Part of a global network of MIT Enterprise Forums building connections between technology entrepreneurs and the communities in which they reside, the UK chapter - relaunched last autumn - is open to all individuals passionate about driving technological enterprise and innovation, whether MIT alumni or non-alumni.

Each year we run a series of events focused on bringing together some of the brightest and most ambitious entrepreneurial minds, both from the UK and from further afield.

They comprise:

    * The Distinguished Entrepreneur Series - featuring successful global entrepreneurs
    * Interactive Case Studies - showcasing fast growing technology-based businesses
    * Global Broadcasts - linking directly in to USA MIT Enterprise Forum events
    * Leading Edge Technologies - discussing ground and market breaking technologies

If you are interested in gaining leadership and management experience, learning more about technology entrepreneurship, and taking advantage of professional networking opportunities through the MIT Enterprise Forum global network, read on. The MIT Enterprise Forum chapter in the UK is looking for energetic volunteers and leaders to help shape the future of this growing and potentially vibrant chapter.  The chapter's website is at  http://mitef.org.uk/mitef/pages/mitef.php

For more information on the MIT Enterprise Forum, please go to the Website at: www.mitenterpriseforum.org

Organizational summary:

For more than twenty-five years, The MIT Enterprise Forum has connected technology entrepreneurs and has produced educational programs to fuel ideas and innovation worldwide. The EF is a non-profit, volunteer-driven organization that was founded by the MIT Alumni Association in 1978. The global headquarters is located on the MIT Campus in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Together with their twenty-four chapters around the globe, their goal is to link technology entrepreneurs to emerging ideas and enterprising leaders in their local communities and beyond. Participation and membership is open to all - MIT graduates as well as other technology business leaders, venture capitalists, industry experts, and emerging entrepreneurs. When you join the MIT Enterprise Forum, you become a part of an entrepreneurial ecosystem that offers limitless networking opportunities, a vast community of experts, and the tools for bringing your next innovation to commercialization.

Once again it is time to renew your membership of the Club!  We have over 100 dues-paying members at present and about half of these pay by standing order.  For the rest of you, however, this is a reminder that it is time to renew your subscription.  There are numerous events throughout the year to go to and by keeping up your membership you help the Club support events.  Previous events:- Jeremy Bentham, CEO of Shell Hydrogen, gave a seminar on Hydrogen and Fuel Cell;  Sol Trujillo, CEO of Orange spoke about the Way Ahead for Wirefree Communications;  Peter Goodfellow, Head of Discovery Research at GlaxoSmithKline gave an insight into the future of pharmaceutical research and drug development.  In addition, in November, 2007, we had a MIT Enterprise Forum launch event with Dr. Desh Deshpande. President Hockfield  also spoke at a reception at the Institute of Directors about MIT's focus on energy science and about raising MIT's profile around the world.

Membership fees for the year 2008/2009 are:

• £20  ($40)  Regular membership (guarantees discounts for events with a fee)
• £50  ($100)  Sustaining membership (in addition, allows priority where there is limited attendance)

• Please forward your cheque made out to:  MIT Club of Great Britain to Yiting Shen, membership VP.

• If you will be in the UK for some time, you can email Yiting  for a standing order form.

• If you wish to pay using an internet account, please email Yiting for account details; use your NAME as the reference, and please let Yiting  know when you have made a payment.

The MIT Alumni Association’s online career assistance network, known as ICAN, can be a very valuable tool for current MIT students who are seeking career advice, summer internships, or trying to create a network of contacts for future career management.  ICAN is a Web-searchable database of alumni who volunteer their time as career advisors.  Alumni sign up online as career advisors, and create a profile that shares their professional interests, current job duties, past experiences, and ways in which they’d like to be in contact with both current students and alumni.

Alumni are encouraged to join the Institute Career Assistance Network as career advisors by clicking the link “Sign up to be an advisor online” found at http://web.mit.edu/alum/career/ican/  “This is a great, easy way to give back to MIT,” says Tempesta.  “Advice volunteers offer might provide a fellow alumnus or student significant support, and now more than ever we must nurture the network effect as an ongoing investment in the future.”

Those alumni seeking career advice are also encouraged to use ICAN.  Start your ICAN search today at http://web.mit.edu/alum/career/ican/.

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