The most innovative product and technology companies from the East Bay take center stage July 15 from 4-7 p.m. at the Willow Park Event Center in Castro Valley for the East Bay Innovation Showcase. Companies seeking capital, visibility, and access to entrepreneurial networks will present to a panel of top-tier lenders, angels and venture capital investors for a chance to raise capital and an opportunity to represent the East Bay region at a statewide business competition.

The webinar explains all the supports you can find for innovation and creating startups in France, with :

- a testimonial from Sébastien Payen, Founder and Chief Operations Manager of Fruition Sciences, company incorporated in France and in the US
- a presentation of the VC landscape and incentives for investment in France, by Emmanuelle Deponge, Project Manager – OTC Asset Management
- a presentation of the public support from Didier Chaton, Program Manager at OSEO Innovation – International Department
- the overall supports for innovation and entrepreneurship in France and the specific case of US based entrepreneurs : why incorporating in France, by Géraldine Quetin, Project Manager for the Young Entrepreneurs Initiative program – French Embassy.

The webinar is introduced by Michel Israel, scientific counselor at the Office for Science and Technology of the French Embassy, and moderated by Randy Mitchell, International Trade Strategist for Venture Capital, Senior Adviser for Entrepreneurship, U.S. Department of Commerce.

An NCET2 event

6:30 – 9:00pm April 20, 2009
University of California Berkeley Extension, Golden Bear Building
UC Extension Classroom, Second Floor, Room 210
1995 University Avenue
Berkeley, CA
94704-1074

To generate sales, you have to make yourself known; that’s why every startup needs PR. Good PR helps you communicate the need for your product or service, differentiate you from your competitors and build your relationships with the press, bloggers, and analysts who will get the word out about your company. Although today startups may wonder if they should spend money on PR, without it your campaign may fizzle, not sizzle.

For maximum impact, you need to understand PR best practices and start planning your campaign a few months in advance. It is crucial to allocate enough time to prepare the key elements for a successful launch. This includes developing compelling, succinct product/technology messaging that clearly communicates the business benefits your product provides. It also requires that you test your messaging (under embargo) in advance with a few trusted analysts as well as train appropriate spokespeople for press and analyst meetings. This exposes any potential weaknesses in your story and gives you the chance to tweak your messaging before the launch.

Jeannette Bitz—a seasoned PR executive with more than twelve years experience developing successful PR strategies for technology companies—will discuss the value of communicating with the most important media, reporters and influencers in your market prior to your launch. She’ll also take a look at the changing media landscape and how it’s affecting PR today. Business and industry trade publications are cutting back and closing. Industry bloggers are gaining in importance. Social media—Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and even YouTube—have become key communications tools for the media and PR professionals.

Jeannette will also explain the value a PR agency can bring to the table. A good agency will have strong experience in your market and excellent relationships with the most important media and analysts. And it knows how to maximize your budget while achieving the best results across a variety of media sources.

Throughout, Jeannette will provide real-life examples of PR campaigns for startups, and discuss what works and what doesn’t.

Who should attend: This session is designed for start-up companies preparing to launch their product or company into the market. Since top-level executives are often involved in such launches, company presidents as well as vice presidents and directors of marketing will find the presentation of interest.

About the Speaker

Jeannette Bitz is vice president and partner at Engage PR, where she develops and manages strategic media and analyst relations. She oversees Engage PR’s client teams and PR programs, including company and product launches, mergers/acquisitions, and initial public offerings. Engage PR has helped launch 30 startup companies, two-thirds of which have gone on to successful equity events, whether buyouts or IPOs. Jeannette holds a BA in journalism with an emphasis on public relations from California State University, Northridge.

Registration:

To register, please send your name to register@ebig.org and mention the session name and the date.
Pay at the door by cash or check
Free to e-Big members
$15 if pre-registered
$20 otherwise

Directions:

From downtown Berkeley BART, walk two blocks northwest to University and Milvia. The Golden Bear Building is on the North side of University Avenue.

From I-80, exit University Avenue and drive East toward the hills roughly 19 blocks. The building will be on your left (north) side. There is street parking available and there is also parking at the Center Street parking garage two blocks south. Do not try to park in the onsite underground parking lot, as the lot closes early and your car will be locked in overnight.

