by Keith Larson
Members of the local business community and the Business Development Departments of Murrieta and Temecula have recently announced several initiatives to help area high tech startups. These include:
ü Formation of an inventors’ self-help group. Dubbed “Valley Innovators” by its founder, George Bennett, it seeks to identify local inventors and assist them in getting their inventions to the marketplace. The goal is to set up a “business accelerator”, which will include a lab/workshop with test equipment and metal working equipment to allow quick prototyping. Other services would be also provided, such as business mentoring (here is where SCORE comes in), office space, web design, accounting, marketing services, and access to capital. For more information contact George at valleyinnovators@gmail.com” target=”_blank”>valleyinnovators@gmail.com or join the discussion at http://www.linkedin.com/groups?about=&;gid=4147604
ü Formation of Temecula Valley Software Developers group with goals and services similar to Valley Innovators. Its founder is Cas Hoefman. There have been several meetings since it was first announced last December, with attendance exceeding 50 at the one I attended. For more info contact Cas at cashoefman@linkitus.com“>cashoefman@linkitus.com.
ü Cas has also started a “meetup” of software developers. According to Cas, this is “…an informal gathering of Twin Cities Technology Entrepreneurs to share knowledge and experiences for brainstorming and mentoring; to “co-work” in a collaborative environment. There will be no agenda…, but sharing knowledge and experiences and brainstorming & mentoring is encouraged. Bring your laptops or iPads and let’s have a cup of coffee or two and talk about topics that interest you, while we get some work done.” The Meetups are held each Saturday from 9am to 11am at It’s a Grind 4044 Murrieta Hot Springs Rd. http://www.developersmeetup.com/events/52127102
ü The business development departments of the “Twin” cities of Murrieta and Temecula have been collaborating to create an “eco-system to promote entrepreneurship’, in the words of its leader, Bruce Coleman. This includes designating special business zones within each community to encourage startups, and laying the groundwork for an “Angel” investment group. The cities commissioned a study by graduate students at the College of Business Administration at CSUSM to determine whether the right environment exists in the Valley for an Angel Group. Their report, completed in January, resulted in more questions than answers, but they made several constructive suggestions for getting one started. However, it is essentially a chicken and egg challenge: When Valley Innovators and Software Developers begin demonstrating the next Facebooks and Hula Hoops, the investors will start lining up. For more info contact Bruce at BColeman@murrieta.org“>BColeman@murrieta.org, Kim Davidson at KDavidson@murrieta.org“>KDavidson@murrieta.org, or Christine Damko at Christine.Damko@cityoftemecula.org.
There is no question that these efforts could pay off big time. The Massachusetts Institute of Technology started a business accelerator several years ago similar to the Valley Innovators model. As of 2000, the yearly revenues from M.I.T.’s “accelerated” companies would have equaled the world’s 24th largest economy. The National Business Incubator Assn (NBIA) estimates that in 2005 alone, North American incubators assisted more than 27,000 start-up companies that provided full-time employment for more than 100,000 workers and generated annual revenue of more than $17 billion.
Keith is one of 30 experienced volunteers providing FREE business counseling in the Inland Empire. To make an appointment e-mail k.larson@%20cox.net“>k.larson@ cox.net or score503@netzero.net“>score503@netzero.net. Or visit the SCORE website at http://www.inlandempire.score.org/