The DeltaClimeVT climate economy business accelerator is seeking innovative, start-up and/or seed stage, energy companies offering innovative products or services aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions in an effort to help Vermont meet its climate goals. This is the EIGHTH annual program and is once again facilitated by ecosVC
Do North Coworking and Northern Vermont University announce the first participants in the Forest Products Accelerator program. Seven companies from throughout the northeast will take part in this four-month program that’s open to startup and seed stage companies that are commercializing new and improved products, services, and technology in the forest industry.
Hear what Dr. Jenn Amador, nexTC Materials,Inc. Co-founder, ecosVC Lens of the Market facilitator and alum has to say about the best ways to translate YOUR research into a commercial innovation!
Hear what ecosVC Managing Director Judy Giordan has to say about financing options for your Venture from her invited talk at the Fall 2020 American Chemical Society Meeting
The first ever TOTALLY VIRTUAL American Chemical Society Meeting - the Meeting Theme co-chairs are Judy Giordan and Janet Bryant. Hear 4 inspiring talks from heroes of chemistry in academy, industry and government labs - and celebrate ALL the heroes of chemistry past, present and future in the meetings THEME KICK OFF VIDEO!
"Chemistry without Borders: Careers, Research, and Entrepreneurship," ACS Symposium Series #1219, has now been published by Oxford University Press. You can read Judy's chapter, "It’s a Competitive World out There: Factors for STEM Venture Success" (Chapter 19, 163–167) in hardcopy or online!
Abstract
From necessity for supporting a family and community – as in Africa and Latin America - to developing new industries for large-scale economic growth and jobs - as in the US - the key drivers for venture development take on many faces. According to the GEDI Index, the US is the top country for entrepreneurs, especially women, yet other data show the large gaps between female and male entrepreneurial funding rates – across all categories – also in the US!
For the American Chemical Society, of importance to our members and to us as a Society, are the factors that foster STEM innovators and innovation that underpin job creation and economic development, especially where chemistry plays the pivotal role. In this article, the author explores different factors for STEM venture success including the implications for STEM researchers who wish to become innovators or entrepreneurs, regardless of gender; the role of universities; and the role that existing corporations do and could play in fostering and commercializing market-inspired research especially in the all-important exit for new STEM ventures.
Congratulations to Janet Bryant and Judith Giordan on their recent recognition by the American Chemical Society as ChemLuminary recipients!
The ACS ChemLuminary awards recognize local sections, technical divisions, regional meetings, and international chemical sciences chapters for their tireless efforts and work in promoting chemistry and the chemical sciences.
Judith and Janet were recognized at the ACS National Meeting in Washington, D.C. for their efforts in ACS president Allison Campbell's Innovation Initiative.
Most Unique Project as Funded by a Division Innovative Project Grant
Judith and Janet were awarded the "Most Unique Project" ChemLuminary for their work within the Division of Professional Relations. They held a symposium series on Women in Innovation, each hosting four women panelists and featuring such topics as business & commerce, science & technology, and science policy & government.
Recognition of Innovation and Outstanding Service to Members of a Division
Judith and Janet were also honored for their work with the Division of Small Chemical Business. They participated in four ACS Regional Meetings, organizing activities including technical programming, expo booths and networking events, as well as creating brand new business and entrepreneurial tracks within the regional meetings.
See the full list of the 2017 ACS ChemLuminary Awards.
Image and article adapted from the PNNL press release.
Position Your Business for Success!
Insights from a veteran entrepreneur, scientist, executive and investor, Dr. Judith Giordan
Judy Giordan is the co-founder of the Chemical Angels Network, Managing Director of ecosVC, Inc., professor of Practice at Oregon State University, an entrepreneur and former Fortune 100 executive. Judy serves as board member, co-founder, advisor and investor in seed and early stage start-ups.
Her previous executive positions include Corporate Vice President and Global Director of Research and Development at International Flavors and Fragrances, Inc.; Vice-President Worldwide Research and Development for the Pepsi-Cola Company, the global beverage arm of PepsiCo, Inc.; Vice President Research and Development, Henkel Corporation, the North American operating unit of the Henkel Group. She has also held management and technical contributor positions at Polaroid and ALCOA, has served with the National Science Foundation as Program Director for the IGERT Program and in founder and leadership roles in startups.
