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<p>IUPUI to host Innovation to Enterprise Forum and Showcase.</p>

IUPUI to host Innovation to Enterprise Forum and Showcase

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

INDIANAPOLIS — The IUPUI Office of the Vice Chancellor for Research and the Indiana University Research and Technology Corp. will host the 2014 IUPUI Innovation to Enterprise Forum and Showcase: Funding Innovation on Thursday, Nov. 20.

The event will take place from 2 to 4:30 p.m. in the Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis Campus Center Theater, on the lower level of the center, 420 University Blvd.

The forum will bring together researchers, entrepreneurs, investors and executives from IUPUI and the Indianapolis business community to explore the challenges and opportunities of translating the fruits of academic research into products.

Joseph Trebley, the head of startup support and promotion at the IURTC, will moderate a panel discussion on “Alternatives for Funding New Ventures.” More funding options are available for startup businesses now than ever before. New services have emerged to fill the gap created as banks and conventional venture capital firms have pulled away from riskier early-stage investments.

Panelists are Nick Carter, Kevin Hitchen, Polina Osherov and Jacob Schpok.

Nick Carter, founder of Husk Foods – Carter is a serial entrepreneur – founder of over half a dozen businesses – and is the acting CEO of two startups and an active partner or board member in four other established companies. Born a farm boy, he has a firm understanding of hard work, starting his first business at 16. Carter is the author of “Twelve Seconds,” which teaches entrepreneurs to get their small business off the ground.

Kevin Hitchen, founder of Localstake – Hitchen and his two partners co-founded Localstake to provide growing businesses a new solution for raising capital. Since its launch in 2013, the online investment marketplace for investing in private businesses has been featured in national publications such as TechCrunch, Yahoo Finance and Investopedia. Entrepreneur highlighted Localstake in its Reinvention 2013 article on “Indy’s Innovators.”

Polina Osherov, co-founder of Pattern – Osherov is co-founder of the nonprofit fashion industry networking and advocacy group Pattern and the editor-in-chief of Pattern Magazine, an award-winning, internationally distributed publication about fashion, design and creativity in Central Indiana. She is also a commercial photographer, working with corporate clients, advertising agencies and marketing companies.

Jacob Schpok, executive director for the lieutenant governor’s Office of Small Business and Enterprise – The newly created office was established to ensure Indiana works for entrepreneurs. Under his new role as executive director, Schpok continues to serve as state director of the Indiana Small Business Development Center, which last year helped Indiana businesses raise $70 million in capital and create over 1,600 full-time jobs.

 

The forum and showcase event is free and open to the public, but RSVPs are requested.