SVASE Main Event: FoundersMain Event: Founders vs. Investors - Are we all on the same page? vs. Investors April 8, 2010

SVASE Main Event: FoundersMain Event: Founders vs. Investors - Are we all on the same page? vs. Investors

Start: 04/08/2010 - 6:00 pm
End: 04/08/2010 - 8:30 pm

Contact: Laura Weigant
Email: Info@svase.org

Location: Cooley Godward Kronish LLP
3175 Hanover Street, Palo Alto, CA 94304

URL: svase.org/events/main-event-founders-vs-investors-are-we-all-same-page

Founders vs. Investors - Are we all on the same page?

They say the bar is raised, the scales are tipping, what exactly does that mean to the Founder? This irreverent panel will delve into the delicate balancing act that exists between a startup’s investors and founders. Investors say they want founders whose businesses have traction and want to build long term viable companies. But how does one get from a scrappy start to accelerated growth in the current environment?

Am I working overtime till I get fired?

This oft-quoted comment from a production line worker in the fiercely cyclical semiconductor industry could just as well be ascribed to the founders of many startups. What really happens to founding teams when milestones fail to be met and there’s no sign of fresh investors on the horizon?

From conflict resolution...to liquidity timing...to balancing long term and short term goals, this panel will provide a good humored and lively debate on the driving forces behind each side of the investor/founder marriage.

· What does each side really want from the other?
· With the bar raised and until you have investor interest, where do you find the people & resources for next to nothing?
· How does the dynamic change when new investors come on board?
· Who’s really running the company – the founders or the investors?
· What happens when milestones fail to be met?
· How often do founders get coached to succeed versus replaced, and what are the consequences?
· What’s more important – a successful, viable company, or a profitable exit?
· What due diligence should you do before approaching investors?

The Panel:

· Savinay Berry, Vice President, Granite Ventures
· Anurag (Anu) Nigam, President, Sand Hill Angels
· TBD
· TBD

Moderator: TBD

When: Thursday, April 8
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: Cooley Godward Kronish LLP, 3175 Hanover Street, Palo Alto, CA 94304

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

Pre-registration closes at 9 PM the night before the event.

Walk-In Rates: Add $10.00 to the listed price

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

This event is co-sponsored by Cooley Godward Kronish LLP, www.cooley.com.

Speaker Bios:

Savinay Berry, Vice President, Granite Ventures
Savinay Berry joined Granite Ventures in August 2008. He focuses on both software and communications.

Prior to joining Granite Ventures, Savinay held associate positions at JK&B Capital and MK Capital. From 2000 to 2006, he held various positions at Dell Inc., most recently as senior global commodity manager for wireless products. He also served as a development engineer in the data recording equipment start-up at Instrumented Sensors Technology from 1998 to 2000.

Savinay received his M.B.A. from the Kellogg School of Management and Master's in Engineering Management degree from the McCormick School of Engineering & Applied Sciences, both at Northwestern University. He holds a Master's of Science degree in Electrical Engineering from Michigan State University and a B.S. degree from University of Pune, India.

Anurag (Anu) Nigam, President, Sand Hill Angels
Anurag Nigam is President of Sand Hill Angels. He is the Co-Chair of the Social Membership Committee with Andrea Zurek and he also manages the overall Sand Hill Angels membership process. He is an Electrical and Computer Engineering graduate from Carnegie Mellon University and has has been part of 6 different startups. He was part of the founding teams & leading ASIC efforts at Cerent Corp (bought by Cisco) and Siara Systems (bought by Redback Networks). Anurag switched into the consumer Internet space and was is an investor and founder of hi5.com, a profitable social networking site with over 20M users. He currently is the founder and CEO of BuzzBox.com, a social discovery platform that is in early alpha.

He has been an active angel investor and entrepreneur for the last 7 years putting money into 20+ companies. Anurag has spoken at events and actively helps startups understand that great technology doesn't always make a good business. His current investment interests are consumer internet, consumer product and medical devices.