The Funded: Royalty Financing with Arthur Fox

Hi BVCPErs,

The Funded: Royalty Financing with Arthur Fox
Wednesday, April 27 at 4:30pm - Olin 101

Angels, VCs, and banks are not the only options for financing your new business. Come hear about this unique alternative from one of its evangalists. Arthur Fox has raised three funds to offer royalty-based financing to entrepreneurs. Arthur is also an experienced entrepreneur and co-founded three technology companies, Octek Inc., Lexidata Corp. and Medicel Inc. Octek was acquired by a Fortune 500 company and Lexidata conducted a successful IPO.

Field Trip! Bain Capital

Hi BVCPErs,

Field Trip! Bain Capital
Wednesday, April 20 · 5:00pm - 8:00pm
Bain Capital, 111 Huntington Ave, Boston, MA

Come look behind the scenes at Bain’s Venture Capital and Private Equity divisions and hear what its like day to day. BVCPE will visit Bain’s offices and sit down with several Babson alums to hear about life at Bain.

To RSVP, email arthurawatson@gmail.com

2011 Babson College Business Plan Competitions

Hi BVCPErs,

The Babson 2011 College Business Plan Competition is open.  The direct link to the registration is http://csv2011.eventbrite.com.

_________


Babson’s Annual Business Plan Competitions

Watch our 2011 business plan competition finalists compete for over $100,000 in cash and services in kind on Thursday, April 14 at 2pm!

For more information including agenda and registration, visit www.babson.edu/venturing or contact the Blank Center for more details.

BEEC Finance Panel

BVCPErs,

The Babson Energy and Environment Conference is coming up and we wanted to bring your attention to the many VCs on the finance panel.  The biggest challenge to adoption with many cleantech innovations is their financing.  This panel will discuss possible solutions as well as what is being funded now.

Financing Strategies: Funding Your Green Venture
This panel will bring together both business operators and financiers to discuss the state of financing green ventures in today’s economy.  The panel will look at the latest trends and innovations in debt, equity, and project financing in the cleantech space, and discuss both challenges and potential opportunities.  Panelists will discuss where the capital is flowing, how the latest are deals being structured, who the biggest winners and losers are, and how “financial entrepreneurs” can play an integral role in helping the new green economy to grow.

·         Jon Abe – Senior Vice President, Nexamp
·         Carry Bullock – CEO, ThermoEnergy Corp.
·         Sheeraz Haji– CEO, Cleantech Group
·         Chuck McDermott – General Partner, Rockport Capital
·         Moderator: Mark Donohue – Clean Technology Entrepreneur-in-Residence, Babson College

Register today at www.babsonenergy.com to be a part of this exciting event!

US/Israeli Venture Summit in NYC

BVCPErs,

YoungStartup is hosting the US/Israel Venture Summit in New York City and is looking for volunteers on March 29th from 10am - 5pm and on March 30th from 6:30am - 1pm.  The summit will feature Israeli startups and American VCs.

Many of you volunteered at YoungStartup's New England Venture Summit.  This event will have a similar format.  Volunteers will also be invited to the cocktail reception at the close of the event.  You can read more about the event here: http://www.youngstartup.com/usisrael2011/agenda.php

If you are interested, please email me.

GE Internship Opportunity

Members,

Another opportunity which would provide a great background for those interested in PE.

__________

Summer internship opportunities at GE Capital:

Interested qualified candidates ONLY should forward their resumes via email to me with a copy to Donna.  We’ll review them for quality and “fit” and pass the best ones on to GE Capital’s hiring manager.  At this juncture, GE Capital is NOT interested in receiving cover letters, so only résumés demonstrating an obvious “fit” with the candidate qualifications outlined below will be given serious consideration.

These summer internship opportunities are with GE Capital in the US (not within any other divisions of GE).  Below is a brief description of the qualifications that they’re looking for in summer internship candidates.  For your information and future reference, I’m including links that discuss the Experienced Commercial Leadership Program (ECLP) at GE.  Candidates who do well in the internship will likely get a full-time offer to join the ECLP program.

Although the ECLP spans all of GE’s business units, the summer internship opportunities are in GE Capital.  The hiring manager has emphasized that successful candidates will most importantly possess:
·         5-7 years of work experience, including prior exposure to the financial services sector;
·         What GE calls strong “commercial” skills (i.e., prior sales and marketing experience a plus); and
·         Very strong leadership skills.

More specifically, the summer internship candidate qualifications for GE Capital (Commercial Lending & Leasing; Real Estate; Consumer Financing; Aviation Services; Energy Financial Services) include:
    •    5-7 years of demonstrated “commercial” experience in customer-oriented roles, such as sales, marketing, consulting, banking, real estate, or financial services.
    •    Analytical and strategic thinking skills…financial modeling a plus; and
    •    Proven skills in leadership, communication, project management, influencing key stakeholders, etc.
Experienced Commercial Leadership Program (ECLP) links:
http://www.ge.com/careers/students/eclp/index.html
http://www.cefcorp.com/eclp/

GE’s ECLP consists of three eight-month rotations that will eventually lead to placement in an “executive role” in one of GE’s business units.  Simultaneously, the ECLP experience may offer six-month-long deep-dive training programs, such as a credit analysis “boot camp,” a presentation skills module, etc., and may also include, e.g., a tour of GE’s operations in Shanghai, PRC, which should give you a good sense that this is a truly outstanding career opportunity.

International students:  The hiring manager may be open to placing international students in these US-based GE Capital internships if they have applied for and received US work authorization and obtained a US Social Security Number for US payroll purposes.  Having said that, international students should understand that even if they were able to prevail in getting hired for the summer by GE Capital in the US, GE would NOT be making any commitment to rehire them in the US after graduation.  For the post-graduation ECLP program, GE’s hiring managers would welcome international students to apply; however, if a person is to be considered for the post-graduation US ECLP program, he/she will need to have “unrestricted US work authorization.” Otherwise, GE tends to place international students in “poles” outside of the US – i.e., GE’s Asia pole, Latin America pole, etc.

Thanks,

Don O’Connor (on behalf of Donna Sosnowski)
Graduate CCD
(781) 239-6490

Healthcare Commercialization Competition

This is an event that the club leadership has helped put together and several VCs will be acting as mentors and judges during the competition.

Flywheel Seeking Candidates for Fellows Program

Members,

Here is an opportunity that may be of interest to you.

____________

Flywheel Ventures Seeking Candidates for Fellows Program

At its core venture capitalism is an apprenticeship business, requiring an approach that includes hands-on mentoring and close guidance. Successful venture investors, with vision and judgment, are made not born.

