by Rajiv Tandon | at MinneBar 12 | 2:00 – 2:50 in Learn | View Schedule
Background: Minnesota is credited as the birthplace of the computer, medical technology, healthcare, educational technology as well as 3-D printing. In addition there are many other "Technologies", such as Healthcare and Retail that are prevalent here. All of these have changed the world. Many local entrepreneurial firms led to the creation of entirely new industries; and also spawned numerous other companies in our area. This has been a source of pride and vitality for the region.
All organizations ultimately age and decline and are not capable of sustaining the economic vitality without fresh seeds being planted. Today our large companies are aging and showing stress and decline. The last Fortune 500 Company, which was born in Minnesota, was in 1977. At this rate we will not be able to sustain the present healthy economic climate in the future decades.
Problem: MN ranks very poorly in the nation in terms of New Venture startups. We are #47 in the nation and 3 steps below last year. Yes! we are below Mississippi. This is in the background of a 50% decline in New startups in the US. It is a crisis silently developing for the future.
Potential Solution: We have an infinite source of ideas, in the region, simply from the permutation/combination of world class technologies and the experienced personnel to support them. The increased focus on entrepreneurship requires starting many new ideas but an additional focus on those seeds that have sprouted. The ventures that survive the birthing process, and can grow are the best source of future economic prosperity and deserve the support and attention.
Mission "100 Launches": All ideas are welcome. We are scalable! It is a practical support system for new ideas that, as the name implies, aims to build 100 strong companies by helping entrepreneurs to navigate successfully the birthing process and work through the myriad of issues in building a successful company.
◄ Mentor ★ Consultant ★ Serial Entrepreneur ★ Educator ★ Senior Manager ★ Learning & Development Pioneer ★ President & CEO ★ Board of Directors ► (LinkedIn: Rajiv Tandon, Ph.D.) ▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬ As an Executive Fellow at the University of St. Thomas Dr. Tandon combines his passion for entrepreneurship and education to help in developing more robust innovative entrepreneurial enterprises through the “Rocket Network”, an ecosystem for entrepreneurs who, through forums and a collaborative network, fearlessly tackle the issues created within startups. He also runs a peer group of Leaders of Fast Growing Companies. Twin City Business Magazine listed him as one of the “200 Minnesotans You Should Know” for his focus on “EduTech”.
He is a serial entrepreneur and has been involved with Technology in Education/Training ever since there has been that domain; including founding Adayana listed in Inc 500/5000 fastest growing companies for 5 years in a row.
He held several positions at National Car Rental including corporate vice president and general manager of the Car Rental Division also serving as President of the American Car Rental Association.
As a Bush Leadership Fellow, his doctoral dissertation in entrepreneurship examined critical success factors in emerging companies that became the basis of the earliest and very successful program in Entrepreneurship at the University of St. Thomas where he was a tenured Professor. He was awarded the Edwin M. Appel Prize by the Price-Babson Program, Boston "for bringing entrepreneurial vitality to academia".
Rocket Network Programs Café-X: Monthly forum for common problems dealt with conceptual framework and exemplars 100 Launches: Helping ideas develop into MVP Smart Financing: Alternative financing sources/ methods to funding through a VC Clean Tech Open: Curricula for entrepreneurs developing clean tech organizations Executive Group: Facilitated Peer Group with an edge of Education and Foresight.
