SVASE East Bay Series: Picking The Right VC July 18, 2007

East Bay Series: Picking The Right VC

SVASE
Date: Wednesday, July 18, 2007 At 06:00
Duration: 2 Hours
Contact Info:
Contact Program Chair: Dana Shultz Email: dana@danashultz.com
URL: svase.org/index.php?option=com_extcalendar&Itemid=149&extmode=view&extid=724

East Bay Series “Real-life Stories of Entrepreneurial Success"
Picking the Right VC

Imagine that several venture capital firms are eager to invest in your hot start-up. Which one(s) should you pick? Term sheets don’t tell the entire story. From customer introductions and business management expertise to recruitment of follow-on investors, there are many ways that VCs can help – if you have the right chemistry and a shared vision. Learn how our panel members contribute to the success of their portfolio companies and, equally important, how they keep difficult situations from turning into a horror stories.

July 18, 2007
6-6:30 pm: Networking
6:30-8 pm: Panel discussion and Q/A

COST (Includes buffet dinner, coffee and tea; cash bar available):
Members - $20
Affiliates who advertise this event - $20
General public - $30
Walk-ins: add $10 to rates above

LOCATION: Crow Canyon Country Club, 711 Silver Lake Drive, Danville, CA 94526 - 925-735-5700.
DIRECTIONS: Exit I-680 at Crow Canyon Road. Take Crow Canyon east approximately one mile. Turn left at El Capitan / Tahiti Drive (there are two left turn lanes – stay in the one on the right). Then take the first right to the guard gate. After checking in at the gate, take the third left turn (just past the tennis courts) into the clubhouse parking lot.
DRESS: Business casual or business attire, please – no jeans or shorts.

Panel

Jeff Karras, Principal, Levensohn Venture Partners (www.levp.com)
Jeff Karras specializes in enterprise software, communications and wireless technologies, with particular interests in security, WLANs and business analytics. Before joining LVP, Jeff was a Group Product Marketing Manager at Sun Microsystems, where he was a key strategic driver behind their Portal Server product line. Prior to Sun Microsystems, Jeff was a Principal Consultant with PricewaterhouseCoopers' Strategic Change Group, where he provided strategic guidance across a variety of industries including telecommunications, software, energy and financial services. Currently Jeff works closely with a number of LVP portfolio companies including Informative, KnowNow, Rapt, Radiance, Reconnex, ShotSpotter and Veraz Networks. In addition, he previously held a board seat at Covigo who was acquired by Symbol Technologies in 2003. Jeff received a BS in Commerce from the University of Virginia and an MBA from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. Jeff is also an active member of the Advisory Board for Astia (formerly the Women's Technology Cluster) www.astia.org/.

Cindy Padnos, Venture Partner, Outlook Ventures (www.outlookventures.com)
Cindy joined Outlook Ventures as Venture Partner in early 2004. In this role she has been actively involved in identifying new investment opportunities for the firm and participating in all critical investment decisions. Cindy's experience encompasses the software, telecommunications and services sectors where she has held progressively responsible positions leading up to several CEO roles. As a member of several early stage executive teams, Cindy has played a lead role in raising more than $50M in venture funding for these companies. Cindy currently represents Outlook Ventures on the boards of Optena and Your Amigo. Just prior to joining Outlook, Cindy was a Venture Consultant working on a consulting basis with top-tier venture capital firms. Her assignments ranged from interim CEO projects, to new investment due diligence — all within the software, internet services and communications sectors. Projects were completed jointly with firms such as Lightspeed Venture Partners, BA Ventures, Gabriel Venture Partners, 3i, InterWest Ventures, Apex, Bay Partners, MDV, TPG Ventures and USVP and with their portfolio companies including PlaceWare and Nextance. Before establishing this venture consulting practice Cindy gained almost 20 years of experience in a variety of technology operations and management consulting roles, including as the founder and CEO of Vivant Corporation, an enterprise application company focusing on Workforce Management and Services Procurement solutions. Cindy successfully facilitated the sale to a public enterprise software company in late 2001. Cindy earned her BA, magna cum laude, at the University of Michigan and received her MBA/MSIA with honors from Carnegie-Mellon University's Tepper School of Business.

Bob Spinner, Managing Director, Sigma Partners (www.sigmapartners.com)
Bob joined Sigma in 2003 as Venture Partner and in 2006 became Managing Director. He brings to the firm two decades of high-technology business operational experience. Throughout his career, Bob has served in various operational capacities, including CEO, worldwide sales, technical sales support, software programming, database design, and private and public fundraising. While at Sigma, Bob has helped a number of the firm’s portfolio companies expand operations, build management teams and increase revenues. Bob’s technology focus areas include enterprise applications software, e-commerce, and software as a service. Prior to joining Sigma, Bob was President and CEO of Extensity. During his tenure, Extensity grew from $1 million to $25 million while raising money through private funding and an Initial Public Offering. In March of 2003, Extensity was sold to GEAC. Prior to Extensity, Bob was Senior Vice President of Worldwide Sales and International Operations at Clarify, a leading provider of integrated CRM solutions. During his tenure at Clarify, he grew the company from $5 million to $140 million in revenue while managing a worldwide organization of 260 professionals. Prior to Clarify, Bob served in expanding roles at Sybase including working as the director of one of Sybase's most successful regions. Bob has also held technical roles at ADR and Chevron, including sales engineer, programmer and database administrator. Bob received his Bachelor of Arts degree in Mathematics from Washington University in St. Louis, MO.

Dylan Steeg, Senior Investment Manager, Intel Capital (www.intel.com/capital)
Dylan Steeg is a Senior Investment Manager with Intel Capital focusing primarily on investments in the area of semiconductor technology. Dylan has been with Intel for twelve years, spending the first half as a process and equipment development engineer. Dylan has spent the last seven years in Intel Capital engaged in venture investments. While in Intel Capital, Dylan has closed 14 venture investments, 30 sell-side M&A's and 4 IPO's. Dylan has a BS in Mechanical Engineering from Boston University and an MBA from the Columbia Business School.

This event is co-sponsored by Rose Ryan, www.roseryan.com, Claremont Creek Ventures, www.claremontvc.com, Saylor & Hill Company, www.saylorhill.com and Sonnenschein Venture Technology Group, www.sonnenschein.com

Official Website: http://svase.org/index.php?option=com_extcalendar&Itemid=149&extmode=view&extid=724