We are pleased to offer students the prospect of working as a summer apprentice with New Mexico-based Flywheel Ventures. The Flywheel Fellows program is dedicated to serving as a sophisticated tool that builds successful leaders, teams and organizations. Working in both a Flywheel investment analysis and portfolio company operations capacity, students gain an appreciation of and experience with the partnership building, strategy and tactical execution required to build venture-backed technology start-ups.  Students are immersed in and work directly with Flywheel with responsibilities in areas such as opportunity analysis, investment due diligence, market ecosystem mapping and portfolio governance.  Additionally, students can be dedicated operationally to one or more of Flywheel’s portfolio companies in areas such as strategy, finance, sales and marketing, product management, and business development.  Each student has the full Flywheel resources and network behind them, stretching worldwide and including a unique blend of classic strategy, hands-on practicality, depth and authenticity in all areas of technology entrepreneurship and investment.

Sitting at the intersection of venture capital and high technology entrepreneurship, the Program has been designed to help students to develop a practitioner’s understanding of the techniques for investing in and growing successful emerging technology companies. In addition, one of the greatest long term benefits is the ability to leverage the evolving Flywheel Fellows Alumni Network.  It is a select group.

Interested students should submit a resume and cover letter that addresses areas of interest, expectations for career experience, and why you are a good fit for the Fellows program to fellowapp@flywheelventures.com by April 15. Enrollment is limited.  Students who accept admission to the program become Flywheel Fellows, allowing the best and brightest to put their talents to work in the Southwest / Rockies by investing first institutional capital in promising ventures.

The 2011 Flywheel Fellows class will be announced in May and the Program runs from June 13 through August 5. This is an unpaid internship opportunity.

For additional details, please visit Flywheel Fellows Program.

The Angel Capital Association (ACA)’s Silvertip Awards recognize North America’s most promising angel-backed companies.  Through an innovative crowdsourcing-based design the competition brings together angel investors, entrepreneurs, students, and domain experts in a collaborative environment.  The competition is actively recruiting students, investors, and domain experts to participate in the crowdsourced judging (ongoing, ends on 3/20). Sign up.

Here is your chance to showcase what you know to, and directly interact with, an audience of angel investors, angel-backed entrepreneurs, corporate acquirers, and your peers.  Also, all participants receive an invitation to an in-person networking event (4/4) where they can meet key players in the competition.
A handful of top-performing participants also win VIP Badges, granting high-level access to competition finalists, sponsors, a free ticket to participate in the 2011 ACA Summit (4/4-6), public recognition at the summit, and a ticket into the VIP awards reception. You may contribute as much or as little time as you like, but those who perform well have substantially higher odds of winning a VIP Badge.

Judging is going on right now. You are invited to dive in.  Sign up!

--
****************************************************************
Paul G. Silva | 413-667-9886 | paul@angelcatalyst.com
   Angel group manager | entrepreneur | mentor
****************************************************************

Babson Venture Capital & Private Equity Club Newsletter: Mar 9, 2011

Announcements

Congratulations to the Babson VCIC team who won the Entrepreneur's Choice Award at the regional competition!

BVCPE would like to thank all of the trainers and judges who helped prep this year's teams.  We hope that all of the participants learned from the competition.  We everyone to stay involved and compete again in next year's competition.

Leadership Positions
BVCPE is looking for recruits.  We are now accepting applications for leadership positions.  Please email arthurawatson@gmail.com if you are interested.  We will begin the interview process soon.

The Funded
Thanks for everyone who came out to the last The Funded to hear Matt Wetheiler of Flybridge Capital and Jon Radoff of GamerDNA/Disruptor Beam discuss the intersections of venture capital and gaming.  It was a lively discussion and Jon wrote a blog post about his thoughts from the evening here: http://radoff.com/blog/2011/02/25/vcs-invest-games/

Jon is also publishing a book this April about social gaming.  You can find it here:
http://www.amazon.com/Game-Energize-Business-Social-Media/dp/0470936266/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1296660029&sr=8-1


If you know anyone who is interested in the club, anyone can join our mailing list by sending a blank email to join-bvcpe@listserv.babson.edu

Upcoming Events

Follow all of BVCPE clubs events at our Google Calendar and our Life @ Babson page.
http://www.google.com/calendar/embed?src=d1rtihf4el3sptonck8n7fm1hc%40group.calendar.google.com&ctz=America/New_York
and
https://life.babson.edu/organization/babson-venture-capital-private-equity-

_____________________________________

Other Events

Know of an event that you don't see listed?  Email me at arthurawatson@gmail.com
For more events in the Boston startup scene, check out Greenhorn Connect, at http://greenhornconnect.com/events/calendar
 and for help paying all those registration fees, visit Stay in MA, at http://www.stayinma.com/home
_____________________________________


MIT Sloan BioInnovations Conference 2011: Friday, March 4th @ 8:30am-5pm - Boston Marriott Cambridge

The 8th Annual MIT Sloan BioInnovations Conference brings together thought leaders from industry and academia to discuss important topics applicable across the health care industries.

For full details on panel speakers and to register, visit: http://web.mit.edu/sloanhccbioinnovations/2011/index.html
_____________________________________



Web Innovators Group: Monday, March 7th @ 6:30pm-9pm - Royal Sonesta Hotel Cambridge

The quarterly web startup showcase continues.  See the hottest new Boston internet startups and mingle with entrepreneurs, techies, angels and VCs.  Look out for the after-parties.

We'll continue with the same format of self-/angel-funded startups presenting to the crowd as "Main Dishes" in the grand ballroom with "Side Dishes" demoing informally throughout the night from nearby skyline suites room. The doors officially open at 6:30pm with presentations starting at 7pm, including the "Audience Choice" award given to the crowd's favorite company as determined by mobile voting.
_____________________________________


Futures in Life Science Program 
Commercialization 1: Marketing, Product Management, Business Development 
March 8th @ 5:30pm-8:00pm - MassBio Offices, One Cambridge Center

Moderator:
- John Hession: Partner, Cooley LLP
Panelists:
- Arthur Hiller, M.S., President, Hiller Life Sciences Strategies
- Kevin Bitterman, Ph.D., Principal, Polaris Ventures
- Maureen Nugent Franco, Vice President and Global Brand
   Leader in the rare genetic division, Genzyme
- Steven Bernitz, General Partner, Extera Partners
To Register:
http://futuresinlifesciences2.eventbrite.com/
_____________________________________



Xconomy's VC65: Wednesday, April 06, 2011 @ 2:00 PM - Cambridge, United States

To celebrate the venture field and the outstanding entrepreneurs that VCs have funded and supported, Xconomy, in partnership with the National Venture Capital Association and the MIT Museum, is convening a conference marking the 65th anniversary of the industry. Held in concert with the NVCA’s annual meeting in Boston, VC65 will highlight stories and lessons learned from some of the country’s leading technology entrepreneurs and the venture capitalists who have backed them.