About Willamette Innovators Network (WIN)
WIN is focused on helping the small and mid-sized traded sector companies grow and be profitable. They work with other groups to help the business ecosystem, including Willamette Angel Conference, OSU Advantage Accelerator, City of Corvallis Economic Development, Oregon Entrepreneurs Network, Technology Association of Oregon along with others.
Willamette Innovators Network presents an opportunity for the region’s Innovators to come together to share, learn, and connect.
About PubTalk
Willamette Innovators Network brings interesting discussions into your neighborhood eateries. Enjoy a drink and learn about how to position your business for success at this presentation at 101 Eat and Drink—101 Northwest Jackson Avenue, Corvallis, OR 97330.
$5 Student Ticket, $10 General Admission (includes one drink ticket good for beer or wine). PAY AT THE DOOR
Did you catch ecosVC at the 72nd Annual Northwest Regional Meeting of the American Chemical Society (Innovation & Unanticipated Discoveries) in Corvallis, Oregon?
As silver sponsors of the meeting, ecosVC was proud to support this regional conference of the American Chemical Society and to work with Oregon State University partners who are strong supporters of science and innovation.
American Chemical Society (ACS) Northwest Region Partners for Progress and Prosperity Award (P3)
“For the successful partnership between ecosVC, CSMC, and OSU NRT-IGE to support entrepreneurship, innovation and career advancement in the chemical enterprise.” ACS recognizes the awardees for introduction and expansion of the Lens of the Market® (LoM) program at Oregon State University. LoM uniquely advances innovation education and commercialization work by informing students and faculty how to translate basic research to address real market needs. LoM represents a unique and progressive training paradigm that helps participants realize both the full scientific and societal value of their work.
- Judy Giordan, ecosVC, Inc. and OSU Professor of Practice
- Douglas Keszler, OSU Center for Sustainable Materials Chemistry (CSMC), NSF Center for Chemical Innovation, OSU Distinguished Professor
- Rich Carter, OSU NRT-IGE, OSU Professor
Innovation Programming
NORM 2017 featured an exciting, 3 day innovation program packed with a Lens of the Market® (LoM) workshop, networking events, Innovation Fair as part of the Expo, talks, panels and office hours with leading innovators and funders.
The Lens of Science: Creating, Commercializing & Funding Market-Required Innovations & Solutions (Organized by Janet Bryant, Rich Carter and Judith Giordan)
Opening Overview: The Lens of Science - Creating Market-required innovations and solutions (Judith Giordan)
Interactive Panel: Lens of Science - Creating market-required innovations and solutions (Judith Giordan with C.C. Stimpson, S. Meyers, T.S. Scanlan and S.L. Hemmingson)
The Lens of Business: Commercializing Market Required STEM Innovations & Solutions (Organized by Janet Bryant, Rich Carter and Judith Giordan)
Opening introduction: The Lens of Business - Commercializing market-required STEM innovations and solutions. (Judith Giordan)
Opening Overview: The Lens of Business - Commercializing market-required STEM innovations and solutions from a graduate student perspective. (Rich Carter, Judith Giordan, Janet Bryant)
Interactive Panel: Lens of Business - Commercializing market-required STEM innovations and solutions from a graduate student perspective. Rich Carter, (Jenn Amador, D.P. Leonard, K. Zappitelli, T. Chiang)
Opening Overview: The Lens of Business - Commercializing market-required STEM innovations and solutions from a company perspective. (Judith Giordan)
Interactive Panel: The Lens of Business - Commercializing market-required STEM innovations and solutions from a company perspective. (Judith Giordan, Rich Carter, R. Carone, A.C. Nelson, J. Surina)
The Lens of Funding: Where's the $$? Finding Funding for Future Ventures (Organized by Janet Bryant, Rich Carter and Judith Giordan)
Opening Overview: The Lens of Funding - Where's the $$$ for innovation? (Judith Giordan)
Interactive Panel: The Lens of Funding - Where's the $$$ for innovation? (Judith Giordan, M. Manley, S. Rung, C. Rosenthal, B. Schrag, K. Jurman)
Innovation Workshop
Lens of the Market Stage 1
Innovation Fair
ACS NORM 2017 hosted the 1st ACS Innovation Fair, an opportunity for chemistry intensive new start-ups and soon-to-be-start-ups or proto-ventures to network with the community and gain insights and feedback from Innovation Track attendees.
