The Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation is often referred to as one of the largest foundations in the United States—or as the world's largest foundation devoted to entrepreneurship. Both are true, thanks to Ewing Kauffman's generosity and foresight. However, these "largest" factoids may give the false impression that we can influence society just by virtue of our size or spending power. I would like to convey how small we really are.

First, in terms of assets: Although our endowment of nearly $2.1 billion does place us among the country's thirty largest private foundations, others like the Ford Foundation ($11.4 billion) and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation ($29.2 billion) are much larger. The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, sometimes seen as being in our bracket, has almost three times the assets with $5.5 billion. Next, in terms of spending power: From endowment income we spend about $90 million per year on grants, programs, and related expenses. That is a sizable sum, yet it pales in comparison to the amounts spent by public agencies in each of our fields, entrepreneurship and youth education.

Industry and Higher Education, published six times per year, is dedicated to the relationships between business and industry and higher education institutions. With a strong emphasis on practical aspects, the journal covers organizational, economic, political, legal, and social issues relating to developments in education-industry collaboration.

Among the key topics are:

• Knowledge transfer from research to commercial application
• Educating for entrepreneurship
• Clusters and the regional economy
• Preparing students for the world of work
• International and national initiatives for collaboration
• Respective needs in the industry–education relationship
• Lifelong learning
• University–industry networks
• University–industry training programmes
• Business–education partnerships for social and economic progress
• Skills needs and the role of higher education
• Formation, structure and performance of academic spin-off companies
• Personnel exchange
• Industrial liaison in universities
• Intellectual property in the HE sector
• Distance education

For more information visit their website.

Established in 1965, the Licensing Executives Society (U.S.A. and Canada), Inc. (LES) is a professional society comprised of nearly 5,000 members engaged in the transfer, use, development, manufacture and marketing of intellectual property.

The LES membership includes a wide range of professionals, including business executives, lawyers, licensing consultants, engineers, academicians, scientists and government officials. Many large corporations, professional firms, and universities comprise the Society's membership.

Licensing Executives Society (U.S.A. and Canada), Inc. is a member society of the Licensing Executives Society International, Inc. (LESI), with a worldwide membership of over 12,000 members in 30 national societies, representing over 80 countries. Read the LESI Annual Report.