Saturday, October 11, 2008

UCF Hosts 6th Annual Invention to Venture Workshop

News Release For Immediate Release

UCF Hosts 6th Annual Invention to Venture Workshop
Nationally Renowned Entrepreneur to Share Insight
Event Serves as Prelude to Weeklong Global Celebration of Entrepreneurship


(Orlando, FL) – The nationally recognized Invention to Venture (I2V) workshop is coming back to Orlando for the sixth consecutive year. The University of Central Florida and the National Collegiate Inventors and Innovators Alliance (NCIIA), are partnering together to teach entrepreneurship basics, while helping to build networks and create a framework for moving fresh business ideas forward.

Over 200 attendees comprised of business, science and technology students and faculty, as well as members of the surrounding business community will converge to attend the Orlando workshop, serving as the prelude to Global Entrepreneurship Week, a week long celebration of entrepreneurship around the world.

Invention to Venture is scheduled for Friday, November 14, 2008, from 8:00am to 4:30pm, followed by a networking reception, at the Fairwinds Alumni Center at UCF. I2V is a program of the NCIIA with sponsorship from the Lemelson Foundation and the Kauffman Foundation. Local sponsors include the UCF Alumni Association, Myers & Kaplan, and the Florida High Tech Corridor Council. This year’s workshop will feature an exciting lineup that includes nationally and internationally recognized entrepreneur, Dean Monaco.

Dean Monaco began his career in banking and finance after graduating from UCF with a degree in accounting. He has worked for a number of Fortune 100 companies before venturing out on his own. In the last decade, Monaco has owned, operated and/or served on the Board of Directors for over 20 companies. As an entrepreneur, his business background has been very diverse, including everything from restaurants to technology. His business experiences have led him to work both on a national level, as well as internationally.

Monaco remains involved in his community and has received the Jefferson Awards for Public Service for his efforts in working with Charity Challenge for 16 years. He currently sits on the board for the charity which has raised over 5 million dollars since its inception. He is a lifetime member of the UCF Alumni Association and enjoys being a part of UCF’s future. Currently, Monaco is partnering with UCF, working with students and faculty in several start-up companies focused on the development of both his and others’ inventions in technology.

According to Monaco, “Some of the best lessons I learned as an entrepreneur were from failures. I hope to share that insight at Invention to Venture, as a way to inspire and encourage others to follow their dreams. I’m fortunate to be in a position now to become involved in the creation and building of companies, which is an energizing and positive experience. UCF provides a phenomenal support system for entrepreneurs and it just keeps gaining momentum.”

Invention to Venture is an introduction to the process and practice of technology entrepreneurship. Attendees will hear from real entrepreneurs, investors, and advisors on how to create a successful business around their technology idea or invention, through workshop activities and hands-on experience they can use the moment they leave the event. Topics include idea validation and opportunity assessment, sales and marketing, intellectual property, the management team, presenting the business plan, and financing your venture.

"UCF is excited to host the 6th annual Invention to Venture workshop in Central Florida," says Dr. Tom O'Neal, Associate Vice President for Research and Commercialization at the University of Central Florida and Executive Director of the UCF Incubation Program. “By partnering with the National Collegiate Inventors and Innovators Alliance (NCIIA), UCF is able to provide one of the best one day programs available to help emerging entrepreneurs understand the complexities of turning and idea into a business. I encourage any faculty, student, staff or community member with an interest in technology entrepreneurship to take advantage of this opportunity.”

I2V has been conducted at top colleges and universities such as: University of Maryland; University of Florida; Illinois Institute of Technology; University of California San Diego; Worcester Polytechnic Institute; and University of Southern Mississippi.

Invention to Venture will be held at the UCF Fairwinds Alumni Center, located at 4000 Central Florida Blvd, (Bldg 126), Orlando, FL, 32816. Early registration by October 15 is $8 for all Students, $25 for UCF Faculty/Staff/Alumni, and $35 for Others. After October 15th, admission is $13 for all students, $30 for UCF Faculty/Staff/Alumni, and $40 for others.

To register, please visit www.invention2venture.org/ucf. Contact Melissa Wasserman at (407) 882-2296 or via email at mwasserm@mail.ucf.edu for additional information.

National Collegiate Inventors and Innovators Alliance (NCIIA)
The NCIIA (http://www.nciia.com/) works with colleges and universities to create experiential learning programs that are intended to help nurture a new generation of innovators and entrepreneurs who have strong technical and business skills as well as the tools and the ambition to make this world a better place. Invention to Venture workshops are conducted at universities around the country and feature a nationally recognized curriculum delivered by regional speakers from the business community.

University of Central Florida (UCF)
UCF is the university that seeks opportunities, creates opportunities, and brings them to
fruition. The university’s culture of opportunity is driven by the diverse people it attracts and
serves, its Orlando environment, its history of entrepreneurship, and its youth, relevance and
energy.. Visit
http://www.ucf.edu/ for more information.

(from L to R) Ron Eaglin, UCF professor and inventor, meets with Dean Monaco to discuss their next business venture "iseecards.com" at Wackadoo's (Monaco's successful restaurant venture in the Student Union at the UCF main campus)

UCF Office of Research & Commercialization
Contact: Christa Santos
407/882-1576
researchinfo@mail.ucf.edu


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