We hope you will join some 600 NVCA members (all active venture capitalists) in MIT’s Kresge Auditorium for this afternoon gathering and follow us to the MIT Museum for a reception in the recently opened MIT 150th Anniversary Exhibition, which features the 150 most important objects in the history of MIT, including artifacts from original venture-funded companies and pioneering venture capital firms themselves.

Register here: http://vc65.eventbrite.com/
_____________________________________

Buyouts New York 2011: April 26-27 - The Plaza, New York
Buyouts New York 2011 is one of the best investments you can make this year. Where else can you do a month's worth of networking in just two days? And if you register now, you'll be eligible for special early bird pricing, so why wait?

Josh Harris from Apollo Management and David Rubenstein from The Carlyle Group are just a couple of the big name speakers confirmed for this year's conference. See below for a list of other Keynote Speakers and Newsmakers. With 20 years' experience recruiting senior speakers to our conferences, you're always guaranteed to learn from the industry's movers and shakers.
_____________________________________

The Capital Network - Upcoming Events:

Mar. 8 - Business Basics
Business Basics: Common Pitfalls and How to Avoid Them
Mar. 16 - Expert Lunch
Transition from Seed to Venture Capital
Apr. 1 - Business Workshop
Hands-On Quickbooks for Entrepreneurs
Apr. 5 - Expert Lunch
Company Valuation Metrics and Analysis
Apr. 26 - Life Science Fast Track
Life Science Fast Track: Half-Day Boot Camp for VC & Angel Success
Jun. 7 - Venture Fast Track
Venture Fast Track: One Day Boot Camp for VC & Angel Success
Jun. 16 - Networking Event
Networking for Fundraising Success

For information on all TCN events, check http://thecapitalnetwork.org/programs.upcoming.php
_____________________________________

Masschallenge Upcoming Events: http://www.masschallenge.org/resources/events/calendar
_____________________________________

Entretech Forums Upcoming Events:

March 15, 2011
Start-up Advisor Selection: How to Get Professional Assistance When You Can't Afford It
April 19, 2011
Raising Money I: Angels or VCs: Who’s Driving the Regional Start-up Capital Market?
May 17, 2011
Raising Money II: Sourcing Government Funds in a New Era of Fiscal Austerity
June 21, 2011
Tech Transfer: Finding and Extracting the Next Billion-Dollar Opportunity from Our Universities

For more check http://www.entretechforum.org/2_calendar.htm

January 18, 2011  Communications Intersections of smart-phone/netbook/laptop/desktop web services
______________________________________

MIT Enterprise Forum Events: http://www.mitforumcambridge.org/category/events/upcoming/


Opportunities

VC

The Angel Capital Association (ACA)’s Silvertip Awards

The Angel Capital Association (ACA)’s Silvertip Awards recognize North America’s most promising angel-backed companies.  Through an innovative design that brings angel & strategic investors, entrepreneurs, andMBA students together in a collaborative environment.  The collaboration facilitates exciting new connections to form between participants while simultaneously revealing which companies are most deserving of recognition.

You get to match your expertise against the world’s top angel investors and corporate acquirers.  Do you think you have the insight to pick the winning entry?  Here is your chance to showcase all you have learned in your MBA program.  While doing so, you get to interact directly with startups, select angel investors, and corporate acquirers.

All students receive an invitation to an in-person networking event  (4/4) where they can meet key players in the competition.  A handful of students will also win VIP Badges, granting high-level access to competition finalists, sponsors, a free ticket to participate in the 2011 ACA Summit (4/4-6), public recognition at the summit, and a ticket into the VIP awards reception.

Your task is to begin your own due diligence exploration of a handful of the most interesting (to you) contestants.  You will be posed with three core questions for each company and asked to generate your best initial predictions.  No sooner will you post your initial answers then you will see your peers debate the relative merits of their own answers and research.  Students won’t be alone.  The company’s management team and angel investors will be invited to participate.

Learn more here: https://docs.google.com/document/pub?id=1iNj-SlGbkmPCRR9mRw35rCIJ4Q_SJsXukHGD-PlyaCo
and here: The Student Experience


Entrepreneurs

Betaspring Incubator - Deadline March 18th


Are you an entrepreneur looking to join an incubator with a big focus on mentorship this summer? According to an updated website, Betaspring, the Rhode Island based startup incubator is now open to application submissions. The incubator provides tech and design entrepreneurs with a 12 week mentor program, in return for their giving up 6-10% of their company common stock.

Betaspring pitches taking teams with new technologies from concept to a fundable company in just 12 weeks. Just what sort of mentorship can you expect? Check out their mentor profiles, featuring 40 entrepreneurs, VCs, and tech and design moguls. As for past Betaspring companies to reach out to and learn more about their experience, check out the fourteen companies listed on the Betaspring website. The list includes DiJiPOP, a company which locked down $1 million in funding this December.

Summer@Highland - Deadline Thursday, April 7, 2011

In its fourth year, Summer@Highland is an entrepreneurship program designed to provide founders and teams with the environment and resources for advancing their startup initiative/company to the next level. Highland receives no equity stake in exchange for participating in the core program and teams are under no obligation to Highland after the summer.

Selected teams will receive a financial stipend and complimentary work space in either our Highland Entrepreneur Center in Lexington, Massachusetts or California (planning for location in SoMa neighborhood of San Francisco). The teams will have access to Highland investment professionals, mentors from our founder & CEO community along with further resources for injecting real-world advice, insight and perspectives into the entrepreneurial and company-building process. We are looking to host 4-6 teams in each location.

Apply here: www.hcp.com/summer

If you know of an opportunity not listed here, please let us know!

Links, Articles and Resources

http://www.techcrunch.com/
http://www.venturebeat.com/
http://www.bostinnovation.com/
http://blogs.wsj.com/venturecapital/
http://www.vcaonline.com/news/
http://www.pehub.com/
http://www.xconomy.com/
http://www.thedeal.com/
http://www.avc.com/
http://www.venturehacks.com/ 
http://www.propelcareers.com/blog/ *New* Focuses on healthcare in the Boston area.

The Funded: Social VC

This event is on April 6th, this coming Wednesday.  Please excuse the typo.

The Funded Today!

VCIC Championship Edition: Babson Venture Capital & Private Equity Club Newsletter

Announcements

VCIC

Congratulations to the winners of VCIC!

Team Thunderbird
    ▪    Rob McMenimon
    ▪    Lizzie Bell
    ▪    Sri Krishnamurthy
    ▪    Jarrad Glennon

They will go onto the regionals to face Harvard, Dartmouth, MIT, Toronto, and NYU in the regionals on March 4th.