This unique opportunity, supported by sponsorship funding, offered participants a half-table booth, located in the Innovation area of the Vendor Exposition. Congratulations to all approved applicants!
NORM Gallery
ecosVC® and their partners had a very engaging weekend at the 253rd American Chemical Society National Meeting & Exposition: Advanced Materials, Technologies, Systems & Processes in San Francisco, CA.
Judith participated in 3 presentations and 2 panels over 5 sessions, emphasizing the importance of collaboration and innovation in both research and in building the next generation of innovators. She was proud to co-organize a session in honor of Dr. Douglas Keszler, founder of the Center for Sustainable Materials Chemistry, an NSF-funded Center for Chemical Innovation that she has worked closely with for years as an innovation trainer.
Thursday
How Do We Teach Collaboration? Best Practices for Educating Future Researchers & Innovators
Presentation: Beyond the bench: Educating students in collaborative, innovative team science (with Jennie Amador, Michelle Dolgos and Douglas Keszler)
Sunday
Golden Age of Industrial Chemistry
Presentation: Golden age of chemistry: The miracle of instant! Polaroid and the amazing chemistry and innovations of instant photography (with Larry Friedman).
Symposium Honoring Doug Keszler for the 2017 ACS Award in Material Science
Materials Chemistry of Solutions & Solids for a Sustainable Future: (session co-organized with Sophia Hayes and Bettye Maddux)
Chemists Leading the Charge: Chemists Using Business Acumen & Transformative Research to Address Societal Needs (session co-presided with Janet Bryant; co-organized with Sophia Hayes and Bettye Maddux)
Panel: Chemists Using Business Acumen & Transformative Research to Address Societal Needs (with Douglas Keszler, John Wager, Jim Abbott, Stephen Meyers, Bill Cowell and Janet Bryant).
Panel: Research to innovation CSMC legacy: Training the next generation (with Michelle Dolgos, Jennie Amador, Juan-Carlos Ramos)
Sunday evening
2017 ACS Award in Material Science and Reception
Tuesday
Producing Knowledgeable, Well-Rounded, T-Shaped Chemists for the 21st Century: Current Perspectives from High School, Undergraduate & Graduate Educators (session co-organized with Janet Bryant and Steve Graham)
Presentation: Transformational and innovative approaches to STEM graduate education – building T shaped professionals with a Lens of the Market® as well as a Lens of Science (with Michelle Dolgos, Martin Storksdieck and Rich Carter).
Lens of the Market was recently mentioned in the ACS Green Chemistry: The Nexus blog post "Ready, Set, Innovate... Sustainably!" contributed by Dr. Julie Haack.
Dr. Haack describes the innovation hub at the University of Oregon, noting the Lens of the Market series as one of the impactful innovative experiences students engage in at the hub.
The American Chemical Society Pacific Northwest Women in Science Retreat (held July 8–10 in Camp Magruder, Rockaway Beach, Oregon) brought together women at all stages of their scientific careers, both from academia and industry. This opportunity to share advice, teach skills and learn is just one of the many ways that women can change each others' lives.
Judith and Janet took part in the Alternative Careers Panel, which included speakers Judith Giordan, Bettye Maddux, Annette Kolodzie, Sarah Brady, Jessica Marshall, and Janet Bryant.
Judith also hosted the workshop "Go ahead—Be proud! The Art of Bragging and Being Heard."
How much is too much? How much is enough? Ever wonder what to say to convince people why you should be selected to do something or lead something, or be accepted or promoted? Ever wonder when what you say is bragging and when it is simply being proud and sharing facts? Join us to learn some tricks and PRACTICE in this bragging workshop led by Judy Giordan, PhD and Janet Bryant, MBA. Check out this article for more information, and learn more about the sponsor of this workshop, ecosVC.
