03/27/2013 SBIR Webinar on Commercialization and Taking your Company to the Next Level

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Join SBA and Ash Fontana from AngelList on Wednesday, March 27 at 2PM – 3PM EST for a webinar to discuss commercialization opportunities.

We have heard from many companies and stakeholders that there is an interest in learning more about commercializing. This webinar will help answer questions about the challenges of getting additional capital and finding investors.

Hear from Mr. Fontana, one of the leading experts in the commercialization field on how to take companies to the next level by finding the right investors. He will discuss how to match investors with startups and small businesses, and how to meet, connect, and pitch to potential investors.

Representatives from SBA will also discuss updates to the SBIR/STTR program and the potentials of commercialization.

On Wednesday, March 27th, you may join the web conference 10 minutes prior to 2PM by clicking http://emsp.intellor.com/login/412279

Dial-in: After you’ve connected your computer, audio connection instructions will be presented

If you need technical support or additional information regarding our events, please visit our portal at http://emsp.intellor.com/portal/sbainnovationevents or contact AT&T Connect Support at 1-888-796-6118  

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SBA Announces 2013 National Small Business Week

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Week-long, cross-country events to feature tools & ideas to start or grow your business; National Small Business Person of the Year at D.C. Event

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Small Business Administration is proud to announce that its signature event, National Small Business Week, will be held June 17th through June 21st. This year’s events will take place all across the country and feature exciting and informative events designed to help small businesses start, grow and succeed.

This year’s activities will include forums discussing the small business landscape, business coaching services, matchmaking events as well as networking opportunities and award ceremonies. The week’s events culminate in Washington where the 2013 National Small Business Person of the Year will be announced. Candidates from all 50 states and territories will be competing for the award.  And all small businesses that attend will interact with federal government officials, local elected leaders, representatives from national businesses and other small business experts.

The locations and dates for National Small Business Week are:

•           Seattle – June 17

•           Dallas – June 18  

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Introducing AnnaBot, my robotic wheelchair

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Wheelchair Robot Anna

Anna

I need to do some research on Smart Wheelchair technology, and what better way to do it than on an actual wheelchair?

Well, the better way was upcycling 3 broken wheelchairs into one working wheelchair-based robot. Total cost for the entire project: $40 for an Arduino and some ultrasonic sensors. I call her AnnaBot.

Quick glance as of today : Wheelchair base. Wi-fi enabled. Onboard camera. All controlled from the laptop using an Arduino microcontroller. Six ultrasonic sensors are waiting to be installed for basic obstacle avoidance.

Microsoft Robotic Developers Studio will be used to program speech recognition, conversation, and autonomous behavior, including “follow me” capability and gesture recognition using the Kinect sensor.

The first thing I did was take stock of the parts I could use that I already had around the house. I found an old laptop and a webcam. I was already playing with MRDS. That left me with two parts to find: a working wheelchair, and a microcontroller to interface to it.  

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Important Federal Tax Dates for April 2013

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Mon 1 Electronically file Forms W-2, W-2G, 1098, 1099, and 8027.
Mon 1 File Form 2290 and pay the tax for vehicles first used in February.
Mon 1 File Form 730 and pay the tax on wagers accepted during February.
Wed 3 Deposit payroll tax for payments on Mar 27-29 if the semiweekly deposit rule applies.
Fri 5 Deposit payroll tax for payments on Mar 30 – Apr 2 if the semiweekly deposit rule applies.
Wed 10 Employers:  Employees are required to report to you tips of $20 or more earned during March.
Wed 10 Deposit payroll tax for payments on Apr 3-5 if the semiweekly deposit rule applies.
Fri 12 Deposit payroll tax for payments on Apr 6-9 if the semiweekly deposit rule applies.
Mon 15 Individuals:  File Form 1040, 1040A, or 1040EZ.  For automatic 6-month extension file Form 4868 and deposit estimated tax.  Pay the first installment of 2013 estimated tax.
Mon 15 Partnerships: File Form 1065 and furnish a copy of Sch. K-1 to each partner.