News

POSTPONED – Great Falls Development Authority to Host Starting Angel Organizations – Montana Angel Initiative Comes to Great Falls April 8th

Starting Angel Organizations Workshop In Great Falls Has Been Postponed

GREAT FALLS, MT – March 24, 2009 – Starting Angel Organizations, a workshop that was scheduled to take place at the Holiday Inn, April 8, 2009, in Great Falls, has been postponed until the Economic Diversification Project has been completed.

The goal of the Starting Angel Organizations workshop was to provide education about angel investing to public officials, economic development professionals, business leaders and accredited investors. The workshop will presented at a later date by Liz Marchi, Fund Coordinator for the Frontier Angel Fund, Montana’s first organized angel fund, Great Falls Development Authority and the Governor’s Office of Economic Development.

The Economic Diversification Project will lead the Sweetgrass Development area, inclusive of Cascade, Glacier, Pondera, Teton and Toole counties through a process of strategy development geared at establishing working plans and goals for regional economic diversification. The projected completion date is late spring. For more information, visit http://www.greatfallsdevelopment.org or call 406.771.9020.

If you would like information on the status of another Angel Network workshop, please contact Liz Marchi, [email protected], 406.883.4044.

***

Entrepreneurs play an increasingly important role in Montana’s economic development because entrepreneurs drive business innovation across all sectors. Governor Schweitzer recognizes that entrepreneurs in Montana face many common challenges, including developing business acumen and making connections with experts and mentors. But often the greatest challenge is raising capital. Angel investors are stepping in to fill the gap for many startups with emerging technologies that are frequently viewed as too risky for banks and other financing.

Great Falls Development Authority is partnering with Liz Marchi, Fund Coordinator for the Frontier Angel Fund, Montana’s first organized angel fund and the Governor’s Office of Economic Development in this effort. The goal is to provide education about angel investing to public officials, economic development professionals, business leaders and accredited investors. Brett Doney, President of GDFA, is a strong advocate of the entrepreneurial economy and understands the important role that early investors play in business development. “We are pleased to bring this unique opportunity for education about angel investing to our community. I believe in the capacity in our region for building an effective angel network to serve our growing entrepreneurial culture,” said Doney.

The curriculum materials and instructor will be provided by the Angel Capital Association in association with the Kauffman Foundation, the largest foundation in support of entrepreneurship in the US. 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.

Expectations are that strong private sector partnerships be formed for sponsorships of community seminars. The Great Falls Development Authority, DA Davidson (WE HOPE) have joined The Montana Department of Commerce, Dorsey & Whitney Law Firm, University of Montana Business School, MSU –Billings College of Business, Heutmaker Law, Glacier Venture Fund, the Montana World Trade Center as sponsors of this seminar series.

Dr. Paul Polzin with the Bureau of Economic Research will present a community assessment of the Great Falls community to get some idea of the number of angels that might be in the area. The full day seminar will explore best practices in forming, structuring and sustaining an angel organization in the local community.

“Montana is ripe for this initiative” says Evan Barrett, Chief Development officer for the State. “We have more and more high net worth individuals willing to invest locally and we are seeing an ever increasing growth in entrepreneurial activity in bio science, energy and information technology.”

The seminar is scheduled for Wednesday, April 8, at 8:00am at The Holiday Inn in Great Falls, MT. For more information and to register, please contact Liz Marchi, [email protected], 406-883-4044. There is a charge for the seminar, attendance is limited and registration is required.

Sorry, we couldn't find any posts. Please try a different search.

Leave a Comment

You must be logged in to post a comment.