Whether you want to sell a new kind of product or a new app, you’ve got to develop your idea into a real product that customers are willing to pay for. Do you try to develop the product in house or do you outsource the development? How do you fund your product development? How do you make sure you’re developing the right product for your market? The panelists have broad and deep experience in developing many different types of products in life sciences and high tech fields and will offer guidance in matching your product to your market, practical suggestions for making the most of your development budget, and effective advice for avoiding product development pitfalls. And share a few stories from their own product development adventures. One of our speakers is CEO of a product development company focused on high tech fields and one is serial entrepreneur and CEO and angel investor in a broad array of life science ventures. Our moderator is a recognized attorney for startup companies and ENET Chairman. Speakers: Steve Owens, founder of Finish Line PDS (www.www.finishlinepds.com) has over 30 years of successful product development experience in many different industries and is a sought-after adviser and speaker on the subject. Steve has founded four successful start-ups and holds more than twenty-five patents. Steve has worked for companies such as Halliburton and Baker Hughes. He has experience in the Internet of Things, M2M, oil and gas, and industrial controls. Steve’s insight into the product development process has generated millions of dollars in revenue for start-ups and small businesses. Finish Line PDS provides product and technology development management, mechanical design, and development of electronics, firmware and sensors, as well as design verification testing and other services. Finish Line PDS is a proud sponsor of the Boston ENET. https://twitter.com/FinishLine_PDS Richard Gill, PhD, Board Director and Investor, Launchpad Venture Group (http://launchpadventuregroup.com) Dr. Gill is a seasoned entrepreneur, CEO, investor, and board member. He is a longtime investor and director at Launchpad Venture Group, the largest angel investing group in the Northeast. Dr. Gill is active on the board of several startups. Dr. Gill’s most recent operational role was President & CEO of TruTouchTechnologies, an alcohol testing and biometric device company, where he remains a board member. Prior to that he has been President & CEO at Genome Therapeutics, ActiveCyte, AnVil, Signet and ProNAi. He also held executive positions at Unilever and British Technology Group. He has executed business strategies, moved candidates into clinical trials, overseen M&A activities and much more. His degrees are inPhysiology and Biochemistry, Chemistry plus a PhD in Endocrinology. Molly Farison, Co-founder and CEO at Lilypad Scales (www.lilypadscales.com), is an experienced electrical engineer and product developer with significant product development history. She has experience in consumer and healthcare markets working with factories in the U.S. from starting her present company, Lilypad Scales, which developed from scratch a functional and durable product with 5-star reviews on Amazon.com. Molly also led two capital raises and gave presentations that landed her company a spot in MassChallenge in 2013 and won the Babson BETA Challenge ($20k prize) in 2014. Molly manages an interdisciplinary team that has included engineers, doctors, salespeople, and graphic designers. Molly had prior work experience at Altaeros Energies, Rockwell Automation and NASA. She graduated Olin College of Engineering, with a B.S., Electrical and Computer Engineering, and was co-inventor on the patent relating to Lilypad Scales’ first product, the Lilypad Scale for Manual Wheelchairs. Kevin Winter, Sales Engineer/Programs Manager at Kalow Technologies (www.kalowtech.com), is enjoying his 4th year as Sales Engineer/Programs Manager at Kalow Technologies (www.kalowtech.com), using his manufacturing and Product experience to help customers (i.e. for small startup companies in New England and large worldwide corporations) convert their ideas into productive, profitable offerings. Kalow is an Electro-mechanical Contract Manufacturer located in lower state Vermont. Kevin started his professional experience by joining GE, right out of college, and was with them for 18 years. This time included a 3 year Manufacturing Management Training Program including 6 assignments, 4 locations, and 6 different products and afforded him extensive Manufacturing experience. With a desire to have customer interface responsibility Kevin moved into Product Management on the AN/SQS 53B Sonar System and then Industrial sales with GESCO in the latter part of his GE experience. After Jack Welch, then CEO of GE, sold the Heavy Military Equipment Division Kevin joined Carrier/UTC where he was responsible for subcontracted procurement of engineered components for their Industrial Chiller product group…..after 5 years, UTC moved the factory to South Carolina. In order to keep his family in New England he accepted a 5 year assignment as an Industrial Motor Systems sales position with Teco-Westinghouse. Additionally, he supported Merriam-Graves now Airgas for 5 year as Director of Inventory having responsibility for Procurement & Inventory Control for 45 branches within New England before joining the Kalow team. Moderator: Robert Adelson, business and tax attorney, partner at Boston law firm of Engel & Schultz LLP (www.ExecutiveEmploymentAttorney.com), and Chairman of IEEE Boston Entrepreneurs’ Network. Rob has been an attorney for over 30 years specialized in business, tax, stock and options, employment, contracts, financings, trademarks and intellectual property. Rob began as an associate at major New York City law firms before returning home to Boston in 1985 where he has since been a partner in small and medium sized firms before joining his present firm in 2004. Rob represents entrepreneurs, start-ups and small companies, independent contractors and employees and executives. Rob is a frequent speaker on business law topics and author of numerous articles published in Boston Business Journal, Mass High Tech and other publications. He has been named among the “Top 20 Boston Startup Lawyers” by ChubbyBrain.com, a website that provides tools for entrepreneurs. Rob has been on the ENET Board since 2002 and Chairman since 2009 and is also a Co-Founder and Board member of the 128 Innovation Capital Group. He holds degrees from Boston University, B.A., summa cum laude, Northwestern University (Chicago), J.D., Law Review, and New York University, LL.M. in Taxation.
05 Jan 2016 6:30 PM – 9:45 PM Location: Constant Contact, 1601 Trapelo Rd., 1st Floor Innoloft, Waltham (Exit 28, I-95/Route 128) You can get more information and register for the event HERE
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