Center for Economic Growth

Empowering your Sales Process with Technology
2019-10-16 11:30 - 13:30 UTC | Tech Valley Center of Gravity, 30 3rd Street, Troy, NY, 12180, United States
This Knowledge @ Noon explores the ever evolving use of sales tech stacks in today’s sales process.
Can your company do more to …

better understand our buyer’s behaviors?
implement best practices and leverage technology to align your sale team?
improve quality of your customer data?
Improve the accuracy of revenue forecasts?

Whether your organization has an established sales process and sales technology platform such as Salesforce, Hubspot, ACT, or none at all, we welcome you to join CEG and ZeroFrixion at this upcoming Knowledge @ Noon Event.
Leveraging Sales & Marketing Technology Stacks to enhance your sales process is a critical component of 21st century sales prospecting. Companies looking to better understand buyer behavior, prospect based on quality data, and/or establishing best practices for aligning these technology tool-sets with existing processes should consider attending this event.
Lunch will be included.
Cost: $15.00
Space is limited to sign up here today!

CAPregion Road Trip: Unihog
2019-10-16 17:30 - 19:30 | Unihog, 2 Center Street, Hoosick Falls, NY, 12090, United States
Join us for our CAPregion Road Trip to Unihog in Hoosick Falls! We’ll have food and drink tastings, entertainment and more, plus a plethora of creative business people from Hoosick Falls, to help you know a little bit more about this rebounding town in rural Rensselaer County.

Unihog is a repurposed mannequin factory turned music venue and community gathering space featuring regional entertainment and a fantastic, farm-centric food partnership called. Owner Jasen Vonguiness works with abandoned factory / production spaces, turning them into vibrant gathering places in rural Hoosick Falls. Jasen’s food partner at Unihog is Sumo’s Kitchen, where Maestro Gary Yeung brings a Chinese twist to classic food from America and abroad. In a partnership with several area farms, Gary explores a fusion of flavors with his own creative signature style.

Argyle Brewing is joining us on the road trip and will be providing drink tastings! The owners of the Argyle Brewing Company are dedicated to making the best craft beers you will drink in Washington County, or anywhere else. Argyle Brewing Company is dedicated to Washington County and all it has to offer. They believe in community and when you visit the brewery you will be treated like family. From the brewing equipment used, to the ingredients, they are dedicated to increasing opportunities for artisans, farmers, and entrepreneurs by using locally sourced hops and barleys, and carrying locally made goods.

More exciting details to come, as we tell you more about Hoosick Falls and all that’s going on in this rebounding rural community

REGISTER TO ATTEND >>

Special thanks to our sponsors, MVP Health Care, Community Loan Fund, and promotional partners The Collaborative and Overit Media.

MWBE Workshop & Networking Event: Create more opportunities for your business!
2019-10-17 16:00 - 19:30 | Capital Region Chamber / CEG, 5 Computer Drive South, Albany, NY, 12205, United States
This event is for:

Established MWBEs looking to expand contract opportunities
Companies interested in MWBE application/certification
Organizations that serve MWBE companies

Agenda
4:00 – 4:30 p.m. Check-in and networking
4:30 – 5:30 p.m. How to Access NYS Contract Opportunities
5:30 – 6:30 p.m. NY MWBE Certification Made Easy
6:30 – 7:30 p.m. Network with Resources

Interested in future growth networking and event opportunities? Please take a minute to complete this brief survey to help us meet your needs.

REGISTER TO ATTEND >>

LEARN MORE
Laura Mann – Vice President, Business Growth, Capital Region Chamber

Demo Days 2019: CESMII’s Smart Manufacturing Platform™
2019-10-22 08:00 - 13:30 | Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, 12180, United States
CESMII is the United States’ national institute on Smart Manufacturing, and Rensselaer is the Northern Regional partner in CESMII’s national network-of-networks.
Come and meet CESMII leaders as we demonstrate CESMII’s Smart Manufacturing (SM) Platform™!

Join CESMII’s HQ and regional leaders Tuesday, October 22nd at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy NY to experience first-hand CESMII’s SM Platform – a centerpiece of CESMII’s Technology Roadmap since our institute’s inception – and CESMII’s framing of Smart Manufacturing as a pillar for manufacturers to build competitive advantage.
CESMII Northern Region Manufacturing Center Director, Craig Dory, will host Jonathan Wise, CESMII VP of Technology and Mike Yost, Outreach Advisor, three of CESMII leaders entrusted with driving our nation’s efforts to democratize Smart Manufacturing technologies and knowledge, as they present valuable insights and information through formal presentations and informal townhall-style discussions.
AGENDA
8:00am Doors Open
8:45am Welcome, Introductions & Event Overview
9:00am Framing Smart Manufacturing
– The SM Landscape Explained
– SM Tied to Manufacturing Competitiveness
– The Business Value of SM
10:15am Break
10:30am CESMII’s SM Platform™
– Object?oriented development concepts
– Data modeling
– Data science & analytics
– Firewalls & encrypted communications
12:00pm Lunch – Panel Discussion on SM Technologies, Knowledge, Industry Engagement & Innovation
1:30pm Event Closes
Registration information available shortly. Contact ceg@ceg.org for more information.

