1. Silicon
Valley
Innovation
Program
(SVIP)
What is SVIP
SVIP, the Silicon Valley Innovation Program,
is an intensive program for innovators who
want to get up-to-date on the most current
methods for developing innovation from
idea to market, learning from the best
practices of leading-edge companies. SVIP
is offered as a 1-week program held in
Silicon Valley.

2. What is SVIP
SVIP, the Silicon Valley Innovation Program, is an intensive program for innovators who
want to get up-to-date on the most current methods for developing innovation from idea to
market, learning from the best practices of leading-edge companies. SVIP is offered as a
1-week program held in Silicon Valley.
SVIP Program Founders & Partners
Foresight Valuation Group LLC (Palo Alto)
FVG specializes in Intellectual Property valuation, strategy and business advisory services,
helping companies, large and small, bring their innovation to market. FVG is based at the
heart of Silicon Valley, and is closely affiliated with the Stanford Graduate School of
Business.
LearningStartup (Italy, The Netherlands)
LS provides experiential training for startups and innovators on leading-edge
methodologies for business idea development and innovation validation. LS is in charge of
the Business modeling module of the Master in Complex Actions at SISSA, the International
school of Advanced Studies in Trieste.
Usque ad Sidera LLC (Seattle)
UAS is an innovative company that bridges the existing gap between research and its
valorization. UAS helps innovators and inventors achieve their goals and favor the
exchange of knowledge.
Our Partners
CREAX is a worldwide reference in innovation consulting. They add a systematic approach
to the black box of innovation. Putting together accomplished innovation experts with
cross-industry learning and a unique methodology, they provide breakthrough solutions to
their clients.

3. SVIP Participants
SVIP participants are entrepreneurs and innovators (managers, executives, MBA
students/grads, etc) looking to learn first-hand how to successfully launch a startup or an
innovation program within a company. The program takes place in Silicon Valley, the place
where the most innovative companies flourish. It is designed to meet the needs of
entrepreneurs, innovators, executives, managers and graduate students in business or
scientific disciplines.
The SVIP Vision
Enterpreneurship: You will experience first hand the US way of launching a company, with
very intense days of classes and interactions with global business leaders and experts.
Networking: You are going to visit the key players in the world leading innovation
ecosystems on the US West Coast and you will have the opportunity to talk in person with
the people who are shaping the future of technology.
Innovation: You are going to learn the most advanced methodologies for fostering
innovation, as taught at the most prestigious Business Schools.
SVIP Learning Objectives and Activities
• Leading edge methodologies for managing innovation;
• The most recent advancements in IP law and practices;
• Valuation models and how to interact with VCs and investors;
• Company visits for first-hand Silicon Valley networking;
• Understanding the US market and how it fits your business model
SVIP Program Location
The 1-week program is based in Silicon Valley, including visits to leading companies in the
Bay Area and start-ups. Classes and seminars will be held in Palo Alto at the Oshman
Family JCC, a state of the art facility for conferences and events at the heart of Silicon
Valley. The facility is equipped with advanced audio-video equipment, Wi-fi Internet, and
ample free parking, and is conveniently accessible from the 101 Freeway (the main traffic
route of Silicon Valley).
SVIP Program Faculty
Efrat Kasznik: President, Foresight Valuation Group LLC, IP and business valuation
expert; Stanford Business School lecturer, entrepreneur and start-up adviser.
Leonardo Zangrando: Founder, LearningStartup, entrepreneurship and innovation trainer
and coach, instructor of the MCA, International School for Advanced Studies.
Luca Escoffier: CEO, Usque Ad Sidera LLC, IP and technology management expert, TTLF
Fellow, Stanford Law School, Adjunct Researcher at Waseda University, Tokyo. Start-up
adviser and co-founder of The HUB Trieste.
Josè D’Alessandro: President Europe, Blue Earth Network, Marketing Strategy &
Innovation expert, entrepreneur, professor at LUISS University and other business schools,
and an approved trainer of the Creax methodology.
Dario D’Angelo: Currently an Advisory Software Engineer at the IBM Silicon Valley
Laboratory and chair of the IBM Silicon Valley Technical Vitality Council.
Other lecturers might be added.

