Friends,
It’s another event-filled week for us with packed schedules for both Tuesday in Dudley Square (click here to skip directly to Tuesday’s schedule) and Thursday in Kendall Square (click here to skip directly to Thursday’s schedule). It’s a special week though because on Tuesday, Café Night @ RIC runs from 4-8 P.M. in Dudley Square (2300 Washington Street, 2nd Floor) and features several notable events, including the official opening of Fab Lab Roxbury.
Like Venture Café Thursdays in Cambridge, open networking occurs throughout the entire session of Café Night @ RIC. There’s also numerous Info Tables: Girl Develop It!, MassChallenge, Northeastern Crossing, Roca Inc., Skylab, and StartHub.org; and, Office Hours with 9 different advisors, including the SBA’s Nadine Boone, local technologist Al Willis, Executive Director of the Timothy Smith Network Milton Irving, and 3 mentors from the Boston Chapter of SCORE: Phil Crutchfield, Elliot Laffer, and Michael Sandman. You can also attend the following sessions:
Innovation Has No Limits! with Sarah Boisvert, Founder of Fab Lab Hub;
Small Business Administration: Access to Capital;
Programs coming to Fab Lab Roxbury with Netia A. McCray, Executive Director-Founder of Mbadika, and Sarah Boisvert, Founder, Fab Lab Hub;
an interactive panel with John Barros, Chief of Economic Development in the Boston City Mayor’s Office, Sherry Lassiter, Director of the Fab Foundation, Nadeem Mazen, Cambridge City Council-member and founder of Danger!Awesome, and Dave Selles from The Possible Project discussing how Fab Labs are changing our world.
Then, for Venture Café Thursday in Cambridge, Morse Barnes-Brown and Pendleton (MBBP) returns for Series A Venture Capital Financing: A Review of 2015 and A Look Forward to 2016. Following MBBP’s event, another member of from our roster of Office Hours Advisors, Chuck Goldstone, presents the second session of our new Workshop Series: The Right Story at the Right Time: Skills and Insights to Move Markets and Investors to Action.
As always, don’t forget to reserve your Thursday Office Hours appointments now. And, when you’re in the Café this Thursday, please stop by the Info Table to learn more about StartHub.org.
Click here to skip directly to Tuesday’s schedule in Dudley Square at 2300 Washington Street, 2nd Floor, Boston, MA.
Click here to skip directly to Thursday’s schedule at 1 Broadway, 5th Floor, Cambridge, MA.
Hope to see you this week,
4:00 – 8:00 P.M. | Café Nights @ RIC
Dudley Square, 2300 Washington Street Boston, MA 02119 4:00 – 5:00 P.M. | Innovation Has No Limits! Sarah Boisvert, Founder of Fab Lab Hub, will describe ordinary people from around the world who have pushed innovation’s limits to impact their communities.
4:00 – 7:30 P.M. | Official Opening of Fab Lab Roxbury The new community facility in the Impact Studio at the Roxbury Innovation Center is part of the international Fab Lab network of about 1,000 Fab Labs associated with Fab Lab Roxbury’s mission is to foster innovation in order to help create new community startups and bring existing businesses to the next industrial revolution.
Fab Lab Roxbury will also spur STEM [Science – Technology – Engineering – Math] education in collaboration with both K-12 schools and higher education institutions. In addition, the Bolling Building location will provide non-traditional, hands-on, experiential STEM education and workforce development training on site.
5:15 – 6:15 P.M. | Coming Programs at Fab Lab Roxbury Netia A. McCray, Executive Director-Founder of Mbadika, and Sarah Boisvert, Founder, Fab Lab Hub, will describe programs coming to Fab Lab Roxbury for entrepreneurs, inventors, kids, seniors, artists, teachers – literally everyone!
5:15 – 6:15 P.M. | SBA: Access to Capital The Small Business Administration (SBA) is not a direct lender for small business loans. The purpose of SBA loan programs is to provide opportunities for small businesses that can’t otherwise obtain financing The SBA does not dispense loans itself, but rather provides financial guarantees to banks if a small business backed by the SBA defaults.
SBA a is a third party facilitator that guarantees the loan between you and your bank when you cannot qualify for a conventional commercial loan with your current collateral, credit history or resources for cash flow. That makes SBA an insurer and not a Lender.
SBA fills the gaps!
Register here.
6:30 – 7:30 P.M. | How Fab Labs are Making & Changing our World An interactive panel of visionaries including John Barros, Chief of Economic Development in the Boston City Mayor’s Office, Sherry Lassiter, Director of the Fab Foundation, Nadeem Mazen, Cambridge City Council-member and founder of Danger!Awesome, and Dave Selles from The Possible Project will discuss how Fab Labs are changing our world.
