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Connect with 60 high growth tech companies at the Southeast Venture Conference

Tuesday, February 14th, 2012

Sevc 2012Make connections with 60 showcase high growth technology companies from the Southeast and Mid-Atlantic as they present to hundreds of executives from the region’s innovation, entrepreneurial and venture communities,  at the Southeast Venture Conference February 29th – March 1st at the Ritz-Carlton in Tysons Corner, Virginia.

In addition to presenting companies and hours of executive networking – the conference will feature a speaker line up including Netflix co-founder and former CEO, Marc Randolphand includes dozens of leading venture capital investors from groups like Lightbank and NEA; industry insiders from organizations including Bloomberg, Motley Fool and theNational Venture Capital Association; and other successful entrepreneurs such asOpenTable founder, Chuck Templeton.

This year’s presenting company line-up includes:

Register today to guarantee your space at the region’s premiere venture forum!

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Posted in Events, Internet/New Media, IT, Marketing, Maryland, Potomac, Uncategorized, Virginia, Washington, DC | No Comments »

Six reasons to attend the 2012 Southeast Venture Conference

Monday, February 6th, 2012

Sevc 2012People who have attended previous Southeast Venture Conference events tell us they are a great way to grab a spot on the radar of top venture capital firms, but also to make lasting connections with potential customers, partners and executives.

Here are six of the reasons the SEVC sells out year after year:

  1. You’ll make connections with the region’s top tech entrepreneurs and executivesWith 60 presenting companies and hundreds of high growth company C-level executives in attendance, SEVC lets you build partnerships with the region’s leading tech firms..At the 2009 SEVC, attendees had the chance to connect with the founder and CEO of an up and coming startup called, LivingSocial. At the time LivingSocial was the typical SEVC presenter, having recently raising their Series A round and looking to grow revenue. Since presenting at SEVC, LivingSocial has rocketed by raising well over $600 million in capital and has over $1 billion in annual revenue. Connect and partner with tomorrow’s LivingSocial at this year’s SEVC.
  2. SevcYou’ll network with leading venture capitalists and investors from around the USSEVC hosts leading investors and venture funds from around the US, not just the Southeast and Mid-Atlantic, who come to network with fellow investors and the region’s leading innovation talent.Whether you’re in venture fundraising mode or an investor looking to further relationships with fellow investors for deal flow, SEVC is the vehicle to make those connections.
  3. SevcYou’ll get market insight and success strategies from the innovation and venture community’s brightest starsFrom the founder of Netflix to thePresident of the National Venture Capital Association - SEVC will feature over 40 speakers discussing the latest trends, best practices and strategies relating to venture investing and entrepreneurial growth. You’ll learn from them not just during roundtable discussions, but in one on one situations as well through the hours of networking.
  4. SevcTo make networking and private meetings even easier, we’ve added a pre-event networking platform for attendeesNew this year at SEVC is our online networking platform which allows attendees to connect with one another prior, during or after the conference. Attendees can see other attendee’s interests, request and setup meetings and connect helping to maximize the lasting connections you’ll make at this year’s conference.
  5. SevcEntrepreneurs can benchmark your pitch and strategiesUp and coming entrepreneurs can benchmark their pitches from the over 60 presentations from leading innovators in the region. These are companies that for the most part have already been successful in venture fundraising and are well on their way to success. You’ll not find another single forum on the east coast with this many funded companies presenting.
  6. SevcEven more CXO and Venture Partner networking to create relationships that can last your entire careerNetworking is center stage at SEVC. Over one and a half days there are 3 separate open bar networking receptions, a networking breakfast, lunch networking and 7 additional networking breaks.

Showcase companies will present to a national audience of venture capitalists, private equity investors, angel investors and senior technology executives.  Attendees will have additional opportunities to network and connect with these showcase companies throughout the conference – as well as prior to the conference with the online attendee networking platform.

You’ll need to register before Feb. 10 to get the conference rate at the Tysons Corner, VA, Ritz Carleton:

Register today to guarantee your space at the region’s premiere venture forum.