4. SVIP Program Outline
SVIP will be held in Summer 2013 during the following dates: 17 to 21 June and 24 to 28
June 2013 in Palo Alto, California.
Below is a planned agenda for the program:
DAY 1 DAY 2 DAY 3 DAY 4 DAY 5
09:30 am Effectuation: a Understanding Financial modeling Creax-Luiss Innovation in the
--- logic of thinking global and planning in Systematic Silicon Valley
11:30 am of expert technology the early stage Innovation by Dario D’Angelo
entrepreneurs transfer by Efrat Kasznik by Jose
to build successful by Luca Escoffier d’Alessandro
ventures
by Leonardo
Zangrando
11:30 am Pretotyping: make How to develop a Business and IP Creax-Luiss The journey of a
--- sure you are sound IP portfolio Valuation for Systematic Silicon Valley
12:30 am building the right it in a startup fundraising Innovation startup
before you by Luca Escoffier by Efrat Kasznik by Jose by TBD
build it right d’Alessandro
by Leonardo
Zangrando
12:30 am Lunch Lunch Lunch Lunch Lunch
---
02:00 pm
02:00 pm SVIPathon and SVIPathon and SVIPathon and SVIPathon and SVIPathon and
--- mentoring mentoring mentoring mentoring mentoring
04:00 pm
04:30 pm Company visit Company visit Company visit Company visit Pitch competition
--- & potluck party
onward

5. SVIP Program Curriculum
Effectuation & Pretotyping
Instructor: Leonardo Zangrando
In this module you will discover the most recent techniques used by start-ups and large
companies alike for accelerating the innovation process. Effectuation is a logic of thinking,
discovered through scientific research, used by expert entrepreneurs to build successful
ventures. Pretotyping is a way to test an innovation idea quickly and inexpensively by
creating extremely simplified, mocked or virtual versions of that idea to help validate the
premise that “If we build it, they will use it.”
Understanding global technology transfer & How to develop a sound IP portfolio in a
startup
Instructor: Luca Escoffier
In this module you will get acquainted with the complex world of technology transfer and
its regulation and practice. You will also develop some basic knowledge as to the strategic
creation and development of an IP portfolio while working for start-ups and medium-sized
organizations. Finally, we will go through some exercises to put in practice the acquired
skills in IP strategy.
FInancial Modeling & Business/IP Valuation
Instructor: Efrat Kasznik
In this module you will get first hand experience with financial planning and valuation
techniques for early stage startups. We will focus on modeling market rollout, revenue and
monetization strategies, and cost structures associated with the formation of a new
venture. The speaker will share her experience as a start-up CFO and will review
bootstrapping techniques for stretching your dollars to the maximum. Finally, we will go
over the principals of business valuation for fundraising, and how to prepare your investor
presentations.
Creax Systematic Innovation
Instructor: Josè D’Alessandro
In this module you will learn a methodology to get the most out of your creative efforts and
to face every business and technological challenge in a creative yet systematic way.
Stemmed from the Russian TRIZ Creax puts together the best of Western and Eastern
methodologies for creativity with a 79 million patent database and a user friendly SW
interface. You will learn it through a series of theoretical explanations and hands-on
exercises.
Innovation - a guide through the mind set, the process, and the dynamics of bringing
ideas to life
Instructor: Dario D’Angelo
In this module you will familiarize yourself with methods for exploiting the value of an idea
and its framework. You will be able to enhance your ability to identify and generate new
valuable ideas, overcome the inevitable hurdles, and enable greater success in getting
your ideas adopted.

