Northeastern University's EntreTech Forum May Meeting

Deciphering the Funding Value-Chain: How Seed Capital Scroungers Become Bankers' Best Friends
www.entretechforum.org
register online:
http://theentretechfo...

Meeting Overview

For our May 20th event, the EntreTech Forum takes a break from its industry-specific theme and refocuses on the issue of how new ventures of all types are funded, starting from their embryonic stages in academic research labs to fully-realized commercialization. In particular, the EntreTech Forum?s panelists will help the audience understand the funding value-chain from the perspective of the funding sources themselves. Panelists have been brought together from seed-level government grants and angel funding through venture capital sources all the way to mature investment banking and commercial banking applications. This forum event will break new ground in bringing together representatives of each funding source all at once. For all of those individuals interested in understanding the inputs, outputs, incentives, and issues from the standpoint of venture funding sources, this is a must-attend event.

Moderator:

Mr. Andrew Fairbairn, Managing Principal, Fairbairn Ventures.

As Managing Principal of Fairbairn Ventures, Andrew partners with driven entrepreneurs to rapidly prove out value propositions and to build solid growth companies around that value. Prior to establishing Fairbairn Ventures, Andrew was a founding partner and Principal of JVKellyGroup, INc. (JVKG), a New York-based management consulting, performance management and software development firm. He has also served as Vice President of Deutsche Bank, focused on corporate venturing in financial technology companies and strategic planning roles in New York and London. Andrew began his career with UBS Securities in New York, where he worked on global telecommunications industry financings, across a range of geographies and investment banking product disciplines. Andrew earned his B.A. in Economics (1996) and M.A. in International Development Policy (1997) from Stanford University.

Panelist:

Mr. Robert Kispert, Massachusetts Technology Collaborative

Bob Kispert is Program Director, Federal and University Programs, JAII at the Massachusetts Technology Collaborative, the state's development agency for renewable energy and the innovation economy, which works with cutting-edge companies to create new jobs and stimulate economic activities throughout Massachusetts. As the university and federal programs director at the Innovation Institute, Bob is in touch with a wide circle of professionals in this area. Prior to joining MTC, Bob provided consulting services to a variety of domestic and international technology based firms.

Mr. Eric Shealy, Innovation Advisors

Eric Shealy brings a strong background in investment banking, operations and venture capital. With 20+ years of experience, Eric has completed more than 20 M&A and capital raising transactions covering a broad range of technology sectors including work with both public and private companies in executing growth and liquidity strategies involving acquisition, divestitures, restructurings, and capital raisings.

Mr. Jay Schwartz, Boston Harbor Angels & Stage 1 Strategies

Jay is currently an angel investor and member of Boston Harbor Angels serving as a member of both the executive board and life science committees. His specialty is in the life sciences. In addition to his role at Boston Harbor Angels, Jay consults through his company Stage 1 Strategies LLC to companies regarding business strategy, competitive intelligence, and business development, due diligence, corporate finance and interim management.

Mr. Rob Day, @Ventures

Rob Day joined @Ventures in 2007, and operates out of the firm?s Boston-area office. He currently holds an observer seat on the boards of Powerit Solutions and M2E Power. Prior to joining the @Ventures team, Rob was an investor with Expansion Capital Partners for over two years, where he was an investment principal responsible for various aspects of that firm?s clean technology venture capital activities, including investments in Tiger Optics, SensorTran and Orion Energy Systems.

Mr. William Sweeney, Senior Vice President and Managing Director, Comerica Bank, Venture Capital Group

Bill Sweeney is Senior Vice President/Managing Director of Comerica's Venture Capital Group in Waltham, where he oversees delivery of Comerica's broad platform of financial services to high tech firms in the Northeast, with particular emphasis on life sciences, reflecting the strength of the Boston area in this arena.