Launch: Silicon Valley 2009, June 9, Mountain View, CA
The 2009 edition of Launch: Silicon Valley, a product launch platform for cash conscious startups, will be held on the morning of June 9, 2009, at the Microsoft Campus in Mountain View, California. Up to 30 exciting young companies will be selected to present at Launch: Silicon Valley before an audience of several hundred of the most influential people in the Valley.

Each year, the event draws several hundred VCs, Angels, corporate business development executives, prospective customers and partners, media and bloggers – “Launch: Silicon Valley was a great experience for us. It brought us great press, new investors, and connections with a lot of great people,” said Zach Coelius, co-founder of Triggit.

Companies interested in presenting their products at Launch: Silicon Valley 2009 should send an Executive Summary of no more than two pages to Launchsv@svase.org by May 8, 2009.

As one measure of the event’s impact, public records show that since its launch in the fall of 2006, Launch: Silicon Valley presenting companies had raised a combined $80-plus million by the end of 2008.

The following VCs have already signed on as panelists for Launch: Silicon Valley 2009 and more will be joining in the coming weeks:

Matt Horton, @Ventures
Evgeny Zaytsev, Asset Management
Howard Hartenbaum, August Capital
Ted Driscoll, Claremont Creek Ventures
Rich Ferrari, DeNovo Ventures
Warren Packard, Draper Fisher Jurvetson
Bill Reichert, Garage Technology Ventures
Prashant Shah, Hummer Winblad
Barry Eggers, Lightspeed Venture Partners
Ken Gullicksen, Morgenthaller Ventures
David Aslin, Nexit
Ken Elefant, Opus Capital
Neil Weintraut, Palo Alto Ventures
Jeff Clavier, SofTech VC

For further information, go to http://www.launchsiliconvalley.org.

This event is co-sponsored by:

PLATINUM:

Garage Technology Ventures, http://www.garage.com

GOLD:

Cooley Godward Kronish LLP, http://www.cooley.com

Draper Fisher Jurvetson, http://www.dfj.com

Microsoft Corporation, http://www.microsoftstartupzone.com

Townsend and Townsend and Crew LLP, http://www.townsend.com

SILVER:

Bank of Angels, http://www.bandangels.com
Business Wire, http://www.businesswire.com/portal/site/home/
Halosys Technologies, Inc., http://www.halosys.com
Kaufman Fellows Program, http://www.kauffmanfellows.org
Keiretsu Forum, http://www.keiretsuforum.com
Krause Taylor Associates,

http://www.krause-taylor.com

Life Science Angels, http://www.lifescienceangels.com
Link Silicon Valley, http://www.linksv.com
OuterJoin Inc., http://www.ojoin.com
Sand Hill Angels, http://www.sandhillangels.com
The Angels Forum LLC, http://www.angelsforum.com Venture Deal, http://www.venturedeal.com

For further information and to register visit our website at
http://www.launchsiliconvalley.org.

Wednesday, April 8th – 6 PM to 9 PM
Plug and Play Tech Center
440 N. Wolfe Rd. – Sunnyvale, CA 94085 – Directions

Register now!

Add this event to your Calendar!

Join us if you wish to understand

- How your Cleantech startup can benefit from new tax incentives and funding opportunities for R&D

- Why France and its 2nd largest city LYON rank #1 in the sector

- How to develop resources and partnerships with French Cleantech clusters

France offers attractive Research tax credits and exceptional funding opportunities despite the current economic downturn. This evening is a unique opportunity to listen to successful French and American companies, who will provide detailed explanations on the how your Startup can take root in Europe and France. Through the analysis of concrete case studies on their transatlantic experiences, the panel will share their critical insight on the current and future potential for research and business development activities — and how it translates to your growth potential.

Agenda

6:00 – 6:30 Guest registration

6:30 – 7:15 Testimonials of successful French-American companies

• Jay Clare, VP Regional Private Sector Leader, URS Corp

• François Bergasse, CEO, Easenergy EDF Group

• Kamel Ounadjela, Founder President and COO, CALISOLAR

• Jon Bonanno, President of Principle Power and Chair – Cleantech Investment Committee,
Keiretsu Forum

7:15 – 7:30 Funding opportunities and partnerships in France : the Key Resources for Entrepreneurs

• Frédéric Miribel, Cleantech Investment Manager, ADERLY

• Caroline Laporte, Head of the West Coast office, Invest in France North America