Thank you to all who participated.  The teams showed great judgement and stratagem throughout the day, and the judges were impressed.  The club would particularly like to thank all of the entrepreneurs and judges who participated in the event, including Chris Hall of Anagraph Medical, Bill Yucatonis of Coupme, and Peter Vandermeulen of 7AC as well as Yumin Choi of HLM Ventures, Ryan Ward of Polaris, Geoffrey Meuller of General Catalyst, Derek Yoon of Berwind Private Equity, and Ben Littauer of Walnut Ventures and BHA.  All of the judges except for Ben Littauer are Babson alums as is Peter Vandermeulen of 7AC.

The club has many more great events scheduled for this spring, including this Wednesday's The Funded.  The conversation will focus on GamerDNA, a gaming social network, that Jon founded and Matt funded.  Both men saw the company through being sold for a successful exit a few years ago.  Now, Jon has started Disruptor Beam, a social game publisher focused on the world of roleplaying, and Matt is looking for Flybridge's next big investments.  The event will cover the story of GamerDNA and the future intersections of Venture Capital and Gaming.

As Spring is approaching, we would also like to introduce a new section to our newsletter......

Opportunities

VC

The Angel Capital Association (ACA)’s Silvertip Awards - Deadline 2/28

The Angel Capital Association (ACA)’s Silvertip Awards recognize North America’s most promising angel-backed companies.  Through an innovative design that brings angel & strategic investors, entrepreneurs, andMBA students together in a collaborative environment.  The collaboration facilitates exciting new connections to form between participants while simultaneously revealing which companies are most deserving of recognition.

You get to match your expertise against the world’s top angel investors and corporate acquirers.  Do you think you have the insight to pick the winning entry?  Here is your chance to showcase all you have learned in your MBA program.  While doing so, you get to interact directly with startups, select angel investors, and corporate acquirers.

All students receive an invitation to an in-person networking event  (4/4) where they can meet key players in the competition.  A handful of students will also win VIP Badges, granting high-level access to competition finalists, sponsors, a free ticket to participate in the 2011 ACA Summit (4/4-6), public recognition at the summit, and a ticket into the VIP awards reception.

Your task is to begin your own due diligence exploration of a handful of the most interesting (to you) contestants.  You will be posed with three core questions for each company and asked to generate your best initial predictions.  No sooner will you post your initial answers then you will see your peers debate the relative merits of their own answers and research.  Students won’t be alone.  The company’s management team and angel investors will be invited to participate.

Learn more here: https://docs.google.com/document/pub?id=1iNj-SlGbkmPCRR9mRw35rCIJ4Q_SJsXukHGD-PlyaCo

Entrepreneurs

MIT $100K Business Plan Competition - February 25 Deadline

Want to win $100K and start the next billion dollar business? Enter the MIT $100K Business Plan Competition with a great idea and make it happen.

Check our website for the registration form and more information. Registration deadline is February 25.


Betaspring Incubator - Deadline March 18th


Are you an entrepreneur looking to join an incubator with a big focus on mentorship this summer? According to an updated website, Betaspring, the Rhode Island based startup incubator is now open to application submissions. The incubator provides tech and design entrepreneurs with a 12 week mentor program, in return for their giving up 6-10% of their company common stock.

Betaspring pitches taking teams with new technologies from concept to a fundable company in just 12 weeks. Just what sort of mentorship can you expect? Check out their mentor profiles, featuring 40 entrepreneurs, VCs, and tech and design moguls. As for past Betaspring companies to reach out to and learn more about their experience, check out the fourteen companies listed on the Betaspring website. The list includes DiJiPOP, a company which locked down $1 million in funding this December.

Summer@Highland - Deadline Thursday, April 7, 2011

In its fourth year, Summer@Highland is an entrepreneurship program designed to provide founders and teams with the environment and resources for advancing their startup initiative/company to the next level. Highland receives no equity stake in exchange for participating in the core program and teams are under no obligation to Highland after the summer.

Selected teams will receive a financial stipend and complimentary work space in either our Highland Entrepreneur Center in Lexington, Massachusetts or California (planning for location in SoMa neighborhood of San Francisco). The teams will have access to Highland investment professionals, mentors from our founder & CEO community along with further resources for injecting real-world advice, insight and perspectives into the entrepreneurial and company-building process. We are looking to host 4-6 teams in each location.

Apply here: www.hcp.com/summer

If you know of an opportunity not listed here, please let us know!

If you know anyone who is interested in the club, anyone can join our mailing list by sending a blank email to join-bvcpe@listserv.babson.edu

Upcoming Events

Follow all of BVCPE clubs events at our Google Calendar and our Life @ Babson page.
http://www.google.com/calendar/embed?src=d1rtihf4el3sptonck8n7fm1hc%40group.calendar.google.com&ctz=America/New_York
and
https://life.babson.edu/organization/babson-venture-capital-private-equity-

________________________________________

The Funded - The Series: Wednesdays @ 4:30pm - Olin 102

The Funded will feature founders and funders telling the story of their shared venture.  We hope to cover many industries and types of funding over the course of the semester.

If you have a company or funder you would like to bring to campus, let us know!

The Funded: February 23rd @ 4:30pm - Olin 102
This week BVCPE hosts Matt Wetheiler of Flybridge Capital and John Radoff of GamerDNA/Disruptor Beam.  The conversation will focus on GamerDNA, a gaming social network, that Jon Radoff founded and Matt Witheiler of Flybridge Capital funded.  Both men saw the company through being sold for a successful exit a few years ago.  Now, Jon has started Disruptor Beam, a social game publisher focused on the world of roleplaying, and Matt is looking for Flybridge's next big investments.  The event will cover the story of GamerDNA and the future intersections of Venture Capital and Gaming.

Other Events

Know of an event that you don't see listed?  Email me at arthurawatson@gmail.com
For more events in the Boston startup scene, check out Greenhorn Connect, at http://greenhornconnect.com/events/calendar
 and for help paying all those registration fees, visit Stay in MA, at http://www.stayinma.com/home

________________________________________

Harvard Venture Capital and Private Equity Conference: Saturday, February 26th - Harvard Business School

This year's keynote speakers include Leon Black, Founder and CEO of Apollo Global Management, LLC; William H. Draper III, Managing Director at Draper Richards L.P. and Founder of Sutter Hill Ventures; and Stephen Pagliuca, Managing Director at Bain Capital and Co-owner of the Boston Celtics.

Register by January 31, 2011 to take advantage of Early Bird discounts.