 

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Posted in Events, Internet/New Media | No Comments »

Early registration discount for Southeast Venture Conference ends Friday

Thursday, January 19th, 2012

Speakers headed to the 6th Annual Southeast Venture Conference in Tysons Corner, VA, Feb. 29=March 1

Early, discounted regsitrations  for the Southeast Venture Conference at Tysons Corner, VA, Feb. 29-March 1 end Friday, Jan. 20. This year the SEVC features Marc Randolph, co-founder of Netflix, Chuck Templeton, founder of OpenTable, Mark Heesen, president of the National Venture Capital Association,  top venture capital firms and innovative tech startups.

Randolph is a leading Silicon Valley investor in addition to being co-founder and former CEO of Netflix. Randolph and Templeton are just two of the hundreds of leading venture investors and entrepreneurs headed to this year’s event.

VCS representing $50B in capital attending

Venture capital firms at the event represent $50 billion in investment money.

The 6th Annual Southeast Venture Conference also features presentations from more than 60 of the hottest Southeast and Mid-Atlantic high growth tech companies. Companies that presented at the 2011 SEVC had average revenues of $6 million.

Also on the agenda: Paul Lee, partner, Lightbank, Marshall Brain, founder of HowStuffWorks.com, Jalak Jobanputra, venture investor, New Venture Partners, Harry Weller, general partner, NEA, Sean Marsh, co-founder, Point Judith Capital, Robert Peterman, Toronto Stock Exchange, and Roland Reynolds, managing director, Industry Ventures.

New this year

New this year is a pre-event networking platform, which will allow attendees to connect ahead of the event, increasing the opportunities to make it even more productive.

The Southeast Venture Conference is the premiere venture forum in the region and has sold out every year. Register here.

 

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Posted in entrepreneurship, Events, Maryland, Potomac, Virginia, Washington, DC | No Comments »

Netflix co-founder Marc Randolph headlines upcoming Southeast Venture Conference

Thursday, January 12th, 2012

Sevc 2012The Southeast Venture Conference always attracts top-notch speakers and the 6th annual event, set for Tysons Corner, VA Feb. 29-March 1 continues the tradition, featuring Marc Randolph, co-founder of Netflix, and Chuck Templeton, founder of OpenTable.

Randolph is a leading Silicon Valley investor in addition to being co-founder and former CEO of Netflix. Randolph and Templeton are just two of the hundreds of leading venture investors and entrepreneurs headed to this year’s event.

The 6th Annual Southeast Venture Conference also features presentations from more than 60 of the hottest Southeast and Mid-Atlantic high growth tech companies. Companies that presented at the 2011 SEVC had average revenues of $6 million.

Other speakers at the 2012 SEVC include Mark Heesen, president of the National Venture Capital Association, who always brings up to the minute knowledge of the national venture capital scene and NVCA’s efforts in DC to his presentations.

Also on the agenda: Paul Lee, partner, Lightbank, Marshall Brain, founder of HowStuffWorks.com, Jalak Jobanputra, venture investor, New Venture Partners, Harry Weller, general partner, NEA, Sean Marsh, co-founder, Point Judith Capital, Robert Peterman, Toronto Stock Exchange, and Roland Reynolds, managing director, Industry Ventures.

New this year is a pre-event networking platform, which will allow attendees to connect ahead of the event, increasing the opportunities to make it even more productive.

The Southeast Venture Conference sells out every year. Discounts may be available for unfunded startups.

The $390 registration fee rises to $490 Jan. 21. It’s $590 at the door.

For more information or to register: http://www.seventure.org/register.html

 

 

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Posted in entrepreneurship, Events, Internet/New Media, Money | No Comments »

Internet Summit nears capacity crowd for top Southeast digital marketing event

Friday, November 11th, 2011
Gary Vaynerchuk

Gary Vaynerchuk keynotes the 2011 Internet Summit in Raleigh next week, which is nearly sold-out.

Fewer than 50 seats remain for next week’s Internet Summit, which is bringing hundreds of digital media and marketing thought-leaders to the Raleigh, NC Convention Center Nov. 15-16.