4:00 – 7:00 P.M. | Al Willis Al Willis is a long-time technologist, educator, early adopter and community activist. Born and raised in Boston’s Dorchester neighborhood, Al has been involved in technology since he learned computer programming as a sophomore at the Jeremiah Burke High School back in the day.
Since then he’s provided technology expertise to a number of community organizations and initiatives including Boston Public School Department, Massachusetts Pre-Engineering Program, the Freedom House’s Project REACH.
After 14 years working for MIT’s main IT organization, including stints as a team leader, trainer, writer and only the second ever Macintosh Platform Coordinator, in 2008 he immersed himself in the tech startup communities in Boston and Cambridge, which he’s been part of ever since.
Al is passionate about demystifying the process of launching new projects and initiatives while incorporating cutting-edge technology in them. He has extensive experience in web design and development, social media, project management, working in non-profits and entrepreneurship.
Most recently he helped bring the first workshop to the Roxbury Innovation Center in the summer of 2015. He’s currently participating in a blockchain intensive at the MIT Media Lab and is working with the Roxbury Innovation Center, the South End Technology Center and tech startup Mbadika to support young people to learn maker tools and technology.
Reserve time with Al here.
4:00 – 7:00 P.M. | Milton Irving Milton Irving is the Executive Director of the Timothy Smith Network.
The Timothy Smith Network (TSN) is a member organization established to build the capacity of Greater Roxbury’s Timothy Smith Centers. The mission of the TSN is to increase the capacity of the Greater Roxbury community of Boston to effectively use and access technology by providing technology-related services, educational programs, and resources as well as strengthening and supporting the individual Timothy Smith Centers. As of 2015, there are 29 active Timothy Smith Centers. Timothy Smith Centers provide comprehensive community-based technology education services to children, adults, families, adults, and senior citizens.
Timothy Smith Centers provide open access to technology and the Internet for many residents. The agencies in which the Timothy Smith Centers are located address a broad range of economic, therapeutic, health, educational, training, human and social services needs of the community. The TSN will strengthen the Timothy Smith Centers by assisting them to implement strategies for developing and sustaining their operations and for improving the efficiency, scale, and quality of their programs.
Reserve time with Milton here.
4:00 – 7:00 P.M. | Nadine Boone Ms. Boone has been with the U.S. Small Business Administration for over 17 years. She has 10 years of experience as a Loan Specialist, reviewing and analyzing guaranty purchases to identify and resolve compliance deficiencies for the purchase of 7(a) loans in the Office of Financial Assistance – National Guaranty Purchase Center in Herndon Virginia.
Ms. Boone earned a certificate of completion from Omega Performance in Commercial Loans for Small Business in March 2013 and graduated from Christopher Newport University in Newport News, VA with a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration and Marketing.
Reserve time with Nadine here.
4:00 – 7:00 P.M. | Elliot Laffer Elliott Laffer has 30 years of experience in sales and sales management of engineered mechanical equipment. He worked for 10 years as first executive director of Boston Groundwater Trust, a quasi-public City of Boston associated 501(c)3 entity which installs and monitors groundwater wells in the city of Boston. He also worked for almost 40 years as an officer and director of the largest neighborhood association in Boston.
He had a leadership role in the public approval process for Copley Place, 500 Boylston St, and the reconstruction of Prudential Center. Elliott holds degrees from BSME and Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.
Reserve time with Elliott here.
4:00 – 7:00 P.M. | Phil Crutchfield (SCORE) Reserve time with Phil here.
4:00 – 7:00 P.M. | Michael Sandman (SCORE) 5:30 – 7:30 P.M. | Girl Develop It! Girl Develop It is a nonprofit organization that exists to provide affordable and judgment-free opportunities for women interested in learning web and software development. Through in-person classes and community support, Girl Develop It helps women of diverse backgrounds achieve their technology goals and build confidence in their careers and their every day lives.
5:30 – 7:30 P.M. | MassChallenge MassChallenge is the most startup-friendly accelerator on the planet. No equity and not-for-profit, we are obsessed with helping entrepreneurs across any industry. We also reward the highest-impact startups through a competition to win a portion of several million dollars in equity-free cash awards. Through our global network of accelerators in Boston, London, Jerusalem, Geneva and Mexico City and unrivaled access to our corporate partners, we can have a massive impact – driving growth and creating value the world over.
