Programs Special One-Day Events
The Capital Network Presents: How to Win VCs & Influence Them
May 10th 2016 6-8:30pm @ Workbar Central Sq, Cambridge
You’ve got traction, customers, and seed funding. Now you are looking at a Series A and what VCs can bring to the table. Targeting, communicating, engaging and managing VCs is an essential part of the fundraising process for some startups.
Join our experts for a conversation around how to create the perfect fundraising venture capital round and answer questions such as:
- Where do you start? How and when to establish a relationship with VCs and create legitimate competition between them.
- What does a well-run process look like?
- What is the typical timing of a VC round?
- How and What and When should you communicate with VCs?
Beer will be provided thanks to the generosity of Sam Adams!
Experts:
Kent Bennett, a Partner in Bessemer Venture Partner’s Cambridge, Mass. office, joined the company in 2008. Kent focuses on investments in the “big data”, data-infrastructure sectors as well as tech-enabled consumer service models.
At Bessemer, Kent has been involved in investments including data-management companies Endeca (acq. by Oracle), Streambase (acq. by TIBX), Vertica (acq. by HP), Hadapt, Infinio Systems, Netuitive and Portrait Software; mobile-communications companies BroadSoft (IPO),Millennial Media (IPO) and Enforta; as well as in Blue Apron, a subscription food business and Goal.com (acq. by Perform Group) the world’s largest soccer portal. Prior to joining Bessemer, Kent was a creative executive for an entertainment-production company, where he developed and sold original material including a network television pilot and a feature film. He began his career with Bain & Co., where he worked on projects in industries spanning IT, retail, consumer products, healthcare and biotech.
Nick Pappas has served as a Vice President at MassVentures since joining in 2009. He has been working with early-stage technology companies for over 15 years as an investor and as an investment banker. Nick represents MassVentures in the community as a frequent speaker, panelist, judge and mentor for various technology-focused organizations. He sits on the board of BoardOnTrack and Content Raven and is a board observer at Energid, Jebbit, Metamagnetics and OwnerIQ.
Previously, Nick was a senior technology investment banker with Oppenheimer & Co., SVB Alliant, and Canaccord Genuity (formerly Adams Harkness) both in Silicon Valley and Boston.
Paulina Hill is a Principal at Polaris Partners. Paulina joined Polaris in 2011 and focuses on investments in healthcare. Polaris Invests in novel therapeutics, medical technologies and innovative delivery platforms that meet the critical needs of patients worldwide. They also focus on transformative technology and innovative business models.
Paulina serves on the boards of Arsenal Medical, Faraday Pharmaceuticals and KinDex Pharmaceuticals and is an observer on the boards of MicroCHIPS and 480 Biomedical. Paulina also works closely with Arsia Therapeutics, an early-stage Bob Langer-founded startup which she was actively involved in spinning out of MIT. Paulina is also part of the Lead Mentor team for Canadian Entrepreneurs in New England.
Maureen is a founding partner at Good Growth Capital. She is currently on the Board of GGC, and a member of GGC’s Investment Committee. Maureen was the co-founder of Ignition Ventures, focused on building fundable companies alongside technology entrepreneurs. In addition to working domestically for start-ups, such as SiOnyx, Zoragen, Ember, and Lilliputian, Maureen worked in Asia, consulting for a Fortune 100 company to build and implement its Asia entry strategy. Prior to that, Maureen built business strategies for Fortune 100 and 500 companies, working for 10+ years as an Associate Partner in IBM’s Business Strategy practice (and its acquisition Mainspring). During that time, she also led IBM’s thought leadership practice worldwide in Consumer Products, Retail and Travel. Maureen worked as a strategy consultant at Bain & Company in both Boston and Sydney post business school. Prior to her graduate work, Maureen served in the US Peace Corp, building small water systems for Fijian villages.