POSTPONED: End-to-End Quality: Better Ways to Create More Value (1-Day Workshop)
2019-10-22 08:00 - 16:00 | Crowne Plaza Albany – the Desmond Hotel, 660 Albany Shaker Road, Albany, NY, 12211, United States
**Please note this workshop has been postponed. Stay tuned for new December date**
Does Your Company Have a System for Seeing and Solving Quality Issues?

Whether using A3s, the 5 Whys, DMAIC, Value Stream Mapping, or any other problem-solving tool, having a System for seeing and solving quality issues can ensure the real problem is solved and protect precious resources from being deployed erroneously to solve a non-existent issue.

Learn a System to Solve Unforeseen Quality Issues, BEFORE They Happen

Whether it starts on a company’s website, in a tradeshow booth, or even during an unconscious first glimpse of a logo, customers’ perceptions of value begin well before the product or service is ever delivered – and then either build, or diminish, during every interaction thereafter. This is critical because 75% of customer defections are the result of poor-quality experiences somewhere between “needs recognition” and “post-delivery support.” Coupled with the fact that a 5% decrease in business typically results in -25% Operating Income, organizations have more than enough incentive to improve their end-to-end quality.

Lead by Brent Wahba, Strategy, Innovation & Transformation executive at Strategy Science, Inc., Brent is a well-known expert in product development, manufacturing operations, supply chain management, and quality control. He brings global managerial and technical expertise across several industries.
Workshop Prices & Deadlines

Early Bird: $1,295 per person – closes on 9/6/2019 at 11:59 AM
CEG/CEN Members: $1,295 per person – closes on 10/4/2019 at 11:59 AM
Regular / Non-Member Pricing: $1,495 per person – opens 9/7/2019 at 12:00 AM, closes on 10/4/2019 11:59 PM

REGISTER

We have known these facts and the related challenges for decades, but unfortunately, the methodologies for addressing them (Total Quality Management, 6 Sigma, Lean…) are often cumbersome, require years of focus, and even under the best circumstances, do not frequently create quick or sustainable results.
While there may be many company-specific reasons for this, some of the most common root causes are:

De-coupled and misaligned business processes
Cursory understanding of all stakeholder expectations
Lack of coordination between strategy and improvement activities
Blanket, organization-wide tool deployment
Too much non-value-added complexity

This workshop is designed to help participants of any organizational level or function address these shortcomings and significantly improve their own quality system performance by learning to:

See quality & value as outputs of an end-to-end delivery system
More deeply understand all stakeholder needs
Prioritize improvement activities based on both strategy and bottlenecks
Prevent problems instead of firefighting
“Pull” simplified measurement systems and tools only when necessary

19th Annual Lake Placid Film Festival
2019-10-23 - 2019-10-27 | Lake Placid, Lake Placid, NY, United States
It gives us all great pleasure to present the 2019 Lake Placid Film Festival. As 2018 did, 2019 represents another significant leap forward in the nineteen-year history of our Festival. In our history, it goes without saying that we have hosted many of the true giants of the film making world; from Martin Scorsese, and Norman Jewison in earlier years, to this year’s Peter Riegert, Chris Costello, and the Producer/Director of one of this year’s Official Selections, Louise Woehrle, and, numbers of other guests to be announced. 2019 is shaping up to be one of the best years ever.

What to expect at the five day Festival:

Trailer Party
125th Anniversary Party for Adirondack Daily News
Official Opening Party
VIP Lounge
Wine Tastings
Meet and Greets

View ticket options here.
For more information visit Lake Placid Film Festival.

Techstars Startup Weekend Schenectady
2019-10-25 18:00 - 2019-10-27 17:30 | Urban Coworks, 433 State Street, Schenectady, NY, 12305, United States
Techstars Startup Weekends are 54-hour events designed to provide superior experiential education for technical and non-technical entrepreneurs. Beginning with Friday night pitches and continuing through brainstorming, business plan development, and basic prototype creation, Techstars Startup Weekends culminate in Sunday night demos and presentations. Participants create working startups during the event and are able to collaborate with like-minded individuals outside of their daily networks. All teams hear talks by industry leaders and receive valuable feedback from local entrepreneurs. The weekend is centered around action, innovation, and education. Whether you are looking for feedback on an idea, a co-founder, specific skill sets, or a team to help you execute, Techstars Startup Weekends are the perfect environment in which to test your idea and take the first steps towards launching your own startup.
Cost: $15-$75
Learn More & Get Tickets Here>>>

