SVASE Event: 'MAIN EVENT: Raising Capital For Early Stage Technology Startups' August 2, 2007

Event: 'MAIN EVENT: Raising Capital For Early Stage Technology Startups'

Date: Thursday, August 02, 2007 At 06:00
Duration: 2 Hours 30 Minutes
Contact Info:
Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati (WSGR Campus), 950 Page Mill Road, Palo Alto, CA 94304
Contact: Laura Wiegant Email: info@svase.org
URL:svase.org/index.php?option=com_extcalendar&Itemid=149&extmode=view&extid=1008

While startup founder Marcus Frin of PlentyofFish.com spends about two hours a day in his underwear managing a free dating website that gets twelve billion page views a year and generates $5-6 million/year with Google ads, most entrepreneurs look to raise that kind of money through Venture Capital.

While technology based companies are still being funded, lately it seems all you hear is, “It’s the consumer, stupid”, and the technology - when it exists - seems to have taken a back seat. So, is innovative technology still the engine that drives entrepreneur passions, delivering differentiation and competitive advantage for startups, and causing VCs to reach for their wallets? Or have the rules changed, yet again?

Finding the Funding for YOUR Company!

This lively panel discussion will explore current trends and panelist opinions on topics including:

• What types of startups are getting funded? – Consumer? Technology? Social? Wireless? or what?
• What are the most attractive markets – 5 million free members to the next Flagr/Fligr/Flikr, or the Fortune 500?
• What are VCs looking for from startup teams – management, management, management?
• What are VCs looking for in startup exits – a long term company, partnership, acquisition, or a quick flip to Google?
• What happened to the IPO?
• What business models are working, or not?
• What do VCs want to know about you – funding pitch-KISS, the technology, patentable IP, the market, or what?

The Panel:
• Bill Reichert, Managing Director, Garage Technology Ventures
• John Occhipinti, Managing Director, Woodside Fund
• TBD

Moderator: Rich Brenner, CEO, The Brenner Group, Inc.

WHEN: Thursday, August 2
6:00 - 7:00 pm: Networking and hors d’oeuvres
7:00 - 8:15 pm: Panel discussion and Q/A
8:15 - 8:30 pm: Additional networking

LOCATION:
Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati (WSGR Campus), 950 Page Mill Road, Palo Alto, CA 94304

PRE-REGISTERED RATES (All Rates Include Hors D’oeuvres):
Members - $20; Affiliates who advertise this event - $29; General Public - $49

WALK-IN RATES: Add $10.00 to the listed price

To reserve an Exhibit Table:
Contact Info@svase.org, $600 Members; $1,100 Non-members (includes exhibit table, 2 tickets to the event and 1 year corporate membership)

Seating is limited, so early registration is recommended to avoid disappointment on the day.

This event is co-sponsored by Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati, www.wsgr.com

Speakers’ Bios

Richard Brenner, CEO, The Brenner Group, Inc.
Rich has more than thirty years of experience in general and financial management and has assisted many high-growth companies in the roles of President, General Manager, Vice President and Chief Financial Officer.

Rich's contributions have centered on helping companies establish the infrastructure to manage growth, raise capital, and grow through acquisition. His accomplishments include: establishing the operational controls to support annual revenue growth from zero to more than $60 million in less than two years; negotiating mergers and acquisitions worth more than $75 million; managing international marketing and distribution subsidiaries; and driving successful public and private debt and equity placements.

Prior to founding The Brenner Group, Rich held executive level positions at Formaster Corporation (now TRACE Products), Corvus Systems Inc., US Leasing International Inc., ITEL Corporation, National BankAmericard (now VISA) and Autographic Business Forms Inc. He also served as venture capital consultant to Hillman Ventures. Rich holds a B.S. degree in Accounting with a minor in Management Information Systems from Fairleigh Dickinson University.

John Occhipinti, Managing Director, Woodside Fund
John Occhipinti has over 14 years of experience in enterprise software technology, marketing, and sales. As Managing Director of Woodside Fund, John dedicates his expertise to the development of ventures in the enterprise software sector. John serves on the Board of Directors of Intalio (Business Process Management infrastructure software), VeriWave (Wireless LAN test equipment), and Tacit Software (Enterprise Expertise Automation software).

Prior to joining Woodside Fund, John was an early executive at Netscape Communications. Initially, John led a team that drove the company’s first significant revenues, helping launch Netscape through its initial public offering. Later, John ran Netscape’s Electronic Software Distribution and Strategic Channel Sales groups. During his tenure at Netscape, John worked closely with hundreds of early stage entrepreneurs helping build web-based e-commerce and enterprise software applications. Prior to Netscape, John worked at Oracle Corporation, marketing and selling large-scale enterprise database technologies.

John has an MBA from the University of California, Berkeley, Walter A. Haas School of Business, and a BA from the University of California Berkeley. He currently serves on the Board of Directors at Trinity School. For leisure, John enjoys tennis, skiing, golf, and spending time with his family.

Bill Reichert, Managing Director, Garage Technology Ventures
Bill Reichert has over 20 years of experience as an entrepreneur and an operating executive. Since joining Garage in 1998, Bill has focused on early-stage information technology and materials science companies. He sits on the Boards of CaseStack, WhiteHat, ClearFuels, and cFares. Prior to Garage, Bill was a co-founder or senior executive in several venture-backed technology startups, including Trademark Software, The Learning Company and Academic Systems. Earlier in his career, he worked at McKinsey & Company, Brown Brothers Harriman & Co., and the World Bank. Bill earned a B.A. at Harvard College and an M.B.A. from Stanford University.
reichert@garage.com

Official Website: http://svase.org/index.php?option=com_extcalendar&Itemid=149&extmode=view&extid=1008