5:30 – 7:30 P.M. | Northeastern Crossing Northeastern Crossing seeks to elevate the voices and visibility of Boston’s neighborhoods, particularly Roxbury, Mission Hill, Fenway, and the South End, provide greater access to resources at Northeastern University for Boston residents, and be a platform where Boston residents and the Northeastern University community can convene, interact, and learn from each other.
5:30 – 7:30 P.M. | Roca Inc. Roca’s mission is to disrupt the cycle of incarceration and poverty by helping young people transform their lives.
A history of relentless outreach on the streets of our most dangerous urban communities has led Roca to develop and operate an evidence-based Intervention Model for High-Risk Young People ages 17 to 24.
5:30 – 7:30 P.M. | Skylab SkyLab’s vision is to generate an innovation-based economic and cultural renaissance in Roxbury, Massachusetts. They will provide educational and hands-on opportunities for the residents of Roxbury to learn about and use the latest technologies, strategies, and business skills required to launch new ventures or sustain existing ones. Deeply rooted in the community, SkyLab connects the people who live and work here, existing businesses, and the high growth tech industries that surround them. By providing these groups with established training, technical resources, and providers, they aim to create a continuum of services and support from high school to successful businesses.
5:30 – 7:30 P.M. | StartHub.org StartHub.org is a comprehensive, centralized online platform designed to connect, support, and grow Greater Boston’s world-class technology and early-stage community. Developed in a public-private partnership between the City of Boston, Venture Café, Gust, IBM, and a wide number of partners from Boston’s startup community, StartHub will serve as Greater Boston’s homepage for the startup ecosystem.
3:00 – 8:00 P.M. | Venture Café Thursdays in Session
1 Broadway, 5th Floor, Cambridge, MA 02124 4:00 – 5:30 P.M. | Morse Barnes-Brown & Pendleton Series A Venture Capital Financing: A Review of 2015 and A Look Forward to 2016 Entrepreneurs are faced with many difficult decisions when starting a new business enterprise. Foremost amongst them is how to finance the early stage operations of the business. For entrepreneurs contemplating raising capital from investors, several important questions need to be closely considered, including: What is the proper valuation for my business? What percentage of my company should I sell? How much control should I relinquish? What is the proper composition of my Board of Directors?
We have gathered a panel of seasoned venture capital and angel investors that will discuss these and other issues and will share invaluable insight to entrepreneurs preparing for a fundraising.
The panel discussion will include:
A presentation and review of data regarding 2015 Series A financing activity and preferred stock terms.
A discussion of VC/start-up trends in the Boston market including valuations, deal terms and “hot” industries.
A forecast of financing activity for 2016.
Moderated by:
Scott Bleier, Member, Morse, Barnes-Brown & Pendleton, PC
Panelists:
Nilanjana Bhowmik, Partner, Longworth Venture Partners
Vin Fabiani, Partner, HLM Venture Partners
David Jegen, Partner, F-Prime Capital
Dan Powdermaker, Angel Investor, Launchpad Venture Group
Let us know whether you’re interested in attending this session here.
6:30 – 7:30 P.M. | The Right Story at the Right Time: Skills and Insights to Move Markets and Investors to Action The startup world is the most competitive place in the cosmos. How will you be heard above the noise? Telling the right story to the right audience at the right time is a skills startups must have. Being clear what you do & why someone should listen. Not just creating with investor decks or elevator pitch. But every message you deliver. Join mentor/author/strategist Chuck Goldstone of !deaworks New Venture Initiative for an evening of insight/practices you wish someone told you about sooner.
3:00 – 5:00 P.M. | Bill Larrenaga Bill is a Director with The CFO Center, the largest international provider of CFO resources, services and solutions to the small and medium sized enterprise sector. Bill was previously a Partner of KPMG LLP, one of the Big Four CPA Firms. He has extensive experience working with senior management and Board of Directors in high tech, manufacturing and retail and distribution industries. He has led client service teams in providing risk based, process driven internal audits that provided value. He can help you organize your financial operations and business plans. Please be sure to bring your business plan including your high level pitch document, the problems you are addressing, the size of the market, your team, the product offering, etc.
Reserve 30 minutes with Bill here.
3:00 – 5:00 P.M. | Chuck Goldstone It’s about the story. Startups often falter, not because their technologies aren’t good, but because the stories they tell about them aren’t. We’ll chat about both content and intent: Stepping back to find the right message for each audience (be it investor or market), making it clear and engaging, making it memorable (differentiating it from others competing for attention), and moving audiences to action. Bring your decks, your goals, your challenges, and an open mind about finding and articulating a compelling story. You’ll chat with Chuck Goldstone, who for more than two decades has helped organizations find their voice.
