Registration

Welcome and Opening Remarks

Keynote: Gary D. LeClair
     Chairman of LeClairRyan

Presentation: Business Incubation: A 25 Year Perspective

Session 1: Lessons Learned - 2008 “Four Keys to Incubator Success”

Break

Session 3: University Partnerships in Business Incubation

Networking & Reception

Dona Noble Award Dinner
Keynote: Doña Storey
                 President and CEO of Quality Technical Services, Inc.

Presentation: Exponential Mentoring - lessons learned from the
“Been There Done That University”

Tuesday, October 27, 2009

Breakfast

Keynote: David R. Lohr -Chairman of the Board of Directors of the National Business Incubation Association (NBIA) and Executive Director and Treasurer – Virginia Biosciences Development Center

Presentation: Importance of growing our own companies

Partnerships & Incubation - Moving Business Forward

Monday, October 26, 2009

Opening Remarks
Keynote: Gary D. LeClair Chairman of LeClairRyan (Richmond, VA)

Presentation: Business Incubation: A 25 Year Perspective

SESSION 1: LESSONS LEARNED – 2008 “FOUR KEYS TO INCUBATOR SUCCESS”

This is a recap of the lessons learned from the 2008 conference which focused on “Four Critical Keys to Incubator Success”.  Incubator professionals who attended the 2008 conference will discuss what they implemented or did differently as a result of the information learned during the conference.

Moderator: Jim Flowers (VBIA President)
                    Director
                    VT KnowledgeWorks, Blacksburg, VA

Panel:         Susan Deusebio
                   Assistant Director
                   Hanover County Dept of Economic Development
                    Nancy Parrish
                   Director
                   Franklin/South Hampton Business Incubator
                   TBD 

Presentations:

N. Parrish
J. Flowers

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 and the real world challenges entrepreneurs face when starting and growing their business. What resources and support services did these entrepreneurs 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 Virginia university representatives will discuss their small business engagement programs and business assistance programs and opportunities and how businesses can engage universities.  This session is designed to help attendees appreciate what universities can provide and how to bridge the gap of understanding private sector vs. university expectations.

DONNA NOBLE AWARD DINNER

Host: Jim Flowers (President, VBIA)
          Director, VT KnowledgeWorks, Blacksburg, VA

Donna Noble Award: Presented by Arlington County Economic Development

Keynote: Doña Storey
               President and CEO of Quality Technical Services, Inc

               Presentation: Exponential Mentoring - lessons learned from the
               “Been There Done That University”

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 27, 2009

Keynote: David R. Lohr
               Chairman of the Board of Directors of the National Business Incubation Association &
                Vice President of Business Development for the Virginia Biotechnology Research Park

Presentation: Importance of growing our own companies.

SESSION 4: FINANCING BUSINESS START-UPS

Session focuses on getting companies ready for angel investors and other financing possibilities, e.g. SBIRs and regional grants and loans. Our panelists will address the six biggest mistakes in raising start-up capital along with taking specific questions from the audience regarding financing start-ups and other on-going finance opportunities.

SESSION 5: FURTHERING THE ART OF BUSINESS INCUBATION

Encouraging entrepreneurship is a growing business development strategy in America. This session addresses what other states are doing for entrepreneurs and summarizes the outcomes of the VBIA entrepreneur roundtable meetings held in Hampton Roads, Richmond and Northern Virginia. Each roundtable meeting was held to begin a regional dialog to discuss entrepreneurial support services. The roundtable meetings delved into the strengths, gaps and opportunities and identified steps to improve services in the coming year.

Presenters: Daniel Girouard (VBIA Treasurer)
Asset Manager
City of Hampton

Judy Barral
Director Incubator Program
Fairfax Innovation Center (Fairfax, VA)

Glen C. Sink
Executive Director
Virginia Rural Center (Richmond, VA)

Presentations

G. Sink
J. Barrall
D.Girouard

SESSION 6: ECONOMIC GARDENING – ENGAGING YOUR COMMUNITY

This session will explore the concept of “Economic Gardening” which is an economic development effort focused on growing jobs through entrepreneurial activity within the community, region or state. Economic gardening programs succeed by creating an environment that nurtures entrepreneurs. Small, local companies are the source of new jobs and wealth, and communities should work to create nurturing environments for these companies.

Moderator:
Linda Green (VBIA Vice President)
Director
Dan River Business Development Center (Danville, VA)

Panelist:
Oliver McBride
Executive Director
Southwest Regional Enterprise Center (Galax, VA)

Erik R. Pages
President
Entreworks Consulting (Arlington, VA)

Presentations

O. McBride
E. Pages