Entrepreneurship in a Noisy World
Date and time:
Wed, 11/16/2011 - 9:00 AM - 10:10 AM
With the unprecedented rate of innovation, some see a new bubble forming in the valuations of start-ups and more established firms. Progress in technology has made it easier and cheaper to test ideas, and more investors are eager to back them, including angel investors who are making bets comparable to venture funds. How do entrepreneurs seeking growth differentiate themselves in this noisy landscape?
Speakers
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Balaji GopinathVice President of Emerging Technology, Audience & Multi-Platform Technologies GroupTurner Broadcasting SystemBalaji Gopinath is the Vice President of Emerging Technology with the Audience & Multi-Platform Technologies (AMPT) group for Turner Broadcasting System, Inc. (TBS, Inc.). Over the last twenty years, Balaji has had global roles as a GM, SVP of Product and Customer Experience, COO and multiple VP positions in strategy, product management, engineering, software development, and business development at both private and public companies; and has previously worked at CTP, Scient, NCR, and Nike and was responsible in helping launch Hotwire.com and Sephora.com among others. His domain experience spans across Consumer Internet Business, Media and Entertainment, eCommerce, Saas, Social Media, Advertising Solutions, and the Technology sector. Balaji earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Life Sciences from Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and is based in Atlanta, GA. |
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Boris PevznerPresident and FounderCollectriumBoris Pevzner is a serial entrepreneur and technologist. His most recent venture, Collectrium, is revolutionizing the art world by creating a global platform for managing, discovering, sharing, and trading art and high-end collectibles. Recently named one of "America's most promising startups" by BusinessWeek, Collectrium is the #1 global contemporary art network, the #1 mobile art management solution for art dealers and collectors, and the #1 mobile art discovery tool for art enthusiasts (a "Shazam for Art" iPhone app). Among his many venture projects, Boris has been involved in conceiving and developing xfire, a successful social networking online service ($102M exit via a sale to Viacom); Centrata, a pioneer in cloud computing for enterprise-class datacenters; and Lontra, a leader in service management of Information Technology (IT). Boris's business ventures are built around a deep understanding of how different kinds of communities can be enhanced and transformed through innovative technology. An IT security and privacy expert, Boris has advised dozens of senior technology executives of some of the most privacy-conscious companies, including American Express, Raymond James, Starwood Hotels, McGraw-Hill, and BP. |
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Mike EckertExecutive ChairmanAtlanta Technology AngelsMike Eckert is currently the Executive Chairman of the Atlanta Technology Angels, the largest angel investment group in the Southeast and is an active member in the Atlanta early-stage/entrepreneur eco-system. Mike has extensive start up experiences as a member of the launch team of The Weather Channel/Weather.com and serving as its CEO, and as CEO of Pathfire, an early stage digital media technology infrastructure business, both Georgia-based companies. Mike also serves as a Fellow in Georgia Tech’s VentureLab program, is associated with the Advanced Technology Development Center as a coach, mentor and speaker, is a judge of many start-up business plan competitions, has served and serves on the boards of directors of a number of early stage companies, is an active angel investor and is a limited partner in a number of Venture Capital funds. |
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Nina SawczukGeneral Manager, ATDCGeorgia Institute of TechnologyNina Sawczuk is currently the director of startup services and general manager of the Advanced Technology Development Center (ATDC) at Georgia Tech’s Enterprise Innovation Institute (EI2). Sawczuk served the ATDC as assistant director for biosciences from October 2009 through July 2010. Founded in 1980, ATDC is a startup incubator that helps Georgia entrepreneurs launch and build successful technology companies. ATDC provides coaching and connections to over 400 members. Prior to ATDC, she was CEO of Zygogen LLC, an Atlanta-based biotechnology company that advanced the use of zebrafish for drug screening. Before co-founding that company, she served in drug discovery, biotechnology consulting, and business development roles for several organizations in the Boston, Research Triangle Park and Southern California areas. |
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Scott LevineManaging DirectorTime Warner InvestmentsScott Levine is a Managing Director at Time Warner Investments, where he is focused on digital media investment opportunities that have a strategic fit with Time Warner’s operating divisions. Prior to joining Time Warner, Scott was the Senior Vice President of Business Development of myYearbook, which was sold to Quepasa (QPSA) for $100mm. Previously, Scott was Senior Vice President of Corporate Development at Sony Music, where he led M&A and venture investments. He was also a Vice President at General Atlantic, a private equity firm which manages $17 billion in capital. Scott is a graduate of Stanford University, where he earned a Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering and is also a graduate of Columbia University where he earned an MBA as well as a B.S. in Electrical Engineering. Scott lives in Manhattan with his wife and two children. |