Capital Region Cancer Research New Frontiers Symposium: New Strategies and Technologies in Cancer Research
2019-11-01 09:00 - 13:30 | Albany College of Pharmacy, 106 New Scotland Ave, Albany, NY, 12208, United States
The Capital Region Cancer Research group (CRCR) will sponsor a half-day symposium as part of their CRCR New Frontiers Series, entitled “New strategies and technologies in cancer research” on November 1, 2019 at the Albany College of Pharmacy Gozzo Student Center (Rite Aid Lounge).
This is the sixth such cancer symposium in this series, previously held in 2008, 2010, 2012, 2014 and 2016. The symposium is intended to bring together investigators in New York’s Capital Region who work on various aspects of cancer.
The day-long symposium will feature seminars by local cancer researchers including basic research scientists, clinical research scientists, student and post-doctoral trainees, and industry scientists.
CALL FOR ABSTRACTS – DEADLINE EXTENDED
Abstracts are now being accepted from which additional symposium speakers will be selected. All Abstracts will be presented as posters, and prizes awarded for posters of excellence. Abstracts may be on any topic relevant to cancer research, including enabling technologies. View full requirements & how to submit an Abstract here.
A poster session will also be held with prizes awarded and top abstracts selected for oral presentation.
Parking: Parking will be available close to the student center and signs will be placed at the sidewalks to direct attendants to the event.
No cost to attend, however please Register:
Registration is open >>

AFRL Small Business Landscape & Match Making Expo.
2019-11-06 07:45 - 16:30 | Griffiss Institute, 725 Daedalian Drive, Rome, NY, 13441, United States
This free event will focus on a deep dive into issues small businesses face when doing business with the government through a series of government informational presentations, a lessons learned panel discussion with small business owners, and a match making expo.

Agenda
7:45am – 8:15am – Registration and Networking
8:15am – 8:40am – Welcome and Opening Remarks

8:40am – 11:55am – Session 1: Small Business Obstacles and Doing Business with the Federal Government
11:55am – 12:45pm – Networking Lunch

12:45pm – 1:45pm – Session 2: Small Business Leadership Panel (Industry and Government View)
1:45pm – 2:00pm – Closing Remarks and Networking

2:00pm – 4:30pm – Session 3: Match Making Expo.

Register Here Now!>>>

Half Day Workshop with Jose Palomino: Accelerate Your 2020 Revenue
2019-11-07 07:30 - 12:30 | Center for Economic Growth, 41 State Street, Suite 705, Albany, NY, 12207, United States
What if You Could Accelerate Your 2020 Revenue in One Day?
Practical. Intense. Strategic.
We’re offering you a unique opportunity to really think through and plan out your revenue growth for 2020 in one powerful, challenging– super-efficient HALF DAY Workshop, guided by our partner, Jose Palomino, CEO of Value Prop Interactive.
Why is this important?

Many owners and companies don’t hit the “pause” button long enough to develop a genuine growth plan. It takes time, skill, a framework, and an experienced and helpful guide. Some organizations will hire someone to come in or host a leadership retreat to figure out “what’s next?” Unfortunately, most simply hope for the best and assume things will work out because “it’s worked in the past.”
What if you – along with your top executive – could focus in on next year’s growth in a single day? That’s exactly what you can do by being part of this unique experience. And the best part? We’re offering it to you in time to make an impact on your 2020 plans.
During this half-day workshop, you and your colleague will be guided through a revenue planning process designed especially for owner-led businesses.

The format will allow you to work on YOUR strategic action plan for 2020 and give you a series of accelerated action-steps to drive your revenue to new levels.

The session is limited to 8 companies, so RSVP as soon as possible.
Each participant receives a complete workbook to be used to most effectively capture your Plan.
And the best part: it’s only $295 per participant, with a special $495 bundle for two attendees.

If you’re ready to accelerate your revenue in 2020, Join Us!

Register Now>>

VentureB Innovation Workshop: Mapping your Business Landscape - WEBINAR
2019-11-11 12:00 - 13:15
The VentureB Innovation Series is a new program focused on providing startups with hands-on educational training. The topics in this series will help start-ups effectively grow their business by gaining tangible experience in 90 minute workshops.
This session of the VentureB Innovation Workshop will have participants explore aspects of Mapping your Business Landscape.
Topic will take participants through an exercise to map their business landscape as well as a discussion on the importance of making this a part of their business planning, what you should consider, when you should consider them, and the impact this has on customer discovery, marketing plan development, and partnerships
Cost to Attend: $5 – Call-In Details for the Webinar will be provided once registered.

Register Today!>>>

The class will be led by Michael Lobsinger, Center Director of CEG. Michael is a serial entrepreneur and has extensive experience in the operations of product based enterprises. As the Center Director he is responsible for day to day operations of CEG’s Business Growth Solutions and Manufacturing Extension Partnership programs. Michael has lead R&D and NPD teams at Boeing, Shell Global, and Quatic Apparel, as well as mentored several product based technology companies. Michael has a BS in Mechanical Engineering from North Dakota State University and an MBA from Rensselear Polytechnic Institute.
Supported by:

VentureB Series | Nov 12
2019-11-12 15:00 - 18:30 | Pat’s Barn, 110 Defreest Dr., Rensselaer, 12180, United States
Space is limited – secure your spot!
VentureB is free to attend though registration is required.
Join us at Pat’s Barn for the Tuesday, November 12th VentureB Series featuring a pitch from Trophecase and an update from Our.News.
Agenda:
3:30 – 4:00 | Registration
4:00 – 5:00 | Pitches
5:00 – 6:30 | Networking
Refreshments and hors d’oeuvres will be served!
Presentations:
Trophecase
A social powered app… enhancing your individual capabilities to reach your envied sports dreams!