The event, which attracts a capacity crowd, offers take-away insight into social media marketing, search engine optimization, ecommerce trends, email marketing, we and mobile analytics, big data, cloud computing, startup fund-raising and much more.

You’ll have access to visionary thought leaders who will share their insight and experience with you.  Hear from the founders of companies like Twitpic, TheLadders & HowStuffWorks!  Not enough?  How about a Keynote from Top rated SXSW keynote and ‘Social Media King’ Gary Vaynerchuk?

That’s just a sampling of the more than 120 speakers and presenters that will be on hand.

We interviewed just a handful of the many presenters. For a preview of what thought-leaders will be presenting at the event see:

The Internet Summit’s Talented Speakers & Presenters include:

  • Gary Vaynerchuk, Co-Founder, VaynerMedia
  • Marc Cendella, Founder & CEO, TheLadders
  • Marshall Brain, Founder, HowStuffWorks
  • David Payne, Chief Digital Officer, Gannett
  • Noah Everett, Founder, TwitPic and Heello
  • Ro Choy, COO, Formspring
  • Liz Strauss, Co-founder, SOBcon & LizStrauss.com
  • Brian Hitney, Developer Evangelist, Microsoft
  • David Perry, Business Development Executive, Google
  • Jack Krawczyk, Sr Product Marketing Mgr, StumbleUpon
  • Traug Keller, Sr VP of Production, ESPN
  • Catherine Cook, Co-Founder, myYearbook
  • Eric Ranta, SVP of Value Engineering, SAP
  • Micahel Cristinziano, VP Strategic Development, Citrix
  • Doug Smith, Dir Product Management, Taleo
  • Malin Huffman, Head of Product Development, NetSuite
  • Jerry Cuomo, CTO WebSphere, IBM
  • Lee Congdon, CIO, RedHat
  • Jeff Ragovin, Chief Revenue Officer, Buddy Media
  • Peggy Fry, Chief Revenue Officer, Clearspring Technologies
  • Mike Relm, Founder, Relmvision
  • Bob Young, Founder & CEO, Lulu.com
  • Donna DeMarco, Co-Founder & VP, Viddler
  • Emily Keye, Marketing Strategist, Bronto
  • Tammy Gordon, Dir Social Communications & Strategy, AARP
  • Markus, Renstrom, Head of SEO, Yahoo!
  • Dr. Manuel Aparicio, CEO & Co-Founder, Saffon Technologies
  • Julianna DeLua, Enterprise Solutions Evangelist, Informatica
  • Tony Haile, General Manager, Chartbeat
  • Ryan Mannion, Chief Technology Officer, Politico
  • David Giambruno, SVP and CIO, Revlon
  • Gaurav Howard, Sr. Dir Product Marketing, Marketo
  • Michael Lubek, CIO, GE Global Applications
  • Angela Connor, Social Media Manager, Capstrat
  • Ryan Allis, CEO, iContact
  • Prerna Gupta, CEO, Khush
  • Kevin Dando, Dir Digital & Education Communication, PBS
  • Clint Smith, Co-Founder & CEO, Emma
  • Matt Crenshaw, VP of Marketing, Discovery Communications
  • Scott Gunter, VP of User Experience, Usability Sciences
  • Lindsay Wassell, Partner & Consultant, KeyphraSEOlogy
  • Steve Ashley, VP Internet Marketing, Market America
  • Dennis Gullitto, APM Product Marketing Manager, Compuware
  • Scott Baker, Sr. Mgr Virtualization & Cloud Engineering, NetApp
  • Jeramiah Dooley, vArchitect, VCE/Cisco Virtualization
  • Gerard Bush, Chief Creative Dir, The brpr Group
  • Ted McDonald, Analyst, Verisign
  • Rob Ousbey, VP Operations Seattle, Distilled
  • David Gudai, VP of Marketing, Storkie
  • Glenn Mersereau, Dir of Internet Marketing, PHE
  • Jim Tobin, President, Ignite Social Media
  • Kevin Pomplun, CEO, SkyGrid
  • Sherry Bastion, Web Creative Director, Lenovo
  • John Lovett, Sr Partner, Web Analytics Demystified
  • Drew Diskin, Dir of Interactive & Web Strategy, Penn Medicine
  • Lynette Montgomery, VP Ecommerce, Burt’s Bees
  • Noah Dinkin, Co-Founder & President, FanBridge
  • Jessica Bowman, SEOinhouse.com
  • Todd Moy, Sr User Experience Designer, Viget Labs
  • Donna Bedford, Global SEO Lead, Lenovo
  • Francis Shepherd, Media Evangelist
  • Dallas Lawrence, Chief Digital Strategist, Burson-Marsteller
  • Karen Albritton, President, Capstrat
  • Thuy LeDihn, Senior Marketing Manager, .ORG
  • Adam Covati, Co-founder & CTO, Argyle Social
  • Kyle Scott Richardson, Social Media, NC National Guard
  • Cara Rousseau, Social Media Manager, Duke University
  • Loren Baker, VP of Marketing, Blueglass
  • Matthew Muñoz, Partner & Chief Design Officer, New Kind
  • Jill Whalen, CEO, HighRankings
  • Jason Caplain, General Partner, Southern Capitol Ventures
  • David Heaney, Senior Associate, TomorrowVentures
  • John Lawrence, Partner & CFO, Longworth Venture Partners
  • Brooks Raiford, CEO, NCTA
  • Roger Krakoff, Managing Partner, Cloud Capital Partners
  • Charles Nicholls, Chief Strategy Officer, SeeWhy
  • Jeff Campbell, VP & Co-Founder, Resolution Media
  • Gary Storr, Business Architect & Solutions, Nortel
  • Jeff Spivey, VP Board of Directors, ISACA
  • Doug Hanna, CEO, A Small Orange
  • Lisa, Braziel, Strategy Director, Ignite Social Media
  • William Blackmon, CEO, LinkMein
  • Chris Condayan, Public Outreach, Am Society for Microbiology
  • Kyle Scott Richardson, Dir of Social Media, NC National Guard
  • Jill Carlson, Marketing Manager, Argyle Social
  • John Lane, VP Strategy & Creative, Centerline Digital
  • Michael , Gowan, Associate Dir of Web Strategy, Duke Medicine
  • Dana Kirchman, SVP Head of Client Operations, Lumi Mobile

