Heidi Roizen’s Entrepreneur-in-Residence Report, University of Edinburgh, Scotland

As one of the last “formal” activities of the Edinburgh-Stanford Link — make that the Edinburgh-Stanford Link I – besides the hosting of the Accel Stanford Roundtable on Entrepreneurship Education (REE) Europe in September of 2010, we were blessed to have Heidi Roizen as our Entrepreneur-in-Residence (EIR).  She was based in the Edinburgh Entrepreneurship Club […]

Paul Krugman Weighs in on Scottish Independence and Currency

For full disclosure, I certainly do not agree with everything Paul Krugman says.  However, on this occasion, I do. Granted, his Keynesianism and luddism disallow him from seeing the forest through the trees and embracing small “l” libertarianism which supports cryptocurrency. Krugman whipped out a piece “Scots Wa Hae” here on the Opinion Pages of […]

Response from the Academic Entrepreneur to The Economist article on Scottish Independence

The Academic Entrepreneur would like to comment on the forthcoming article published in the Economist “Pounded into Submission“. The Economist is an English publication with definitive English slant and bias. I am a longtime reader of the publication and do appreciate its perspectives at times, but often do not agree with everything.  Mr. Salmond has […]

Canada’s Emerging Venture Capital Policy and What Scotland Can Learn

Crucial to an emerging innovation economy such as Scotland’s is a healthy supply of entrepreneurial risk capital, be it business angel, crowdfunding, or institutional venture capital financing.  Supply creates demand. Entrepreneurs seek risk capital and will move to where it is present. Such supply is perhaps the single most important yet often unarticulated reasons that […]

Now the EU joins in for the fright? Let it go.

Today the airwaves are again full of anti-independence rhetoric for Scotland. Now its the EU joining in to let the voters know that joining is special club will be “difficult”  Another blessing in disguise. Let’s consider that many wealthy and independent nation states are not part of the EU, such as Norway and Switzerland.  Norway does […]

Pound Ultimatim for Scotland Opens Door for the First Tech Currency State

Political posturing or not, UK Treasury Chief George Osborne has issued a warning to Scotland that it if does go independent, it unfortunately won’t enjoy the wonderful benefits of the Pound.  Pundits will call this a keen political move, adding further fuel to the fire in the Campaign of Fear. Nothing like scaring a bunch of pensioners, […]

Which Currency for an Independent Scotland?

Which Currency for an Independent Scotland? The Pound or The Euro? Neither. Yesterday there was a lot of political positioning and maneuvering around the currency issue as the UK Chancellor, George Osborne, was supposedly going to rule out a currency union with Scotland, should it vote YES and go independent.  Today there will be a […]

It’s NOT about the Oil, it’s about the Intellect

Naturally, the arguments for and against Scottish Independence are full of rhetoric, nationalism, and emotion. There is, for example, an argument about how the independence movement is all about ego, of one man or the other, depending on which side the arguer is on. Also, there is a lot of argument around whether or not […]

Northern England Could Provide Critical Mass for the New Independent Scotland: Invite the Geordies to the Party!

A few years ago Henry Etzkowitz mentioned Hadrian’s Wall as an ideal geographical boundary for a northern zone of innovation in Europe. Hadrian’s Wall is the historical boundary between Scotland and England. It was constructed by the Romans to keep the unruly peoples of the north out of Roman-occupied territories of the south. Dr. Etzkowtiz […]

Royal Roads University: Potential to Become an Entrepreneurial University in Tectoria

Victoria (aka “Tectoria”), Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada ROYAL ROADS UNIVERSITY in Colwood, BC, Canada Map of Royal Roads University Royal Roads University http://www.royalroads.ca/ is a public university located in Colwood, British Columbia. It has a very interesting history as a former military training facility and a family estate. It is know in the region […]