For those who are wondering what companies are doing to raise money for business development these days, there should be a heightened degree of interest in the event planned on May 5 for members and friends of the Innovation Transfer Network at Harrisburg University of Science and Technology. One lucky company will take home a check for $100,000 from the Ben Franklin Partners of Central and Northern PA as winner of the tech development organization’s Big Idea Contest.
The five finalists are 3T Ophthalmics of Hershey, Blacktown NC of Mercer, Industrial Science and Technology Network, Scribe Printing Technologies, and Problem Solving Innovations (dba PSI Medical).
But the big prize won’t be the only takeaway. The company judged to have the second best of the business plans among the five finalists in the contest will receive $10,000. And just to make sure that everyone goes home with a little more know-how to run an enterprise than they brought in the door, the network will offer insights for entrepreneurs in “handling whatever comes up”–a presentation and discussion with Inc Magazine columnists Norm Brodsky and Bo Burlingham, co-authors of The Knack, the popular entrepreneurial how-to on handling just about anything–including, perhaps, how to handle either winning or losing a Big Idea contest.
In addition to that advice, another thing that Jennifer Hammaker, ITN Director of Business Development and organizer of the evening, hopes the event will provide is a chance for the entrepreneurs and small business owners to meet faculty members who will be attending from 13 colleges and universities in Dauphin, Lancaster, Cumberland, and Lebanon counties.
“We have a lot of faculty who are very excited to work with companies,” Hammaker says. “They are a great help for new companies and those that can’t afford private consultants.”
Source: Innovation Transfer Network, Jennifer Hammaker
Writer: Joseph Plummer
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