Montana Angel Network Initiative Launches in Missoula on 9/25 with “Starting an Angel Organization” Bill Payne, Lead Instructor
| September 4, 2008 |  View for printing |
Missoula will be host to the inaugural event offered through the Angel Capital Education Foundation on Starting an Angel Organization. “Missoula is a natural place to begin building more organized private capital and educating investors” says Liz Marchi, who is working in partnership with the Governor’s Office of Economic Development in building Montana’s angel capital base. “With the research being done at the University of Montana, the attractiveness of Missoula as a young, vibrant community and the strong economic development organizations that support entrepreneurship, the opportunities to start and grow innovative companies are enormous” says Marchi.
This initiative is about education and identifying community champions who want to participate and invest in economic development by becoming sophisticated and active angel investors. Active and sophisticated angel investors are an important stepping stone in building new and innovative businesses in the local economy that will employ our talented young people and offer career wages.
The seminar will be held on Thursday, September 25th at the Doubletree Hotel in Missoula. The day will begin at 8:00am and will conclude with a reception at 5:00pm, hosted by the University of Montana School of Business, in the Gianchetta Plaza for registered attendees. Bill Payne will lead the event. Mr. Payne is an active angel investor, board member and advisor to entrepreneurs. He is an involved member of the Frontier Angel Fund, Tech Coast Angels (San Diego), Vegas Valley Angels and Aztec Venture Network. For over three decades, Bill Payne has successfully founded or invested in 37 start-up companies, including: Solid State Dielectrics, Inc. (an electronic materials company he founded and sold to E.I. DuPont 1982), Novacap, Inc. in 1980 (a $100 million manufacturer of ceramic capacitors now operating as a stand –alone unit within Dover company, Vista Staffing Solution’s, Inc. in 1990 (a private $60 million company providing temporary placement of physicians) and Email Publishing in 1996 (a venture –funded company merged into DoubleClick, Inc. – DCLK: Nasdaq). Bill is a former Senior Program Consultant to the Kauffman Foundation, the largest foundation in the world in support of entrepreneurship.
Paul Polzein, a well respected economist and former Director of the Bureau of Economic Research at the University of Montana, will provide original data for assessing the capacity in Montana for angel groups.
In addition to the community assessment, the seminar will cover investment structure overview, membership strategies, attracting and recruiting members, manager-led vs. member led organizations, choosing a legal structure, financing an angel organization, costs and financial resources, process and framework and an overview of operational tools.
The seminar is intended for investors and community leaders who wish to help start an angel organization, leaders of organizations that support entrepreneurs through mentoring, coaching, education and connection to resources, university leaders and directors of entrepreneurship, innovation or emerging technology initiatives in academic institutions and professional service providers who work with entrepreneurs or investors and want to learn best practices in angel group development.
The Montana Angel Initiative is made possible through the support of the Governor’s Office of Economic Development, the Montana Department of Commerce and the generous sponsorship of the University of Montana School of Business, The MSU Billings School of Business, Dorsey & Whitney, LLP, Glacier Venture Fund, the Montana World Trade Center, Heutmaker Law, pc Business and Transactional Law, the Missoula Area Economic Development Corporation, Montana Community Development Corporation, Montana Economic Developers Association, the Montana Ambassadors and the Montana Associated Technology Roundtables.
There is a charge for attending which helps cover the cost of lunch and curriculum materials. To register to attend contact Liz Marchi, liz@frontierangels.com, 406-883-4044. Attendance is limited.
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