Agenda
Registration
Speaker Biographies
Presentations
Travel & Accommodations
Business in Africa
Education in Africa
Past Conferences
Related Links
- WPI's University in Africa

Conference Schedule

WPI's Fifth US-Africa Business Conference

Promoting Entrepreneurship and Innovation

WPI Campus Center

Monday June 9, 2008

Monday, June 9, 2008
8:00 - 9:00	Registration and Welcome Breakfast
9:00 - 9:10	Conference Objectives Dr. Arthur Gerstenfeld, Conference Director
9:10 - 9:20	Welcome Remarks Dr. Dennis Berkey, WPI President
9:20 - 9:30	Trends in Global Programs Rick Vaz, Dean WPI Global Programs
9:30 - 10:15	Keynote Speaker: Financing Transactions for Start-Ups and Established Companies Euvin Naidoo, President, South African Chamber of Commerce America SACCA Discussion with keynote speaker on financing transactions for start-ups and established companies
10:15 - 10:20	Gina Betti, Associate Director for Entreprenuership & Innovation, WPI - Introduction to WPI Venture Forum
10:15 - 10:30	Morning Coffee Break
10:30 - 11:30	Panel on Entrepreneurship and Innovation US - Africa Can you imagine a world without entrepreneurs and innovation? There is no doubt life expectancy would be drastically reduced. Panelists in this panel explore the need to have entrepreneurs and innovation. Andrew Stern, Senior Vice President of Business Development, Ecosphere Energy Solutions, Inc. Tim Bergstrom, Project Director Washington South Africa International Business Linkages (SAIBL) Jerome Schaufeld, Visiting Professor of Entreprenuership, WPI Roshini Moodley Naidoo, Oxfam America Edward Gonsalves, Senior Vice President Product Development, Wavetrend
11:30 AM - 12:30	Panel on Infrastructure, Housing and the Environment We all need some enclosed space to live, to be educated and to do business. Without good planning slums and environmental degradation result. Panelists in this panel explore opportunities available in building houses and other infrastructure in Africa, while looking at doing so in environmentally friendly ways and using new technologies. John Rossi, President, John Rossi Co.,idGroup, University of Maragoli, Kenya David Olinger, Professor, Mechanical Engineering, WPI and Kite Power Project Ernest Kamau, Managing Director, Diaspora Homes Ltd. (Kenya) Daniel Moon, President, Environmental Business Council of New England Dr. Christine Martey-Ochola, Co-founder, USA-Kenya Chamber of Commerce (USKCC)
12:35 - 1:30	Buffet Lunch (Featuring food from different African countries) Ernest Edusei, Ghana Country Manager (Rtd) Avis Europe, President, Ghana Tourism Society
1:30 - 2:30	Panel on Financing Innovations Inventors and entrepreneurs need financing to see their ideas flourish. Panelists in this panel explore where one can get capital and other kinds of support to get their ideas and businesses going. Kevin Colglazier, Chief Investment Officer, Standard Asset Management Richard Kennedy, President of Worcester Regional Chamber of Commerce McRae Banks, Department Head and Professor of Management,WPI Director, Venture Forum at WPI Becky Erkul, African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) Department of Commerce
2:30 - 3:30	Panel on Education Learning institutions play a vital role in preparing young minds to contribute to making a better society. Panelists in this panel explore educational innovations and systems that can be shared between the U.S. and Africa. John Ambenge, Professor Middlesex Community College , University of Maragoli Project Michael Tjivikua, Director, Centre for Teaching & Learning Polytechnic of Namibia Susan Vernon-Gerstenfeld, Director of Academic Programs and Planning IGSD, WPI Maurice Boisvert, President/CEO, Y.O.U. Inc.
3:30 - 3:45	Break
3:45 - 4:45	Panel on Technology Life becomes easier with more technological innovations. Technology has revolutionized our way of life. Panelists in this panel explore ways to identify what technologies are needed and how to share these technologies in culturally appropriate ways. William Lapp, Manager, Contact Center Development at Cisco Creighton Peet, Director Namibia Project Center, WPI Scott Jiusto, Director South Africa Project Center, WPI Irene (Mumbi) Dunjwa, President USA-Kenya Chamber of Commerce (USKCC)
4:45 - 5:00	Outcomes and Future Directions Raphael Njoroge, Professor of African Studies WPI Arthur Gerstenfeld, Conference Chairman
5:00 - 6:00	Refreshments

Tuesday, June 10, 2008
9:00 AM - 12:00 PM	Different Group Meetings as arranged
1:30PM- 5:00PM	Tours of Gateway Business Park and Worcester Technical High School
5:30 PM - 8:30 PM	WPI Venture Forum

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Last modified: Jun 12, 2008, 13:10 EDT