2009 Annual Conference

“Partnerships & Incubation - Moving Business Forward”

October 26 -27, 2009
Stonewall Jackson Hotel & Conference Center Staunton, Virginia

 Cost:

VBIA Members- Early Bird- Until Oct. 5  125.00 Regular 150.00
Non Members Early Bird- Until Oct 5, 150.00  Regular 175.00

Reserve your room now at the Stonewall Jackson Hotel for a special Rate of $70 a night- These rates are good until September 28th.

2009 VBIA ANNUAL CONFERENCE

CONFERENCE AGENDA

CONFERENCE SPEAKERS

CONFERENCE SPONSORS 

 
SESSION 1: LESSONS LEARNED
This is a recap of the lessons learned in the 2008 conference which focused on the “Four Critical Keys to Incubator Success”.  This would be a report by incubator professionals who attended 2008 conference on what they implement or did differently as a result of the information learned from the conference.

SESSION 2: CASE STUDIES IN THE PLIGHT OF ENTREPRENEURSHIP
A panel discussion by entrepreneurs who may or may not have used the services of a business incubator - discussion of the real world challenges entrepreneurs face when starting and growing their business.  What resources and support services did they find useful and what would they like in place to assist them now and in the future?

SESSION 3: UNIVERSITY PARTNERSHIPS IN BUSINESS INCUBATION

A panel of from various Virginia universities will discuss their business assistance programs and how local businesses should navigate through the system and engage these universities.  This session is designed to help bridge the gap of understanding what universities can to meet private sector expectations.

DONNA NOBLE AWARD DINNER

Dinner Keynote: Dona Story president and CEO of Quality Technical Services, Inc

SESSION 4: FINANCING BUSINESS START-UPS
Session focuses on getting companies ready for angel investors.

SESSION 5: FURTHERING THE ART OF BUSINESS INCUBATION
Presentation on the findings of the regional roundtable meetings held in Hampton Roads, Richmond, Northern Virginia and Roanoke.  What priorities and initiatives were identified and what can VBIA do to in the coming year to implement some of the common identified incubation initiatives.

SESSION 6: ECONOMIC GARDENING – ENGAGING YOUR COMMUNITY
Communities are the economic gardens that cultivate these companies and organizations and create supportive environments where they can thrive.  Often contrasted with "economic hunting" strategies that aim to recruit development opportunities from outside the community, economic gardening is designed to "grow your own" jobs through entrepreneurial activity within the community. Economic gardening programs succeed by creating an environment that nurtures entrepreneurs.