) by analyzing partners, suppliers, competitors and M&A candidate. Find a new market for existing technology (or a new technology for an existing market). Build IP barriers around existing and future products and processes while leveraging regulatory constraints.
Additionally, develop your product definition to be more aligned with your customer’s needs. Discover the tools to learn how customers perceive your product or service. Learn the Porter’s 5 Forces of Industry and how to create competitive advantage.

“Business Plans that Raise Money”

Speaker:
Robert H. Hacker, Managing Director, GH Capital Partners

Uncover the financial health of your business by using an industry-tested and strategy-driven method. You will learn one of the most effective tools for understanding your business’s potential and its driving forces.

Speaker:
John C. Fleming, Founder and CEO, Outcome Labs, LLC

Learn how to develop an effective “go to market” strategy that is optimized for your company and market. You will learn about the elements of a focused and affordable marketing plan. You will see how to leverage the latest in social media to have conversations with your customers and people who influence your potential customers. You will learn how to develop a channel strategy to sell your products and services that will give you the widest market coverage at the lowest possible cost.

“How to Fund Your Company and Bring it to Life”

Speaker:
Camilo A. Mejia, Associate, Hunton & Williams, LLP

Learn about the available sources of funding for your start up, how to present to these sources and what their expectations are for market opportunity, growth and financial return. Learn the different alternatives to form a legal entity for a start up and the governance issues that must be addressed.

Are you ready to launch your business? Consult with the experts! The FIU Shark Tank is your opportunity to have your start up’s business plan reviewed and critiqued by our panel local entrepreneurs and investors. Reconstruct and strengthen your plan to provide your company a blueprint towards success.

Please note that while everyone is welcome to attend, to participate and have your business plan reviewed by our panel it is required that you attend all 5 workshops in the Spring 2010 Entrepreneurship Workshop Series.

To participate in the “FIU Pino Shark Tank,” please submit an executive summary of your business plan to entrepreneurship@fiu.edu no later than Friday, May 28th!

Special Pricing Offers:
$95 for each session.
FIU Alumni Association members &
FIU Students:
$75 per session


To register for an Entrepreneurship Workshop, please click here.
For more information, please send an e-mail to: entrepreneurship@fiu.edu.