Speaker Bios

Shabbir Dahod of President, CEO - TraceLink, Venture Partner - FirstMark Capital Shabbir Dahod is President and CEO of TraceLink Inc. and also a Venture Partner at FirstMark Capital. Throughout his 24-year career, Mr. Dahod has been a cutting edge innovator and focused on the intersection of technology, business and management. Mr. Dahod started at Layered Inc. developing an accounting package for the emerging Macintosh and Windows platforms. Mr. Dahod then joined lead investor Paul Allen at his startup Asymetrix, establishing the company as a leader in Multimedia Authoring technology for Computer Based Learning. Following Asymetrix, Mr. Dahod led new collaboration and knowledge management initiatives at Microsoft. In 1999, Mr. Dahod founded iWant, an early leader in the market for search-based, Internet advertising supported applications. Following iWant, he served as interim CEO at Performaworks to revamp company direction in the corporate employee and goal management market. Mr. Dahod then founded SupplyScape Corporation in 2003 to create the de-facto leader in software solutions to safeguard the pharmaceutical supply chain. Mr. Dahod received his B.A. in Computer Science from Boston University. Back To Top ^

Tyler Droney of President, GroceryU Tyler Droney was born and raised in the South Hills of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He is currently a senior at the main campus of the Pennsylvania State University. He is the first of his immediate family to attend college and he is majoring in business finance with an economics minor. After achieving his bachelor's degree from Penn State, he plans on attending law school somewhere down south. Tyler also participates in extracurricular activities such as Thon and the National Society of Collegiate Scholars. In the little free time he has, he enjoys watching just about any sport (especially teams from Pittsburgh), playing video games, hanging out with his friends and family, and just being your typical 'college student'. He gives much of his success to his family and group of friends that have always been supportive of him and his decisions. After graduating from Penn State, Tyler plans on using his business degree to help further expand GroceryU to other universities. Back To Top ^

Linda Feltman of Senior Business Analyst, SBDC, Penn State Linda Feltman has worked with the Penn State SBDC as the senior business consultant since April 1999. Prior to joining the SBDC staff, over the course of twenty years, she was involved in several small business start-ups as a principal or owner. She has authored a column for Pennsylvania Magazine, since 1992, specializing in bed and breakfasts and profiles of interesting people and places and is the author of several books related to same. She has been an adjunct faculty member in Penn State's College of Communications since 2005 and teaches COMM 493 Entrepreneurship in the Information Age. Linda was the recipient of the 2008-2009 College of Communications' Deans' Excellence Award for Outstanding Faculty Associate. Currently she is the advisor for a new Penn State student organization, Happy Valley Communications, a student run public relations firm that assists other student run organizations with publicity. Linda is a 1976 graduate of Penn State, earning a bachelor's degree with a major in Advertising. Prior to that she attended the University of Montreal (Canada) and the College of Dupage, Glen Ellyn, Ill. She studied abroad in 1976 attending the University of Manchester through a Penn State program. Although she enjoys living in her adopted state of Pennsylvania, she occasionally visits the Chicago suburb where she grew up, so that she can reconnect with family and friends. Back To Top ^

Ujjwal Gupta of Co-Founder, Watermelon Express Ujjwal Gupta is the co-founder of Watermelon Express Inc, technology design start up focusing on education. Winner of the Ideapitch competition 2009, Watermelon Express has grown to be one of the biggest educational companies for iPhone. Mr. Gupta conceptualized the idea of a convenient, smart and affordable test preparation platform in October 2008. At Watermelon Express, Mr. Gupta has pioneered the outsourcing model and maintains a lean and efficient operational structure. Mr. Gupta is also a part of another educational initiative nanoinfoline.com that promises to leverage social collaboration and technological innovation to improve the delivery of scientific content to the research community. In 2002, Mr. Gupta partnered with Prof. Sharon at Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay to co-found Monad Nanotech Pvt. Ltd., one of the first nano-technology manufacturing and consulting firms in India. Monad Nanotech helps small to mid size chemical plants to utilize nanotech into their production and processing units. Mr. Gupta received his B.S and M.S in Chemistry from Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay and is working towards his Ph.D in Chemistry at Penn State University. He has received multiple outstanding research achievement awards and has co-authored eight scientific publications. Back To Top ^

Gavin McIntyre of Co-Founder, Ecovative Design Gavin McIntyre received a dual B.S. in Mechanical Engineering and Product Design and Innovation from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in May of 2007. Before founding Ecovative, Gavin worked for the Department of Energy at Brookhaven National Laboratory. At Brookhaven, Gavin worked on a variety of projects, including the design and analysis of electrostatic devices for high-energy physics experiments, and structural and thermal diagnostics of equipment to ensure experiment quality and accuracy. Back To Top ^

Pat McNamara of Slide 12 Pat has lots of experience in consumer and hi-tech marketing. He's always worked in industry segments driven by "fast growth, fierce competition, and innovation." One of his key strengths lies in bridging the "understanding gap" in complex technology. He has launched over 100 products on behalf of 30 companies, while serving as a VP of marketing and advertising agency VP. Pat was a co-founder of a startup that raised $8MM during the .com era. Pat's consulting practice focuses on helping companies get the results they want by telling their stories more effectively. He is a keen believer in the role of non-rational decision making and how emotions affect outcomes. Count on Pat to give you at least one tip that will make your next pitch twice as effective. Pat describes his workshops as "provocative" - especially for engineering and technical folks. He holds a bachelors degree in psychology from Loyola University/Chicago. Back To Top ^