7:30 – 7:45 Questions and answers

7:45 – 9:00 Cocktail and networking

Moderator : François LAUGIER, Partner, RMKB

Registration

This event is free but pre-registration is required:
Please email Pierre Letoublon at com@faccsf.com

Cancellations must be made 5-days prior to the event date
Any cancellation within a 5-day period of the scheduled date will not be refunded
Name of guests will be kept at the door

French-American Chamber of Commerce

703 Market Street, Suite 450, San Francisco, CA 94103

Tel: 415 442 4717 / Fax 415 442 4621

The 2009 edition of Launch: Silicon Valley will be held June 9, 2009, including the opportunity to network with Silicon Valley top movers and shakers at the Pre-Event Party the evening before. Up to 30 exciting young companies will be selected to present at Launch: Silicon Valley before an audience of several hundred of the most influential people in the Valley.

As one measure of the event’s impact, public records show that since its launch in the fall of 2006, Launch: Silicon Valley presenting companies had raised a combined $80-plus million by the end of 2008.

Companies interested in presenting their products at Launch: Silicon Valley 2009 should send an Executive Summary of no more than two pages to Launchsv@svase.org by May 8, 2009.

Each year, the event draws several hundred VCs, Angels, corporate business development executives, prospective customers and partners, media and bloggers – “Launch: Silicon Valley was a great experience for us. It brought us great press, new investors, and connections with a lot of great people,” said Zach Coelius, co-founder of Triggit.

The following VCs have already signed on as panelists for Launch: Silicon Valley 2009 and more will be joining in the coming weeks:

Matt Horton, @Ventures
Evgeny Zaytsev, Asset Management
Howard Hartenbaum, August Capital
Ted Driscoll, Claremont Creek Ventures
Rich Ferrari, DeNovo Ventures
Warren Packard, Draper Fisher Jurvetson
Bill Reichert, Garage Technology Ventures
Barry Eggers, Lightspeed Venture Partners
Ken Gullicksen, Morgenthaller Ventures
David Aslin, Nexit
Ken Elefant, Opus Capital
Jeff Clavier, SofTech VC

This event is co-sponsored by:

PLATINUM:

Garage Technology Ventures, http://www.garage.com

GOLD:

Cooley Godward Kronish LLP, http://www.cooley.com

Draper Fisher Jurvetson, http://www.dfj.com

Microsoft Corporation, http://www.microsoftstartupzone.com

Townsend and Townsend and Crew LLP, http://www.townsend.com

SILVER:

Bank of Angels, http://www.bandangels.com
Business Wire, http://www.businesswire.com/portal/site/home/
Halosys Technologies, Inc., http://www.halosys.com
Kaufman Fellows Program, http://www.kauffmanfellows.org
Keiretsu Forum, http://www.keiretsuforum.com
Krause Taylor Associates,

http://www.krause-taylor.com

Life Science Angels, http://www.lifescienceangels.com
Link Silicon Valley, http://www.linksv.com
OuterJoin Inc., http://www.ojoin.com
Sand Hill Angels, http://www.sandhillangels.com
The Angels Forum LLC, http://www.angelsforum.com Venture Deal, http://www.venturedeal.com

For further information and to register visit our website at http://www.launchsiliconvalley.org.

The Young Entrepreneurs Initiative (YIE) is a non-profit network managed by the Office for Science and Technology of the French Embassy in the United States.

It’s mission is to promote the French environment for innovation and entrepreneurship, help US-based entrepreneurs leverage resources and partners to start a technology venture in France, and foster collaboration in both directions between French and American entrepreneurship ecosystems.

http://www.france-science.org/innovation/yei

400 ANGEL INVESTORS
12 PRESENTATIONS
EXHIBITION BOOTHS FOR DISCUSSION AND DUE DILIGENCE

ABOUT

Angel Capital Expo is a premier gathering of the angel capital community. The Expo is a recurring event across the United States; bringing together investors and entrepreneurs looking for funding. Angel Capital Expo is organized by Keiretsu Forum, the world’s largest angel investment network, and was created to foster collaboration among angel groups, as well as reach out to the larger investment community. ATTENDEES Attendees will include over 400 private equity (angel) investors. Invitation is extended to accredited investors only. See definition of “accredited investor” at http://www.sec.gov/answers/accred.htm. Please register at http://acepartnerguest.eventbrite.com by March 31, 2009 to receive the $75 discounted partner registration rate.