________________________________________

Web Innovators Group: Monday, March 7th @ 6:30pm-9pm - Royal Sonesta Hotel Cambridge

The quarterly web startup showcase continues.  See the hottest new Boston internet startups and mingle with entrepreneurs, techies, angels and VCs.  Look out for the after-parties.

We'll continue with the same format of self-/angel-funded startups presenting to the crowd as "Main Dishes" in the grand ballroom with "Side Dishes" demoing informally throughout the night from nearby skyline suites room. The doors officially open at 6:30pm with presentations starting at 7pm, including the "Audience Choice" award given to the crowd's favorite company as determined by mobile voting.
________________________________________

Buyouts New York 2011: April 26-27 - The Plaza, New York

Buyouts New York 2011 is one of the best investments you can make this year. Where else can you do a month's worth of networking in just two days? And if you register now, you'll be eligible for special early bird pricing, so why wait?

Josh Harris from Apollo Management and David Rubenstein from The Carlyle Group are just a couple of the big name speakers confirmed for this year's conference. See below for a list of other Keynote Speakers and Newsmakers. With 20 years' experience recruiting senior speakers to our conferences, you're always guaranteed to learn from the industry's movers and shakers.
________________________________________

The Capital Network - Upcoming Events:

Mar. 8 - Business Basics
Business Basics: Common Pitfalls and How to Avoid Them

Mar. 16 - Expert Lunch
Transition from Seed to Venture Capital

Apr. 1 - Business Workshop
Hands-On Quickbooks for Entrepreneurs

Apr. 5 - Expert Lunch
Company Valuation Metrics and Analysis

Apr. 26 - Life Science Fast Track
Life Science Fast Track: Half-Day Boot Camp for VC & Angel Success

Jun. 7 - Venture Fast Track
Venture Fast Track: One Day Boot Camp for VC & Angel Success

Jun. 16 - Networking Event
Networking for Fundraising Success

For information on all TCN events, check http://thecapitalnetwork.org/programs.upcoming.php
________________________________________

Masschallenge Upcoming Events: http://www.masschallenge.org/resources/events/calendar

________________________________________

Entretech Forums Upcoming Events:

March 15, 2011 - Start-up Advisor Selection: How to Get Professional Assistance When You Can't Afford It

April 19, 2011 - Raising Money I: Angels or VCs: Who’s Driving the Regional Start-up Capital Market?

May 17, 2011 - Raising Money II: Sourcing Government Funds in a New Era of Fiscal Austerity

June 21, 2011 - Tech Transfer: Finding and Extracting the Next Billion-Dollar Opportunity from Our Universities

For more check http://www.entretechforum.org/2_calendar.htm

January 18, 2011  Communications Intersections of smart-phone/netbook/laptop/desktop web services

________________________________________

MIT Enterprise Forum Events: http://www.mitforumcambridge.org/category/events/upcoming/

Links, Articles and Resources

http://www.techcrunch.com/
http://www.venturebeat.com/
http://www.bostinnovation.com/
http://blogs.wsj.com/venturecapital/
http://www.vcaonline.com/news/
http://www.pehub.com/
http://www.xconomy.com/
http://www.thedeal.com/
http://www.avc.com/
http://www.venturehacks.com/

VCIC Training: Babson Venture Capital & Private Equity Club Newsletter

Announcements

VCIC!  The game is on!

This week we will be hosting an intense series of training sessions for the VCIC competition.  All teams wishing to participate in this year's competition must be represented at the training sessions.  At the training sessions, we will be reviewing our earlier sessions on valuation and term sheets, discussing the details of the competition, providing tips and guidelines, and distributing a business plan to be analyzed for Thursday's mock competition with a real VC judge.

We have received many emails about people desiring to compete in the VCIC competition who are still looking for teams.  All people wishing to participate in VCIC should register themselves on this spreadsheet.
https://spreadsheets.google.com/ccc?key=0Am_3P5GXFQ96dGlncDZORExHWFZ6a3djZnVOTWlScVE&hl=en&authkey=CJenyvgP
Many people on this spreadsheet are still unaffiliated with a team.  Now is the time to make friends and form a team.

Past participants note: Unless you have been to the regional competition, you are still eligible to compete.  You can compete in the Babson competition as many times as you want.

Here are the details on this weeks training sessions.  Good luck!

VCIC 101 - Tuesday, Feb 1st: 2:00-3:30pm - Olin 102
This event will be an intense training session for Babson's VCIC competition on Feburary 12th. We will be issuing a sample business plan for analysis and covering term sheet strategies, including key terms, business analysis, and valuation techniques. Think of this as a crash course combining topics we have covered in the past but in a VCIC format.

VCIC Mock Competition and Registration - Thursday, Feb 3rd: 4:30pm-6:30pm - Olin 102
Joining us is Babson's own Yumin Choi, Senior Associate at HLM Ventures Partners, who will be walking us through his approach to Tuesday's sample business plan. Between Tuesday and Thursday, teams are asked to prepare term sheets on the sample business for a live discussion and comparison with Yumin. This will not only simulate the VCIC event, but will give students direct interaction with a VC - the best form of VCIC preparation. All teams are asked to be present in order to sign NDAs and register for February 12th.

***The winning team on February 12th can expect one of a kind interactions with the club's VC advisors in addition to coaching and advice in preparation for the regional event.

VCIC Competition - Saturday, Feb 12th: 8am-5pm - Olin Auditorium
The Big Show.  Teams will be presented business plans the night before.  Saturday morning, the companies will present their investor pitches.  After a short break each team will have the opportunity to interview each entrepreneur.  After interviews are completed, the teams will choose a company in which to invest and write up a termsheet.  Each team will then have fifteen minutes to negotiate their term sheet with the entrepreneur.  At the conclusion of negotiations, the VCs, who will be watching all of the days proceedings, will question the team on its actions throughout the day.  They will then provide some brief feedback.  Once all teams have finished, general feedback will be given and a winner will be announced. The winner will go onto the regional competition.



If you know anyone who is interested in the club, anyone can join our mailing list by sending a blank email to join-bvcpe@listserv.babson.edu


Upcoming Events

Follow all of BVCPE clubs events at our Google Calendar and our Life @ Babson page.
http://www.google.com/calendar/embed?src=d1rtihf4el3sptonck8n7fm1hc%40group.calendar.google.com&ctz=America/New_York
and
https://life.babson.edu/organization/babson-venture-capital-private-equity-
________________________________________

VCIC Bootcamp: Tuesday, January 1st @ 3:00pm - Olin 101
It was a long break, so get back in the groove or bring the rest of your team up to speed with VCIC Bootcamp.  We will cover everything you need to know in one intense session, recovering valuations, term sheets, and more.