Internet Summit is an outstanding learning experience mixed with  prime networking opportunities and entertaining keynotes.

There’s even 5 additional hours of intense session digging deep into Social Media, SEO & Search, User Experience & Design and Analytics when you add the pre-conference to your registration.

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Posted in Amazon, Apple, Best Practices, Business advice, Carolinas, Cisco, Cloud, Education, entrepreneurship, Events, Facebook, games, Government/Defense, Internet/New Media, IT, Legal, LinkedIn, Marketing, Microsoft, Mobile, mobile games, North Carolina, smartphones, social media, Studies, surveys, reports, Tech Culture, TechLife, Telecommunications, video, Viewpoint | No Comments »

Is Google making a mistake with its stark black and white Gmail look?

Friday, November 4th, 2011

GmailBy Allan Maurer

Google has already had to deal with one of its own employees posting a rant about its redesign of Google Reader that looks as if it were done by someone who never actually uses Google Reader. Now, it has just introduced its new look for Gmail – an equally stark redesign that blinds you with white LED light if you view it on a desktop.

More LED light flooding screen-weary eyes is not something we needed.

This is a classic case of fixing things that are not broken and making them worse in the process. It would be wise for Google to provide a way for users to keep the old looks if they prefer them – and we suspect we’re only one among many who find the changes make things worse rather than improving them.

For one thing, creating such a stark look that glows like something radioactive is not just hard on the eyes, it is if anything, less effective functionally (the appearance, not the features). You could light a room with Gmail open on a desktop screen.

You have to ask, did Google do any usability design testing before making these sweeping changes? Why did the company think them necessary?

Nothing wrong with simple

We just interviewed Marshall Brain, founder of How Stuff Works, who will be doing a session at the upcoming Internet Summit in Raleigh, NC, Nov. 16 on when fashionable design is necessary and when it’s not. Often, Brain tells us, simple works for certain audiences as well or better than all the bells and whistles designs.

