5th Gemma Frisius Investment Forum: Starting and growing high-tech companies in difficult times

Starting and growing high-tech companies has always engendered specific challenges. Entrepreneurs are forced to tackle the entire spectrum of the entrepreneurial process, which goes far beyond their main interest: bringing their ideas to the market. This process includes advancing the technology or concept and mapping out a strong technology roadmap for the future, assessing potential markets, strategic thinking in how to exploit their ideas in the best way, how to capture value, how to protect intellectual property, how to raise and manage the necessary financial and human resources.

In times of economic crisis embarking on the entrepreneurial track brings about even more challenges.

The Gemma Frisius Investment Forum provides an excellent opportunity to share the latest insights and to learn from a plurality of practical experiences from both investors, entrepreneurs and technology transfer experts on how to cope with today's critical issues concerning starting and growing high-tech companies.

PROGRAMME
- 08h45: Registration

- 09h45: Growing companies in difficult times: challenges and opportunities - Koenraad Debackere (Chairman GFF and Managing Director, K.U.Leuven R&D)

- 10h15: Case Metris: an entrepreneur's strategy to cope with economic challenges - Bart Van Coppenolle (CEO, Metris)
- 10h45: The Gemma Frisius portfolio: experiences in today's difficult environment - Speakers of the Advisory Board of GFF

- 11h15: Coffee & Tea break

- 11h45: Financing growth throughout a recession: an investor's perspective - Luc Bertrand (President, Ackermans & Van Haaren)
- 12h15: Case Eyetronics: a combined effort - Dirk Callaerts (CEO, Eyetronics), Bart Becks (co-founder Glechar Music Ventures and founding partner TEG group)

- 12h45: Sandwich lunch

- 14h00: Moving on and next steps - Koenraad Debackere (Chairman GFF)
- 14h15: Reengineering your Business Model - Stef De Corte (CEO Imaging Spector Photo Group)

- 14h45: Panel discussion 'Meeting the challenges'
Moderator: Paul Van Dun (General Manager, K.U.Leuven R&D)
Panel: Koen De Witte (CEO, reMYND) - Noël Jans (CEO, D square) - Frederik Loeckx (CEO, Triphase) - Jos Peeters (Founder & Managing Partner, Capricorn Venture Partners) - Herman Verrelst (CEO, Cartagenia)

- 15h30: Coffee & Tea break

- 16h00: Keynote presentation - Your strategy and your organisation in constant evolution: an international view - Jeff Skinner (Executive Director, London Business School)

- 16h45: Closing remarks
- 17h00: Drink

Practical information:
Date: Tuesday, November 17, 2009 (09h45-17h00)
Location: 'Promotiezaal', Universiteitshal, Leuven