VCIC Mock Competition with Yumin Choi: Thursday, February 3rd @ 4:00pm - Olin 202

Your first chance to test your mettle against real VCs.  Analyze a company with your team and then be judged by a real VC, Yumin Choi.  Yumin is a senior associate at HLM Ventures, a Board member of The Capital Network, and fellow Beaver.  This is the best practice for the actual competition you will get.  Bask in glory or suffer the agony of defeat as you face your first test.  (Although probably the latter.  This is mainly for the entertainment of the club leadership.)

VCIC Internal Competition: Saturday, February 12th @ 8am-5pm - Olin Auditorium

This is Babson's internal VCIC competition.  The winner will go onto face teams like MIT and Tuck in the regionals before traveling to UNC for the nationals.  Last year's team won the entrepreneur's choice award, but first place eluded them.  Are you ready to bring home the gold for the Beavers this year?

(The Funded will take a break this week for VCIC Training.)

The Funded - The Series: Wednesdays @ 4:30pm - Olin 101

The Funded will feature founders and funders telling the story of their shared venture.  We hope to cover many industries and types of funding over the course of the semester.  Here is a glance of the participants so far:
    •    Spark Capital's Alex Finkelstein and Peertransfer's Iker Marcaide
    •    Techstar's Katie Rae along with one of Techstar's companies
    •    Flybridge Capital's Matt Witheiler and GamerDNA's & Disruptor Beam's Jon Radoff
If you have a company or funder you would like to bring to campus, let us know!


Other Events

Know of an event that you don't see listed?  Email me at arthurawaton@gmail.com
For more events in the Boston startup scene, check out Greenhorn Connect, at http://greenhornconnect.com/events/calendar
 and for help paying all those registration fees, visit Stay in MA, at http://www.stayinma.com/home
________________________________________

Babson 8th Annual Healthcare & Life Sciences Industry Forum: Our Health, Our Business: February 10, 2011 - Olin

Event Highlights:
•       Paul Levy, President and CEO, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center as morning keynote
•       Elizabeth Tallett, Principle, Hunter Partner, LLC as afternoon keynote
•       Morning and afternoon panels featuring: Healthcare IT, Healthcare Innovations, Commercialization of Healthcare Technologies, Delivering Effective Healthcare, and more!
•       Networking Reception

Feature Event: Afternoon Entrepreneurial Competition
The organizers will provide all of our attendees with an opportunity to learn about new life science technologies directly from the scientists and researchers who have invented them. Then we will ask small teams to create strategies and brief presentations for the commercialization of these technologies. Each team will have an opportunity to pitch its concept to a panel of experts.

A small prize will be awarded!

For speaker list and full agenda go to: http://www.babsonhealth.com
Register at: http://www.babsonhealth.eventbrite.com
________________________________________

Harvard Venture Capital and Private Equity Conference: Saturday, February 26th - Harvard Business School

This year's keynote speakers include Leon Black, Founder and CEO of Apollo Global Management, LLC; William H. Draper III, Managing Director at Draper Richards L.P. and Founder of Sutter Hill Ventures; and Stephen Pagliuca, Managing Director at Bain Capital and Co-owner of the Boston Celtics.

Register by January 31, 2011 to take advantage of Early Bird discounts.
________________________________________

The Capital Network - Upcoming Events:
Feb. 2 - Expert Lunch
Utilizing Your IP to Access Funding

Feb. 9 - Evening Roundtable
Negotiation and Valuation

Mar. 16 - Expert Lunch
Transition from Seed to Venture Capital

For information on all TCN events, check http://thecapitalnetwork.org/programs.upcoming.php
________________________________________

Masschallenge Upcoming Events: http://www.masschallenge.org/resources/events/calendar
________________________________________

Entretech Forums Upcoming Events:

February 15, 2011
Biomedicine: Riding and Surviving the Biotech Funding Roller-Coaster

March 15, 2011
Start-up Advisor Selection: How to Get Professional Assistance When You Can't Afford It

April 19, 2011
Raising Money I: Angels or VCs: Who’s Driving the Regional Start-up Capital Market?

May 17, 2011
Raising Money II: Sourcing Government Funds in a New Era of Fiscal Austerity

June 21, 2011
Tech Transfer: Finding and Extracting the Next Billion-Dollar Opportunity from Our Universities

For more check http://www.entretechforum.org/2_calendar.htm
January 18, 2011  Communications Intersections of smart-phone/netbook/laptop/desktop web services
________________________________________

MIT Enterprise Forum Events: http://www.mitforumcambridge.org/category/events/upcoming/


Links, Articles and Resources

http://www.techcrunch.com/
http://www.venturebeat.com/
http://www.bostinnovation.com/
http://blogs.wsj.com/venturecapital/
http://www.vcaonline.com/news/
http://www.pehub.com/
http://www.xconomy.com/
http://www.thedeal.com/
http://www.avc.com/
http://www.venturehacks.com/

VCIC Bootcamp

(In order to register for the VCIC competition, teams must be represented on both days of the bootcamp.)

Attention Entrepreneurs, hopeful VCs, strategists, salesmen, and the classic generalist...

It's time to prepare for the year's most challenging and rewarding competition...the Babson Internal Venture Capital Intensive Competition, part of an International MBA event.

VCIC 101 - Tuesday, Feb 1st: 2:00-3:30pm - Olin 102
This event will be an intense training session for Babson's VCIC competition on Feburary 12th. We will be issuing a sample business plan for analysis and covering term sheet strategies, including key terms, business analysis, and valuation techniques. Think of this as a crash course combining topics we have covered in the past but in a VCIC format.

VCIC Mock Competition and Registration - Thursday, Feb 3rd: 4:30pm-6:30pm - Olin 102
Joining us is Babson's own Yumin Choi, Senior Associate at HLM Ventures Partners, who will be walking us through his approach to Tuesday's sample business plan. Between Tuesday and Thursday, teams are asked to prepare term sheets on the sample business for a live discussion and comparison with Yumin. This will not only simulate the VCIC event, but will give students direct interaction with a VC - the best form of VCIC preparation. All teams are asked to be present in order to sign NDAs and register for February 12th.

***The winning team on February 12th can expect one of a kind interactions with the club's VC advisors in addition to coaching and advice in preparation for the regional event.

VCIC Competition - Saturday, Feb 12th: 8am-5pm - Olin Auditorium
The Big Show.  Teams will be presented business plans the night before.  Saturday morning, the companies will present their investor pitches.  After a short break each team will have the opportunity to interview each entrepreneur.  After interviews are completed, the teams will choose a company in which to invest and write up a termsheet.  Each team will then have fifteen minutes to negotiate their term sheet with the entrepreneur.  At the conclusion of negotiations, the VCs, who will be watching all of the days proceedings, will question the team on its actions throughout the day.  They will then provide some brief feedback.  Once all teams have finished, general feedback will be given and a winner will be announced. The winner will go onto the regional competition.

