Internal experts share knowledge about doing business in the US

Dr Neville Comins, CEO of The Innovation Hub Management Company (Pty) Ltd and Martin Yuill, Manager: Value-Added Services and Marketing with guests at the first Pub event of 2005. [Above and below] Attendees at the first Pub@Hub event held at The Innovation Hub’s new campus in Pretoria.

Well-informed urban innovators - members of The Innovation Hub's INNOV8 high-tech and knowledge-intensive community - gathered on 3 February this year for another oversubscribed Pub@Hub business networking evening: the first of 2005, and the first to take place at the Hub's new Pretoria campus.

Featured international "pub talkers" at this particular event were the internationally-recognised Harald Horgen, President and CEO of The York Group, and his colleague, David Nour, the company's Regional Managing Partner for the South Eastern USA.

Harald's presentation considered what makes the US such a daunting, yet compelling, market for technology companies in particular, and discussed some of the key success factors for local technology companies entering that market. David, in turn - with his passion for building and nurturing lasting relationships - enthralled with a presentation on "relationship currency".

The York Group is an international organisation with offices in twenty countries. It has been specialising in international business development services for information and communication technology companies since 1993. With an initial focus on software it has followed the evolution of the industry as it moved into the Internet and wireless. With a global network of offices and partners, The York Group has helped companies from North America, Europe, Asia and South Africa grow their business internationally. Its clients range from familiar names such as Dell, Intuit and WinZip, to small and emerging firms.

Square One, our Headline Sponsor for the evening, is a leading provider and integrator of interactive communication, information and knowledge management technology solutions. The company sells world-class products, strategies and solutions to its target markets, applying the principles of integrity, supplier loyalty and efficient customer support and retention.

Pub@Hub events bring together leading lights of the local high-tech and knowledge intensive communities. They provide a place for creative, innovative and entrepreneurial souls to hobnob with both local and international industry leaders and tech sector "movers and shakers".

Most importantly, Pub@Hub evenings provide a focal point for the commercialisation of new technologies, the seeding of high-growth companies, and speeding up the flow of cutting-edge ideas about markets, products, services, processes, and technologies.

If you are interested in becoming part of the INNOV8 community and its associated activities and events, or have colleagues or business associates who might benefit from an invitation to attend such business networking occasions, click here!

Sincere thanks

Our presenters

• Harald and David for sharing with members of the INNOV8 community their thoughts, ideas and incredibly valuable insights. Copies of the presentations are available via email from innov8@theinnovationhub.com

Our corporate sponsors for sponsoring the "lucky draw" prizes for the evening:

• Square One Power Solutions, part of the JSE-listed Square One Group and our Headline Sponsor, for sponsoring two UPS units, and
• Telkom for sponsoring corporate gifts.

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