Agenda for Growth
Many of the state’s most respected experts on such topics as venture capital, angel financing, near equity financing and business valuation, among other topics related to the planning, growing and financing of a business, will be featured at the first “Agenda for Growth” conference, Nov. 4 at the Mount Washington Hotel.
Presented by New Hampshire Business Review and CEI Community Ventures Inc., the first-of-its-kind conference is designed for Granite State business owners and operators who are hoping to expand to the next level of growth, and beyond.
Keynote speaker will be Jay Borden, founder and former CEO of Granite Systems, a communications software company acquired in May by Telecordia Technologies and 2000 New Hampshire High Tech Council Entrepreneur of the Year and 2002 Ernst & Young New England Entrepreneur of the Year.
The all-inclusive conference will cover nine growth-related topics, with presentations and panel discussions showcasing the insights of a wide range of experts, including:
• Michael Gurau and Michael Burgmaier, principals of CEI Community Ventures, a $10 million venture capital fund targeting New Hampshire, Maine and Vermont
• Jesse DeVitte, managing partner of Borealis Ventures, a northern New England-focused early-stage venture capital firm
• Mary E. Collins, state director, New Hampshire Small Business Development Center
• John Hamilton of Vested For Growth, an initiative of the New Hampshire Community Loan Fund that provides growth capital to high-potential businesses in New Hampshire
• Mary Jo Brown, president, Brown & Company, a nationally recognized strategic design firm based in Portsmouth
• Fred Wainwright, executive director, Center for Private Equity and Entrepreneurship at the Tuck Business School at Dartmouth and executive director of North Country Angels and Granite State Angels
• Attorney Jim Cook, partner, Cook, Little, Rosenblatt & Manson, whose practice focuses on business law for high-tech and other entrepreneurs
• Betsy Walkerman, president, Headwaters Strategy, who specializes in entrepreneurial strategy
• John Bruni, chairman, 1st Run Angels Group
• Hollis McGuire, regional manager, New Hampshire Small Business Development Center
• Dave Aznavorian, senior manager, global brand marketing, The Timberland Company
• Jonathan Linowes president, Parkerhill Technology Group, and publisher of the e-newsletter NaturalEntrepreneur.com
• Susan Walsh, vice president, media and research, Bedford Granite Group
• Dr. William Osgood, president of The Knowledge Institute, which specializes in providing research, education, publishing and consulting services for nonprofit and for-profit organizations in support of small business development
The nine scheduled tracks are:
• “Spectrum of Financing, from Grants to Venture Capital”
• “Low- and No-Cost Resources in New Hampshire to Help You Develop and Grow Your Business”
• “Marketing as a Strategic Tool for Growth”
• “Business Planning for Venture Capital”
• “Angel Financing”
• “Alternatives to Venture Capital: Near Equity and Debt to Support your Growth”
• “Asking ‘what if’ — Financial Panning/Modeling to Expand Your Options”
• “Strategy that Optimizes Growth: Insights from a Former Top 3 Consultant”
• “What’s My Company Worth? An Introduction to Valuing Your Business for Growth and Capital”
The event also will feature ample networking opportunities at breakfast, lunch and a post-session get-together, giving participants a chance to meet one-on-one with participating angels, venture capitalists and grant sources.
The event will be held from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 4, at the Mount Washington Hotel in Bretton Woods. Fee for the full-day, all-inclusive event is $125 per person. Participation is limited to the first 150 registrants.
For more information or to register, call New Hampshire Business Review at 624-1442, ext. 25, or visit www.nhbr.com/growth.