The Funded: Katie Rae and Techstars

The Funded: Featuring Techstar's Katie Rae and SocialSci's Leon Noel - 1/26 @ 4:30pm - Olin 201

Join us as we hear the story of SocialSci and the Techstar's program.

Techstars is a startup incubator with programs in Boston, New York, Seattle, and Boulder.  The program grants accepted companies up to $18,000, provides them with mentorship, and then presents them to venture capitalists and other funders.  In exchange, Techstars get a 6% stake in the startup.

Katie Rae is the director of Techstars Boston and has recently started Project11, a seed stage micro-VC fund.  She has had a long career in tech, most recently as Head of Product for Microsoft Startup Labs.

Leon Noel dropped out of Yale months before graduation to found SocialSci.  The company is building a community of researchers and participants to streamline social science research.  Currently, SocialSci is tracking over $5 million being paid out by live research studies.  Leon and SocialSci graduated from the Techstars program this Spring.
__________________

The Funded - The Series: Wednesdays @ 4:30pm - Olin 101

The Funded will feature founders and funders telling the story of their shared venture.  We hope to cover many industries and types of funding over the course of the semester.  Here is a glance at some of the events in our series:

    •    Spark Capital's Alex Finkelstein and Peertransfer's Iker Marcaide
    •    Techstar's Katie Rae along with one of Techstar's companies
    •    Flybridge Capital's Matt Witheiler and GamerDNA's & Disruptor Beam's Jon Radoff

If you have a company or funder you would like to bring to campus, let us know!

Techstars Edition: Babson Venture Capital & Private Equity Club Newsletter

Announcements

Special Thanks to Tim Christopher for our new logo!  Thanks Tim!


Thank you to everyone who braved the snowstorm to attend our first The Funded event!  We hosted Iker Marcaide of Peertransfer who just last year was an MBA at MIT and has now raised over a million dollars to pursue a new way to transfer money internationally.  Peertransfer is focusing on international students paying their tuition and offering a 1% transfer fee with no wire fee.  If you would like to see Peertransfer's solution at Babson, email the Director of SFS, Mellisa Shaak, at shaak@babson.edu and let her know.  Unfortunately, Iker's funder, Alex Finkelstein of Spark Capital, was delayed by the snowstorm and did not make the session. Alex extends his apologies and is sorry he was unable to make it.  However, we may see him later in the semester.

The Funded is a new series of events that feature founders and funders telling the story of their shared venture.  We hope to cover many industries and types of funding over the course of the semester.  This week, we will be hosting:

The Funded: Featuring Techstar's Katie Rae and SocialSci's Leon Noel - 1/26 @ 4:30pm - Olin 201

Join us as we hear the story of SocialSci and the Techstar's program.

Techstars is a startup incubator with programs in Boston, New York, Seattle, and Boulder.  The program grants accepted companies $18,000, provides them with mentorship, and then presents them to venture capitalists and other funders.  In exchange, Techstars get a 6% stake in the startup.

Katie Rae is the director of Techstars Boston and has recently started Project11, a seed stage micro-VC fund.  She has had a long career in tech, most recently as Head of Product for Microsoft Startup Labs.

Leon Noel dropped out of Yale months before graduation to found SocialSci.  The company is building a community of researchers and participants to streamline social science research.  Currently, SocialSci is tracking over $5 million being paid out by live research studies.  Leon and SocialSci graduated from the Techstars program this Spring.

Got a great idea?  Applications for this session of Techstars are due at the end of the month.


VCIC

VCIC training will be heating up as Babson's internal competition is less than a month away.  There is still time to find a team, so get your friends together and attend our boot camp and the mock competition as we prepare for Babson's internal competition on February 12th.


VCIC Bootcamp hosted by Yumin Choi - 2/1 @ 3:00pm - Gerber 213 (Gerber is to the left of the library entrance.) 

Everything you need to know for VCIC will be packed into this fast-paced, intense session.  Even if you do not intend to compete in VCIC, this session will give you a quick and thorough introduction to Venture Capital and raising money.  Yumin is a senior associate at HLM Ventures, a Board member of The Capital Network, and fellow Beaver.

VCIC will put you in front of real VCs and give you the chance to negotiate with real startups.  If you are interested in more details on the competition, attached is last year's player's handbook, complete with templates of the valuation and term sheets you will use in the actual competition.  If you are completely unfamiliar with the competition and need a place to start, you can learn more about it here: http://www.vcic.unc.edu/

Still need a team?  Have a team already?  Register your team and scout for talent by filling in your information to this Google Doc.
https://spreadsheets.google.com/ccc?key=0Am_3P5GXFQ96dGlncDZORExHWFZ6a3djZnVOTWlScVE&hl=en&authkey=CJenyvgP

Past participants note: Unless you have been to the regional competition, you are still eligible to compete.  You can compete in the Babson competition as many times as you want. 


If you know anyone who is interested in the club, anyone can join our mailing list by sending a blank email to join-bvcpe@listserv.babson.edu


Upcoming Events

Follow all of BVCPE clubs events at our Google Calendar and our Life @ Babson page.
http://www.google.com/calendar/embed?src=d1rtihf4el3sptonck8n7fm1hc%40group.calendar.google.com&ctz=America/New_York
and
https://life.babson.edu/organization/babson-venture-capital-private-equity-
________________________________________

VCIC Bootcamp with Yumin Choi: Tuesday, January 1st @ 3:00pm - Gerber 213 (Gerber is to the left of the Library entrance)

It was a long break, so get back in the groove or bring the rest of your team up to speed with VCIC Bootcamp.  We will cover everything you need to know in one intense session, recovering valuations, term sheets, and more.  Yumin is a senior associate at HLM Ventures, a Board member of The Capital Network, and fellow Beaver.

VCIC Mock Competition: TBA - TBA

Your first chance to test your mettle against real VCs.  Analyze a company with your team and then be judged by a real VC.  This is the best practice for the actual competition you will get.  Bask in glory or suffer the agony of defeat as you face your first judge.  (Although probably the latter.  This is mainly for the entertainment of the club leadership.)

VCIC Internal Competition: Saturday, February 12th @ 8:00am - TBA

This is Babson's internal VCIC competition.  The winner will go onto face teams like MIT and Tuck in the regionals before traveling to UNC for the nationals.  Last year's team won the entrepreneur's choice award, but first place eluded them.  Are you ready to bring home the gold for the Beavers this year?

The Funded -   Katie Rae and Techstars:  Wednesday, January 26th @ 4:30pm - Olin 201

Join us as we hear the story of how Iker built Peertransfer and how Spark came to invest in the company.  This event kicks off our "The Funded" series and we want to bring a crowd to encourage more speakers to come.  So come out and bring a friend!

