TUSTIN, Calif.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Aug. 14, 2003–A panel of chief executive officers from three early-stage life science companies and the general partner of a venture capital firm will provide anin-depth discussion regarding the various mechanisms for funding and the requirements for successfully completing a funding package at the Tech Coast Venture Network’s monthly forum on Thursday,August 21 at the UCI University Club in Irvine. They will be addressing an audience of local entrepreneurs seeking to raise money for their ventures.
Entitled “Raising Capital: Life Science Funding in Today’s Market,” the TCVN Forum will be held from 6-9:00 PM with an admission price of $45 in advance and $55 at the door.
Featured panelists include: Gary Fujii, President/CEO, Modular Express; Douglas C. Lane, President and CEO, ViaLogy; Gary Coughlin, CFO, Refractec; and Barry Wilson, General Partner, Huntington Capital Group. The panel moderator is Blain Tomlinson, Director, Mission Innovation Institute while the presenting sponsor for the event is the Life Science Industry Council (www.elinc.org).
“Despite difficult times, companies are still getting funded,” noted Patrick McCormick, TCVN chairman. “Our Forum’s Life Science executive panelists will tell the inside stories of how they got money despite a monstrous economy while attendees will learn their hard-earned secrets for getting selected.”
Forum speakers will reveal which funding sources that are looking for investments, how VCs determine whether or not a particular company is attractive, and how to strategically align fundraising efforts for success in a post-recession economy. They will also share their wisdom and experience in navigating the entire funding process for VC funding, including how to find the right investor, negotiate for fun and profit, determine deal makers and breakers, survive due diligence, and close the deal.
Dr. Fujii, president and CEO of Modular Express, received a Ph.D. in Physical Chemistry from the University of California, Los Angeles. Dr. Fujii has extensive experience in formulating commercial liposome products and in membrane protein structure and function.
Douglas Lane is ViaLogy’s president and CEO. Prior to joining the company, Mr. Lane performed Mergers and Acquisitions at SmithKline Beecham Clinical Laboratories. While with SmithKline Beecham Pharmaceuticals Research and Development, he managed corporate development for the first genomics collaboration with Human Genome Sciences and The Institute for Genomic Research.
Refractec Inc. is a privately held ophthalmic company that develops and markets new ways for ophthalmologists to effectively treat refractive errors with its proprietary Conductive Keratoplasty (CK) technology. Refractec is “Reshaping Vision Correction(TM)” and changing patient outcomes.
Barry Wilson has worked in manufacturing, banking, healthcare, academia and venture capital. He has founded or co-founded several companies and has worked with dozens of growing businesses as a board member, advisor or investor. He co-founded Huntington Capital, a federally licensed Small Business Investment Company providing growth funding.
Blain Tomlinson is currently director of Mission Innovation Institute and vice president of business development for Government Marketing International (GMI), a firm that specializes in integrating cutting edge medical devices into Department of Defense, Federal Emergency Management Agency, Veterans Administration and other government agencies.
The Life Science Industry Council (LINC) is an organization committed to raising the profile and promoting the growth of the life science industry in Orange County. With a diverse membership that includes leading companies in the medical device, biotech, biomedical, pharmaceutical and healthcare industries, LINC is an invaluable resource for corporate and individual advancement.
For further information, contact Josh Weir, Tech Coast Venture Network via e-mail at execdir@tcvn.org, by phone at 714-505-6493, by fax at 714-669-9341 or on the Web at http://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; Rutan & Tucker; and TriNet Group Inc.
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 and accelerating business. 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.
