Big Idea Competition Showcase - Diamond Kinetics Guest Speaker

The annual Randall Family Big Idea event showcase is happening on April 2nd from 4 to 6 pm. Entrepreneurs from Pitt will be competing for $100,000 in cash prizes for their innovative ideas. During the showcase, finalists will present to a panel of expert judges along with Pitt students, faculty, alumni, entrepreneurs, investors, and program sponsors.
At this year's showcase, Diamond Kinetics, the RCI company that is revolutionizing baseball techniques with their Swing Tracker technology, will be a guest speaker. The event is free, but those interested in attending the showcase should register here.

Here are some more details and information about the competition:

Mission
The annual Randall Family Big Idea Competition is an experience-based learning opportunity offered to all University of Pittsburgh undergraduate and graduate students across all schools and departments. Since its inception in 2009, the competition has attracted hundreds of interdisciplinary teams seeking to bring their big ideas to market.

Objectives

• Stimulate innovation and entrepreneurship at the University of Pittsburgh
• Support University of Pittsburgh students in launching and growing new business ventures in western Pennsylvania
• Provide a forum for emerging student entrepreneurs to network with potential advisors, partners, customers and funders
• Highlight the expanding entrepreneurial culture at Pitt to the university community, the region and prospective students

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Record Year for Tech Investments in Pittsburgh

According to a recent report from Ernst & Young LLP and Innovation Works, investment dollars came pouring into Pittsburgh last year. The city has been getting noticed lately for its innovative startups, especially in the tech industry and based on the report findings, venture capitalists and other investors are noticing. The spike in investments is the highest it has been since 2001, and it moves Pittsburgh up to 11th in the U.S. for venture capital dollars.

Highlights of this year's report include:

• Growth in Pittsburgh's technology sector is accelerating among venture capitalists, angels and other investors with $437.8 millioninvested across 177 deals in 2014, marking a 46% increase in dollars and a 19.6% increase in deals over 2013.
• VCs invested $332.9 million into 39 Pittsburgh deals in 2014, a 168% increase in dollars invested and a 26% increase in the number of deals over 2013. This was the highest level of VC investment in the Pittsburgh region since 2001.
• Angels invested $72.9 million in 2014, a 35% increase over 2013.
• Pittsburgh compares favorably against the 40 largest Metropolitan Statistical Areas in the United States, ranking 11th in investment dollars per capita and 5th in deals per million residents.

The uptick in investment activity is a noticeable component of Pittsburgh's overall economic health. "Pittsburgh's tech community has built great success, and continuing momentum, through an inter-related system of strong university partnerships, a steady stream of talent and investment and a nurturing community for startups. These numbers will grow even better in coming years," PittsburghMayor William Peduto said.

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Ways to Celebrate Saint Patrick's Day in Pittsburgh

There are other ways to celebrate St. Patrick's Day in Pittsburgh, besides attending the annual parade. In fact, according to a recent ranking from Niche, Pittsburgh is the best city in the U.S. for celebrating the holiday. In honor of the city's new title, here are some St. Patty's Day events from the Tribune-Review to put in your calendar.

Beer Session

On March 17, the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust's Craft Beer School will host a session on ales created at area breweries that use green or environmentally sustainable practices.
Tony “The Beer Man” Knipling of Vecenie Distributing will host the session called “When Green Beer Is Good Beer.” It offers tastings of several beers, light appetizers, a Q&A period and an opportunity to win door prizes. 

The event will kick off at 6 p.m. in the Cabaret at Theater Square, 655 Penn Ave., Downtown. Admission is $29.75, but the session is sold out. However, the luck of the Irish might help you snag a cancellation turned in to the box office. 

Details: 412-456-6666 or trustarts.org

Green Dress Run
Maybe you just wear a green scarf or pin to avoid a nasty glare on St. Patrick's Day. But if you really like wearing green, the Green Dress Run on March 14 at Peter's Pub in Oakland is right up your alley. 

Don a green dress and bring $20 — along with your sense of humor — and join the Pittsburgh Hash House Harriers on a trail they promise will be flat, short and dry — with beer and other goodies provided. Participants must be at least 21 years old. 

The Harriers will donate proceeds from this year's Green Dress Run to the Animal Rescue League of Western Pennsylvania. 