Peertransfer is a startup pioneering a low cost way to send money internationally.  The idea was hatched when a pair of students studying internationally were upset by the high fees they were paying to transfer money for their tuition.  Spark Capital is one of the most dynamic VC firms in Boston, investing in tech companies where no idea is too green.  Akamai Technologies, Qtera, Aether Systems, Novatel Wireless, Twitter, 5Min, AdMeld, Verivue, Tumblr are just a few of the companies backed by the Spark team.


The Funded - The Series: Wednesdays @ 4:30pm - Olin 101
The Funded will feature founders and funders telling the story of their shared venture.  We hope to cover many industries and types of funding over the course of the semester.  Here is a glance of the participants so far:
    •    Spark Capital's Alex Finkelstein and Peertransfer's Iker Marcaide
    •    Techstar's Katie Rae along with one of Techstar's companies
    •    Flybridge Capital's Matt Witheiler and GamerDNA's & Disruptor Beam's Jon Radoff

If you have a company or funder you would like to bring to campus, let us know!

Other Events

Know of an event that you don't see listed?  Email me at arthurawaton@gmail.com
For more events in the Boston startup scene, check out Greenhorn Connect, at http://greenhornconnect.com/events/calendar
 and for help paying all those registration fees, visit Stay in MA, at http://www.stayinma.com/home
________________________________________

Babson 8th Annual Healthcare & Life Sciences Industry Forum: Our Health, Our Business: February 10, 2011 - Olin

Event Highlights:
•       Paul Levy, President and CEO, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center as morning keynote
•       Elizabeth Tallett, Principle, Hunter Partner, LLC as afternoon keynote
•       Morning and afternoon panels featuring: Healthcare IT, Healthcare Innovations, Commercialization of Healthcare Technologies, Delivering Effective Healthcare, and more!
•       Networking Reception

Feature Event: Afternoon Entrepreneurial Competition
The organizers will provide all of our attendees with an opportunity to learn about new life science technologies directly from the scientists and researchers who have invented them. Then we will ask small teams to create strategies and brief presentations for the commercialization of these technologies. Each team will have an opportunity to pitch its concept to a panel of experts.

A small prize will be awarded!

For speaker list and full agenda go to: http://www.babsonhealth.com
Register at: http://www.babsonhealth.eventbrite.com
________________________________________


Harvard Venture Capital and Private Equity Conference: Saturday, February 26th - Harvard Business School

This year's keynote speakers include Leon Black, Founder and CEO of Apollo Global Management, LLC; William H. Draper III, Managing Director at Draper Richards L.P. and Founder of Sutter Hill Ventures; and Stephen Pagliuca, Managing Director at Bain Capital and Co-owner of the Boston Celtics.

Register by January 31, 2011 to take advantage of Early Bird discounts.

________________________________________

The Capital Network - Upcoming Events:

Jan. 19 - Expert Lunch: Understanding Debt Term Sheets
Feb. 2 - Expert Lunch: Utilizing Your IP to Access Funding
Feb. 9 - Evening Roundtable: Negotiation and Valuation
Mar. 16 - Expert Lunch: Transition from Seed to Venture Capital

For information on all TCN events, check http://thecapitalnetwork.org/programs.upcoming.php
________________________________________

Masschallenge Upcoming Events: http://www.masschallenge.org/resources/events/calendar
________________________________________

Entretech Forums Upcoming Events:

January 18, 2011
Communications - Intersections of smart-phone/netbook/laptop/desktop web services

February 15, 2011
Biomedicine: Riding and Surviving the Biotech Funding Roller-Coaster

March 15, 2011
Start-up Advisor Selection: How to Get Professional Assistance When You Can't Afford It

April 19, 2011
Raising Money I: Angels or VCs: Who’s Driving the Regional Start-up Capital Market?

May 17, 2011
Raising Money II: Sourcing Government Funds in a New Era of Fiscal Austerity

June 21, 2011
Tech Transfer: Finding and Extracting the Next Billion-Dollar Opportunity from Our Universities

For more check http://www.entretechforum.org/2_calendar.htm
________________________________________

Massachusetts, Evolved: What you need to know about the local game industry and the legislation that could change it all!
January 25th @ 6pm - NERD Center

As you may or may not know, legislation is being proposed that would encourage the growth of the Massachusetts game industry, benefiting companies already in the state and those looking to move to Massachusetts. Points being discussed for inclusion in the proposed legislation may include tax credits, incentives for early-stage game companies, and much more!

MIT Enterprise Forum Events: http://www.mitforumcambridge.org/category/events/upcoming/

Links, Articles and Resources

This week Larry Chang of Volition Capital released his annual list of the most read VC blogs.  You can read the entire article here.

http://www.techcrunch.com/
http://www.venturebeat.com/
http://www.bostinnovation.com/
http://blogs.wsj.com/venturecapital/
http://www.vcaonline.com/news/
http://www.pehub.com/
http://www.xconomy.com/
http://www.thedeal.com/
http://www.avc.com/ New!  Check out MBA Mondays!
http://www.venturehacks.com/  New!  Check out Venture Hack's guide to pitching!

The Funded: Spark Capital and Peer Transfer

The Funded - Spark Capital's Alex Finkelstein and Peertransfer's Iker Marcaide: Friday, January 21st @ 4:30pm - Olin 102

Join us as we hear the story of how Iker built Peertransfer and how Spark came to invest in the company.  This event kicks off our "The Funded" series and we want to bring a crowd to encourage more speakers to come.  So come out and bring a friend!

Spark Capital is one of the most active seed stage funds in the US and is the largest investor in Twitter.  Alex is interested in Media, Web, Education, and Financial startups.  Aside from Peertransfeer, he led investments in 5min Media(acquired by AOL),  8D World, Altius Education, Linkwell, peerTransfer and OnSwipe.  Peertransfer was started by an international MIT MBA student who was sick of paying the high fees for transferring money to pay tuition.  The company offers students a way to pay their tuition in their home currency for a 1% fee instead of the typical 3-6% fee plus wire fee that most banks charge.

___________________________

The Funded - The Series: Wednesdays @ 4:30pm - Olin 101

The Funded will feature founders and funders telling the story of their shared venture.  We hope to cover many industries and types of funding over the course of the semester.  Here is a glance of our future events:
    •    Spark Capital's Alex Finkelstein and Peertransfer's Iker Marcaide
    •    Techstar's Katie Rae along with one of Techstar's companies
    •    Flybridge Capital's Matt Witheiler and GamerDNA's & Disruptor Beam's Jon Radoff
If you have a company or funder you would like to bring to campus, let us know!