FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

SMALL BUSINESS TECHNOLOGY INSTITUTE AND INTEL INVITE SMALL BUSINESSES TO TAKE A DAY OFF

World of Difference Learning and Development Conference Honors five small business finalists in nationwide contest for $100,000 in information technology education, products and services from Intel

SAN JOSE, Calif. (January 11, 2006) – The Small Business Technology Institute (SBTI) and Intel Corporation invite small businesses to learn how they can create a profitable and thriving future at The World of Difference Learning and Development Conference on January 26-27 at the Hilton New York in New York City. Made possible through the generous support of Intel, the event is designed for small business owners, managers and staff, plus the community partners that are integral to their success, including chambers of commerce, economic development corporations, state agencies and small business development centers (SBDCs).

Thursday, January 26 – Contest Final Presentations and Awards (invitation only)
More than 2,300 small businesses across the United States entered The World of Difference contest by developing compelling vision statements on how information technology will make their business successful. Small businesses with the top-scoring business cases were selected to work with an Intel channel member to create a business proposal. The top five small business finalists from The World of Difference contest will present their individual business proposal on stage for judging in an invitation-only program on Thursday, January 26, 2006 at 11:00 a.m. EST. Selected live on stage, the winner will receive a $100,000 credit for free information technology education, products and services with the partnering Intel channel member, plus a $5,000 cash prize. The Intel Channel Member will also receive $50,000 in marketing development funds from Intel.

Community partners also play a role in ensuring that current and future generations of small businesses have the right tools and opportunities to continue fueling economic growth. One private, non-profit, educational or governmental organization will win $25,000 in Intel-based technology, including server and mobility solutions, for referring the winning small business to the contest.

Friday, January 27 – Learning Conference (open to the public)

Small businesses can attend in-depth training modules to learn how server-based information technology can improve small business success, including:

• Front and back-office productivity – Networking, wireless, office equipment and security for the technology-driven era;
  
• Marketing, sales and business development – Email marketing, online advertising and search engine optimization for increasing sales and reaching new markets;
  
• Operations, inventory management and collaboration – E-commerce business practices to increase efficiency in product and service delivery;
  
• Financial management – Programs for accounting processes including overviews of online services, online bills payment, invoicing, electronic transactions, e-commerce, taxes and payroll;
  
• General management and executive decision making – Using technology to improve profitability and growth and manage customer relationships through business management applications, collaboration software, web analytics and overall technology planning guidelines.

An interactive demonstration center provides hands-on examples and practical demonstrations of more than 20 small business technology solutions and business scenarios. Training modules and demos will be presented by technology experts from SBTI and Intel.

"Small businesses represent 99.7% of employers in the United States and those employers are increasingly using innovative technology solutions to expand and grow their company,” said Andrea Peiro, CEO of the Small Business Technology Institute. “However, our extensive research confirms that a majority of small businesses are still not making adequate use of information technology. The World of Difference equips them with a unique blend of educational resources to improve their growth and success."

“To foster and support the rapid pace of growth in the use of information technology by small businesses, Intel is significantly increasing our efforts with small business, particularly with educational initiatives such as the World of Difference,” said Will Swope, Vice President and Director of Intel Enterprise Brand. “We are excited to work with our hardware and software innovators, and our sales channel members to help small businesses discover and appreciate the technologies that can take their business to a higher level of performance and make them more competitive, locally and globally.” 

General Registration for January 27
Small businesses can pre-register for the January 27 program online for $20 ($40 at the door) at http://www.theworldofdifference.org/ny. Admission includes breakfast, lunch, course materials, access to the solutions demonstration area, a one-year subscription to Small Business Technology Magazine and a chance to win door prizes. For more information, call (408) 494-0212 ext. 107.

About the Small Business Technology Institute

The Small Business Technology Institute (SBTI) is a non-profit organization that fosters the adoption of information technologies among small businesses through information technology awareness, education, counseling and support services for businesses with up to 300 employees. Additionally, SBTI provides technology developers and vendors with market intelligence and knowledge to ensure the development of products that meet the needs of small businesses. For more information, please visit www.sbtechnologyinstitute.org.

# # #

Editor’s Note: For media interviews, images or to register to attend The World of Difference event on January 26 and 27, please contact Nellie Wong at (415) 561-0888 ext. 2306 or nellie@landispr.com.