FINC915 Venture Lab Participating Firms: FALL 2009

Transcription

1 FINC915 Venture Lab Participating Firms: FALL 2009 and allowing the fund members to capitalize on high-growth opportunities. LOCAL FIRMS: MK Capital Task description: various Location: Northbrook, IL Fund Description: MK Capital invests in companies at all stages of the funding lifecycle with a strong sector focus on digital media, data center automation, application software, education technology and technology enabled services. The MK Capital team aligns closely with entrepreneurs as a funding partner, a reliable mentor, and a valuable resource to build successful businesses. With our backgrounds as experienced entrepreneurs and well-seasoned venture capital professionals, we have a track record to prove it. I2A Fund Task description: various Fund Description: The Illinois Innovation Accelerator Fund (i²a) is an innovative $10 million for-profit early-stage investment fund created in direct response to the decrease in seed-stage investing that's occurred since the turn of the new millennium. The fund's goal is to provide the first external professional capital raised by companies, allowing them to grow Ceres Venture Fund Task description: various, tech and life sciences. Location: Evanston, IL Fund Description: Ceres Venture Fund, L.P. is a new Chicago-based venture capital fund dedicated to funding high growth companies located in the Midwest in their early stages of growth. As growth-oriented investors, the fund seeks to partner with entrepreneurs of proven ability and provide them with the resources needed to achieve extraordinary success. In particular, we believe that early stage businesses in the Midwest are experiencing rapid growth and represent an attractive and under-served pool of investment opportunities. Ceres has particular industry depth in health care, information technology, and business services. We access investment opportunities through multiple channels including extensive professional networks in the corporate and investment communities. Ceres Managing Directors bring over 60 years of experience in investing, managing, and developing early stage businesses. We seek to partner with entrepreneurs in creating successful companies. In particular Ceres portfolio companies benefit from our extensive contacts, strategic insights, and business experience in those areas necessary to support successful growth of an organization.

2 Illinois Ventures Number of slots: 1 Task description: various Fund Description: IllinoisVENTURES is a premier seed and early-stage technology investment firm focused on research-derived companies in information technologies, physical sciences, life sciences and clean technology. We start and build globally-competitive businesses based on work conducted at Midwest Universities and federal laboratories. We bring together leading researchers and entrepreneurs to mold concepts, vision, intellectual property, sweat and passion into breakthrough, high-growth companies. Conceived and launched by the University of Illinois, we have been consistently named by Entrepreneur magazine to its national list of the top 100 venture capital firms. Our goal is to help bridge the widening gap between initial start-up capital and institutional financing. We target investment opportunities ranging from $250K to $2MM with our members often syndicating with other angel or venture capital investors. We also seek opportunities where our members can add value to help our portfolio companies achieve critical milestones. Preferred Applicant: will be willing to commit to working for a longer period than the 10-week fall quarter. Independence Equity Task Description: Deal sourcing & industry analysis, as well as other marketing support relating to fund fundraising. Cornerstone Angels Task Description: Work on deal screenings, meetings with investors, due diligence, deal negotiation, and possibly syndication with other investment groups. Fund Description: Cornerstone Angels seeks to provide financial capital and mentorship to early-stage companies in the greater Midwest. Our group is a private investment organization composed of highly successful executives, entrepreneurs, and investors. We provide a disciplined approach to angel investing. Fund Description: Independence Equity is a preclose $75M fund focused on cleantech and industrial innovation. We are in the process of fundraising for the fund now, but have a strong base of commitments from the team and advisory board. Preferred Applicant: will be willing to commit to working for a longer period than the 10-week fall quarter. Merrick Ventures Task Description: Position 1: Healthcare IT strategy and business development. Student will work with Merge Healthcare and Merrick

3 Ventures to identify, evaluate, and participate in due diligence activities for potential healthcare investments. The position will work directly with Merrick s investment team and the corporate business development team at Merge Healthcare. The individual must be able to communicate with companies, analysts, and investors at the C-level. This role is strategic in nature, but requires significant short-term tactical activities. Position 2: Strategy and Investments. Student will work with Merrick Ventures to identify, evaluate, and participate in due diligence activities for potential Merrick investments and/or Merrick portfolio company investments. The position will work directly with Merrick s investment team. The individual must be able to communicate with companies, analysts, and investors at the C-level. This role is strategic in nature, but requires significant short-term tactical activities. Fund Description: Merrick Ventures, LLC ( Merrick ) is private-equity funded holding company that makes controlling investments in businesses that can leverage portal technologies. Headquartered in Chicago, Merrick was founded and is led by Michael W. Ferro Jr., the former chairman, CEO and founder of Click Commerce, Inc. Merrick s experienced professionals concentrate on identifying, acquiring, and managing both growth and late stage businesses. Preferred Applicant: 5+ years of strategy/investment experience, experience or interest in Healthcare IT a plus. AcelorMittal CleanTech Venture Capital Fund Number of slots: 1-2 Task Description: Assist the Fund Manager for its Clean Technology Venture Capital Fund in conducting industry research/analysis on the clean technology space. Students will be expected to work at a combination of the downtown office and remotely. Fund Description: ArcelorMittal is the world's largest steel company with 2008 revenues of $125 billion and over 300,000 employees in 60 countries. In early 2008, the company launched a $50 million venture capital fund focused exclusively on investments in clean technology and has strategic relationships with three preeminent venture capital funds - Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers, Khosla Ventures, and Bessemer Venture Partners. The Fund has invested over $20 million to date and the Fund Manager currently sits on the Board of Directors at two portfolio companies. Preferred Applicant: As this Fund is very leanly staffed, a priority will be placed on individuals who can hit the ground running from Day 1 and have demonstrated a track record of being a motivated self-starter. The Fund itself is dedicated to clean technology so prior experience in the industry (or the energy industry) or a degree in a related field (e.g., material sciences) is desirable. Finally, preference will be given to candidates with prior deal experience and/or exposure to highly ambiguous problem-solving therefore, previous experience in VC/PE, I-Banking, Management Consulting or Corporate Strategy is decidedly advantageous.

