Apex, NC -- (SBWIRE) -- 12/21/2009 -- Fuentek, LLC (http://www.fuentek.com) has announced that President Laura A. Schoppe led a webinar for the Conrad Foundation’s Spirit of Innovation Awards on Dec. 1. Schoppe used her experience in intellectual property and technology management to offer expert advice to high school students looking to protect the financial value of their ideas and products. The discussion focused on how and when to turn research projects into commercial ventures through the use of patents and other intellectual property protection mechanisms. A recording of the webinar is made available to all students participating in the Spirit of Innovation competition.

QUOTES:
“It is important that those creating innovative ideas and technologies understand how to protect their work and its value,” said Schoppe. “I enjoyed sharing Fuentek’s insight on the topic with this great group of young innovators.”

DETAILS:
-The Conrad Foundation is a nonprofit that provides students with the tools, resources and technologies necessary to be innovators.

-For more information on the Conrad Foundation, visit http://www.conradawards.org.

ABOUT FUENTEK, LLC:
Fuentek, LLC is a consulting firm that provides intellectual property and technology management services. With a specialization in technology commercialization, Fuentek works with a wide variety of clients to identify promising technologies and assist them in converting their ideas and inventions into marketable products. Drawing upon its unique combination of technical, business and commercialization expertise, the firm is the largest NASA contractor in North Carolina and has helped organizations around the world find the technology they need. Led by Laura A. Schoppe, a 2008 recipient of the prestigious Triangle Business Journal Women In Business award, Fuentek also offers training workshops, guidebooks and Web sites to help clients improve effectiveness in managing their intellectual property. DiversityBusiness.com has recognized Fuentek as a top women-owned, diversity-owned and small business in North Carolina for the past four consecutive years. The firm has received numerous awards for its work, including an entrepreneurial Pinnacle Business Award from the Greater Raleigh Chamber of Commerce. Fuentek was most recently named a finalist in the NCTA 21 awards in the category of most innovative technology company. For more information, please call (919) 249-0327 or visit Fuentek’s Web site at http://www.fuentek.com.

Jennifer Fair
MMI Public Relations
(919) 233-6600
jennifer@mmipublicrelations.com
http://twitter.com/MMIPR
http://www.mmipublicrelations.com