SOREDI Announces New LAUNCH & Tech Symposium

Anyone in Southern Oregon with interest in crafting a future vision that supports the growth of business startups and companies that integrate technology and tech workers, should plan to attend SOREDI’s LAUNCH & Tech Symposium on Thursday, April 19, 2018. This daytime event will replace SOREDI’s monthly LAUNCH|Talk for the month of April. Visiting experts will speak on specific elements needed in a multidisciplinary environment that encourages the growth, attraction and integration of entrepreneurs, tech startups, technology workers, advanced manufacturing and the academic and lifestyle elements that support them. Mary Hebert, senior vice president for North America at WAVTEQ, will speak regarding the unique set of criteria desired by technology companies considering a relocation. Dara Macan, Global Director of Business Development for SourceLink will present Building the Infrastructure to Create a Vibrant Entrepreneurial Ecosystem. Vince Anewenter of University of Milwaukee’s School of Engineering will share the critical role that a rapid prototyping hub plays in supporting startups and manufacturers as they test and develop new products. A generous sponsorship from Southern Oregon University makes it possible for SOREDI to host speakers from around the country. More sponsorship opportunities are available.

Mary Hebert, Senior Vice President for North America at WAVTEQ, a spinout of The Financial Times. WAVTEQ provides software development, consulting, and FDI lead-generation services. Hebert has provided consulting and lead generation assistance to clients such as the Inter-American Development Bank, Greater Minneapolis St. Paul, Calgary Economic Development and Invest Quebec. Hebert holds a Master’s in Public Administration from Arizona State University, where she focused her efforts on tax policy and government incentives. She also earned a Bachelor’s of Interdisciplinary Studies in Business Administration and Philosophy from ASU.

Hebert’s focus for the LAUNCH & Tech Symposium will be to assist the Southern Oregon region to examine itself from the point of view of a tech company, seeking to relocate and grow. Site selection is a critical part of any company’s plans. Technology companies must consider criteria beyond the labor pool, logistics, square footage and transportation. The types of companies that are expanding has radically changed over the last decade. Hebert will discuss trends in rapidly growing technology firms, and what they are looking for in communities. In addition, she will share what she’s been seeing in international technology firms and the special considerations they have for evaluating locations in the US.

Perhaps more importantly than the visiting speakers and experts, SOREDI’s LAUNCH & Tech Symposium will provide the audience with an opportunity to meet and brainstorm with entrepreneurs and municipal partners in Southern Oregon. A round-table discussion will be held in conjunction with lunch that will provide the audience an opportunity to digest the expert-level information they receive, offer their own experiences and ask questions of leaders and decision-makers in this region.

If you own a business startup or mature business that depends on technology infrastructure, or a technology labor pool, you will want to attend this Symposium. If you provide business services to manufacturers or startups, or if you are a leader in the education or business community that plays a role in the entrepreneurial culture of Southern Oregon, you won’t want to miss participating in this discussion. SOREDI desires to integrate your local challenges and opportunities with expert advice and best practices from outside the region. Don’t miss it!

Tickets for the April 19 LAUNCH & Tech Symposium are available at www.soredi.org/events. Prices are $75 for members of SOREDI, $100 for non-members. Your ticket price includes a light breakfast, mid-morning refreshments and a plated lunch. Please bring your team and be prepared to participate. The LAUNCH & Tech Symposium opens at 8:00 am, at the Ashland Hills Hotel & Suites in Ashland. All sessions will conclude by 3:00 pm.

About SOREDI: SOREDI is a private, membership-based, non-profit organization, governed by a board of directors. Its seven-person staff is charged with local business expansion and new business recruitment efforts, financial assistance to start-up companies through its business loan fund, and management of Enterprise Zones in Jackson and Josephine Counties. The agency was formed as a regional economic development agency in 1987. Learn more at https://soredi.org.