Last week’s Entrepreneurship 101 lecture saw Kerri Golden speak about the need to not only plan how to spend money in your business, but how to make money.

Question of the Week
As scientists and engineers we are used to planning projects, but how many of us have ever had the training to do the financial planning for a project, let alone a business? Do you think that part of the formal training for a graduate scientist/engineer should include project planning and budgeting?

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DNA art: the perfect Vday gift for science nerds

Whenever I see something that stimulates both the left and right sides of my brain simultaneously, I can’t help but get excited. Ottawa-based DNA 11 is where art and science converge to bring custom portraits of your DNA fingerprint to your living room. It’s the perfect Valentine’s Day gift for the science nerd in your life!

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Know someone who has made exceptional contributions to science and technology in Canada?

The CATAAlliance Innovation and Leadership Awards are the most prestigious annual awards conferred on individuals and corporations by Canada’s advanced technology community.

Individuals and companies are awarded for achievement in private and public sector innovation leadership as well as product development and technology reporting.

Nominations for 2008 are now open and the deadline for submission is April 8, 2008.

Click here to nominate. Or check out some of the previous winners of these awards.

the open road can be daunting

There are a few peer-to-peer groups, like the Young Presidents’ Organization, which are made up of business leaders (in the case of YPO - over 20,000 from more than 100 countries) who dedicate some of their “spare” time to reviewing, critiquing, discussing and shaping each others’ plans and ideas. These forums are meant for unedited and nonjudgmental idea exchange and learning.

In the non-profit world, however, there are fewer (dare I say none?) forums of such size and status to identify common issues and debate key ideas. This lack is due, in part, to the way in which organizations are funded.

Because non-profits rely mainly upon government and foundation grants or charitable donations, there is little incentive to air or share any problems with their sponsors or peers (who are often going after the same dollars).

This funding model sets up a “don’t bite the hand that feeds you” situation between granter and grantee. Talking publicly about struggles, hardships or even failures is not a comfortable position.

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At our last Entrepreneurship 101 lecture, we discussed IP management. In the Q&A session, someone asked about “copyright in data.”

Speaker Arshia Tabrizi of Tabrizi Law Offices answered that there is no copyright in “raw data” per se. If it’s a direct, mechanical input and aggregation of data (e.g. recording outside temperatures) then copyright does not apply.

However, he wanted to clarify his answer.

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Red blood cells, E.M.Unit, Royal Free Hospital

On a given Friday night, in bars across North America, there are many initial conversations regarding astrological signs as people try to assess each other’s personalities in a fun, light-hearted way. In Asia, it’s the same except they’ll ask you about your blood type. There is a light-hearted belief in Asia that different blood types give rise to different personalities, otherwise known as the blood type theory of personality. For instance, an O personality type might be more gregarious, an A type more earnest, a B type more wild, and an AB more rational.

So what if you could change your blood type to match a potential mate? Seem impossible?

It was unfathomable to scientists and transplant surgeons around the world until two weeks ago.

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Use Google’s measuring tape for success

While Google has enjoyed near market dominance, should it be concerned about the long-term viability of its business strategy in light of recent news from Microsoft and their bid for Yahoo, Google’s lead competitor?

Perhaps, but considering that their management approach has also contributed to their success it’s worth taking a moment to think about the foundations of their management practice apart from their business strategy.

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Winds of change for (bio)fuel financing

The winds of change are blowing. Regulators are starting to admit to overblown statements on the benefits of certain biofuels, with many European governments revising their subsidization programs. Vague government programs, created with the best intentions, have had some unintended consequences. It’s high time to pause and reflect on how effective these programs are.

The New York Times had a great “State of the Regulatory Industry” a few weeks ago that delves into the changing regulatory landscape and ever-controversial farm subsidies. Expect more stringency and less blanket funding for biofuel projects.

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A sea of innovation for greening the earth

January 14th, 2008, marked a momentous occasion in the corporate world and for the betterment of the environment. In the first-of-its-kind collaboration, leading corporations came together on a united front for a common social goal.

The effort, called the “Eco-Patent Commons,” is a collection of technology patents, pledged to a publicly-available portfolio by companies and other IP rights holders. The purpose of making public dozens of eco-friendly patents is to create a resource for cleaner solutions for those facing similar challenges.

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In last night’s Entrepreneurship 101 lecture by Dr. Bonnie Kuehl, Dr. Kuehl outlined her story regarding the creation of Scientific Insights® Consulting Group — a company that specializes in science communication. She clearly articulated that there is a market for intermediaries who help researchers/companies translate their science into a form suitable for non-scientists.

Why can’t all scientists do this?

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