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Tech Week showcases state's best

Jeff Smith, Rocky Mountain News

Published September 18, 2006 at midnight

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Colorado Tech Week kicks off today with the launch of a plan to develop the state's nanotechnology industry, the engineering of molecular-scale products.

The state technology showcase concludes Friday with a workshop on entrepreneurship. Tech Week is repeating the weeklong, statewide format initiated last year, though with fewer events outside the Denver area.

Jonita Leroy, who is coordinating the event for the state Office of Economic Development and International Trade, said the event was moved up from its usual time in October to get ahead of the elections. But that made it difficult for some rural areas to participate because of harvesting schedules.

The smaller number of events this year also reflects more collaboration among sponsors, she said. The goal was to "have larger events, more quality-driven, with higher-level speakers."

Speakers include Dan Arvizu, director of the National Renewable Energy Laboratory in Golden; Richard Rokosz, manager of IT strategy for Lockheed Martin Space Systems; and IBM Vice President Jeffrey Rhoda, who will speak about innovation at Thursday evening's DEMOgala. That event, a highlight of the week, showcases 45 technology companies and is co-sponsored by IBM and the Colorado Software & Internet Association.

The Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. said recently that Colorado's high-tech sector "performed poorly" in the first three months of 2006, putting stress on employment along the Front Range.

The FDIC noted that Colorado has the highest concentration of tech workers in the country who are critical not only to the economy but to income growth in the state.

Mark your calendar for Tech Week

• TODAY

Event: Clean Energy Partnerships sessions on Renewable Energy Technologies

Sponsor: Colorado State University

Time: 8 a.m.-12:30 p.m.

Place: Colorado State University, Engines & Energy Conversion Laboratory, Fort Collins

Contact: or 303-866-2401

Event: Role of Appropriate Technology

Keynote: Dan Arvizu, director of the National Renewable Energy Laboratory

Sponsor: International Center for Appropriate and Sustainable Technology

Time: 7-9 p.m.

Place: Lecture Hall in Center for Technology and Learning Media, Colorado School of Mines, Golden

Cost: Free, but seating limited

Contact:

Event: Launch of the state's nanotechnology initiative

Time: 9:30-11 a.m.

Place: Ricketson Auditorium, Museum of Nature & Science, Denver

• TUESDAY

Event: Movers & Shakers Breakfast Series

Speakers: Dmitry Loschinin, CEO of Luxoft, an international software company; and Andre Durand, CEO of Denver-based Ping Identity, which helps companies manage and protect customer identities on the Internet

Sponsors: The DaVinci Institute and the University of Denver's Daniels College of Business

Time: 8-9:30 a.m.

Place: Phipps Mansion, 3400 Belcaro Drive, Denver

Cost: $49, 100-person capacity

Register:

Event: IT Governance: Taking the IT Organization to the Next Level

Speaker: Richard Rokosz, manager of IT Strategy, Technology & Governance, Lockheed Martin Space Systems Co.

Sponsor: Rocky Mountain Information Management Association

Time: 11 a.m.

Place: Red Lion Hotel, 1975 Bryant St., Denver

Cost: $30 guests, $25 members, $15 students

Register:

• WEDNESDAY

Event: Pioneering Engineering Efforts in Colorado, showcasing vintage photos of work done in Colorado by electrical engineer Nikola Tesla; presentations on Seagate, InPhase Technologies, Cable Labs

Sponsor: Denver section of the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers

Time: 5:30-9:30 p.m.

Place: 13th floor Qwest conference center, 1801 California St., Denver

Cost: Free

Register:

• THURSDAY

Event: DEMOgala Technology Showcase

Demonstrations and exhibits by 45 technology companies

Keynote: IBM VP Jeffrey Rhoda, "Innovation that Matters"

Sponsors: Colorado Software & Internet Association, IBM

Time: 4-9 p.m.

Place: Grand Hyatt, 1750 Welton St., Denver

Cost: $175, member and student discounts

Register:

• FRIDAY

Event: Invention to Venture workshop

Details: Introduction to process and practice of technology entrepreneurship

Sponsors: University of Colorado at Denver Health Sciences Center, the National Collegiate Inventors & Innovators Alliance

Time: 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m.

Place: St. Cajetan's Church, Auraria campus, Denver

Cost: $35; faculty $25; students $15, lunch included

Contact: