Entrepreneurship and Innovation in the Nordic Region: Are There Lessons to be Learned for Silicon Valley and Vice Versa

Please join us at Stanford’s Wallenberg Hall, on August 1, 2008, 6:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., for a program organized by Silicon Vikings, in conjunction with the University of San Francisco Managing Graduate School of Management Intensive MBA Program, entitled “Entrepreneurship and Innovation in the Nordic Region: Are There Lessons to be Learned for Silicon Valley and Vice Versa”.

The cultural aspects of entrepreneurship and innovation are both drivers of and obstacles to entrepreneurship and innovation. Entrepreneurship and innovation in the Nordic Region is often challenged by cultural factors, yet we in Silicon Valley have seen some amazingly successful companies grow in that region and transplant themselves to the Valley.

This special program will feature a buffet dinner and a panel discussion; the panelists are all experienced entrepreneurs, or those who have financed entrepreneurs, originating in the Nordic region. Panelists include:

* Michel Wendell, Partner, Nexit Ventures (Helsinki, Stockholm, Silicon Valley)

* Eero Teerikorpi, Founder, Continuent (Helsinki and Silicon Valley) and Founding Partner, Blue White Ventures (Helsinki and Silicon Valley)

* Magnus Ryde, Partner, Quan Ventures (Silicon Valley ands Geneva) and former CEO of FlexIC. and former interim CEO of Intematix (Silicon Valley)

* Andre Sloth Eriksen, Founder, Asetek (Copenhagen and Silicon Valley)

* Jonas Berggren, CEO, CSE Incubation (Chalmers Institute of Technology, Gothenburg) and Entrepreneur in Residence, T2 Venture Capital (Silicon Valley)

* Mateo Santurio, X-Seed Capital (Silicon Valley) and Business Advisor at Uppsala University Holding Company (Uppsala)

* Jan Linden, VP of Engineering, Global IP Solutions (Stockholm and San Francisco)

* Cathy Tanimura, MBA Student, School of Business and Management, University of San Francisco (San Francisco)

* Richard Allan Horning, Principal, Fish & Richardson PC (Silicon Valley) [moderator]

* Dr. Carlos Baradello, Associate Dean, School of Business and Management, University of San Francisco (San Francisco) [moderator]

This program is a fund raiser for the benefit of Silicon Vikings. Silicon Vikings is a collaborative business networking organization for the technology sector. Silicon Vikings operates in the intersecting worlds of Silicon Valley and the Nordic region to help members succeed in their professional and personal endeavors. Silicon Vikings accomplishes this by providing networking events, and by effectively communicating valuable information of interest to its members.

Recommended contribution: $20

This special program is co-sponsored by Vinnova, the Swedish Agency for Innovation; Silicon Valley Bank; and Fish & Richardson P.C.

Directions to Wallenberg Hall: http://wallenberg.stanford.edu/top/location.html

For signup see below: