From: Sue Smith [
Sent: Thursday, August 28, 2008 3:30 PM
To: 'Amara (home)'; 'Amara Geffen'; 'Art Heckathorn'; 'Chuck Jenkins'; 'Dave Pascale'; 'Dr. Joseph Grunenwald'; Erin Chorney; Jennifer Groleau (Greenville Neuromodulation Services); 'Jim Lowry'; 'Kristin Arendash'; 'Marc Templin'; Melanie Anderson (); 'Michele Zieziula'; 'Mike Allyn'; 'Morris Waid'; Robert Huemmrich; 'Scott Hartle'; 'Tracey Shultz'; 'William Shields'; Amy Bridger (); Amy Keth (); Chet Kempinski; 'Deb Steiner'; 'Jim Kosco'; Larry Morgan; 'Liz Wilson'; Maggie Horne ; 'Mark Turner'; Pat Winsor (); Susan Breon; Woodrow Yeaney
Subject: Weekly Update 8-28-08
Attachments: Coordinator's PP 9-3-08 sms.ppt; Venture Capital Flyer.pdf; Keystone Innovation Grant_guidelines-08.pdf; keystoneinnovationstarterkits_guidelines08[1].pdf; KIG FAQs 2 15 08.pdf; kiskguidelinefaqs0708final103107[1].pdf
Weekly NWPA KIZ Update 8-29-08
Notices from Sheri and her staff:
The August KIZ Monthly Conference Call was canceled.
I am to refer any KIZ Tax Credit questions to Colton Weber or email .
Work Plan Committee
A list of available dates has been sent to the committee for scheduling.
IHE Meetings
A listing of available dates through October has been forwarded to the IHE contacts. Allegheny has scheduled a tentative date of September 11th and Clarion has a date set for October 14th.
Fall 2008 KIZ Coordinator’s Meeting
I will be attending the required Fall KIZ Coordinator’s meeting on September 3rd in Harrisburg. The NW PA KIZ – 3 slide power point highlighting our KIZ Micro Grant awards to Novocell and Clarion Research Group is attached. This will be presented in response to the request to highlight best practices, events, accomplishments, or project in our region.
The KIZ Coordinator’s will be meeting with Sheri and the GSP Consulting Team (Strategic Plan) in the morning with an informational session to follow in the afternoon.
Collaboration 2008 Event
Attendance at this event has been encouraged and I will remain in Harrisburg September 4th and 5th for the Collaboration 2008 event.
Venture Capital Forum
I will be attending the NW Pennsylvania Venture Capital Forum on October 9th and have attached the flyer for your information if anyone else is interested in attending. It will be held at the Erie Technology Incubator at GannonUniversity from 1:30 PM - 4:40 PM.
Pittsburgh Innovates Event
Over the last month we received a heads up notice on the Pittsburgh Innovates Online Contest.Students, Academics, Entrepreneurs, professionals, and community groups can enter submissions as an individual or as a team. The Community Choice Award winner gets $10,000 to help their idea grow. The Judges’ Award winner gets $20,000 to jumpstart their innovation. For more information the website is now posted and can be found at . This contest is open to the 10 countyPittsburgh Region which includes Lawrence, Butler, Armstrong, Indiana, Beaver, Allegheny, Westmoreland, Washington, Fayette, and Greene. The connection must include a clear connection to Pittsburgh and innovation/technology but may not be limited to:
- Invented in Pittsburgh Region
- Innovation is the product of a student, staff or researcher of an educational institution in the Pittsburgh region
- Setting is in Pittsburgh Regionfor example a game or simulation that showcases Pittsburgh's skyline
- Company or individual who owns the innovation is located in the Pittsburgh Region
- The inventor is originally from Pittsburgh
Please forward this information out to anyone you think may be interested. The online contest closes on October 26, 2008.
Call for Nominations for Scientist-Entrepreneurs
An opportunity to nominate scientists-entrepreneurs to recognize scientist’s who are in the process of building a commercial enterprise and also who have made a significant contribution to commercializing a life science discovery. I have the link for your reference. Copy and paste to your browser -
Energy Innovation Forum – PA Companies
I have submitted Ernst Conservation Seeds and Clarion Laminates as companies in energy related product/technology in response to PennTAP and the Penn State Industrial Research Office’s request for companies in the following areas (BioEnergy, Building Materials, Wind, Solar, Energy Storage, and Energy Harvesting). Please let me know of any company you believe should also be included in the October event for companies to present their energy related products or technologies to large US companies, with the hopes of uncovering mutually beneficial business opportunities.
Update on KISK and KIG Programs
I have attached the most current guidelines for the Keystone Innovation Grants (KIG) and the Keystone Innovation Starter Kits (KISK) Programs for your information along with documents with frequently asked questions for both. While the deadlines for this year are both past for these programs, Tom Armstrong from DCED has explained that the guidelines and deadlines remain relatively the same from year to year with only minor changes. He suggested that proposals could be prepared and then adjusted for those minor changes upon receipt of the new guidelines. 2009 KISK Program Guidelines are expected by the end of September with a deadline in December and the 2009 KIG Program Guidelines are expected by November or December with a deadline in May. The deadline months remain the same with small adjustments in the dates. Within the KISK Program he did say to expect a change in the $250,000 amount in lieu of budget cuts.
Internship Contact Meeting
I have attached a recap of the Internship Contact Meeting held on August 15th for your information.I am still in the process of gathering information for the consolidation of the KIZ “Needs Assessment” form to present to companies at their registration meeting.
Mapping Corrections
Matt Gilara has produced street address listing to help me to identify whether a specific property is located within a designated KIZ nodes. These street listing are to be reviewed by our economic development partners for confirmation that they include the locations they expected to include.
The Greenville addresses and maps have been forwarded to Jim for review. At this point there are three addresses outside the KIZ property box that need to be confirmed.
I am presently waiting for an amended street list for both Meadville and Clarion before those will be forwarded on for review.
Select PA Great Lakes
I have crossed checked the available KIZ street list with the database of available properties on the SelectPA Great Lakes website and will be forwarding that information out to the economic development partners for their review and update.
KIZ Strategic Plan Workshop
Attendance has been confirmed for all the KIZ Board Members for the meeting on September 8th.
An informational packet has been prepared for the guests at the morning session.
It was brought to my attention that clicking on the link did not work last week for directions to Cross Creek. Please copy and paste this link to your browser and this should work for you. If you need assistance please let me know. You may also Google, “Cross Creek Golf Resort” for directions from their website.
Please let me know if you have any questions. Have a great weekend.
Sue
Sue Smith
Manager, Business Development
NWPA KIZ Coordinator
395 Seneca Street
PO Box 1127
Oil City, PA16301
814-677-4800 x131
814-671-2548 cell
814-677-7663 fax