Power of SUNY

PRESS RELEASE: SUNY, Research Foundation Announce Entrepreneur-In-Residence Program Awards;

$125,000 Awarded to Support Entrepreneurship and Innovation at 12 Campuses

Announcing the New York Business Plan Competition:

The 2013 New York Business Plan Competition will feature the 10 major regions of New York – Capital Region, Central New York, North Country, Mohawk Valley, Finger Lakes, Western New York, Southern Tier, Mid-Hudson, New York City, and Long Island – and selected regional partner institutions, to host semi-final competitions in each of these regions in early April 2013.

The top teams from each of the regions will advance to the final statewide competition where the teams will go head-to-head for the grand prize at the College of Nanoscale Science and Engineering of the University at Albany on April 26, 2013.

More information about each regional competition is below.

Capital Region

Central New York

North Country

Mohawk Valley

Finger Lakes

Western New York

Southern Tier

Mid-Hudson

New York City

Long Island

Also Announcing: Center for Global Advanced Manufacturing (CGAM)

First Mohawk Valley “SUNY BEST” Event

SUNYIT will present the first in a series of “SUNY BEST” events designed for community participation on Wednesday, February 20, 8-10 a.m., in the Student Center multipurpose room. “Cloud Computing for Small Companies” will explore the benefits and advantages of cloud computing for small businesses.

Abstract

There seems to be a lot of “buzz” about the “cloud” and/or “cloud computing” recently. We are bombarded by advertising for goods and services related to the topic on television, on the radio and in print. You probably have a lot of questions including:

• What is the fuss?
• Why should I care?
• Is there a competitive benefit for my business?
• Will I be at a competitive disadvantage if I don't get involved?
• What do I need to know and what should I do?
• Other?

Presenters

Roger L. Norton
Dean, School of Computer Science & Mathematics, Marist College

Roger L. Norton is the Dean of the School of Computer Science and Mathematics at Marist College where he has been employed fot thirty-two years. He is the Director of the Center for Collaborative and On-Demand Computing and is also the Founder and Director of the Institute for Data Center Professionals and a Principal Investigator for a Collaborative Enterprise Computing Community funded by the National Science Foundation. He also recently was the PI for a Marist College $3 million grant from New York State Cloud Computing and Analytics Center to helo companies understand and use analytics and cloud computing to help their companies grow.

Dr. Norton holds a PhD in Computer Science from Syracuse University, an MA in Mathematics from Brandeis University and a BS in Mathematics from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst. His areas of interest include semantics of programming languages, the object-oriented programming paradigm, and distributed computing.In addition to Dr. Norton’s extensive research, teaching and academic leadership experience, he has held senior management positions in industry including his role as the Director of the Center for Mental Health Management Information Systems where he was responsible for the design, installation and administration of numerous Local Area Networks for various New York State and County Mental Health organizations.

Dr. Norton’s entrepreneurial character coupled with his firm belief in the faculty/student research model has prompted him to secure funding for the development of several programs that partner academia with industry including the NYSTAR-designated Center for Collaborative and On-Demand Computing (CCODC).

He has made numerous presentations at professional and academic conferences and has authored or co-authored many publications.

Christopher Urban
Lecturer, Computer Science, SUNYIT 

Chris Urban’s primary focus is the practical application of computer information systems (CIS) technology to satisfy real-world requirements. He believes that Tom Magliozzi’s quote, “happiness, equals reality minus expectations” is the most useful heuristic for determing quality and stakeholder satisfaction. He holds an M.S. in Information Systems and M.A. in National Security and Strategic Studies. He is a retired Naval Officer with significant leadership, management, and project management experience, and he has served as a chief information officer (CIO). He has taught at the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis, MD and the United States Naval War College in Newport, RI.

To register for the event, please visit:  http://www.sunyit.edu/cgam.sunybest_events 

For More Information on SUNY BEST in the Southern Tier Region, please check out Dr. Tom Kowalik's Blog: "What is SUNY BEST?"

Research and innovation have long been hallmarks of American higher education. But in the 21st century, knowledge creation is no longer enough. Economic growth depends on translating that knowledge into tangible, measurable benefits—from more patents issued, to more grants won, to more jobs. This shift demands an entrepreneurial mindset—a way of thinking determined to create and shape new markets.

The critical components that businesses of all sizes and stages need—knowledge, talent, and expertise— can all be found at SUNY. We have $1 billion annually in research expenditures, more than 10,000 research projects across 64 campuses, significant infrastructure, strong existing partnerships, and some of the best faculty and students in the world. We need to look at how we can combine our many diffuse pieces to help current and future New York companies and address national research gaps. Our individual institutions don't have to do it all themselves—they can invest in infrastructure more cost-effectively and make more compelling cases for public and private funding when they work collaboratively. The more we integrate, the greater our impact on the state's economy.

We also need to follow the lead of the most fertile states for entrepreneurs and engage more local industries and local venture capitalists with our students, labs, and campuses. Nationally, 43 percent of start-up founders established their companies in the same state where they received their academic degree. But among founders graduating from universities in New York, only about half that amount established their start-ups in our state. Given the huge number of institutions at SUNY and the number of venture capitalists in New York State, the opportunities for turning the tide in our favor are enormous.

This team’s scope document is currently under development.

Meeting and Workshop for Women Entrepreneurs and Investors in NY

SUNY and the Entrepreneurial Century - Strategic Plan, May 2012

For a full listing of team membership, please click here.