Our.News
Our.News makes it easier for anyone to separate real from junk news and content.

REGISTER NOW!>>>

IT Apprenticeship Roundtable : Expanding and Exploring Titles in Tech
2019-11-13 09:00 - 10:30 | Courtyard by Marriott Schenectady at Mohawk Harbor, 240 Harborside Drive, Schenectady, NY, 12305, United States
Join industry and workforce development leaders to discuss and design the expansion of IT Apprenticeships in NYS.

You are invited to join SUNY Schenectady Office of Workforce Development and Community Education and the Center for Economic Growth to discuss how apprenticeships can address the skills and talent gap in the tech-sector. This conversation, taking place during National Apprenticeship Week, will focus on the funds available through the State University of New York and the development of training programs through SUNY Schenectady to address growing industry needs. Using past experience with the Software Developer Title, we are looking forward to exploring potential areas of growth into other technology-based apprenticeable titles in addition to examining existing alternative titles approved through USDOL and NYSDOL as a method to fill tech sector vacancies.
As a leader in your industry, please join us to guide the discussion and shape the direction of IT Apprenticeships in New York State.
Register Here for this free event!>>>

VentureB Innovation Workshop: Estimating Your Market Size - WEBINAR
2019-11-13 12:00 - 13:15
Estimating Your Market Size for Start-Ups
The VentureB Innovation Series is a program focused on providing startups with hands-on educational training. The topics in this series will help start-ups effectively grow their business by gaining tangible experience in 60 to 90 minute workshops.
This session of the VentureB Innovation Workshop will have participants explore applied aspects of estimating your market size through top down and bottom up techniques. During this program, participants will actively build a top down and bottom up example, walking away with a template for future use.
Topics will include basic resources to find market size information as well as the importance of making these estimates, what you should consider, when you should consider them, and the impact this has on raising funds and marketing plan development.
Cost to Join Webinar: $5 – Access details will be emailed to Registered Attendees.
Register Now!>>>
The webinar will be led by Michael Lobsinger, Sr. Vice President of CEG. Michael is a serial entrepreneur and has extensive experience in the operations of product based enterprises. As the Center Director he is responsible for day to day operations of CEG’s Business Growth Solutions and Manufacturing Extension Partnership programs. Michael has lead R&D and NPD teams at Boeing, Shell Global, and Quatic Apparel, as well as mentored several product based technology companies. Michael has a BS in Mechanical Engineering from North Dakota State University and an MBA from Rensselear Polytechnic Institute.
Supported by:

DEMO DAY: Fall 2019 AFRL Commercialization Academy
2019-11-13 17:30 - 20:30 | Griffiss Institute, 725 Daedalian Drive, Rome, NY, 13441, United States
DATE: Wednesday, November 13, 2019
TIME: 5:30 – 8:15 pm
PLACE: Griffiss Institute, 725 Daedalian Drive, Rome NY

WHAT: Teams from the current AFRL Commercialization Academy cohort will pitch their startup in cyber security, big data, information systems, and UAS, to a panel of judges and compete to win for $300,000 in prize seed funding provided by IDEA NY! The grand prize of $200,000 will go to the overall winner and $100,000 will go to the runner-up!
This FREE event will include delicious catered food by Everything But A Pickle and a cash bar by Copper City Brewing.

REGISTER HERE>>>

Here are the six teams that will pitching their startups!

AIMLExchange™
Inferenx Labs
On the Curb
PreVision Corp.
Seven Sundays
United Aircraft Technologies

Read more about the teams here!
The AFRL Commercialization Academy is supported by: National Grid, NYSTEC and M&T Bank.
Demo Day is powered by Empire State Development and IDEA NY Mohawk Valley.

ACE: November CAPregion Road Trip to Catskill
2019-11-16 18:00 - 20:00 | Avalon Lounge, 29 Church Street, Catskill, NY, 12414, United States
The CAPregion Road Trips are a celebration and exploration of the amazing array of cities and towns in our eight counties. Meet artists, performers, business people, politicians and others who are working together to build amazing creative spaces in our region.
Next, we’re headed to Catskill, where we’ll enjoy food and drink, a pre-event walking tour of Catskill (more info to come!), and hang at Avalon Lounge.
No cost to attend! Register now and stay tuned for more updates.
Special thanks to our sponsors MVP Health Care Community Loan Fund, The Rodney Shop, Sam Margoulius, Josh Krushenick and promotional partners Greene County Economic Development Corporation, Overit Media, CREATE and The Collaborative. Produced by: 2440 Design Studio.

