Weekly iG Spotlight 4/7/11

Hello Everyone! 

Time is flying by and Spring has arrived!  And in just a few weeks, the 2nd annual Cade Prize for Innovation will be awarded.  

2nd Annual Cade Prize for Innovation

Please make plans for May 12  from 6:30-9:30 p.m. as the second annual Cade Prize for Innovation is presented to one of four finalists in the beautiful, new Santa Fe College Fine Arts Hall.  The 2011 award consists of a $50,000 cash prize, plus one year of office space at the Gainesville Technology Enterprise Center (GTEC), courtesy of the Council for Economic Outreach.  Second, third and fourth place finalists will each receive $5,000 toward furthering their inventions. 

This upcoming week, on April 12th, the Final Four Companies will be announced.  We are profiling each of the Sweet 16 companies on the Innovation Gainesville website.  What an interesting compilation of stories, products, ideas and people.  They can be found at:: http://innovationgainesville.com/cool-things/cade-prize-sweet-16. 

The May 12 Prize Night will be an opportunity to connect with the area's most innovative and creative entrepreneurs, inventors, business owners, venture capital firms and angel funders.  We hope to see you there!  Register now at: http://cadeprizenight2011.eventbrite.com/?ref=ebtn.

Chamber Meets with Local Officials

This week, the Chamber meet with local official to advocate for all businesses, from start-up to well-established.  Under INVESTING INNOVATIVELY, one of the plans calls for a streamlined permitting process, and this was addressed as Chamber members met specifically to discuss business issues with both City and County elected officials.  http://www.gainesville.com/article/20110406/ARTICLES/110409680/1002....

Spotlight on Innovation Square

In case you missed it, here is a great story on the progress of the Innovation Hub and plans for the area around it.  http://www.gainesville.com/article/20110403/ARTICLES/110409915.

Thanks to Storter-Childs!

A big thanks to Shariq Siraj and his staff at Storter-Childs Printing.  If you travel down Waldo Road this week, you'll see a great example of a local business endorsing iG and helping us to spread the word!  Please contact me or let me know if your company is interested in helping us to make cool things happen!  Thanks to all at Storter-Childs!

Annie Pais Editorial

Executive Director of Florida's Eden and iG Volunteer, Annie Pais wrote a recent editorial piece that ran in the Gainesville Sun.  It was entitled "Recipe for economic success: Talent and a sense of place."   It is a great piece that talks about our vast talent pool and this wonderful place we all call home.  Annie, thanks for bringing more light to iG and for your efforts.  You can find the editorial at: http://www.gainesville.com/article/20110321/OPINION03/110319351?p=1....

Thanks and have a great weekend! 

ANN

Ann Collett

Vice President - Innovation Gainesville

Gainesville Area Chamber of Commerce/Council for Economic Outreach

352-231-2401

www.innovationgainesville.com

"Innovation Gainesville began as a community initiative to harness innovation to create jobs in health and green technologies and thereby to raise the standard of living in our community.  It has transformed into a cultural mindset with hundreds of individuals and organizations working to grow an environment that fosters innovation and success."