RSVP here.
3:00 – 5:00 P.M. | George Mabry George is an active consultant, mentor and angel investor in the Harvard, MIT, and Boston entrepreneurial communities. With degrees in computer science and business, George co-founded a biotech market research company that was acquired by a global bio-pharmaceutical service provider in 2008. If you are seeking feedback on your business concept, come prepared with high-level materials to explain your idea, including information on the market, team, and how you are addressing the problem / opportunity.
Reserve 30 minutes with George here.
3:00 – 5:00 P.M. | Hal Charnley With over two decades of experience as a CEO leading technology companies through their expansion stages, Hal brings pragmatic perspectives and advice to those looking to “get to the next level” with their businesses. Whether its building the executive team, raising capital, handling those tricky co-founder issues, or brainstorming your next great idea, Hal is here to help. He’s seen dozens of businesses as CEO, Board member or advisor and believes that 80% of the challenges that every business faces are common across all markets – you’re not alone! He has raised in excess of $100M in venture and private equity and has been involved in over a dozen acquisitions on both buy-side and sell-side. Bring your questions, pitch deck, challenges and ideas.
RSVP here.
3:00 – 5:00 P.M. | Jacquie Kay As an entrepreneur and educator, Jacquie works globally and locally, advising businesses, leaders, and organizations in planning and managing innovation, ventures and projects. She was founder/president of a successful international development firm for 35 years. In 2012, she started up the Sun Walking Group, helping communities frame projects through a “lab” lens and also a development fund focused on clean energy and environment. Jacquie connects technical/financial resources, develops partnerships, and establishes networks, in academia/ business/ government. She is on the Conservation Law Foundation Ventures and BDC Capital boards; has an Ed.D. in Planning, Harvard University; and was a Research Fellow/Lecturer at MIT.
RSVP for 30 minutes with Jacquie.
3:00 – 5:00 P.M. | Jodi-Tatiana Charles Marketing and Branding
Bring your marketing and brand questions for a one-on-one consult where Jodi-Tatiana Charles will give feedback and brainstorm ideas with you.
• Mentoring Topics
• Marketing/Branding Strategy
• Media/Customer Acquisition
• Business Model Development/Strategy
Biography
Jodi has enjoyed bringing people and companies together for over three decades. As a strategic marketing/branding specialist she has combined her passion for branding with her love of business development. After working on her Global MBA at Babson College and traveling to 14 countries within a year, and starting two businesses, she continues to be inspired to share her knowledge and expertise with clients worldwide.
Prior to creating two businesses, she led the marketing and branding of MassChallenge at its inception, managed and coordinated the Massachusetts Conference for Women, a one day event providing a forum for more than 7500 women, engaged as Deputy Press Secretary to Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney, produced the award winning NECN program NewsNight hosted by Chet Curtis and Jim Braude, and demonstrated leadership as WXKS Associate Producer for the legendary radio program The Matty in the Morning Show, where she was nominated “Producer of the Year”.
RSVP for 20 minute slots via email and put the date you are requesting a time for in the subject.
3:00 – 5:30 P.M. | Marty Sack Marty Sack has mentored more than 200 start-ups over the last two years and is a regular business mentor at the Venture Cafe. As a Certified SCORE Mentor he brings with him the resources of more than forty additional successful executives, Venture Capitalists, Marketing and Digital Marketing experts, small business owners, and other Professionals from diverse areas of business and non-profits–all volunteers offering free business advice and mentoring services.
Marty is the now retired co-founder and CEO of LunchDates Dating Service. He also founded and was publisher and long time owner of a national job publication, and he was the Executive Director of a Cambridge based non-profit for 18 years.
Sign up for his office hours here.
3:00 – 6:00 P.M. | Joe Caruso For the last 20 years Joe Caruso has served has been an “Advocate for entrepreneurs” as a mentor, coach, and personal advisor to CEO’s and entrepreneurs. In recent years, he has served an investor, advisor and active director with dozens of companies, public and private. He also maintains an active consulting practice dealing with structuring and negotiation of acquisitions, strategic partnerships and financings, and issues related to dispute resolution.
Reserve 30 minutes with Joe here.
Info Table 5:30 – 7:30 P.M. | StartHub StartHub.org is a comprehensive, centralized online platform designed to connect, support, and grow Greater Boston’s world-class technology and early-stage community. Developed in a public-private partnership between the City of Boston, Venture Café, Gust, IBM, and a wide number of partners from Boston’s startup community, StartHub will serve as Greater Boston’s homepage for the startup ecosystem.
Visit with the StartHub staff at Venture Cafe to learn more!
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