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May 23, 2008
  
Taking the highest award at Tech Coast Angels' 8th Annual Fast Pitch in Anaheim last week, ElectronVault's Linda Maepa describes her company's mileage extending technology. It's still expensive, but getting closer to commercial viablility, an alternative battery for the Toyota Prius that gets 100 mpg! The team comes from CalTech and worked with Entretech as they first began the process of looking to the investment community.
It's not her first startup, "in failing, I learned". She sounds well positioned to make ElectronVault a big success.
Show #158 (35:49)
Tags: Fast Pitch, ElectronVault, Prius, CalTech, Tech Coast Angels, Entretech
May 20, 2008
May 18, 2008
Allan Sabol raised $1.15M for his staffing startup with a little help from Tech Coast Angel Dan Caulfied. After his release from the Marine Corps, Dan describes his early entrepreneurial activity working on internet startups for Ross Perot, "it was acrimonious". After that relationship wound down, Dan eventually joined TCA and met Dayak which was started by 2 former Marine officers. This common Marine background created an instant bond of trust.
Just what are the qualities that make a Marine officer a good entrepreneur? 
Dan ticks them off:
Marine officers make decisions quickly and they're not afraid to make decisions without all the right answers. "The internet is very similar to a battlefield," he adds, and the combat analogies start flowing.
Although the company approached as a Seed stage opportunity, Allan says, "we raised almost four times what we originally expected."
What conclusions might you take away from this interview? Well, you'd like to have Dan Caulfield leading your funding effort.
Show #157 (43:54)
May 13, 2008
I'm back from the Angel Capital Association's Annual Summit in San Diego; what a super event! So this podcast is for all my new listeners from around the world. I made friends in Chile, EBAN: the European Business Angel Network, Puerto Rico, Scotland, New Zealand, Australia, Oh Canada!, Texas, Mississippi and Ohio, too.
UCSB's Director of the Venture Acceleration Initiative, Don Oparah, is out to commercialize more of the university's research. He has his work cut out.
Show #156 (43:16)
May 04, 2008
On the podcast for his 5th appearance, Tech Coast Angel Dave Berkus talks about the 10 boards he sits on. "Non-profit boards have to have 3 different kinds of members," and what about the for-profits? Dave has great perspective and offers many jewels of experience.
Dave "doesn't want to discourage other angel investors, but... " We discuss the long life cycle of these early stage investments. Just when can angels expect to see some exits?
Dave's a real gadget freak and he mentions many things like a high quality USB microphone, Skype and Sight Speed.
Show #155 (48:30)
Events
Register today to attend the Tech Coast Angels 8th Annual Fast Pitch, 6pm Monday May 19th.
May 01, 2008
The Tech Coast Angels broke with tradition this morning and expanded the field of Fast Pitch finalists from 12 to 14. According to Orange County Fast Pitch Chairman Don Kasle, "the results from the coaching sessions were very, very close this year. In fact, they were so close that the coaches have continued to discuss this fact over the last couple of days and, after much deliberation, the coaches have decided to do something unique. Since the differential between the companies, from 11th to 14th, was so very slight, the coaches decided to include two more companies as finalists. That means that 14 will compete for the 4 prizes."
Don assures me that the open bar will not close early to accommodate the larger field; come hungry and thirsty, "we will have 3 wine bars, a roast beef stand, a pasta station, a pizza bar, and a veggie table".
Where else can you network with a room full of angel investors and VCs? Only at Fast Pitch. It's not too late to register for the 6pm Monday May 19th Fast Pitch, details.
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