Hear directly from venture capitalists on what they love, hate and worry about when working with entrepreneurs.
Our panel will discuss mistakes they see entrepreneurs make, pitfalls they help companies avoid, and the challenges of rapidly growing a business. They will talk about valuing companies, negotiating deal terms, raising additional rounds, replacing CEOs, and much more. This lively and candid discussion will open your eyes to the world of VCs and will help you better understand and work with them.
The panel:
Carl Showalter, General Partner, Opus CapitalXander Mahony, Investment Prodessional, Draper Fisher Jurvetson
Jay Jamison, Venture Partner, Blue Run Ventures
Moderator: Don Reinke, Partner, Reed Smith
When: Wednesday, October 19, 2011 6-6:30 pm: Networking and Buffet Dinner 6:30-8 pm: Panel discussion and Q/A
Pre-registration closes 9 AM the day of the event. Cost: (Includes buffet dinner, coffee and tea cash bar available) Members - $25,Affiliates who advertise this event - $25 General Public - $35 Walk-Ins: Add $10 to rates above
Locations: Crow Canyon Country Club, 711 Silver Lake Drive, Danville, CA 94526.
Directions: Exit I-680 at Crow Canyon Road. Take Crow Canyon east approximately one mile. Turn left at El Capitan, 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 allowed.
Panelist Bios
Carl Showalter, Opus Capital Carl Showalter is investing in Internet and data communications startups and brings more than 12 years of operating experience to Opus. Previously, Carl was a General Partner with Lightspeed Venture Partners. Prior to this Carl served as Vice President of Marketing at Juniper Networks, where he built and led a global marketing and product management organization. Before Juniper, Carl was Vice President of Dial and Broadband Services for UUNET, overseeing the 300-person, $1B revenue division. He also held various sales and management positions at ANS, an AOL company, where he helped build AOL’s modem access network and then helped launch hardware-based firewalls and IP VPNs in the mid 1990’s. Carl began his career at Bellcore, focusing on network security and data service delivery. At Bellcore, Carl performed logical and physical attacks on phone company infrastructure, helping them fix these vulnerabilities. Carl holds a BS degree in Systems Engineering from the University of Virginia and an MS degree in Engineering-Economic Systems from Stanford University.
Xander Mahony, Draper Fisher Jurvetson Xander Mahony is an Investment Professional at Draper Fisher Jurvetson, focusing on technology investments across sectors. Prior to joining DFJ, Xander was an analyst at Sloane Robinson, a global emerging market hedge fund based in London. At Sloane Robinson, Xander concentrated mainly on China and India, and also the technology, transportation, telecoms and luxury goods sectors. Prior to working in finance, Xander started three companies, including an online music service with a proprietary algorithm for personalizing the price of digital music. Xander has a BA in Computer Science from Oxford University and has completed Level III of the CFA program. Whilst at Oxford, Xander was captain of the varsity karate team, raced for the varsity go-karting team and played basketball and soccer at the inter-college level. Xander also qualified for the England Under 20s bridge team.
Jay Jamison, Blue Run Ventures Jay Jamison, Venture Partner, joined BlueRun Ventures in November 2010 and is based in Menlo Park. He focuses on early stage mobile, consumer and enterprise opportunities. Jay has 12 years of product management and marketing experience in the software and internet industry. Previous experience includes leading Microsoft Japan's Windows Business Group as Senior Director, and other senior level roles at Microsoft in product management and marketing. Jay also successfully founded and led Moonshoot, a venture backed online English education service for children. Jay is a popular speaker on topics of entrepreneurship and building businesses. He has been a featured speaker at the Startup Digest University, the Hacker Dojo, and the Founders Showcase. He is also a Mentor at the Founders Institute. He received his MBA from the University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School of Business and holds a BA from Duke University.
Don Reinke, Reed Smith Don has extensive experience as a corporate lawyer in the areas of venture capital finance, public securities offerings, mergers and acquisitions, and other general corporate representation of technology start-up and emerging growth companies, as well as venture funds and investment banks. Before joining Crosby Heafey in late 2001 to chair its Corporate Department, which combined with Reed Smith in 2003, Don was a co-founder and the managing partner of Bay Venture Counsel, LLP. Don is currently a Deputy Chair of the firm’s Global Emerging Company/Venture Capital Practice. Don has also previously been selected as a Northern California "Super Lawyer" by Law & Politics magazine and the publishers of San Francisco Magazine.
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