Conference Speaker Profile - Kathleen Allen  
 
Kathleen Allen

Biography: Kathleen is the author of more than 15 books in the field of entrepreneurship and technology commercialization.  As a professor of entrepreneurship and the Director of the University of Southern California Marshall Center for Technology Commercialization, which she co-founded, Allen has worked with scientists and engineers to help them identify markets and applications for their technologies and to prepare them to seek funding. Her personal entrepreneurial endeavors include four successful companies in real estate and technology. As co-founder and CEO of N2TEC Institute, she is advising universities and state government entities in the northern plains states on the commercialization of energy technologies such as solar, biofuels, and wind and helping them to establish commercialization teams to drive the launch of new ventures.  She is also director of a NYSE company. Allen holds a Ph.D. with a focus in entrepreneurship from USC, an M.B.A., and an M.A. in Romance languages.  She also has a degree in music. 

Title: Bringing the Future In2 View: An Entrepreneur's Perspective


Abstract: You will find better odds in Vegas than those you will have trying to predict the future. In real life, linear relationships are the exception and controlled environments are non-existent. Real life is uncertain and entrepreneurs deal in real life. Instead of wasting time trying to predict the future, entrepreneurs design the future through disciplined experimentation as they put themselves in a position to recognize opportunity whenever it hits. The future is unknowable, but we can design a company and a culture today that will be successful in any future.