Commercialization Competition 2019
2019-11-18 15:30 - 2019-11-19 15:30 | Albany Capital Center, 55 Eagle Street, Albany, NY, 12207, United States
Whether you’re a founder, an investor, or an academic, step into the future at the Commercialization Competition 2019. FuzeHub enters its third year hosting the Commercialization Competition, part of the Jeff Lawrence Innovation Fund. The $400,000 Commercialization Competition is a two-day event in Albany, NY that will feature a pitch competition showcasing innovative early stage companies, panel discussions and networking opportunities. Join us and help grow the entrepreneurial network here in New York State by helping to launch these businesses toward success.
Learn More and Register Here Today!>>>
Agenda:
Day 1: Monday, November 18, 2019

3:30PM Registration and Exhibits
4:00PM Upstate Capital Presents: Insights Into Angel Investing

4:30PM Navigating the Entrepreneur Ecosystem – Next Steps for Start-Ups Devon Sutton, LC Drives

5:00PM Where Are They Now? Company Updates from Former Awardees SparkCharge, Ferric Contrast, Capro-X, RemWell, MicroEra Power, Bonbouton, Potsdam Sensors

6:00PM – 8:00PM Welcome Reception

Day 2: Tuesday, November 19, 2019

7:30AM Breakfast

8:30AM Welcome

9:00AM Finalist Pitch Session 1: Circle Optics, Inc., Phase Innovations, LLC, Natural Beauty Breast Prosthesis, LLC, Heat Inverse, LLC, Electroskip LLC, Fabbro Industries, LLc, GCLIProw Inc.

10:30AM Break

11:00AM Finalist Pitch Session 2: Aqua Vectors Incorporated, We Are the New Farmers, Halomine, Inc., Smart Keg, Re-Nuble, Inc., Combined Energies LLC

12:30PM Lunch

1:30PM Finalist Pitch Session 3: Efferent Labs, Inc., Wesa LLC, CathBuddy, Inc., Optimed Technology, Inc., InSitu Composites, LLC, Molecular Glasses, Inc.

3:00PM Break

3:30PM Award Presentations

Register Now!>>>

BizLab-Clarkson Lunchtime Entrepreneurship Series featuring Docstrat's Tami Cole
2019-11-21 12:00 - 13:00 | New York BizLab, 251 State Street, Schenectady, 12305, United States
On Thursday, Nov. 21 from 12:00 pm to 1:00 pm the BizLab–Clarkson Lunchtime Entrepreneurship Series is pleased to feature Tami Cole, president and CEO of DocStrats (Documentation Strategies).
Cole has led DocStrats for more than four years. She acquired the company from founder Ann Moynihan, who led the company for 34 years. DocStrats, once a documentation and technical writing and training company, is a full-service information technology and IT services consulting firm. Prior to buying DocStrats, Cole worked as a business analyst at PricewaterhouseCoopers.
Tickets to hear Cole speak are $10 for the general public. Attendees will have time to network, eat a great lunch and hear an amazing speaker and be out the door in an hour!
Register Today and Learn More Here!>>>

BIZLAB-CLARKSON LUNCHTIME ENTREPRENEURSHIP SERIES FEATURING DOCSTRAT'S TAMI COLE
2019-11-21 12:00 - 13:00 | New York BizLab, 251 State Street, Schenectady, 12305, United States
On Thursday, Nov. 21 the BizLab–Clarkson Lunchtime Entrepreneurship Series is pleased to feature Tami Cole, president and CEO of DocStrats (Documentation Strategies).
Cole has led DocStrats for more than four years. She acquired the company from founder Ann Moynihan, who led the company for 34 years. DocStrats, once a documentation and technical writing and training company, is a full-service information technology and IT services consulting firm. Prior to buying DocStrats, Cole worked as a business analyst at PricewaterhouseCoopers.
Tickets to hear Cole speak are $10 for the general public. Attendees will have time to network, eat a great lunch and hear an amazing speaker and be out the door in an hour!
We are looking for a Meal Sponsor for this event. If you are interested, please contact BizLab Managing Director Rick D’Errico at rderrico@transfinder.com.
We are also looking for a Video Sponsor for this event. A big thank you to Channel Albany for signing on as our videographer.
Free parking is available in back of the BizLab, on either side of Liberty Street, and metered parking in front on State Street. Enter via the doors to the right. Please do not park in spaces marked for customers.

Register to Attend Here>>>

CEG 2019 Annual Meeting
2019-11-21 17:00 - 19:30 | WMHT, 4 Global View, Troy, NY, United States
Join us for CEG’s 2019 Annual Meeting
on Thursday, November 21, 2019!
Location: WMHT – Rensselaer Tech Park | Time: 5:00 – 7:30pm
Agenda: 5:00pm – Registration Opens | 5:30pm – Program | 6:00 – 7:30 – Networking Reception
Tickets:
EARLY BIRD RATE (through 11:59pm Sunday, October 20)
CEG Investor: $75 | General Public: $95
STANDARD RATE (Monday, October 21 – Thursday, November 21)
CEG Investor: $95 | General Public: $115
REGISTER TO ATTEND>>>

Sponsorships are available for this signature event that brings together hundreds of business leaders from the Capital Region! View Sponsorship Opportunities >>
Questions or interested in securing a sponsorship? Email Andrea Swank, VP of Marketing & Events
Presenting Sponsor:

www.discoverrensselaer.com

Reception Sponsor:
About MVP Health Care
MVP Health Care is a nationally recognized, not-for-profit health insurer caring for more than 700,000 members in New York and Vermont. Committed to the complete well-being of our members and the communities we serve, MVP makes health insurance more convenient, more supportive, and more personal. For more information, visit www.mvphealthcare.com, or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/mvphealthcare, and on Twitter at @MVPHealthCare.