A successful physics career is not only about doing great science – it is also about convincing others why our work is important, and why we are the ones capable of doing it. Yet sharing our abilities is thought of as bragging by some, and it doesn’t come easily or naturally to everyone. Some even think it’s better to be modest about our accomplishments, and to “let the work speak for itself”, or to let others brag about us. We say, “NO! We should be able to confidently and unselfconsciously say what we are good at and provide evidence for it.”
Judith and Janet recently attended the American Physics Society's Conferences for Undergraduate Women in Physics (CUWiP) at Oregon State University.
For the last decade, CUWiP has worked to help undergraduate women thrive in physics by providing them a unique opportunity to engage with and learn from other women in physics at all stages of their physics careers.
The Alexander von Humboldt Foundation has generously supported What Women Can Do, a new venture by ecosVC dedicated to helping women in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) become leaders in innovation.
Learn more about Judy Giordan's 2015 Humboldt Alumni Award for Innovative Networking Initiatives titled “Women in Innovation: Leveraging the Power of the Von Humboldt global network to aid women in realizing their potential as INNOVATORS and the value of their INNOVATIONS to address global challenges.”
This interactive symposium focused on translating research to innovation to commercial offering and linking it with career progression from researcher to innovator to business leadership. Women from leadership roles in successfully commercializing science shared key factors for success during the interactive panel, followed by a moderated Q&A.
We explored...
- WHAT does it take to be an INNOVATING WOMAN in business and industry?
- WHAT are their key traits for success?
- HOW have they built support structures and connections throughout their careers?
- WHAT role do both women and men play in expanding the role of INNOVATING WOMEN across the chemical enterprise?
- ....and most importantly HOW can you use this information to create your own INNOVATOR PATHWAY TO SUCCESS?
Click here to download the Slides!
The CIEC roadmap is the cheat sheet of selected events and programming at ACS meetings that are of interest to our constituencies. Out of the thousands of papers and events we have highlighted the topics of greatest interest - we've done the legwork to make your meeting easier!
Entrepreneurial and Business Track – Programming & Events Roadmap
250th ACS National Meeting, Boston, MA – August 16 - 20, 2015
Humboldt Alumni Award for Innovative Networking Initiatives
Every year, the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation grants up to three to five Humboldt Alumni Awards to promote innovative networking initiatives of alumni of Alexander von Humboldt Foundation fellowship and award programs. The award is valued at up to 25,000 EUR. It is designed to support initiatives, not covered by the Foundation's existing sponsorship and alumni programs, and to promote academic and cultural relations between Germany and the Humboldt Alumni's own countries and strengthen their collaboration in the respective regions.
Judy’s award winning proposal is titled “Women in Innovation: Leveraging the Power of the Von Humboldt global network to aid women in realizing their potential as INNOVATORS and the value of their INNOVATIONS to address global challenges.”
Judy’s Von-Humboldt Women in Innovation (WiN) alumni network will leverage the breadth and wealth of experience of WiN women in the Von Humboldt global network as a key way to accelerate the ability of ALL women to become innovators. The WiN network will span three areas:
- Women in Innovation: Science and Technology development and commercialization
- Women in Innovation: Science and Technology Business and Industry Leadership
- Women in Innovation: Science and Technology Policy
Click here to download!
Judy Giordan and Janet Bryant spoke at the Puget Sound Women Chemists Retreat in Eatonville, WA -- a retreat designed to retain and advance women in chemistry careers and to teach graduate and post-doctoral women chemists a positive and proactive approach to their careers.
"Women are the most valuable and underutilized resource in the global economy."
Judith Giordan presented "Investor 101" at the ACS Annual Meeting 2015 in Denver, CO. Click to download the slides.
Judith Giordan presented What women can do – The future is really up to us.. ACS Award for Encouraging Women into Careers in the Chemical Sciences: Symposium in Honor of E. Ann Nalley at the Denver ACS Annual Meeting 2015. Click to download the slides.