Successful Montana Technology Entrepreneur, Dr. David Opitz Tapped to be Founding Chairman of Missoula Area Big Sky Angels

Dr. David Opitz has been tapped to lead a network of angel investors in the Missoula area. Dr. Opitz founded and grew a successful Missoula based company, Visual Learning Systems, which was sold to Textron. Visual Learning Systems provides highly complex software solutions in the remote sensing arena.

Dr. Opitz has an undergraduate degree from Montana Tech and a Masters and PhD. in Computer Science from the University of Wisconsin. Dr. Opitz is currently working as a consultant and is active in the community. “Dave Opitz is a terrific entrepreneur and understands how to navigate the academic world and how to build a successful business. He will be a great collaborator for the new tech transfer efforts in process at the University of Montana” said Liz Marchi with the Montana Angel Network.

The formation of an angel network, and possibly a fund in the future, is very timely for the Missoula area. A robust network of angel investors will play a key role in support of new business innovation and development. Angels will complement the forward looking work being done by Mayor Engen’s task force, the Hellgate Venture Network (a network for entrepreneurs) and the work of Dr. Joe Fanguy in Technology Transfer at the University of Montana.

Missoula continues to be a location of choice for talented, young, entrepreneurs. A number of companies have launched recently in the software space including http://www.Goomzee.com , http://www.WhoCanHelp.com and http://www.Grupthink. Rivertop Renewals http://www.rivertop.com/ and Algevolve http://www.algevolve.com have launched in the clean technology space. Entrepreneurial activity continues to grow and these young enterprises need capital and mentors to grow and provide the jobs of tomorrow.

The Montana Angel Network is supported by the Governor’s Office of Economic Development to cultivate, educate and support a network of private capital for Montana entrepreneurs.

To find out more about being a part of the Big Sky Angels, contact Dave Opitz at [email protected] or Liz Marchi at 883-4044, [email protected]