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| Even as bank lending to small businesses decreased in the last three years, lending by credit unions increased. Now, credit unions want Congress to loosen the limits on how much the nonprofit financial institutions can lend to businesses. |
| (Source: Bloomberg Businessweek, 2011-03-09) |
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| Republican governors across the United States are betting that now is the time to cut corporate taxes, despite the tattered condition of state budgets. Emboldened after taking a majority of state governors' mansions, Republicans are pitching at least a dozen proposals to slash state corporate taxes this year. |
| (Source: Reuters, 2011-03-15) |
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| There is a growing federal effort to enforce the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act in a new way. In recent years, U.S. authorities have been investigating illegal gifts to executives at companies owned by their governments, treating the employees as government officials. |
| (Source: Los Angeles Times (free reg. req'd), 2011-03-11) |
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| There are a lot of smart people in universities, and many of them are certainly good at inventing technologies that will change our lives, but for the most part, universities aren't particularly adept at extracting the full measure of profit from all those innovations. Investing in start-ups is the business of venture capitalists, some of whom have come up with a new formula for profits. |
| (Source: The New York Times (free reg. req'd), 2011-03-12) |
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| As venture capitalists scramble to get a piece of Silicon Valley's new Web boom, entrepreneurs are finding they have the upper hand. As venture-capital firms pile into deals in order to find the next Facebook or Twitter, some entrepreneurs are calling more of the shots, picking and choosing whose money they will take and at what price. |
| (Source: The Wall Street Journal, 2011-03-10) |
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| During the dot-com craze, just about every company this side of your corner hot-dog stand set up a venture capital arm, but then the market crashed, and most corporate venture capital went with it -- until now. Experts say that, thanks to bulging corporate balance sheets and a growing reluctance among traditional venture investors like state pension funds to dabble in risky investments, big companies are getting back into the game in a big way. |
| (Source: Mercury News (free reg. req'd), 2011-03-20) |
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| A dozen investment managers have exited venture capital firms in recent months to join rivals, private equity firms, or to start their own funds where they can go by their own investment strategy. India's robust economic growth provides the perfect backdrop for such transitions. |
| (Source: The Wall Street Journal, 2011-03-17) |
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| A group of lawmakers and prominent technology investors are trying to ease bureaucratic hurdles for thousands of foreign-born entrepreneurs as part of a broader effort to create jobs in the United States and spur innovation. A new bill -- introduced by Senators John Kerry, a Massachusetts Democrat; Richard Lugar, an Indiana Republican; and Mark Udall, a Colorado Democrat -- aims to give two-year visas to foreign entrepreneurs if they secure at least $100,000 in financing from qualified investors. |
| (Source: The New York Times (free reg. req'd), 2011-03-17) |
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| The Senate overwhelmingly approved a sweeping overhaul of the U.S. patent system, over the objections of much of Silicon Valley and warnings from California Sens. Dianne Feinstein and Barbara Boxer that the legislation could harm small inventors. The America Invents Act, six years in the making, passed the Senate on a 95-5 vote as both parties joined the Obama administration in arguing that an antiquated and litigation-riddled patent system is hobbling innovation. |
| (Source: San Francisco Chronicle, 2011-03-09) |
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| The Obama Administration is calling for greater law enforcement authority and tougher penalties, including prison in some cases, for people convicted of copyright infringement. The White House's Intellectual Property Enforcement Coordinator, Victoria Espinel, submitted 20 recommendations to Congress aimed at cracking down on copyright infringement on items ranging from drugs to music and military equipment. |
| (Source: National Journal, 2011-03-15) |
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| Some companies are beginning to acquire expertise in a less direct way: through advisory boards. Advisory boards are separate from boards of directors and generally don't have legal obligations, and they are particularly popular at growing private companies, which have either a management-only board of directors or no board at all. |
| (Source: CFO.com, 2011-03-08) |
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| Tax-free shopping is under threat for many online shoppers as states facing widening budget gaps increasingly pressure Amazon.com Inc. and other Internet retailers to start collecting sales taxes from their residents. Billions of dollars are at stake as a growing number of states look for ways to generate more revenue without violating a 1992 U.S. Supreme Court ruling that prohibits a state from forcing businesses to collect sales taxes unless the business has a physical presence, such as a store, in that state. |
| (Source: Seattle Post-Intelligencer, 2011-03-20) |
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Indianapolis' Sixth Startup Weekend
Registration is open for Indianapolis' Sixth Startup Weekend, an intense 54-hour brainstorming and business-building event that will be held April 8-10 at the Purdue Research Park of Indianapolis. The program, which is part of a global movement, typically results in the creation of several new businesses. It will culminate with a presentation on Sunday, April 10, 2011 as company founders have an opportunity to pitch their ideas for prizes and potential investors.
During Startup Weekend, a diverse group of developers, business managers, startup enthusiasts, marketing leaders, graphic artists and others gather to create and develop innovative new products, projects and companies. Many times, a viable company emerges, such as Pocket Tales, a company that turns reading books into an interactive game; ShoutNow Inc., an automated messaging system; StatsSquared Inc., a Twitter analytic tool; and EatDrink.it, a restaurant rating tool. It is an opportunity to connect with other professionals, and perhaps find a co-founder to turn ideas into reality.
Ice Miller LLP is proud to sponsor the Indianapolis Startup Weekend on April 8-10. To learn more, please visit the Indianapolis Startup Weekend's Web site or read Entrepreneur's article about Startup Weekend. |
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On March 17, the Indianapolis Business Journal announced that Indianapolis-based Angie's List received the biggest financial infusion in the company's history—$53.5 million—with most of it coming from two major investment firms.
The consumer-ratings service plans to use the investment to continue its rapid growth. The company, which employs about 400 in Indianapolis, has more than 1.5 million members in 200-plus markets across the United States and Canada.
Ice Miller LLP has assisted Angie's List for more than nine years and has seen firsthand the evolution of Angie's List business. During Angie's List growth, Ice Miller LLP has provided legal support and advice relating to all facets of the law including providing legal advice for equity and debt financings, intellectual property matters, labor and employment matters, litigation disputes, and general day-to-day corporate and contract issues.
Learn about Ice Miller LLP's private equity and venture services work with Angie's List. |
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“The Fast Growing Impact of Mobile” was the topic of discussion at TechPoint’s March 14, 2011 Measured Marketing Roundtable. The Roundtable was hosted by Ice Miller LLP, in affiliation with Professor Dave Ferguson and the Center for Media Design of Ball State University. Michael Becker, North American Managing Director for the Mobile Marketing Association (MMA), was the featured speaker. The MMA works to promote, educate, measure, guide and protect the mobile marketing industry worldwide.
Read more about TechPoint's March 14 Measured Marketing Roundtable hosted by Ice Miller LLP.
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So far this year, initial public offerings in the U.S. have increased 85 percent from the same period last year, a sign that long dormant investor appetites are awakening for new public company stocks. But one group of companies could be left out as the IPO market heats up — small firms proposing IPOs of $50 million or less.
Source: San Diego Union -Tribune |
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March
March 24 - Indianapolis Sustainability Awards Luncheon
April
April 8-10 - Indianapolis Startup Weekend
April 20 - Indiana Chamber of Commerce's Economic Club of Indiana Luncheon
April 21 - Indiana Chamber of Commerce's Health Care Reform Seminar
April 28 - ACG Indiana 2011 Corporate Value Awards Dinner |
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