Koleman Karleski has been eyeing local startups for several years, even going so far as to write a few "term sheets" -- the paperwork prelude to an investment deal -- all to no avail.

The Pittsburgh native, who is a managing director at Louisville, Ky.-based Chrysalis Ventures. hasn't given up, and this week the state agreed to guarantee any losses on up to $20 million the venture capital firm invests in the region.

To explain the significance of the incentive, Mr. Karleski offered a food analogy: "We've come close to making investments, for various reasons that did not work out. We just have to find the right people and the right idea and the right time and pull the recipe together and bake something that tastes good."

Chrysalis plans to set up local shop, Mr. Karleski added, because turning ideas into businesses requires ingredients that are concentrated in the area. "The more people who are focused on putting capital to work, generates even more ideas, more breakfast meetings, more white board sessions" and more technology development, he said.

New York-based Constellation Ventures Management, which has made high-profile investments in TheStreet.com and Salon.com, also will lay stakes locally, but firm officials were not available to comment.

Pittsburgh's own Web celebrity Justine Ezarik (www.justineezarik.com) planned to work the "red-carpet" sidewalk at the Shadyside iPhone premiere, but instead, the Mac enthusiast jetted off at the invitation of the Technology Evangelist (www.technologyevangelist .com) to film her Internet TV show on the celebrated device's debut at the Mall of America outside Minneapolis.

In the event you haven't heard of the self-described new media connoisseur, Web designer and video editor, check out her show at www.justin.tv/ijustine or read her blog www.tastyblogsnack.com.

It's no secret there's a shortage of skilled biotechnology technicians to meet the growing demands of local research programs that are spending close to $1 billion annually.

To tackle the problem, the Pittsburgh Tissue Engineering Initiative has joined forces with the North Side Leadership Conference, Allegheny General Hospital and the Community College of Allegheny County to launch an apprenticeship program this summer that provides women without means an opportunity to take part in Pittsburgh's blooming biotechnology and life sciences industry.

The Biotech Workforce Collaborative aims to assist women whose education and career opportunities may have been interrupted by economic or family related issues, with a full scholarship to earn associate degrees at CCAC, hands-on training and job placement assistance to become skilled biotech technicians.

"We believe this program will empower underserved women in our community, fostering the heightened sense of dignity and pride that accompanies a rewarding career and the ability to better care for your family," said J. Christopher Post, M.D., Ph.D., president and chief scientific director of Allegheny-Singer Research Institute, the research arm of AGH. "At the same time, it will greatly benefit the local biotechnology research industry by providing a new pool of qualified research technicians to help staff our programs."

There will be a 20 percent increase in the need for biological technicians with an associates' degree in the next decade, Dr. Post said.

Funded by the Eden Hall Foundation and a number of other local private foundations, the program immediately will begin enrolling 12 participants to participate in the three-year program.