Phil Park, Business Incubator Manager of CBICC Phil Park is the Business Incubator Manager for the Centre County Industrial Development Corporation. He has an extensive and varied background with a number of small businesses, most recently with a consulting subsidiary of the Pennsylvania Medical Society. Phil also serves as a member of the board of trustees of the Mount Nittany Medical Center. He earned his bachelor's and master's degrees at Penn State. Back To Top ^

Chris Rothe of Attorney, RatnerPrestia Mr. Rothe is an attorney with RatnerPrestia, PC, a law firm located in Valley Forge, PA. Christopher counsels clients in all areas of intellectual property law, including patents, IP risk management, and IP transactions. Mr. Rothe has expertise in prosecuting domestic and international patent applications. He is currently responsible for managing patent portfolios for a major U.S. manufacturer of surgical implants, and one of the nation's top children's hospitals. Mr. Rothe is accustomed to explaining complex IP issues to individuals with various backgrounds, including general counsels, company presidents, CEOs, technology transfer specialists, marketing directors, engineers, scientists, and beginning entrepreneurs. Mr. Rothe received a law degree from Villanova University School of Law. Before attending law school, Mr. Rothe spent four years working as an engineer in private practice. Mr. Rothe received a Bachelor of Science degree in civil engineering from the Pennsylvania State University in 1992. Back To Top ^

Dr. Kenji Uchino of Professor - Penn State & Sr. Vice President and CTO - Micromechatronics Kenji Uchino, the pioneer of piezoelectric actuators, is Director of International Center for Actuators and Transducers and Professor of EE at Penn State University. He is also Founder and Senior Vice President & CTO of Micromechatronics Inc., PA. After being awarded his Ph. D. degree from Tokyo Institute of Technology, Japan, he became a faculty in Physical Electronics Department at TIT. Then, he joined Sophia University, Japan as Associate Professor in physics in 1985. He was then recruited to PSU in 1991. He was also involved with Space Shuttle Utilizing Committee in NASDA, Japan, and Vice President of NF Electronic Instruments. He is the Chair of Smart Actuator/Sensor Study Committee sponsored by Japanese METI. His research interests are in development of solid state actuators for precision positioners, ultrasonic motors, etc. He has authored 550 books and papers, and 29 patents in the piezo-actuator area. He has additional MBA degree from St. Francis University, and authored "Entrepreneurship for Engineers" from CRC Press. He is Fellow of American Ceramic Society, and also a recipient of the SPIE Smart Product Implementation Award (2007), R&D 100 Award (2007), ASME Adaptive Structures Prize (2005) etc. Back To Top ^

Dr. Anthony Warren, Professor of Penn Sate University Dr. Anthony Warren (Tony) received a B.Sc. (1st Cl. Hons.) and Ph.D. in Physics at the University of Birmingham, (UK) followed by post-doctoral research in low temperature superconductivity undertaken at the Universities of Toronto and Illinois. After three years heading a multi-national program in magneto-hydrodynamic power generation, Dr. Warren joined a start-up in Cambridge, England that created and executed new product strategies for major corporations based on a broad range of technologies. As the company, PA Technology, grew rapidly, Tony was responsible for the international operations setting up divisions in Australia, several European locations and finally in Princeton, NJ. In 1987, Tony co-founded and raised the capital for a 10-year Limited Partnership to create and develop early stage technology-based companies. Over one hundred companies were formed to commercialize proprietary technology during the 10-year life of the partnership. In 1999, he co-founded Strategic Technologies LLC, a boutique investment bank undertaking transactions for corporations with significant intellectual property assets. He is also a venture partner in Adams Capital Management, a nationwide VC firm headquartered in Pittsburgh with over $700MM under management. Dr. Warren joined the Smeal College of Business Administration at Penn State as Director of the Farrell Center for Corporate Innovation and Entrepreneurship and the Farrell Clinical Professor for Entrepreneurship in 2001. Since then the Center has grown and is now ranked within the top tier of US Centers for Entrepreneurship. He is the author of many scientific papers, patents as well as articles on innovation and risk finance. Tony is often quoted in the press regarding entrepreneurship issues, the management of risk and public policy regarding economic stimulation through small company foundation. He is often invited to speak on corporate innovation, technology commercialization and economic development. He has been a regular keynote speaker at the national SBIR conferences and was recently invited to join the National Innovation Initiative, a joint program between industry and government to create an agenda for the US to continue to prosper through innovation in the 21st Century. His current research interests are centered around scalable problem-based learning, improved practices for technology transfer, hybrid business models, and factors important in entrepreneurial eco-systems. Back To Top ^

Phil Weilerstein of Executive Director, NCIIA Phil began his career as an entrepreneur as a student at the University of Massachusetts. He and a team including his advisor launched a start-up biotech company which ultimately went public. This experience, coupled with a lifelong passion for entrepreneurship, led to his work with the National Collegiate Inventors and Innovators Alliance. Phil's tenure at the NCIIA is marked by his skill for network-building and expert leverage of resources. He has a special talent for seeking out gifted educators and other important contributors and putting them to work for the betterment of invention, innovation, and entrepreneurship education in the U.S. and worldwide. As an entrepreneur in a not-for-profit organization, he has grown the NCIIA from a grassroots group of enthusiastic faculty to a nationally known and in-demand knowledge base and resource center. Phil also serves as the Chair of the Entrepreneurship Division of the American Society of Engineering Education Back To Top ^