Rohit Shukla Speaks at Entrepreneurship Symposium
November 24, 2003

By James Klein, Larta VOX Editor

Larta CEO Rohit Shukla spoke Thursday and Friday, November 20 and 21 at Policies and Programs to Build Entrepreneurship: Perspectives from the United States and Sweden, a symposium sponsored by The Swedish Foundation for Small Business (FSF), Swedish Institute for Growth Policy Studies (ITPS), The Swedish Business Development Agency (NUTEK), The Board on Science, Technology and Economic Policy, and the U.S. Academy of Sciences. The event was held at the Hotel Del Coronado in Coronado, California.

Shukla spoke Thursday, November 20, with Anette Bjorkman, ALMI Businesspartner, Varmland, in the Reflections and Comments section of a panel titled Crossing the Valley of Death: Programs to Support Entrepreneurship. Other panelists included Charles Weissner of the National Academies speaking on Trends, Anomalies, and Programs in the US Innovation System; Lennart Norgrean of the Swedish Agency for Innovation Systems, Vinnova, addressing Funding Innovation in Sweden: The Vinnova Model; Marc Stanley of the National Institutes of Standards and Technology presenting Innovation Awards and Collaboration: The Advanced Technology Program. Per Hallerby of Rosenhill Development AB served as Moderator.

Shukla discussed Developing Clusters of Innovation in California on a Regional Perspectives panel Friday, November 21, with Susan Hackwood of the California Council on Science and Technology speaking on Innovation Policy in California; and Staffan Larsson of the Swedish Business Development Agency, NUTEK, covering Developing Clusters of Innovation in Sweden. Reflections and Comments were provided by Ulf Hugmark, ALM Businesspartner, Blekinge; and Bjorn Falkenhall, Institute for Growth Policy Studies, ITPS. Mary Walshok of CONNECT served as panel Moderator.

A symposium Introduction and Overview titled Entrepreneurship Policies was given by Anders Lundstrom of the Swedish Foundation for Small Business Research and Charles Wessner of the US Academy of Sciences.

Another panel Thursday was The Potential of an Entrepreneurial Society with David Audretsch of Indiana University, Anders Lundstrom of the Swedish Foundation for Small Business Research, Caroline Wigren of Jonkoping International Business School, and Robin Gaster, North Atlantic Research and The National Academies. Reflections and Comments were provided by Christina Nordin of the Swedish Business Development Agency, NUTEK. Panel Moderators were Tal Finney, former Director, Office of the Governor for Planning and Research; and Woodrow W. Clark III, former Deputy Director, Office of the Governor for Planning and Research.

Friday had an additional panel titled Academic Entrepreneurship - Developing Scientific Growth, featuring James Turner, Science Committee, US House of Representatives; Therese Sjolund, Science Park, Jonkoping; and Martin Kenney of U.C. Berkeley. Reflections and Comments were presented by Monica Strom, Swedish Institute for Growth Policy Studies, Brussels Office Manager; and David Audretsch of Indiana University. Karl-Henrik Pettersson of Groveda AB served as Moderator.

Friday included a roundtable titled Roundtable: What Have We Learned and What Should We Do? with Charles Wessner of the US Academy of Sciences; Mary Walshok of CONNECT; James Turner, Science Committee, US House of Representatives; Christina Nordin of NUTEK; Sven Sjogren, Ministry of Industry, Trade and Communication; and Helena Johnson-Franchi, Swedish Office of Science and Technology. The roundtable was moderated by Anders Lundstron, Swedish Foundation for Small Business Research.