6. SVIPATHON - building a pitch for your business idea
Build your own pitch, during our daily SVIPATHON afternoon sessions, and test it at our
pitching session on the last day of the program. With a whole week dedicated to letting
your creativity flow, the SVIPATHON is a perfect opportunity to practice the art of
formulating and pitching your idea to potential investors. Projects tackling world’s grand
challenges will be greatly encouraged (e.g. water, food, energy, etc.).
Company Visits
Every afternoon (from Monday thru Thursday) you will have the chance to visit a company
based in Silicon Valley. Potential candidates are IBM, Google, Oracle, startups, etc.
Other Events in Silicon Valley
Silicon Valley is the place to be if you are looking for startup-related or networking events
(just check www.eventbrite.com) Our speakers will suggest event in advance (i.e. before
you come here) so that you can reserve tickets and might be able to attend fun and
interesting events at night, individually or in a group.
Pitching Event & Potluck Party
The very last day, you will have the opportunity to pitch your idea in front of your peers and
instructors and validate your assumptions after a week of hard work. To conclude the
program, participants, speakers, and friends will gather for a potluck dinner to toast a great
week of learning, networking and ideation.
SVIP Program Cost and Registration
The cost of the program is USD $2,500 per person per week. The fees cover the tuition and
daily (5) breakfasts and refreshments (drinks, snacks during the day). Hotel, airfare,
transportation, lunch and dinner are not included.
Number of participants: min. 15, max. 35.
For additional info, e-mail us at svip@learningstartup.org.
For registering, e-mail us the URL of your Linkedin profile at svip@learningstartup.org in
order to be considered and arrange a video interview. Selected participants will be notified
within 2 weeks.
Registration is open until April 30th. Early bird discount of 20% for payments received by
February 28th, 2013, and 10% for payments received by March 31th, 2013.
Please note that it is participants’ responsibility to have all permits and/or visas required to
travel from their country of origin to the United States of America. Failure to comply with
travel regulations will not entitle you to reimbursement.
Method of payment
Forty percent (40%) of the payment is due at the time of registration, and the balance (i.e.
60%) is due six weeks prior to the start of the program. Cancellations are accepted until six
weeks prior the beginning of the program and will be subject to a $300 penalty fee which
will be deducted from the first installment.
If one month prior to the start of the program the number of participants is less than 15, the
program will be cancelled, and the payment will be reimbursed.

7. Bios of SVIP Founding Members
Efrat Kasznik
Efrat Kasznik is an intellectual property (IP) and valuation expert, entrepreneur, author
and thought leader, with close to 20 years of consulting experience assisting clients
with bringing their innovation to market. She is the founder and president of Foresight
Valuation Group, a Silicon-Valley based IP valuation, strategy and start-up advisory
firm. She teaches a class on IP Management at the Stanford Graduate School of
Business, and is a frequent speaker and author on IP valuation and strategy issues.
She specializes in analyzing and valuing IP portfolios and emerging technologies,
and has worked with corporate clients that range in size from Fortune 100 to start-ups
across a range of industries: telecommunications, cloud computing, network
equipment, software, semiconductors, automotive, aerospace, chemicals, cleantech,
nanotechnology, media, mobile apps and healthcare. Throughout her career, Efrat
served as a co-founder and adviser to several start ups, including serving as Chief
Financial Officer at a Silicon Valley telecom start-up, and most recently, as a
co-founder of an energy efficiency start-up. She routinely advises startups on topics
related to business strategy, financial modeling and IP portfolio management. Efrat
received an MBA from the University of California, Berkeley, and a B.A. in Accounting
and Economics from the Hebrew University, Jerusalem.
Luca Escoffier
Luca graduated in law from the University of Parma in 2001, he then earned a Master
of Laws in intellectual property law in 2003 (WIPO). After some years spent in law
firms and in an Italian nano-biotech company, he moved to Seattle in 2008 to work as
a Visiting Lecturer at the University of Washington (“UW”) where he also earned in
2010 a Certificate in Business Administration from the Foster Business School. Luca
writes regularly for international journals on intellectual property law, and he is a
Fellow of the Stanford-Vienna Transatlantic Technology Law Forum. Luca was one of
the four experts in intellectual property law that have been selected in 2009 as
Fellows at the Institute of Intellectual Property in Tokyo, which is sponsored by the
Japanese Patent Office, to write a report on knowledge transfer activities in Europe
and Japan. Luca is a Singularity University alumnus (GSP10) and from 2010 he has
been working as an external licensing manager for the University of Trieste (Italy).
Finally, since 2011, he is the CIO of Qurami, an Italian startup involved in the time
saving business, and since October 2012 he is the co-founder and Director of The
HUB Trieste.
Leonardo Zangrando
An Innovation entrepreneur, Leonardo created LearningStartup, a totally hands-on
methodology supporting innovation and startups. LearningStartup is currently used
at important Italian institutions supporting entrepreneurship such as the Master in
Complex Actions at SISSA and Officine Formative. Leonardo provides coaching,
seminars and hands-on training for startups and innovation departments at large
companies. Leonardo key theme is the efficient use of resources, in terms of process
efficiency increase, waste reduction, and full potential development. On these
themes he developed a career in business management consulting and training.
Challenging the silo-trap of large companies, he worked on projects ranging from
Strategy, to Marketing & Sales, to Production, in several sectors, such as Pharma,
Biotech, Wines & Spirits, Transportation, Logistics. MEng, MBA from IESE Business
School in Barcellona, and First Level Degree in Pharma and Biotech Licensing from
PLG-UK.

