Events Overview
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09/25/2007 - 5:22pm

An Overview of SVASE Events, guidelines for submitting non-SVASE events.

"I am Founder and CEO of AVI Systems, Inc., and as a result of attending about two dozen SVASE events in the last 6 months, I have taken our core corporate package, and transformed it  from an unfocused patented technology, to a very desirable and fundable company."
Joe Shamash, Founder & CEO, AVI Systems

To view our entire upcoming event calendar, click HERE.

SVASE focuses on assisting technology and life science entrepreneurs through the following stages of startup growth:

Concept Phase:
Attend StartUp-U, Main Events and BIGs (Business Interface Groups) to gain insights into key startup issues, evaluate market opportunities,  explore the investment potential for your concept and network with a wide range of other entrepreneurs, VCs, Angels and service providers.

Business Planning:
Having assembled your startup team and launched you company, attend CXO Leadership Forum lunches and Learn from a Legend dinners to gain insights into operational accelerators and pitfalls, flesh out your go-to-market strategy, and validate your value proposition.

Investors and Funding
Understand what investors looks for in a startup, and hone your elevator pitch and business proposition by attending our weekly VC Breakfast Club events.  Understand the Funding Flow and develop your Investor presentation by participating in a Pitch Preparation Workshop, before delivering your funding pitch and receiving quality formal feedback from VCs, Angels and successful entrepreneurs at First Impressions.  You can also showcase your technology and deliver a 4 minute elevator pitch at one of our market specific BIGs

THE MAIN EVENT:

The Main Event is held on the first Thursday per quarter (March, June, September and December)at the TechMart in Santa Clara. Attendance ranges from 200-400 entrepreneurs, VCs and service providers. Each Main Event begins at 6 pm with a networking hour that includes a buffet dinner and a Mini-Trade Show, followed by a headliner speaker program. Sample recent or upcoming programs include:

  •    Life Science Angels, Alive and Funding
  •    Nanotechnology Today
  •    Offshore Technology Development  
  •    Annual Raising Capital Outlook for Prepublic Companies

East Bay Series:
East Bay Series events, held monthly on a Wednesday evening in Danville are panel discussions focusing on real-life stories of entrepreneurial success. Panel members typically include VCs and experienced entrepreneurs. Most event topics relate to the process of obtaining funding. Pre- and post-event networking and a tasty buffet dinner offer excellent opportunities to make valuable new contacts.

FIRST IMPRESSIONS:
This program offers SVASE members the opportunity to present their startup funding pitch and receive formal structured feedback from SVASE Charter Members including serial entrepreneurs, subject matter experts, angel investors, and venture capitalists.
 
THE VC BREAKFAST CLUB, where VC's and Entrepreneurs meet:
The Breakfast Club is held every Thursday morning in various Bay Area locations, providing an intimate setting (1 VC partner and up to 10 entrepreneurs) for effective networking and deal development. VCs have included, among many others:

  • John Hummer, Hummer Winblad
  • Neil Weintraut, 21st Century
  • Eric Straser, Mohr-Davidow
  • David Ladd, Mayfiled Fund

THE CXO LEADERSHIP FORUM for Startup Executives:
A Forum luncheon is held monthly for 25 "C" level executives in startup companies. The Forum provides a collegial, confidential, round table environment for discussion of key topics of critical interest.

STARTUP-U: SVASE's Premier Event for startup entrepreneurs  
Startup-U provides opportunities for you explore key issues of entrepreneurial success. This lunchtime program, comprising 5 regional events across the Bay Area, generally features a guest speaker from the venture funding community and encourages discussion participation by all attendees (typically 10 to 40 people). Startup-U meetings are currently held in:

  • San Francisco
  • Silicon Valley 

GUIDELINES FOR SUBMITTING NON-SVASE EVENTS:
Non-profit organizations may submit events to the SVASE events calendar using the "Add Events" function in the Events Calendar.  To be approved for posting, events should clearly offer the same rate to SVASE members as for the organization's members, or a discount of 25% of the rate for the general public.  For events occuring over more than 2 days, please specify the start date only.