I've Bootstrapped . . . What’s next?
Is your technology venture fundable and,
if not, what do you do next for capital?

You are starting a new business or you want to expand your existing business. You have used your savings and your home equity. You need capital to take your company to the next level and you have heard that not all business ventures are fundable. What does it mean to be fundable and how does one go about becoming fundable?

TechBiz Connection has assembled a panel of leading experts to share their insights on this topic. This is an opportunity for entrepreneurs and business owners to interact, share ideas and gain insight to what is often described as one of the most frustrating experiences of starting or growing a business.

MODERATOR:

Sid Mohasseb | Managing Director | Venture Farm LLC
Mr. Mohasseb is now serving as the Managing Director of Venture Farm LLC; an early stage funding and execution firm. He is also an executive committee member of the Tech Coast Angels; the largest angel network in US with in excess of $65 million dollars of direct investments in over 105 companies with follow-up investments of over $670 million from the Venture Capital community. He also serves on a number of corporate and advisory boards.

In the most recent past, He was the CEO and President of Vital Source, Inc. a global distributor of electronic components. Between 2001 and 2002, Mr. Mohasseb, in an advisory capacity, shared his diverse operational and consulting expertise directly with CEO’s and with Venture Capital / investment firms. Engagements include evaluation of portfolio companies for strategic soundness, financial and organizational restructuring, liquidation and merger positioning and new venture evaluation and development. He also served as the Acting Chief Strategy officer for a global electronics component distributors with 450+ Million in revenues.

EXPERT PANEL:

Tal Golan | President & CTO | Sendio, Inc.
Tal Golan has been a technology innovator since 1994. Tal entered the high-tech industry working for the Multimedia and Digital Video Laboratory at Pixel Multimedia in Tel Aviv, Israel. Prior to founding Sendio, Tal founded OpticNerve, Inc., a software development and consulting firm providing enterprise-level Internet applications. At OpticNerve, he worked with many industry pioneers, including Exodus Communications (now Cable & Wireless) and Netcom (now Earthlink). He is an expert in SMTP, Java, Linux, SQL, Cryptography and PHP, and has extensive experience as both an architect and implementer of Web-based applications. Tal holds a bachelor's degree from Brandeis University.

In November 2006, Sendio received a $4 million venture capital investment.

Bart Greenberg | Partner | Manatt, Phelps & Phillips, LLP
Bart is a partner in the Orange County office of Manatt, Phelps & Phillips, LLP, where he practices general corporate law with an emphasis on mergers and acquisitions, debt and equity financings and the cost-effective representation of entrepreneurs, start-ups and emerging technology companies. Mr. Greenberg serves as Co-Chair of the firm's Venture Capital and Technology practice group. Bart is also a strong contributor to the community by his tireless support and active involvement in many local technology organizations, including, among others, Tech Coast Venture Network, where he currently serves as its Chairman, TechBiz Connection, where he currently serves on its Board, Blue Knot, where he currently serves as a Co-Chair, the Office of Technology Transfer & Commercialization, California State University, San Bernardino, where he currently serves as a reviewer and evaluator of grant applications, and the Digital Media Center, where he currently serves as one of its Advisory Board.

John Harbison | Chief Executive Officer | TechSpin
John is Vice President of the Orange County chapter of Tech Coast Angels. He is also co-founder and CEO of TechSpin, a firm which specializes in helping emerging commercial start-ups secure new business in aerospace/defense/government markets. Prior to TechSpin, John served as CEO of SilentRunner (a network security software company) where he led a successful turnaround and sale of the company. Before that, he was president of Raytheon Commercial Ventures Inc., where he created a successful venture group which completed 5 spinouts in 2 years, including two which achieved liquidity events. Earlier in his career, he did strategy consulting for 20 years as a partner at Booz•Allen & Hamilton, where he led the firm’s Aerospace/Defense Practice and Strategic Alliance Practice each to global prominence. He was co-author of Smart Alliances, the leading book on alliances and M&A for five years. He earned an MBA (1st Year Honors) from Harvard Business School, and an AB (cum laude) from Harvard College.

Douglas J. Russo | Founding Partner | MarketPro Solutions
Doug is the founder of MarketPro Solutions, a management-consulting firm, providing planning and implementation services to start-up and emerging companies whose entrepreneurial founders/managers are striving to reach the next level.

Doug and his partners assist management teams in writing or enhancing Business Plans, Marketing Plans, Financial Models and related materials. Once the preparation phase is completed, Doug introduces the management team to potential capital sources and alliance partners. They also remain involved in the company to implement tactical plans and programs.

Joe Platnick  | Director | Pasadena Angels
Joe Platnick is a Southern California-based angel investor, senior executive and board member with over 20 years experience with software, Internet, wireless and hardware companies in the US and overseas. Prior to joining the Pasadena Angels, Joe was the Chief Operating Officer of Probandi, a security management software company.

Previously, he managed the worldwide sales and marketing operations for NxN Software AG, a German-based global provider of media asset management solutions for the entertainment and web industries. During his career, Joe has led international expansion efforts for high-tech companies into Europe, Asia-Pacific, and the Middle East, and has extensive experience in the US and Europe raising private equity capital. He has successfully led several mergers and acquisitions.