8. Other Lecturers
Josè D’Alessandro - President, Blue Earth Network in Europe.
Jose has grown some of the world's most iconic brands, including Coca-Cola, Sprite,
Uncle Ben’s, Knorr, Pirelli, Dunlop, Vespa, and MotoGuzzi across the world, living in 5
countries and coordinating up to 48, with an uncommon ability to work in multicultural and
multilingual environments. He managed innovation, turnarounds, marketing and sales and
new market entries, in FMCG, semi-durable goods and automotive, his roles ranging from
marketing manager to Business Unit director with full P&L, factory and R&D responsibility,
his last position being Executive VP, Europe for Piaggio. A speaker at many universities (NY
Stern, HEC Paris, etc.) and conferences, he teaches a General Management, Negotiation
& Sales at the Publitalia ’80 Marketing Sales and Communication MBA in Milan, Creativity
and Innovation at the Luiss Univiersity in Rome and Strategy and Marketing at the ISTUD
Foundation, in Baveno. He holds a business degree, and an MBA in Marketing and
Communication.
Dario D’Angelo - Currently an Advisory Software Engineer at
the IBM Silicon Valley Laboratory in San Jose, CA
With over 22 yrs IT experience acquired in US and Europe, he specialized in the products
lifecycle for several high profile mainframe’s software includind IMS a product used by 90%
of the “Fortune 1000” companies. His understanding of innovation can be attested by the
9 patents filed, along with several technical disclosures, and the creation of courses and
lectures to foster innovation within and outside IBM. His experience in innovation
management has been strengthen by his effort as a GM of a Silicon Valley start-up and as
lecturer at various departments at San Jose State University, CA about the dynamics
behind creating an innovative mind-set. Chair of the IBM Silicon Valley Technical Vitality
Council an IBM Academy Affiliate, collaborated and shared innovation education with
prestigious international institutions including: Zhejiang University (China), Tsukuba
University (Japan), Tsinghua University (China), Luiss Univeristy (Italy). Dario holds a BS in
Physics Degree equivalency.
SVIP Sponsorship Information
For SVIP sponsorship opportunities, please e-mail: ekasznik@foresightvaluation.com.
Levels of sponsorships available (Platinum, Gold, Silver):
- Platinum ($3,000):
30-min presentation to the participants about your services
Your company logo on SVIP printed materials, online communications and website
Logo displayed and handout materials delivered on-site during the 5 day program
Exclusive vendor in your category
- Gold ($1,500):
30-min presentation to the participants about your services
Your company logo on SVIP printed materials, online communications and website
Logo displayed and handout materials delivered on-site during the 5 day program
- Silver ($500):
Your company logo on SVIP printed materials, online communications and website
Logo displayed and handout materials delivered on-site during the 5 day program