PRESENTERS

The Expo will feature twelve high-quality, diverse investment opportunities in technology, healthcare/life sciences, consumer products, real estate, and funds. Companies that apply to Keiretsu Forum are typically in their A or B rounds having already secured initial funding of $500k to $1.5 million from founders, friends, family, and individual angels. Please contact Entrepreneur Director Maggie Jacobberger at Maggie@keiretsuforum.com for more information about applying.

AGENDA

7:30am-8:30am Registration, Breakfast & Booth Exhibitors
8:30am-8:45am Welcome & Opening Remarks
8:45am-10:00am Presenters – Block I
10:00am-11:00am Break & Booth Exhibitors
11:00am-12:30pm Presenters – Block II
12:30pm-1:30pm Lunch, Booth Exhibitors, and Most Valued Company Competition
1:30pm- Announcement of the Most Valued Company and Adjourn

ABOUT KEIRETSU FORUM

With over 750 accredited investor members throughout sixteen chapters on three continents, Keiretsu Forum is the world’s largest angel investor network. Keiretsu Forum membership is comprised of serious investors, venture capitalists, corporate/institutional investors and serial entrepreneurs that provide early-stage capital in the range of $250k-$2 million to high-quality, diverse investment opportunities in emerging technologies, healthcare/life sciences, real estate, consumer products and other industries with high growth opportunity. According to the San Francisco Business Times, in 2006, Keiretsu Forum was the most active angel group in the greater Bay Area with $51 million invested in 30 ventures. Keiretsu Forum is not a fund and does not invest as an LLC. Members collaborate in the due diligence, but make individual investment decisions. For more information on Keiretsu Forum, please visit www.keiretsuforum.com.

Dear E-Conference Friends,

Once again the Stanford Graduate School of Business is holding its annual Entrepreneurship Conference – one of the most successful events of its kind at Stanford University.

The annual GSB Entrepreneurship Conference is taking place on Wednesday, February 25. This year’s conference features keynote speaker Paul Orfalea, Founder of Kinko’s. The conference program consists of a series of interactive panels and seminars featuring prominent figures in the entrepreneurial and investor community. These events will bring together veteran entrepreneurs, venture capitalists, academics, students, and industry experts in an insightful and active engagement.

Registration is open!! Get your ticket for the E-Conference early before they sell out. This year’s GSB E-Conference is the culmination of Stanford University’s third annual Entrepreneurship Week, February 18-25 (http://eweek.stanford.edu). Events will take place every day and many are free and open to everyone. For more information on the E-Conference, please visit www.econference.org.

Sincerely,

Center for Entrepreneurial Studies Stanford University

Impact of Economic Crisis on Start-Ups

Venture Capital Panel Discussion Announced by East Bay Innovation Group (www.eBig.org)

Venture capitalists from four prominent venture capital firms in Oakland, San Francisco, Palo Alto and Berkeley will examine the relationships among Wall Street, Main Street and Sand Hill Road, Monday October 20, 7:00 PM to 9:00 PM, at the University of California Extension Building. John Steuart of Claremont Creek Ventures, Lars Leckie of Hummer Winblad, Jean-Louis Gassée of Allegis Capital, Peter Gardner of Wavepoint Ventures and Alessandro Zago of Siemens Technology to Business will share their insights on the impact of the financial industry crisis on entrepreneurs’ ability to obtain capital and grow their businesses. Sponsored by the East Bay Innovation Group (e-Big), the monthly meeting is open to the public: free to members, $15.00 for pre-registrations and $20.00 at the door.

The discussion will cover a range of questions, such as, what is the impact of the economy on venture capital and entrepreneurs? What sectors are gaining investor momentum? Where is the smart money going in the rest of 2008? How can entrepreneurs make the most of these trends? How do you avoid common pitfalls when approaching investors

The October meeting will be held at:

Monday, October 20, from 7-9PM

University of California Berkeley Extension, Golden Bear Building

1995 University Avenue

Berkeley, California

(Two blocks from Downtown Berkeley BART)

The EBIG Startups/Venture Capital Special Interest Group offers monthly forums focusing on the high-tech entrepreneur’s journey. Evening meetings are held in two San Francisco Bay Area locations one in Pleasanton on the second Monday, and another in Berkeley on the third Monday each month. Meetings are held from 7-9PM. For more information or to register, visit www.ebig.org.

The Berkeley meeting is made possible with the generous sponsorship of Siemens Technology-To-Business (TTB) Center.