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1 Page 1 of 5 Newsletter Archive HTML Version This is a Newsletter from The Entrepreneurs Center Have a problem viewing this? Click here Issue 1 First Quarter 2011 TEC Home About Us Our Tenants Helpful Links For Applicants Inside This Issue Morning Mentoring Launches Spotlight on Entrepreneurs - Commuter Advertising TEC Client Services Update Best Wishes to Chris Howard Advance to Profit Entrepreneurial Resource Spotlight - WSU Patent/Trademark Library Ohio Business Matchmaker Event BBB-TEC Networking Event Upcoming Dates & Events On-site Business Incubation Enabling tenant entrepreneurs to create and grow sustainable, profitable companies Know-How Network Annual Reviews Mentors & Advisors Virtual Offices Morning Mentoring Launches In early December, three entrepreneurs had the opportunity to vet their new business ideas and technologies through a new mentoring program at The Entrepreneurs Center. Morning Mentoring is free to participants and is brought to you by The Miami Valley Venture Association (MVVA) and The Entrepreneurs Center (TEC). Morning Mentoring provides entrepreneurs the opportunity to present their business case to professional mentor teams that can evaluate how the business idea can best go to market, said Barbara Hayde, TEC President. Off-site Incubation Services Assisting entrepreneurs located throughout the greater Dayton region Affiliate Membership Satellite Services Pre-Incubation Services Morning Mentoring can accommodate up to four companies each quarter. After a 7-minute overview of their business concept, participants meet for 2 hours with mentor teams to further discuss the business concept. Mentor teams include venture capitalists, attorneys, accountants, business consultants and technology subject matter experts from TEC and MVVA s network. Morning Mentoring is free to participants. The next session will be held from 9:15 am to noon on March 4 th, To apply for Morning Mentoring, download the brochure and one page application.

2 Page 2 of 5 Spotlight on Entrepreneurs Commuter Advertising Launches Innovative Platform from Dayton, OH Commuter Advertising creates audio and visual advertising on board public transit vehicles linked to specific locations through GPS technology. The company developed software that enables sponsorships to play on particular buses at specific locations, such as near a coffee shop that is coming up at the next bus stop. The company sells the 15-second advertising spots and shares ad revenue with transit partners. They are not only able to sell location-based ads, but also timed messages. Print Advertising and Text Messaging campaigns are recent additions to Commuter Advertising's advertising options. Commuter Advertising was founded in Chicago, but moved the headquarters to The Entrepreneurs Center in Dayton after winning their first contract a deal with Greater Dayton Regional Transit Authority. Since landing the Dayton contract, the company has added five more bus systems and increased the number of riders reached by its commercials to 87 million annually. Commuter Advertising is one of the fastest-growing transit advertising companies in the Midwest. The company has capitalized the business through a variety of sources including the U.D. Business Planning Competition. More recently, the company received growth investment from the Dayton Development Coalition through Ohio's Third Frontier Entrepreneurial Signature Program The company currently has 10 employees and plans to expand into several additional metro markets in the near future. For more information, visit TEC Client Services Update While TEC is best known as the premier location for an entrepreneur to build a technology business, did you know that the incubator offers additional programs and services? INCUBATOR CLIENTS: In addition to turn-key office space, incubator clients receive mentoring, advice, annual reviews and access to TEC s Know-How Network. Office space starts at 450 sf. suites. Incubator clients receive all the assistance they need to build a successful business! Learn more. AFFILIATE CLIENTS: Affiliate clients are early stage technology businesses that primarily operate their business off-site. For an annual fee of $500, these clients receive access to TEC s core services and network. Affiliate clients who need a business location can opt to lease a Virtual Office. The Virtual Office is a shared office lab/suite at TEC priced at $125 per month. Learn more. SMALL BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT CENTER (SBDC): The SBDC at TEC provides free business assistance to help small businesses start, sustain and grow. The SBDC provides in-depth business counseling by a Certified Business Advisor to all types of businesses. Learn more. More information, including a virtual video tour is available on the TEC website. Our best client referrals come from people like you. Refer a friend to TEC today! Best Wishes to Christina Howard