Details: 412-480-5872 or mypeterspub.com

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Pittsburgh St. Patrick's Day Parade Details

If you are in Pittsburgh around St. Patty's Day, you probably know that the city is full of celebrations. This year, the annual parade is scheduled for Saturday, March 14th. If you want to join in on the celebrations, just put on your festive green attire and head Downtown for the parade. Here are some of the details:

Market Square will host its annual street party starting at 10 a.m. The "Irish Fair in the Square" is a family-friendly, alcohol-free event until 2 p.m., then it becomes an adult-oriented event with beer drinking allowed in the streets and controlled access to the square.Open containers will be permitted (no glass or coolers) from 2 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. Food and green beer will be sold in the streets of the square. 

Parking:Street parking will be heavily restricted. Visit the Parking Authority website for a list of downtown lots and garages and their rates.

Public Transit:Check the Port Authority schedules for bus and T service to downtown.
Approximately 45 bus routes serving Downtown and the Strip District will have detours and/or temporary stop changes starting as early as 7:30 a.m. 

Street Closures:Pittsburgh police will announce a list of downtown street closures in the days leading up to the parade.

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Why Work for a Startup Tech Company?

We've mentioned before how Pittsburgh is gaining a new name for itself. Instead of being known for steel, its entrepreneurs and tech companies are garnering some attention. Now, there are tech startups all over the city. In fact, Pittsburgh recently made Zip Recruiter's list as one of the top cities to get a job at a startup, especially when it comes to technology. A recent article in Inc. took a look at why working at a tech company is so valuable, and we've list a few highlights below.

1. It's where the jobs are.
Other industries wax and wane but, tech bubbles notwithstanding, the tech industry is adding jobs at a dependable clip. Last year, Pew Research published an analysis showing how tech sector jobs had nearly doubled from just over 2 billion jobs in 1997 to just under 4 billion in 2012. And head counts have only grown since then. 

2. They need your non-tech skills.
No matter what you do, there's a tech company out there that needs your skills. Know how to make a really good cream puff? Big tech companies like Google could use your baking skills in their famed cafeterias. 

3. Your career can grow rapidly.
Just imagine for a moment what kind of advancement opportunities you might have in a company whose head count has grown by twenty times? Small, fast-growing start-up companies are a great place for this kind of rapid advancement.

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Reasons Why Pittsburgh Startup Outlook is Positive

In recent years, the startup scene in Pittsburgh has been steadily growing, and we can only expect that growth to continue. The steel city is getting some major attention lately, and no longer just for its steel or recently freezing weather.

Startups in the region made it on two notable lists this past week as one of the top cities for startup employment and venture capital dollars, both signalling a positive future for businesses. Find more information on the lists below:

Startup employment

ZipRecruiter.com, a website that analyzes job and recruitment data, found Pittsburgh is No. 17, ahead of Atlanta, Philadelphia, Houston and Dallas, among others.

The company said Pittsburgh's place on the list was because of its local startup companies including Duolingo, No Wait and The Resumator.

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Venture Capital 

Venture capital dollars spent in the Pittsburgh region more than doubled from 2013 to 2014, according to a new report from economic and social trend tracker PittsburghTODAY.

In 2014, venture capital firms invested $338 million in local companies, up from $138 million in 2013.

“That was driven largely by several very large growth capital financings,” said Mike Stubler, managing director with Draper Triangle Ventures, an early-stage venture capital firm based in Pittsburgh. “Almost half of the money went to three large deals.”

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Show Local Businesses Some Love This Valentine's Day

This Valentine's Day, you can show your love to a special someone and to local businesses by buying a gift locally. Plus, if you haven't purchased a gift yet, you can quickly grab these gifts and save yourself from worrying about shipping time or costs. Here are some Valentine's Day gift ideas from Pittsburgh area businesses.

Pretzel Crazy Valentine’s TreatsThis Valentine’s Day, think outside the chocolate box and consider a holiday treat from this locally owned independent Pittsburgh based business. Visit Pretzel Crazy online for ordering info.

Wine Cellar Personalize Wine BottlesIf you’re looking for a fun gift to commemorate this special occasion, Pennsylvania Wine Cellar in Station Square offers several local wine $3.50, so for around $15, you’ve got a customized bottle of vino to give to that special someone!

ESSpa Hungarian Skincare Valentine Day Spa SpecialsPick from over 10 spa deals, such as “Valentine ‘I Love You Twice As Much’ Bonus Gift Card Sale”, “Life by Chocolate”, and “Red Hot and Healthy Package.” Please visit ESSpa’s website to find out about all these unique spa packages.

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