Event Sponsors:

BBL | Regeneron | Relay Integrated Logistics & Solutions | SEFCU | Tangible Development |The Desmond | United Group

A.I. The Future of Climate, Clean Energy and Cybersecurity in the Capital Region
2019-11-22 13:00 - 15:00 | University at Albany Massry Center for Business, 1400 Washington Avenue, Albany, NY, 12222, United States
Artificial Intelligence (A.I.) promises to redefine the workforce and economy of the Capital Region and beyond. As the U.S. begins to lag in A.I. investment compared to nations like China, the Capital Region emerges as a standout in investing in cutting-edge technologies in fields that will be redefined by A.I.: climate change mitigation, clean energy production and cybersecurity. How will changes brought by A.I. in these sectors affect the future of the region’s economy? What opportunities and pitfalls exist in preparing our community for an intelligent future?

Join us for an interactive panel discussion sponsored by U.S. Rep. Paul Tonko and Assemblymember Patricia Fahy and featuring some of the region’s leading experts on A.I., climate, clean energy and cybersecurity.

Parking will be available in the State Quad Student Lot. Registrants will receive further details in a confirmation email.

Innovation Seminar: Breaking Through the Barriers of the FDA
2019-12-04 11:30 - 13:30 | University at Albany Cancer Research Center, One University Place | Massry Conference Center, Rensselaer, NY, 12144, United States
Join Us on December 4th, 2019 for an Innovation Seminar titled “Breaking Through the Barriers of the FDA”.
If you are an innovator, researcher, or other professional staring down the FDA approval process, you know how intimidating it can seem! But with the correct knowledge, data, and strategy, you will find how manageable it truly is. Join Albany Medical College’s Biomedical Acceleration and Commercialization Center (BACC) and the UAlbany Innovation Center, both Innovate 518 Affiliated Partners, for a seminar on navigating the medical device regulatory process. Tony Blank, a national speaker on Regulatory Affairs and the FDA will give an overview of the medical device regulatory process. Tony will address quality systems and regulatory oversight, covering topics from trying to determine what class of product you have all the way through what to do after you have obtained FDA approval.
————————————————————————–
Tony Blank is President of Infinity Biomedical, a small regulatory consulting firm specializing in providing strategic and tactical regulatory support for medical devices and combination products. With over 30 years’ experience in the medical products industry, including 12 years at Boston Scientific Corp, Tony is a seasoned and respected regulatory affairs professional. Since forming Infinity Biomedical, he has been actively engaged with a variety of medical device companies providing crucial support ranging from early phase strategic regulatory planning to post-market compliance to a wide variety of medical device companies in the cardiovascular, ophthalmic, orthopedic, radiology, and oncology fields. Current and former clients include: Alcon Laboratories, Spectranetics, Royal Philips, Sirtex Medical, Becton Dickinson, PQ Bypass, Alcresta, Tusker Medical, CSA Medical, and Haemonetics.

Cost is Free, Sign Up Here Today!>>>
11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. – Registration, Networking, & Lunch
12:30 to 1:30 p.m. – Program

CYBERSECURITY FORUM for manufacturers
2019-12-05 08:00 - 14:00 | Stony Brook University, 1500 Stony Brook Road, CEWIT Building, Room 200, Stony Brook, NY, 11794, United States
Hackers are targeting manufacturers and looking for the weakest link in the defense supply chain. Is your business the link that breaks? Whether you’re a Tier 1 OEM or a family-owned machine shop, cyberattacks are happening. Denying the threat is risky, but so is delaying your defenses.
Recently, the U.S. Department of Defense announced a Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) for vendors. By June 2020 the DoD is expected to include certification requirements in Requests for Information (RFIs). A year from now, CMMC will become part of solicitations. Are you ready for these requirements? These requirements will be in addition to the existing DFARS 252.204-7012 cybersecurity clause which requires implementation of NIST SP 800-171.
Don’t let 2019 end without making cybersecurity a priority. Join FuzeHub, NIST MEP, the Advanced Institute for Manufacturing (AIM), NYSTAR and the Manufacturing and Technology Resource Consortium (MTRC) on Thursday, December 5th for the Cybersecurity Forum for Manufacturers at Stony Brook University.
The Speakers Include:

Keynote Speaker: Patricia R. Toth, Cybersecurity Manager at NIST MEP, the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) Network.
Jake Mihevc, Dean of Cybersecurity at Mohawk Valley Community College (MVCC) and Director of the Regional Resource Center for the National Security Agency’s Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense Program at MVCC
Paul LaPorte, Cybersecurity Coordinator at AIM