4 New World Ventures Task Description: various. Location: Evanston, IL Fund Description: New World Ventures is an early-stage venture capital firm actively investing on behalf of Pritzker family interests in privately-held technology and telecommunications companies where innovation and experience are combined in taking advantage of unique market opportunities. Since 1996, we have been focused on bringing to bear business acumen, strategic relationships and financial and operating expertise in helping talented, experienced entrepreneurs and management teams build great technology companies. Our current sector focus includes enterprise software, software-as-a-service, IT infrastructure and IT managed services. growth and expansion. In addition to providing financial support, we offer business and technology expertise, market leadership and brand recognition to growing companies with compelling business plans. We focus on opportunities that complement Motorola's total business strategy. We take a hard look at technology. We look for ideas and innovations that are based on sound business fundamentals that satisfy a market need. Companies that fulfill a Motorola Ventures profile also demonstrate a defensible intellectual property position, a proven business model, customer interest and a reasonable time to profit. Motorola Ventures Number of slots: 1-2 Task Description: Option 1. Vetting potential companies, developing ecosystem and profit pool analysis, helping existing portfolio companies. Option 2. Working with a portfolio company, Packet Video, recently acquired by Nextwave Wireless. Location: Schaumburg, IL Fund Description: Motorola Ventures represents a diversified portfolio with a typical investment ranging from US$3 million to $5 million. Our purpose is to nurture a venture company through its critical phases of start-up,

5 REMOTE FIRMS: Early Stage Partners Task Description: various Location: Cleveland, OH Fund Description: Early Stage Partners was formed in 2001 with the belief that the Midwest would create and attract a significant number of early stage companies that would be attractive venture capital investments. Since then, that belief has been borne out. The Midwest is in the midst of a surge of entrepreneurial energy that is generating high quality technologies and companies. We are pleased to work with the region s leading entrepreneurs to provide financing, advice, and access to value-added networks. With a track record of successful investing, ESP is now investing from Fund II. help entrepreneurs the most either the first or second round of a company s fundraising. And we re especially interested in capital-efficient businesses. An initial investment ranges from $250,000 to $6 million. We can participate in follow-on rounds for a total investment per company of up to $12 million. We re primarily interested in companies located in the western United States, but don t rule out other geographies. Hartford Ventures Task Description: Ecosystem analysis to create a hunting list of investment opportunities. Example areas would be Healthcare IT, smart grid, information security, telematics, financial services etc. Additionally projects would include evaluating deals on a as needed basis. Partner from Firm will visit Chicago as needed to guide remote work. Location: Hartford, CT Shasta Ventures Location: Menlo Park, CA Task Description: various. Fund Description: Shasta Ventures invests in early-stage technology-based and technologyenabled businesses. We believe the most exciting innovations are happening in technology-enabled businesses serving consumers and enterprises, encompassing technology used at work and technology that helps or entertains consumers in their daily lives. We invest at an early stage, where we can Fund Description: Hartford Ventures is the strategic investment group of The Hartford Financial Services Group Inc. (NYSE: HIG). Through our relationships, experience and support, Hartford Ventures seeks to accelerate the growth of early stage companies. As the only dedicated corporate venture capital group in the insurance sector, Hartford Ventures provides our portfolio companies and coinvestors with unique insights into the insurance industry. We are relationship liaisons between our portfolio companies and internal Hartford businesses and provide top level access to potential customers, partners and external investors.

6 Hartford Ventures seeks to make minority equity investments in early stage and expansion stage companies. Our initial investment size typically ranges from US $1M to US $3M. We seek to co-invest in syndicates with other venture capital firms and require board observer seats to ensure we have the proper access and insight to add value. Investment focus areas include: Telematics/Sensor products and services: (Vehicle, Home, Industrial) Climate change / Clean Tech Data security/ Identity theft Substitute or adjacent products (Peerto-peer, Derivatives, etc) Alternative distribution & customer relationship channels Preferred Applicant: Tech background preferred (bachelors in science or prior work experience in hi-tech sector). Experience in an insurance company or with experience in Healthcare IT, CleanTech, Information security, Telematics, financial services would also be preferred. Demonstrated interest / experience in innovation. Some experience in VC/ PE would be helpful (either as an analyst prior to MBA or as a summer internship). IMPORTANT NOTE Lab participants at local firms are expected to work onsite two days a week. In addition, venture lab class meetings will be held on four of the ten Wednesdays of the quarter. NOTICE: this means Wednesday cannot be one of your onsite days. Please plan and bid for classes appropriately. Lab participants at remote firms are expected to spend hours a week doing work remotely for their firm. Hours of work are up to the student. These slots are open to TMP students with full-time jobs.