<html xmlns:v="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:vml" xmlns:o="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" xmlns:w="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:word" xmlns:m="http://schemas.microsoft.com/office/2004/12/omml" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40"><head><meta http-equiv=Content-Type content="text/html; charset=us-ascii"><meta name=Generator content="Microsoft Word 14 (filtered medium)"><style><!--
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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link=blue vlink=purple><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal>Here is a message that you can forward to anyone who might be interested in two new entrepreneurial events.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>John Whitman at UAH has organized a new group that will meet for coffee in the morning every two weeks starting October 4 at BizTech. You can follow the group on Twitter @OpenTechCoffee. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Bob Jackson at Cygnus Strategies informed me of a quarterly event called Quarterly Exchange of Solutions (QEST) to launch January 2014 with similar intentions.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><a href="http://cygnusstrategy.com/cygnus-to-launch-qest/">http://cygnusstrategy.com/cygnus-to-launch-qest/</a><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Whitman's message, 9/13/2013:<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Thank you for participating in this morning's high-energy, pre-launch discussion about how to engage in Huntsville's high tech startup scene. A total of 18 folks came, myself included, for the on-time 7:30 AM start, and most were still talking long after the close. Here are the key points:<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>1. The group will be open, inclusive, and informal. After introductory remarks by the chair the floor is open to share news and stories, solicit assistance, introduce new people, comment on relevant events, clarify points, and start relationships, among other topics.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>2. The focus is on the care and feeding of high technology startups and their growth and the startup scene in Huntsville.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>3. Participants include anyone interested in high tech: all types of STEM folk, investors, mentors, entrepreneurs, marketing experts, lawyers and accountants who understand startups, faculty who can share learning from empirical studies, social media folk who want to blog and tweet about this stuff, and anyone else who wants to give and take positive energy to make life more fun.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>4. Our mode is that we have to take the leadership in making things happen; that we have to be in this for the long run so commit to keep coming back; that we are interested in giving before getting; and that we are open and inclusive of all comers. Please reach out to and invite others who like this mode.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>5. Most want to go beyond incubators and see accelerators that form teams of mentors and investors around startups to make sure they get off right and succeed. We want to build on existing resources and develop them to be more effective.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>6. The ICE Lab at UAH is compiling a database on innovation resources in Huntsville (to go online when the ICE Lab website opens); hoping to launch a weekly Huntsville Innovation News daytime radio program; hoping to launch a Huntsville Innovation Foundation funded by successful entrepreneurs and sponsoring groups; and more. Volunteers to help out are welcome!<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>7. Done right with innovation and imagination, we feel that Huntsville will emerge as a world-class center for innovation.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Please join us at our launch at 7:45 AM on Friday, 4 October. Our meetings will be held at BizTech every other Friday morning starting on that Friday. There is plenty of free parking and coffee will be served. We are grateful to Gary Tauss for this generous invitation. The BizTech address is 515 Sparkman Drive NW, Huntsville, across the street from the UAH business school.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Questions and comments welcome.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>cheers<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>John<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>John R. Whitman, PhD<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Visiting Assistant Professor in Entrepreneurship and Leadership<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Interim Director, ICE Lab<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>College of Business Administration, Room 358<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>301 Sparkman Drive<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Huntsville, AL 35899<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>CELL: 781-708-2764<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><a href="mailto:john.whitman@uah.edu">john.whitman@uah.edu</a><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><a href="http://www.uah.edu/cba/faculty-and-staff/profiles">http://www.uah.edu/cba/faculty-and-staff/profiles</a><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt'>Thank you,<br>Jeff<br><br>Jeff Hammock<br>CEO & Founder<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt'>MECHoptix, Inc.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt'>Madison, Alabama<br>256-542-1711<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt'><a href="http://www.mechoptix.com/" target="_blank">www.MECHoptix.com</a><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt'>Protecting your vehicle, your precious cargo and you<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div></body></html>