The Cybersecurity Forum for Manufacturers also includes an assessment workshop along the NIST SP 800-171 guidelines and a panel discussion with:

Patricia R. Toth, Cybersecurity Manager at NIST MEP
Jake Mihevc, Dean, Cybersecurity at MVCC
Paul LaPorte, Cybersecurity Coordinator at AIM
Everton H. Henriques, NY MEP Solutions Director at FuzeHub
Cory Albrecht, AIM Director
Alexis Wilson, Manufacturing Technology Enterprise Center (MTEC) – the Hudson Valley’s MEP Center
Bob Botticelli, Chairman of ADDAPT – an advocacy group for Long Island’s aerospace and defense industry
Joe Spinosa, VP of Business Development at East/West Industries, Inc
Devi Momot, CEO of Twinstate Technologies

>>>Register Here for the event>>>

In It to Win It: MWBE Small Business Competition, Breakfast & Inspirational Panel
2019-12-10 08:00 - 10:00 | Renaissance Hotel, 144 State St., Albany, NY, 12207, United States
Hosted by KeyBank Business Boost & Build powered by Jumpstart
On Tuesday December 10th, join us at the Albany Renaissance for a celebration of Capital Region small businesses where one small business will be recognized with $5,000 to reinvest in their business! You’ll also hear from a panel of outstanding & inspirational entrepreneurs who will share their challenges and triumphs along the path to success.

Prizes: 1st Place Prize: $5,000 | 2nd and 3rd Place Prize: $500 | Finalists Prize: Gift Cards
FINALISTS:
Beauty 4 Ashes | Extendher, LLC | Head Heart Hands Consulting, LLC | Healthy In A Hurry | Market Pops, LLC | Progressive Primary Care Solutions, Inc. | Red Door Beauty Studio, LLC
Square One Tax Resolutions, LLC | Tatem Enterprise

**Finalists must be present to win!

No cost to attend; Breakfast will be served.
Parking for the event is available at the Albany Renaissance for $8.00.
REGISTER HERE>>>
PROGRAM:
Breakfast/Networking: 8:00 – 8:40am
Welcome: 8:40 – 8:50am
Moderated Panel: 8:50 – 9:40am
Awards Ceremony: 9:40 – 9:50am
Event Concludes: 10:00am

Build4Scale NY Webinar: What's Coming in 2020?
2020-01-08 13:00 - 14:00
Join Our Upcoming Webinar to Learn More
Build4Scale NY: What’s Coming in 2020 |Training, Funding, Expertise

About the Webinar
Speakers will discuss the different types of IP and how to protect them, followed by a first-hand account of a start-up’s experience with patenting their product technology. They will address common concerns about IP as they relate to different stages in the product development process.

About the Speakers
Gavin McIntyre is Director of Business Development of Ecovative, one of the fastest growing manufacturers in New York State. They believe there is a better way to feed the planet and reduce the amount of plastic used in consumer products. Using Mycelium Foundry, they are collaborating with companies to create alternative meat products, biodegradable packaging materials, animal-free leather and more. Gavin will present their IP journey and what they considered along the way.
Molly Zimmerman is Associate Director of the New York State Science & Technology Law Center. She has been the technology commercialization coordinator for the NYS Science & Technology Law Center for over ten years. She coordinates research to assess new technologies based on intellectual property, market and regulatory landscapes.

What You Will Learn

Is my product idea patentable?
What are the criteria?
Even if I can patent, should I?
What other types of protection should I be aware of for my company?
What do I need to consider if I’m looking to patent and/or sell my product internationally?
The meaning of IP related terms and phrases: trade secrets, provisional patent, utility vs. design patents, landscape search, prior art search, Founder’s Agreement, NDA, Confidentiality Agreement, Royalty Agreement

End to End Quality: Better Ways to Create More Value (1-Day Workshop)
2020-01-15 08:00 - 18:00 | Crowne Plaza Albany – the Desmond Hotel, 660 Albany Shaker Road, Albany, NY, 12211, United States
Does Your Company Have a System for Seeing and Solving Quality Issues?
Whether using A3s, the 5 Whys, DMAIC, Value Stream Mapping, or any other problem-solving tool, having a System for seeing and solving quality issues can ensure the real problem is solved and protect precious resources from being deployed erroneously to solve a non-existent issue.
Learn a System to Solve Unforeseen Quality Issues, BEFORE They Happen
Whether it starts on a company’s website, in a tradeshow booth, or even during an unconscious first glimpse of a logo, customers’ perceptions of value begin well before the product or service is ever delivered – and then either build, or diminish, during every interaction thereafter. This is critical because 75% of customer defections are the result of poor-quality experiences somewhere between “needs recognition” and “post-delivery support.” Coupled with the fact that a 5% decrease in business typically results in -25% Operating Income, organizations have more than enough incentive to improve their end-to-end quality.
Lead by Brent Wahba, Strategy, Innovation & Transformation executive at Strategy Science, Inc., Brent is a well-known expert in product development, manufacturing operations, supply chain management, and quality control. He brings global managerial and technical expertise across several industries.
Workshop Prices & Deadlines

