Innovations in... Crowdfunding 

Crowdfunding & Innovation:
Opportunities and Expectations

Thursday, January 24th  

4:00 – 5:00 PM

Elliott Alumni Center - The 1925 Room

Speakers:

Matt Benson, Attorney at Cook Little Rosenblatt & Manson

Tom Elliott Young, Entrepreneur & Author of "The Everything Guide to Crowdfunding"

Seminar Description:

The internet and social web allows innovators to connect to a global audience eager to financially support a compelling new product, business idea, or research project. With this money, however, comes expectations to manage, and pitfalls to avoid.

Attorney Matt Benson and author Tom Young will present on a range of topics, including:

- What is crowdfunding, and what are the different models (e.g. equity vs reward)?

- How can crowdfunding be used to raise money for a new business, product idea, or research project?

- What expectations will your supporters have, and how do you manage them?

Tom and Matt will provide several examples of crowdfunding campaigns.

This event will provide information for innovators, students, faculty, staff and business entrepreneurs interested in using crowdfunding to support their great ideas.

About our Speakers:

Matt Benson, Attorney at Cook Little Rosenblatt & Manson

Matt Benson is a corporate attorney and advises his business clients on a variety of legal and business issues. He represents entrepreneurs of all types, including technology start-up companies. 

In his work with start-up and other privately held companies, Matt has counseled his clients on a variety of corporate matters, including entity formation, obtaining angel round financing, venture capital or other debt and/or equity financing, executive and employee compensation, contract issues, equity ownership matters, and exit strategy issues. In addition, he advises his technology-related companies on a wide range of matters specific to them, including software licensing, licensing of intellectual property, and website development matters. Last summer, he was a panelist at "Does Crowdfunding Move the Needle for NH Startups?", a mini-conference at the Idea Greenhouse.

Matt also leverages his legal and business education background and his extensive business contacts for the benefit of his clients. He seeks to assist his clients with making valuable contacts that will help their businesses succeed and grow.

Connect with Matt on Twitter at @matt_benson.

Tom Young, Enterpreneur & Author, The Everything Guide to Crowdfunding

Thomas Young is a consumer electronics expert, inventor, and serial entrepreneur who crowdfunded his product, IronBuds, a modular and durable alternative to broken earbuds. His book "Everything Guide to Crowdfunding" was published by Adams Media in late 2012. Thomas received an electrical engineering from UNH and an MBA from Western New England University.  After college, he spent over a decade working as an engineer with Henry Kloss of AR, KLH, Advent fame before catching the entrepreneurial bug. In just 60 days during 2011, Tom raised more than $100k for two businesses that have since generated over $1m in sales. Tom resides in Durham and is a frequent speaker on crowdfunding. 

The official Twitter hashtag for this event is #orpccatalyst.

The seminar will be followed by beer and networking from 5:00-7:00pm in the same room. Attendees must be 21+ to partake.

NEW LOCATION & PARKING!

This year, ORPC seminars will be located in the Elliott Alumni Center on the corner of Edgewood Road (off of Main Street) and Strafford Avenue in Durham.

Campus visitors are encouraged to park in Lot H for $1/hour; parking is free after 6pm. Metered parking is also available along Strafford Avenue.

The Innovation Catalyst Seminar Series, hosted monthly, discusses relevant issues related to commercializing UNH’s innovations, including current and emerging best practices on campus.

The seminars are open to all and designed to be a meeting place for innovators, entrepreneurs, service providers, and anyone else interested in how the university innovations of today represent the information and opportunities of tomorrow.

Want to know the latest from the Office for Research Partnerships and Commercialization? Follow Executive Director Marc Sedam on Twitter: @UNHinnovation

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