OCTANe, PRTM Management Consultants Present "Making Innovation Work: Innovation Strategy and Open Innovation"

Business Wire, May 10, 2007

Innovation Leaders Robert Shelton, Henry Chesbrough to Discuss Developing, Executing Innovation Strategies

ALISO VIEJO, Calif. -- Innovation leaders Robert Shelton, Director, Product Innovation Practice, PRTM Management Consultants, and Henry Chesbrough, Executive Director, Center for Open Innovation, UC Berkeley, will discuss how leading companies are developing and executing innovation strategies as a key component to achieving growth. The May 16 event, "Making Innovation Work: Innovation Strategy and Open Innovation," is hosted by OCTANe and sponsored by PRTM Management Consultants.

Shelton, co-author, Making Innovation Work: How to Manage It, Measure It, and Profit From It (Wharton School Publishing), and Chesbrough, author, Open Business Models: How to Thrive in the New Innovation Landscape (Harvard Business School Press), will showcase innovation examples from a variety of companies to facilitate a candid discussion of what does - and does not - work. Andy Policano, Dean of The Paul Merage School of Business at UC Irvine, will introduce the topic, present the speakers, and facilitate the panel.

"This event - the third in our 'Making Innovation Work' series - will provide Orange County executives with a unique opportunity," said Gary Augusta, OCTANe President and CEO. "Both speakers have extensive research and 'hands-on' experience, and will inspire those who attend to think about innovation in effective ways that work for their companies."

Michael Aghajanian, Managing Director, PRTM, Pacific Region, agreed. "Companies today want to establish explicit innovation strategies as a key component to achieving growth. However, most executives find it challenging to drive and manage successful innovation. Rob Shelton and Henry Chesbrough are innovation leaders who will provide insiders' views into how innovation works."

The "Making Innovation Work" series of panels and workshops provide executives and managers with leading edge, practical examples about how to manage innovation, how to measure it, and how to profit from it. The topics are of interest to those in newer companies looking for a follow-up to the initial great idea that started the company, and for those in established companies looking for ways to grow their businesses to the next level.

"Making Innovation Work: Innovation Strategy and Open Innovation" is scheduled for Wednesday, May 16, 5:30 p.m. - 8 p.m. at:

Calit2 Building, UC Irvine

4100 Calit2 Building

Irvine, California 92697-2800

Admission is free for OCTANe member companies, and ranges from $35 to $75 for others.

Register at: www.octaneoc.org

About OCTANe

OCTANe is fueling "innovation development" in Orange County and Southern California. By connecting people, capital and technology, OCTANe accelerates entrepreneurs and company development for Orange County's information technology and biomedical industries. Our stakeholder group includes some of the most promising start-ups, entrepreneurs, venture capitalists, large companies, and the university sector, all working together to get more companies started, funded, and accelerated in OC and surrounding regions. To learn more about the fastest growing IT and biomedical organization in the region, visit us at www.octaneoc.org.

About PRTM Management Consultants

Since 1976, PRTM has created a competitive advantage for its clients by changing the way companies operate. PRTM management consultants work with senior executives to develop and implement innovative operational strategies that deliver breakthrough results. The firm is a leader in operational strategy, supply chain, product development, and customer management. PRTM has 16 offices worldwide and serves major industry and government sectors. Visit us at www.prtm.com.

About The Paul Merage School of Business at UC Irvine

The Merage School offers four dynamic MBA programs that deliver its thematic approach to business education: sustainable growth through strategic innovation, and leadership taught through in-class and on-site experiences with real-world business problems. Six Centers of Excellence and an Executive Education program provide numerous and varied opportunities for students and alumni to enhance their education experience and update their professional expertise. This year, The Wall Street Journal ranked the Merage School sixth in information technology while the Financial Times ranked the Executive MBA program ninth in the United States and number one in southern California. In addition, the Financial Times ranked the full- time MBA program 31st in the nation and 49th globally, up 33 slots over the previous year. Visit www.merage.uci.edu for more information on The Paul Merage School of Business.