New Ideas for a New Carolina

The Final Five Are Set

This years guest judges for the Wild Card category are none other than Co-owner of the Charleston RiverDogs Baseball team and their "Director of Fun", comedian Bill Murray and Mike Veeck, President of the RiverDogs. Citizens of South Carolina narrowed the list of Wild Card entries from 10 to 5 and now Bill Murray and Mike Veeck are going to select the winner.

The winner of the Wild Card category, along with all other category winners will be annouce February 11, at the ThinkTEC Innovation Summit in Charleston.

ThinkTEC Innovation Summit

The ThinkTEC Innovation Summit is the premiere showcase of the local knowledge-based industry. The event attracts business leaders, economic developers, entrepreneurs and service providers in the knowledge-based industry to showcase technology-based business opportunities. Past topics include aerospace, bioscience, alternative energy, entrepreneurialism, funding a business, intellectual property, marketing, educational resources, attracting talent and much more.

In its ninth year, the Summit will this year focus on innovation within the creative industry. This exciting and high energy event will feature.

• Gordon Knox of the Stanford Humanities Lab discussing creativity and commerce
• An update on why the creative cluster was included in the Angelou Economics Report by Amy Holloway. Now a private consultant, Amy will speak on the progress of this cluster in the region, strategies for improvement and an overview of what is happening nationally.
• Breakout sessions throughout the day focusing on various topics including: local resources for creativity/business help, publishing, the restoration economy, architecture, SC's film and media industry, making creativity a career, the path from idea to commerce, and the use of virtualization and design in government programs.
• An exhibition hall featuring companies that support both the knowledge-based and creative industries as well as local artisans demonstrating their craft.
• A culinary showcase featuring an interactive display of the local world-class talent who have turned the region into an exciting culinary destination.
• The announcement of the winners of the 4th Annual New Ideas for a New Carolina Business Idea Contest.
• The 2009 ThinkTEC Award recipient will be honored.
• Special recognition of the three local collegiate finalist teams for the Juicy Ideas Competition, sponsored by Google.

For complete conference details visit http://www.thinktec.org/innovationsummit.php.

Awards Ceremony on February 11, 2009 at the ThinkTEC Innovation Summit in Charleston, SC The Grand Prize winner will also win access to a Dream Team of Mentors to help cultivate their idea. All winners will receive a scholarship to FastTrac®, offering NewVenture ™, GrowthVenture™ and TechVenture™ entrepreneurial training programs.