The objective of the Sustainable Entrepreneurship Symposium and Expo is to bring together inventors, entrepreneurs, thought leaders, financiers and economic development agencies to share information and connect with each other to better prepare to launch and grow sustainable businesses. The roundtable discussions and panel sessions during the day will inform and educate the participants on the opportunities and imperatives for entrepreneurship, and connect them with available resources, both advisory and financial.  The expo offers a venue for companies to exhibit their products and services, and to network with others in their fields.

Preliminary Workshop Program:

8 a.m. - Registration

Exhibit Set Up
Continental Breakfast
 

9 a.m. - Welcome and Introductions (introduced by Jonathan Cloud):

Fairleigh Dickinson University - Dr. William M. Moore, Dean, Silberman College of Business
New Jersey Institute of Technology - Judith Sheft, Associate Vice President of Technology Development, New Jersey Institute of Technology
National Collegiate Inventors and Innovators Alliance

9:15 a.m. - The Sustainable Venture (Panel Discussion)

Challenges and Opportunities in Green Business
What is a Sustainable Venture and How Do You Create One?
Validating Your Idea and Assessing Your Opportunity

Panelists: Leon K. Baptiste, Dr. Tom Bryant, Dr. Michael R. Edelstein, Dr. Shihab Kuran, Dr. Robert W. Taylor - moderated by James C. Barrood

9:50 a.m. - Break

10 a.m. - Roundtable Discussions on topics including

• Solar Energy
  
• Other Renewable Energy
• Clean Water Technology
• Biofuels
• Alternative Transportation
• Green Building and Construction Technologies
• Waste Management
• Industrial Transformation
• Urban, Sustainable and Organic Agriculture
• Carbon Sequestration
• Green Investing
• Sustainability Education

and others based on registration interest

Facilitators: Leon K. Baptiste, James C. Barrood, Dr. Tom Bryant, Jonathan Cloud, Dr. Michael R. Edelstein, Dr. Gerard Farias, Professor Joel Harmon, Dr. Shihab Kuran, Rey Montalvo, Dr. Arnold H. Pelofsky, Jeanne Perantoni, Matt Polsky, Bill Russell, Judith Sheft, Dr. Robert W. Taylor, Dr. Jeana Wirtenberg

11:30 - Developing Intellectual Property

Panelists: Rob Paradiso, Dr. Jonathan B. Rosefski - moderated by Jonathan Cloud

12 noon - Luncheon Speaker

New Jersey's Response to Global Warming and the Emerging Green Technology Revolution - Hon. Upendra Chivukula, Deputy Speaker of the NJ Assembly, Adam J. Zellner, Director of Policy of Office of Governor Jon S. Corzine,  and Mayor Fred R. Profeta, Jr., Maplewood Township

1 p.m. - Track 1: Business Essentials for Sustainable Ventures (Panel)

Panelists will provide an overview of the critical elements any startup needs to address in order to ensure its own viability, including

Business plan development
Sales and marketing
Strategic alliances
Financing

and will also include a discussion of global business opportunities that may provide green ventures with larger growth and development options

Panelists:  James C. Barrood, Dr. Tom Bryant, Dr. Randy Harmon, Leslie Joy, Dr. Gene Slowinski - moderated by Judith Sheft

Track 2: Green Tech Investing (Panel)

Panelists will provide a snapshot of investment trends, addressing which technologies are being funded, where the money is going, and what the objectives are in investment and collaboration. Opportunities that may be discussed include alternative energy, transportation, materials processing, green chemistry, and other fields.

Panelists from venture funds, angel networks, corporate and public sectors will provide a snapshot of investment trends, and address:

• Which are the technologies being funded
• What investors look for in funding
• How corporate collaborations help emerging green tech companies
• Where is the money is going, and is it enough? 

Panelists: Bill Russell, Dr. Aron Starosta, Mark De GrandPre, John Lynch - moderated by Dr. Faruq Marikar

2:15 p.m.  - Roundtable Discussions on topics including

• Business Plan Development
• Sales and Marketing
• Strategic Alliances
• Angel Investing
• Venture Capital Financing
• Bank Financing
• SBIR/STTR and other Government Funding
• Global business opportunities

and other topics based on registration interest

Facilitators:  James C. Barrood, Dr. Tom Bryant, Dr. Michael Edmondson, Professor Steven M. Fulda, Randy Harmon, Dr. Gene Slowinski, Dr. Faruq Marikar, Bill Russell, Dr. Aron Starosta, Mark De GrandPre, John Lynch

3:30 Closing keynote speaker (introduced by Dr. Jeana Wirtenberg)

Making Money and Saving the World - Govi Rao, Chairman and CEO, Lighting Science Group

4:00 - Networking and Exhibits of Green Businesses, Reception
 

Entrepreneurs' Showcase and Exhibits

6:00 - Close