Idaho Innovation Summit
Just in case you missed Norris’ post over here or the Idaho Statesman article over here, I’m posting again about the Idaho Innovation Summit next Thursday, October 11th from 9:00 am to 3:00 pm.
The event is being organized by Rick Ritter CEO of Idaho TechConnect.
If you are a privately owned tech company make sure you show up.
Here’s the schedule
Idaho Innovation Summit Agenda
Thursday, October 11th
9:00 a.m. Registration
10:00 a.m. Welcome
Rick Ritter, CEO, Idaho TechConnect
10:15a.m. Survey Results
Lorraine Roach, President, Hingston Roach Group
11:00 a.m. The Strawman Proposal
Pat Scruggs, President, Scruggs & Associates
11:15 Defining the Tent: Who does the organization serve & what is the value proposition?
Group Discussions
11:45 a.m. Break
12:00 p.m. Lunch
Innovation Councils: Collaborate, Grow, Succeed
Steve Zylstra, Principle, Technomic Growth Strategies
& Former President/CEO, Pittsburgh Technology Council
1:15 p.m. What & How: Key issues addressed by the organization; Venues & structures for implementation
Group Discussions
2:15 p.m. Moving Ahead: Operational Considerations
Pat Scruggs, President, Scruggs & Associates
Rick Ritter, CEO, Idaho TechConnect
2:45 p.m. Wrap-up
Rick Ritter, CEO, Idaho TechConnect
3:00 p.m. Adjourn
For additional information and to RSVP, email krissa.wrigley@idahotechconnect.com or call (208) 562-3700
We will next be advertising this on a banner trailing a zeppelin….
Even if you aren’t in town or otherwise committed (or even live elsewhere) drop Rick a note.
Note: Much of the intel for this summit comes from a survey Rick R did - if you did not participate in that, you definitely should “connect”!
This is for entrepreneurs by entrepreneurs. See ya there?
My second thoughts on this ?ɬ¢?¢‚Äö¬¨?Ö‚ÄúIdaho Innovation Summit?ɬ¢?¢‚Äö¬¨?Ǭù after getting a copy of the agenda.
And this is NOT to cast any aspersions against the goodwill & intention of the organizers & promoters. But here?ɬ¢?¢‚Äö¬¨?¢‚Äû¬¢s my logic: Otter comes to IF last week to speak to a sold out crowd at the IF City Club, ostensibly about politics (Craig) & the economy (Micron) & the INL (buried waste negotiations). He ends up doing 100% on his topic, healthcare & its effect on the state budget, and how his plan, a volunteer healthcare taskforce, is going to cure it. During the course of the speech the crowd learns: Idaho is last per capita in doctors, and first in uninsured?ɬ¢?¢‚Äö¬¨?Ǭ¶.and how this is ?ɬ¢?¢‚Äö¬¨?Ö‚Äúbankrupting?ɬ¢?¢‚Äö¬¨?Ǭù the state because federal law requires all the uninsured to be treated at the hospitals?ɬ¢?¢‚Äö¬¨?¢‚Äû¬¢ emergency rooms, and that ?ɬ¢?¢‚Äö¬¨?ã?ìs the most expensive healthcare costs?ɬ¢?¢‚Äö¬¨?Ǭ¶.so the big fund to reimburse these hospitals, overseen by IF?ɬ¢?¢‚Äö¬¨?¢‚Äû¬¢s Blake Hall (who has been warning of this for years) is funded by property taxes and its all way, way too expensive?ɬ¢?¢‚Äö¬¨?Ǭ¶.so on & so on.
Well, Duh. What was left out is essentially the power equation?ɬ¢?¢‚Äö¬¨?Ǭ¶.something on the order of, ?ɬ¢?¢‚Äö¬¨?Ö‚Äúunlike other states, we in Idaho don?ɬ¢?¢‚Äö¬¨?¢‚Äû¬¢t have a compassionate bone in our bodies, and if Uncle Sam wasn?ɬ¢?¢‚Äö¬¨?¢‚Äû¬¢t holding a gun to our heads we wouldn?ɬ¢?¢‚Äö¬¨?¢‚Äû¬¢t do anything on this issue, but now we have to?ɬ¢?¢‚Äö¬¨?Ǭù.
Notice the ?ɬ¢?¢‚Äö¬¨?ã?ìpower equation?ɬ¢?¢‚Äö¬¨?¢‚Äû¬¢?
Now I?ɬ¢?¢‚Äö¬¨?¢‚Äû¬¢ve been to a bunch of these tech-company get-togethers?ɬ¢?¢‚Äö¬¨?Ǭ¶.nothing came of them. We bring in out of state experts, some of who are very, very accomplished?ɬ¢?¢‚Äö¬¨?Ǭ¶.they extol, they pontificate, they demonstrate, they have super power-point and photo-shop presentations, everyone gets all jazzed up and nothing happens. Why?
Because Idaho?ɬ¢?¢‚Äö¬¨?¢‚Äû¬¢s problems don?ɬ¢?¢‚Äö¬¨?¢‚Äû¬¢t fit their solutions?ɬ¢?¢‚Äö¬¨?Ǭ¶.our problems are political, not organizational. Ask Phil Syrdal, he?ɬ¢?¢‚Äö¬¨?¢‚Äû¬¢s been as ?ɬ¢?¢‚Äö¬¨?ã?ìorganized?ɬ¢?¢‚Äö¬¨?¢‚Äû¬¢ as any group can?ɬ¢?¢‚Äö¬¨?Ǭ¶.seen any major change?
You will never effect change this way?ɬ¢?¢‚Äö¬¨?Ǭ¶.until you effect change the ?ɬ¢?¢‚Äö¬¨?Ö‚Äúold-fashioned?ɬ¢?¢‚Äö¬¨?Ǭù way—-get organized to eliminate politicians in the legislature?ɬ¢?¢‚Äö¬¨?Ǭ¶.and I don?ɬ¢?¢‚Äö¬¨?¢‚Äû¬¢t see that here.
Send the “tech experts” home and bring in some political operatives who can help get some serious “we’re taking power (notice the words “take” & “power”) to help change things”. When you get to that point, I’ll be in….and I have $10,000.00 I’ll put in the kitty.
Bill, we all get that you have issues with local politics. And if you don’t think anyone is doing enough about it then quit griping and do something yourself. No one’s stopping you.
I feel your political pain Bill but I don’t think the negative naysayer approach is working for you.
I think the first step to removing the political roadblocks is meetings like this. If you want to have some credibility behind your “we’re taking power” threat, you have to have enough people organized to do it.
Gentlemen,
Thanks for the “discussion”. Bill, I certainly understand your post and to some extent I don’t disagree. Is there a need to do more, absolutely!!! Is this the right approach,I don’t have a clue! I am however willing to step to the plate and take a swing. IF we are successful on the 11th in creating an organization, where it will go and what it do will be determined by its members, the private sector. I believe we have to walk before we can run and that there is power in numbers. As I have traveled the state it is clear that small and medium businesses (the majority of businesses in Idaho)have a some things they would like to say and have happen. Can they find one or two things that they can agree on and take on the challenge? I believe they can and will take the first step on October 11th. What happens after that is up to them. Will there be other group(s) that evolve from this effort over time? If what I have observed in other areas is the normal course I would expect that to happen over time. Are there others with Bill’s feelings and attitude? Probably. Who knows Bill may well find partners at the Summit and start something that will do what he is suggesting. This is intended to be the start of something. To quote a golden oldie “somthings happen here” and it is a start. BE THERE!!!