The Story of a Start-up

Yesterday, I read the amazing story of a start-up called EndoStim. Amazing because the start-up was completely international. The home base and the investors are in St. Louis, MO. But the entrepreneurs/inventors are immigrants from Cuba and India. The CEO is in South Africa. And the medical device, which fixes acid reflux, is being tested in clinical trials in India and Chile.

The article was written by Thomas Friedman, one of my favorite opinion columnists for the New York Times. Friedman was showing by way of this article how much the internet and other instant forms of communication can help people come together to create innovative businesses. In the midst of the financial doom and gloom of the Great Recession, you still have intelligent, perceptive people recognizing a need and figuring out innovative ways to meet that need. In this case the need for relief from acid reflux is great and is worldwide. Venture investors are constantly on the lookout for breakthrough ideas. It's start-ups like this that will help bring us into a new, better and growing economy. That is how our nation has had so much growth.

But Friedman also wants readers to know that our world, as he puts it, is "flat". Country boundaries are falling to clever entrepreneurs and investors who don't see those boundaries. They just see opportunity.

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/18/opinion/18friedman.html

War Story 2: Scavenger Hunts, Scamps, and Guerrilla Marketing | August Turak

I heard August Turak speak last month. He was incredible.

Now, I'm reading his articles on Guerrilla Marketing. Fabulous.

War Story 2: Scavenger Hunts, Scamps, and Guerrilla Marketing | August Turak

CVG Conference on How to Market Your Business to Investors

The Connecticut Venture Group (CVG) has a great conference lined up for next week - 

Raising Growth Capital: Marketing Your Business to Investors and Lenders
A full-day conference with over a dozen leading experts in venture financing.

Tuesday, April 20, 2010
9:00 am - 5:00 pm
The Hartford Club, Hartford, CT (Note: New Venue)

I know Doug Campbell who is giving a talk on elevator pitches. Doug really knows what he is talking about.
Here is a rundown of the presentations:

 - How successful investors identify winning concepts
 - Alternative (and little known) sources of capital
 - The capital markets today (which windows are open)
 - How much is your business or concept worth?
 - Playing poker with investors: negotiating terms
 - How to hook investors with a bullet-proof Executive Summary
 - Questions an investor or lender will ask
 - Successful presenting (the sizzle and the steak)
 - How to find the right investor for your industry and stage


Tuesday, April 20, 2010
9:00 am - 5:00 pm
The Hartford Club, Hartford, CT (Note: New Venue)

Cost to Attend: $125
To Register, visit http://cp20.com/Tracking/t.c?ALnK-8bfA-FqAmk2

To compete in the marketplace for growth capital and licensing, it is no longer enough to just have a great idea.  That earth-shaking product needs to be professionally packaged and marketed to potential investors or buyers. The workshop will share insights on how investors analyze business opportunities, and how to make your business opportunity stand out from the crowd.

All seminar participants will receive a manual on how to prepare a bullet-proof business plan.

For Workshop Speaker Bios, please visit:
http://cp20.com/Tracking/t.c?ALnK-8bfB-FqAmk3

9:00 am
Screening Concepts (How Successful Investors Validate Business Concepts)
Dan Wagner, Connecticut Innovations

9:30 am
Alternative Sources of Capital
Frank Milone, Fiondella Milone & LaSaracina

10:00 am
Current State of the Capital Markets
David Jenkins, PricewaterhouseCoopersl

10:30 am
Break

10:45 am
Valuing Your Company
Nathaniel Brinn, Vital Financial LLC

11:15 am
Term Sheet Clauses: The Investment Agreement
Gregg Lallier, Updike Kelly & Spellacy

12 pm
Lunch

1:00 pm
Negotiating with Investors; NDA's
Paul Hughes, Wiggin and Dana

1:30 pm
Suggested Content for Executive Summary;
Questions to expect from investors or lenders
Donna Brooks, Shipman & Goodwin

2:15 pm
Successful Presentation Style and Use of Visuals;  The Elevator Pitch
Doug Campbell, The Success Coach.com

2:35 pm
Break

2:45 pm
Capital Connections: Finding the Right Investor
Venture Capital - Mike Roer, Connecticut Venture Group
Angels -  Joe DeMartino,  Angel Investor Forum
Lenders - Peter Hicks, Webster Bank

3:10 pm
Sample 3-minute pitch
Donna Brooks, Shipman & Goodwin

3:15 pm
Practice Pitching with Feedback


For Workshop Speaker Bios, please visit:
http://cp20.com/Tracking/t.c?ALnK-8bfC-FqAmk4



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