Springs shares its business acumen

Mezyad Alterkawi, chief executive of the Riyadh Technology Incubation Center at King Saud University in Saudi Arabia, is visiting the Colorado Springs Technology Incubator through Friday (Aug. 10) to learn more about how such facilities operate in the United States.
Alterkawi arrived at the Springs incubator July 10 to gather information about technology entrepreneurs, private investing, venture capital, small businesses, technology-transfer programs and the details of managing an incubator. He also is meeting with officials from the city of Colorado Springs, the Colorado Springs Chamber of Commerce, the Colorado Springs Economic Development Corp., the U.S. Air Force Academy and the University of Colorado at Boulder and Colorado Springs.
The Riyadh incubator, which now houses one company specializing in radio frequency-identification devices, opened in temporary quarters in May and will move into a 12-story building now under construction in about 18 months, Alterkawi said.
The Springs and Saudi incubators last week signed an agreement to sit in on each other’s meetings through video teleconferencing and form relationships between incubator companies that could include joint ventures, investments and other business opportunities.
The visit was set up through Khurshid Quershi, president and chief executive of zeeWAVES Systems Inc., an incubator tenant that develops antennae for wireless networks.

Three local students win young entrepreneur awards

Three local students have received scholarships from the National Federation of Independent Business Young Entrepreneur Foundation.

The program awards scholarships toward tuition to universities, colleges, community colleges and vocational training programs to reward and encourage entrepreneruial talents among high school students.

More than 8,000 students applied this year; 400 scholarships were awarded. Students had to write an essay describing their entrepreneurial endeavors and future goals. Academic performance also was considered.

Rampart High School senior Davis Vantilburg, Coronado High School senior Steven Woolridge and Pine Creek High School senior Andrew Yoder all won scholarships.

Online 'franchising basics' course offered

The U.S. Small Business Administration and FranNet are offering a free introduction to franchising course online.

The course covers 10 essential areas related to franchising, including How to Choose a Franchise and Is Franchising Right for You? Options, strategies for growth and pitfalls also are covered.

The course can be accessed from www.sba.gov, under the Free Online Training icon. Select Franchising Basics in the Starting a Business section. The course can be learned at the participant's own speed and on their own time. A certification of completion is given to participants who finish the course.

Learn how to do business with government

A one-day, free workshop, "Doing Business with the Government," will take place from 8:30 a.m.to 2:45 p.m. Friday, April 25, at the University Center Theatre Room 302 at the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs. The event, open to students, faculty members and business people, will explore government sponsored research at universities, intellectual property matters, forming a team to seek government funded proposals, contracts, and other issues related to contracting with government. The workshop is being held in conjunction with the National Collegiate Inventors and Innovators Alliance (NCIIA) and hosted by EPIIC (El Pomar Institute for Innovation and Commercialization, formerly known as CITTI). More information: http://www.invention2venture.org/coloradosprings08, 262-3631 or bwasinge@uccs.edu.

Seminar focuses on learning and its impact on the bottom line

Strategically focused and well-executed learning can impact workplace productivity and profitability, believes David Vance, who will present a day-long seminar in Colorado Springs on "Manage Learning Like a Business."

Hosted by the American Society for Training and Development, the seminar will be 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., May 13 at the Garden of the Gods Trading Post, 324 Beckers Lane, in Manitou Springs.

Vance, founder and former president of Caterpillar University and 2006 Chief Learning Officer of the Year, holds a doctorate in economics, a master's degree in business and a bachelor's degree in political science.

The seminar will teach participants how to strategically align learning to business goals, create a business plan for learning with measurable goals, executive the plan, predict and measure results and establish a governance structure.

The registration fee is $99 for members and $139 for non-members before April 25, $109 for members and $149 for non-members after April 25. To register, go to astdppc@ctcm-acr.com, or call 380-1088.

Library offers business classes

The Pikes Peak Library District is offering these business programs in Feburary:
For a complete list of programs, see www.ppld.org.

Investment Tools
Learn to research company information and follow company or mutual fund performance. Sources include Value Line and Morningstar, subscription databases on the Library’s website, and other Internet sites. Classes are held at Penrose Library, 20 N. Cascade Ave.
Thursday, Feb. 7, 8:30 to 10 a.m.
Thursday, Feb. 28, 8:30 to 10 a.m.

Minding Your Business
Learn about business resources available at the library by attending a free tour. Classes are held at Penrose Library, 20 N. Cascade Ave.
Saturday, Feb. 16, 8:30 to 10 a.m.
Tuesday, Feb. 26, 8:30 to 10 a.m.

UCCS students in investment competition

The stakes are a little higher this year for D.A. Davidson & Co.’s annual Student Investment Program — the competition includes a shot at a paid internship.
Two University of Colorado at Colorado Springs College of Business students already have been nominated and will compete with 40 other nominees from 20 colleges for the internships, said Mark Sikorski, vice president and manager of the local Davidson office.
Rachel Ellis, a senior majoring in finance at UCCS, is hoping the internship could give a kick start to plans for a career in investments or banking. The other nominee declined to be identified.
The pair are among 40 UCCS students who manage a $50,000 portfolio loaned by the company for the competition, won last year by a team from University of Oregon with a 29.4 percent return. The UCCS team finished sixth last year with a 19 percent return on its portfolio.
A panel of Davidson executives will interview three to five finalists for the internship in mid-January, and the two winners will be revealed Feb. 11. The company will pay both interns a $1,290 weekly salary for the 12-week program plus $2,500 in a Davidson investment account.
The Montana-based investment brokerage firm has sponsored the contest for 22 years, and UCCS is participating for the fourth consecutive year. Profits earned on the portfolio in excess of 5 percent are donated to the school, which netted UCCS about $4,000 for student programs.