TUSTIN, Calif.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–June 13, 2003–Representatives of the Tech Coast Angels (TCA) and the CEO of one of their portfolio companies will share their experience and knowledge in fundingearly-stage companies at the Tech Coast Venture Network (TCVN) Forum on Thursday, June 26, 2003 at the UCI University Club in Irvine. They will be presenting to an audience of local entrepreneursseeking to raise money for their ventures.
Entitled “Raising Money: Sixth Annual Tech Coast Angels Panel,” the TCVN Forum panel will describe their funding process, what type of investments they are currently seeking and how a particular venture can best qualify to be funded. The program will be held from 6-9:00 PM with an admission price of $45 for advanced registration or $55 at the door.
Forum attendees will learn first hand how to qualify for TCA funding, meet active investors seeking quality investments, obtain the latest tips and tactics on fund raising, network with fellow entrepreneurs and connected advisors, see the new Tech Coast Funding & Resource Guide and get connected to the community, the key to raising capital.
The featured speaker at the Forum will be Fernando Corona, CEO of V-Enable Inc., a recently funded TCA company. Corona will describe his experiences including their business plan submission, initial capital presentation, the due diligence process, the valuation process, the funding timeframe, overcoming challenges and ongoing expectations.
“With the experience of the 2002 economy as a reference point, it is critical that entrepreneurs gain immediate insight into how the current investment climate affects them and their ability to receive funding,” said TCVN chairman Patrick McCormick. “The Tech Coast Angels is a tremendous resource to our Southern California entrepreneur community, and we are pleased to provide them with the opportunity to offer entrepreneurs the essential information they need to make informed decisions about early-stage capital investment.”
The other TCA panel members are Jenny M. Sakhrani, Membership Chair of the Tech Coast Angels and president of Philosopher’s Stone Ventures LLC, a Los Angeles, Calif.-based technology incubator, and Sam Poole, a San Diego-based Tech Coast Angels member and CEO and founder of Poole Investment Ventures (PIV).
Sakhrani has more than 15 years of experience in finance, valuations, business strategy, operations, and mergers and acquisitions. She is also an active investor in early stage technology companies and is currently a board member of four technology companies. Poole provides strategic and financial business advice to private and closely-held growth companies. PIV provides equity based funding or capital investments on a private basis to start-up or early-stage companies that have high growth potential.
Sponsored by the Newport Beach, Calif.-based law firm of Stradling Yocca Carlson & Rauth, the TCVN Forum will be moderated by Jim Seiler, president of the Entrepreneur Academy.
Stradling Yocca Carlson & Rauth was founded more than 25 years ago in Orange County and has become the area’s preeminent law firm. The firm now has more than 110 attorneys practicing in Newport Beach, Santa Barbara and San Francisco offices.
As president of the Entrepreneur Academy, Seiler is dedicated to helping entrepreneurs get funded. He is a prolific investor in over 20 entrepreneurial companies, including four in the post March 2000 stock market meltdown. He is currently forming “A Family of Angels,” an angel investment group to fund entrepreneurial companies destined to change generations of young people.
For further information, contact Steven Sumner, Executive Director, Tech Coast Venture Network via email at [email protected], by phone at 714/505-6493, by fax at 714/669-9341 or on the web at www.tcvn.org. TCVN is located at 195 South C St., Suite 250, Tustin, CA 92780.
TCVN Corporate Mentors include Daly-Swartz PR and MyWebteam.com. Benefactors include Business Wire; Jackson DeMarco & Peckenpaugh; Manatt, Phelps & Phillips LLP; Preston, Gates & Ellis, LLP; PriceWaterhouseCoopers; Riordan & McKinzie; and Stradling, Yocca, Carlson & Rauth. Sponsors include Camel Financial Inc.; Corbin & Wertz; Knobbe, Martens; Levin & Hawes; Mission Ventures; and TriNet Group Inc.
Tech Coast Angels (TCA) is one of the largest and most active groups of angel investors in the United States. In the 63 months since its founding in 1997, TCA members have invested $45 million of personal capital in 64 Southern California companies, coupled with $456 million from co-investors.
The Tech Coast Venture Network (TCVN) is dedicated to assisting, educating and connecting early-stage growth companies with information and advisers for the purpose of raising money. TCVN has been directly or indirectly responsible for the establishment and growth of a significant number of new and early-stage businesses. Through its major program, the Venture Forum, TCVN has had more than 150 programs on topics to assist and educate the entrepreneurs attending these programs. More than 400 CEOs, entrepreneurs and other presenters have shared their professional business knowledge and experiences. TCVN is a not-for-profit corporation that was founded in 1984. It has continuously been actively involved in the Orange County/Southern California business community ever since.
