Linda Plano

Linda founded Plano & Simple based on a her experience as both coach and "yenta" to literally hundreds of entrepreneurs for the state of Massachusetts. While coaching the entrepreneurs on how to pitch to investors, she came to realize that she had been training for this vocation for most of her career. Her training in technnology (PhD Materials Science & Engineering, Stanford; BS Physics, MIT) and subsequent management and new business development experience in companies ranging from very early startups to multinational conglomerates coupled with an innate ability to pitch had led to her being the go-to person when it came to presenting new opportunities to board members, customers, investors and others.
In addition to coaching while she was Associate Director at the Massachusetts Technology Transfer Center (MTTC), Linda helped to manage several major investor pitch events each year, including the Conference on Clean Energy and the Early Stage Life Sciences Conference, which featured in total about 200 entrepreneurs. She ran the Conference on Clean Energy, leading its growth from a one day event with a hundred people in attendance to the largest event of its kind in the region, spanning three days and anchoring Massachusetts' Clean Energy Week. Linda also helped to produce 50 smaller events, each featuring an individual startup pitching to a hand-picked group of experts to provide candid feedback to the entrepreneurs as well as the opportunity to have their pitch coached.
Prior to becoming Associate Director at MTTC in 2005, Linda co-founded the Ignite Clean Energy Business Plan Competition with other founding members of the Energy Special Interest Group at the MIT Enterprise Forum of Cambridge. She then ran it on a volunteer basis for two years, helping dozens of entrepreneurs in the clean energy space to improve their business plans and raise their profiles. While winners received thousands of dollars in cash and prizes, her main focus was on ensuring that all the competitors received quality mentoring from qualified business leaders and investors, thereby helping to build and strengthen the clean energy cluster in the region. The competition was merged in 2010 with the Cleantech Open, a national competition that the founders of the ICE Competition helped to launch by sharing their best practices in 2005.
Her work in clean energy entrepreneurship led to awards from the Massachusetts Technology Leadership Council, the MIT Enterprise Forum of Cambridge and the Global MIT Enterprise Forum, as well as board seats on the Massachusetts Renewable Energy Trust, the New England Clean Energy Council and both the local and global MIT Enterprise Forums.

Employer:	Plano & Simple
Position:	Founder
Time period:	January 2010 - Present

Employer:	Plano & Simple
Position:	Founder
Time period:	January 2010 - Present
Description:	Developing innovative platform for coaching entrepreneurs, intrapreneurs and others seeking to grow their organizations on strategy, tactics and fundraising. Providing one-on-one coaching and development of websites, social media and presentations to communicate compelling value proposition.

Employer:	Massachusetts Technology Transfer Center
Position:	Associate Director
Time period:	January 2005 - Present
Description:	Creating, developing and executing programs to transfer technology from Massachusetts nonprofit research institutions as licenses to startup and established companies. Established annual Conference on Clean Energy: Financing and Partnering for Emerging Businesses as leading event in the region for entrepreneurs in clean energy, as well as similar conferences in Life Sciences, Nanotechnology and other key technology sectors. Prepared over 200 entrepreneurs for presentations to investors and others, some of whom have since raised over $73 million dollars in combined equity and grant funding to start companies in the Commonwealth. Co-founded the Clean Energy Council in 2007 with the goal of establishing a truly representative, cross-stakeholder industry organization. Assisted in its merger with the New England Energy Innovation Collaborative to form the New England Clean Energy Council. Currently serving on Board of Directors. Received 2007 Massachusetts Technology Leadership “Mover and Shaker” Award for professional and volunteer work in the clean energy cluster.

Employer:	MIT Enterprise Forum of Cambridge
Position:	Co-Founder & Chair, Energy Special Interest Group and Ignite Clean Energy Competition
Time period:	January 2004 - Present
Description:	Co-founded the Energy Special Interest Group at the MIT Enterprise Forum (MITEF). Co-founded and chaired for two years the Energy SIG’s Ignite Clean Energy Business Plan Competition, staffed by over 100 volunteers, entered by about 200 teams in its first four years, awarded nearly $500,000 in cash and prizes. Winners have raised millions of dollars in equity funding. Currently serving on the Boards of Directors of the MITEF of Cambridge and the Global MITEF.

Employer:	SIGNEDON, INC.
Position:	Chief Executive Officer
Description:	Co-founded firm to commercialize web application for deployment of social media-integrated websites. Responsible for strategic development, investor relations, marketing, financial and competitive analyses, and all other business functions except technical development. Finalist in MassChallenge Business Plan Competition.

Employer:	Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Position:	Visiting Scholar, Laboratory for Energy and the Environment (LFEE)
Time period:	January 2003 - December 2006
Description:	Developed a Congressional workshop on oil policy based on recent technology, policy and market research at MIT’s Sloan Automotive Lab. Led an outreach program to bring issues to small groups of laypeople. Developed website to enhance communication of ideas.

Employer:	Micro Networks Corporation
Position:	Vice President
Time period:	January 1999 - December 2002
Description:	Key member of the management team that accomplished the acquisition of the Company. Responsible for market-driven technology strategies for high performance electronic products for telecommunications infrastructure applications. Identified technology gaps and proposed solutions. Negotiated contracts with vendors and subcontractors to fill gaps and support technology strategies. Administrated resulting programs, including technical and marketing aspects.

Employer:	Sarnoff Corporation
Position:	Head, Electronic Materials and Microsystems Group
Time period:	January 1998 - December 1999
Description:	Head of new group at Sarnoff Corporation. Responsible for identifying and developing business plans for high tech opportunities in growth markets. Responsible for obtaining funding for new business, developing relationships with partners and customers, and developing technology with goal of licensing the technology or spinning off the business.

Employer:	Kobe Steel USA Inc.
Position:	Product Team Leader: SAW Device Substrate
Time period:	January 1994 - December 1998
Description:	Project leader for development and launch of new-to-world high-tech product for application in wireless telecommunications components industry. Responsible for marketing, team-building inside and outside the company, customer relationships, business analysis, manufacturing issues, overall team management and implementing Stage-Gate processes.

Employer:	Kobe Steel USA Inc.
Position:	Research Scientist
Time period:	January 1991 - December 1994
Description:	Leader of Diamond Growth Group tasked with development of electronic quality diamond film for device applications. Managed two to five researchers and technicians. Responsible for generating and adhering to quarterly Group budgets.

Employer:	Crystallume, Inc.
Position:	Staff Scientist
Time period:	January 1986 - December 1991
Description:	Responsible for development of improved growth processes and diamond films. Responsible for obtaining government funding and managing awarded contracts.

University:	Stanford University
Degree:	Materials Science and Engineering, PhD

University:	Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Degree:	Physics, BSc

Memberships:

- New England Clean Energy Council Board of Directors 2007 – Present - MIT Enterprise Forum of Cambridge Board of Directors 2008 – 2010 - Global MIT Enterprise Forum Board of Directors 2008 – 2010 - Energy Special Interest Group at the MIT Enterprise Forum of Cambridge Energy SIG Chair 2007 – Present - Ignite Clean Energy Business Plan Competition Chair 2005 – 2007 Events Chair 2004 – 2005 - Product Development and Management Association 1995 – 1998 President, Greater Carolinas Chapter, 1996 – 1998 - North Carolina State University, Physics 1994 – 1998 Adjunct Faculty