Early Bird: $1,295 per person – closes on 12/22/2019 at 11:59 AM
CEG/CEN Members: $1,295 per person – closes on 1/4/2020 at 11:59 AM
Regular / Non-Member Pricing: $1,495 per person – opens 12/23/2019 at 12:00 AM, closes on 1/14/2019 at 11:59 PM

Register >>>

We have known these facts and the related challenges for decades, but unfortunately, the methodologies for addressing them (Total Quality Management, 6 Sigma, Lean…) are often cumbersome, require years of focus, and even under the best circumstances, do not frequently create quick or sustainable results. While there may be many company-specific reasons for this, some of the most common root causes are:

De-coupled and misaligned business processes
Cursory understanding of all stakeholder expectations
Lack of coordination between strategy and improvement activities
Blanket, organization-wide tool deployment
Too much non-value-added complexity

This workshop is designed to help participants of any organizational level or function address these shortcomings and significantly improve their own quality system performance by learning to:

See quality & value as outputs of an end-to-end delivery system
More deeply understand all stakeholder needs
Prioritize improvement activities based on both strategy and bottlenecks
Prevent problems instead of firefighting
“Pull” simplified measurement systems and tools only when necessary

Register>>>

BizLab-Clarkson Lunchtime Entrepreneurship Series featuring Sandler Training's Matt Scarchilli
2020-01-16 12:00 - 13:00 | New York BizLab, 251 State Street, Schenectady, 12305, United States
On Thursday, Jan. 16, 2020 the BizLab–Clarkson Lunchtime Entrepreneurship Series kicks off the new year with Matt Scarchilli, owner and CEO of Sandler Training of the Greater Capital Region of New York.
Scarchilli co-founded SportsSignup, a SaaS company revolving around youth sports, with former MapInfo founder John Haller in 2003. He was a managing partner and VP of sales when SportsSignup was acquired by Time Inc. in 2015. The next year, Scarchilli purchased the Sandler Training Systems of the Greater Capital Region franchise.
But note, this is NOT a Sandler presentation!
Tickets to hear Scarchilli speak are $10. Attendees will have time to network, eat a great lunch and hear an amazing speaker and be out the door in an hour!
We are honored to announce Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Capital Region is one of our Meal Sponsors for this event. Big Brothers Big Sisters is “creating and supporting one-to-one mentoring relationships that ignite the power of youth.”
If you are interested in sponsoring, please contact BizLab Managing Director Rick D’Errico at rderrico@transfinder.com.
We are also looking for a Video Sponsor for this event. A big thank you to Channel Albany for signing on as our videographer.
Free parking is available in back of the BizLab, on either side of Liberty Street, and metered parking in front on State Street. Enter via the doors to the right. Please do not park in spaces marked for customers.

Creative Economy Mixer: Frog Alley Brewing
2020-01-22 17:30 - 19:30 | Frog Alley Brewing, 108 State St., Schenectady, NY, 12305, United States
Join us at Frog Alley Brewing for our first Creative Economy Mixer of 2020. We will enjoy food, drinks, entertainment, a panel discussion and more.
Folk-Acoustic Singer-Songwriter from Troy, Olivia Quillio will be performing at the mixer. You can check out her website here.

No cost to attend. Register >>

Special thanks to our event sponsors MVP Health Care and The Community Loan Fund, and promotional partners Discover Schenectady, Redburn Development The Collaborative, CapGirlsNY, and Ellis Medicine.

Build4Scale NY: Product Manufacturing 101 Workshop
2020-01-29 08:30 - 15:00 | Fala Technologies, 430 Old Neighborhood Rd, Kingston, NY, 12401
Join Our Upcoming Live Workshop
Build4Scale NY: Product Manufacturing 101 Workshop
Design for X, Bill of Materials, Bill of Process, Leaning your Design & More
January 29, 2020
8:30 AM EST

The first Build4Scale NY Workshop of 2020 will be held at Fala Technologies in Kingston, New York. This workshop is a hands-on session where participants will use tangible exercises to prove out their specific design and manufacturing needs by identifying potential issues early before beginning production. The goal is to provide steps to give your product, and your company, the best chances for success.

LEARN MORE & REGISTER HERE>>>

Michael Coupe, Co-Founder, Nerdwise
2020-01-29 17:30 - 19:30 | Bull Moose Club, 150 State Street, 4th Floor, Albany, NY, 12207
Come join us on January 29th to hear more from Co-Founder Michael “Coupe” about how Nerdwise became the preferred marketing partner for 500+ local businesses and dozens of franchises across the United States, Canada, Europe, and Australia.
Coupe will share:

Why everyone (yes, you, too!) NEEDS a social media strategy
Why it’s hard for franchise owners to differentiate themselves and how Nerdwise can help
How small business owners can create a large business social media presence
…and much more.

LEARN MORE & REGISTER HERE>>>