3 Page 3 of 5 Congratulations to Christina Howard who recently retired from her position as VP of Entrepreneurial Development at the Dayton Development Coalition, DDC. Through the development of numerous investment funds and entrepreneurial programs, Chris helped launch and grow hundreds of entrepreneurial companies in the Dayton Region. Most recently she oversaw the creation of the region's $22.5 million Entrepreneurial Signature Program, ESP. At present, the program has grown to help more than 40 companies, with strategic investment in 17 companies. Since Chris also served on the TEC Board of Trustees. She helped many TEC client companies by serving as an advisor, participating on Annual Reviews and connecting companies to valuable entrepreneurial resources. Chris plans to continue working part-time with the DDC on special projects. Congratulations and best wishes to Chris Howard! Advance to Profit Companies commercializing a new technology can still take advantage of TEC's Advance to Profit program. Advance to Profit is designed to help a company reach the commercial market quickly and efficiently. Companies can begin by taking a free online self assessment. The assessment provides the company with a visual roadmap of where the company stands in the commercialization process. Companies who enter the expanded program will receive comprehensive assistance to help move their company through the various tasks necessary to advance their ideas to a state of growth and sustainability. To take the Advance to Profit assessment or learn more, follow this link Spotlight on Entrepreneurial Resources Wright State University Patent & Trademark Resources Do you need basic information on patenting your invention? What new products are being developed or marketed by your competitors? Do you need to research patents or trademarks to discover conflicts? As a designated Patent and Trademark Depository Library by the US Patent & Trademark Office (USPTO), Wright State University Libraries provide patent and trademark resources to the inventor and business communities. Along with many patent and trademark informational tools and resources, the USPTO also provides the libraries access to WEST (Web-based Examiner Search Tool). WEST is used by US patent examiners as one of their patentability research tools. These tools are free for anyone to use and you do not have to be a Wright State University student, faculty or staff member. Library services are designed to support the individual or company/legal researcher's efforts to conduct self-directed and preliminary patent research. The Reference Staff will make every effort to protect you confidentiality and privacy. All final research, regarding intellectual property determinations, should be conducted in consultation with intellectual property legal professionals. WSU Libraries Patent Trademark Depository Library Collection Ran Raider, Government & Legal Information Coordinator Phone: ran.raider@wright.edu

4 Page 4 of 5 Ohio Business Matchmaker The 2011 Ohio Business Matchmaker is a unique event where small businesses, including veteran, minority and women owned businesses, and government buyers of goods and services come together. The cost for small businesses to attend is $50.00 per person which includes a boxed lunch. In 2010 more than 200 buyers were on hand for one-on-one meetings with small businesses. Buyers were from city, state, county, and federal agencies, as well as prime contractors and other organizations with combined purchasing budgets representing hundreds of millions of dollars. The event will be held March 22-23, 2011 at Wright State's Nutter Center. For more information, visit the link BBB Networking Event The TEC-BBB Networking Event will be held on Tuesday, March 22, 5 7 p.m. at The Entrepreneurs Center. This will be a fun event and great chance to network with Better Business Bureau (BBB) Accredited Businesses. Come for a half hour or two hours. It will be worth the investment of your time. Reservations are required as space is limited. Visit or call (937) , ext to reserve your spot today. Cost is only $10 per person for BBB Accredited Businesses and $15 per person for non Accredited Upcoming Dates & Events Date Event Time Location Topic - Social Media New Business Information Session 3 to 6 pm TEC Morning Mentoring 9:30 am to noon TEC Topic - Taxes & Saving Money in Business New Business Information Session 3 to 6 pm TEC BBB Networking Event Registration Required Topic - Taxes & Saving Money for Your Business 5 to 7 pm TEC New Business Information Session 3 to 6 pm TEC to Ohio Business Matchmaker see registration WSU Nutter Center Managing Age/Generational Diversity New Business Informational Session 3 to 6 pm TEC Click here to view our complete calendar

5 Page 5 of 5 This Newsletter was delivered by The Entrepreneurs Center, 714 E., Monument Ave., Dayton, OH The Entrepreneurs Center is a Technology Business Incubator and can be reached at or TEC Website to a Friend Copyright The Entrepreneurs Center 2011 [UNSUBSCRIBE] Non-html version This is a Newsletter from The Entrepreneurs Center Have a problem viewing this? Click here Issue 1 First Quarter 2011 TEC Home About Us Our Tenants Helpful Links For Applicants On-site Business Incubation Enabling tenant entrepreneurs to create and grow sustainable, profitable companies Know-How Network Annual Reviews Mentors & Advisors Virtual Offices Off-site Incubation Services Assisting entrepreneurs located throughout the greater Dayton region Affiliate Membership Satellite Services Pre-Incubation Services Small Business Development Center (SBDC) Providing management and technical assistance to small businesses in the greater Dayton region Business Planning Marketing/Sales Training Financial Analysis Coaching/Counseling