Top sites such as The Drudge Report or Craig’s List make do with the most basic sites possible. (Look for our interview with Brain  next week. He retired from HowStuffWorks this past summer and is up to new things).

But we’re not dissing the simplicity of Google’s new designs. It’s more human engineering we’re thinking about. What works best. Human engineering is something too many tech companies have ignored to their later dismay.

Years ago, we wrote a story for the late, still-missed OMNI magazine in which a human engineering expert noted that most nuclear power plant control rooms looked as if someone had put all dial, controls and switches in a box, then thrown them against the wall and placed them where they landed. We feel that way about the design of numerous tech devices we have used or tested, from smartphones to tablets and operating systems.

One of the reason’s for Apple Inc.’s great success, as most commentators noted after Steve Jobs recent death from cancer, is of course, its attention to design – and not just beauty, but in a pragmatically useful sense as well.

Google says its Gmail changes include improvements to search and other functions and that may be. But the design changes are almost a backward step.

If they represent the way new CEO and company co-founder Larry Page is approaching things, it does not bode well for Google going forward.

We’re not alone

Now it’s normal for people to dislike change when they’re used to something, and perhaps everyone will just get used to the new look on Gmail, Google Reader and its other products, but we doubt it. We’re not opposed to change on principle by any means. And, generally, we like Google’s products, which we use daily, including both Reader and Gmail.

Famously, one of Google Reader’s former Project Managers Brian Shih post calling the Google Reader design a terrible decision got lots of press.

We’re not alone in disliking the changes. Andy Beal over at Marketing Pilgrim hated the Google Reader changes.

Peter Smith at IT world reports that the buzz on the Google changes seems universally negative for Google Reader but find the Gmail changes ok. He likes some of those changes.

Personally, we’ve already send comments to Google via its feedback button telling them how much we dislike the Gmail changes. How about you? Have you experienced Google’s new look? Do you find it better? Worse? Neither?

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Posted in Apple, Google, Internet/New Media | 1 Comment »

Renowned thought-leaders headed to Southeast’s largest Digital Media event

Wednesday, November 2nd, 2011

Internet Summit 2011Nearly 2,000 interactive marketers, IT executives, entrepreneurs, digital/new media strategists, venture capitalists and technology professionals will connect at the Raleigh Convention Center for the 2011 Internet Summit Nov. 15-16 to hear more than 120 speakers delivering over 80 presentations and panel discussions about today’s hottest business trends.

Topics include social media, mobile applications, e-commerce, SEO/paid search, Internet usability, analytics & measurement, streaming/interactive video, cloud computing/virtualization and online advertising/branding.

New York Times best-selling author, brains behind the Wine Library, Internet celebrity and social media king Gary Vaynerchuck will deliver the keynote presentation that promises to be enlightening, inspiring and engaging.

A strong business case for for social media

Gary Vaynerchuk

Gary Vaynerchuk

“I want to come at you practical, not theory or buzzwords,” says Vaynerchuck.  “I guarantee, if you come in skeptical about social media, I will bring a strong B2B and B2C (business case) to the table.”

The conference and exhibits opens Tuesday, Nov. 15 at 1 p.m, with a keynote panel discussion: “The Future of Digital Media & Marketing” with executives from Google, Gannet Company, Inc., FormSpring, and Discovery Communications.

Participants will choose from over 25 80-minute sessions featuring more than 75 presentations tailored to their interests and needs, as well as get a glimpse into some of the industry’s newest Internet entrepreneurial products and tools in the Demo Showcase and Startup Lounge.

To wrap up day one, award-winning video DJ Mike Relm performs at the opening reception from 6-8 p.m.

Doors open day two at 7 a.m. for a networking breakfast, followed by presentations from featured thought leaders Marc Cendella, CEO, TheLadders.com, and Marshall Brain, founder of HowStuffWorks.

Register for what is sure to be a sold out event and get the latest about the Internet Summit 2011.

Here’s what some said on Twitter about the 2010 Internet Summit:

blairgraham: Congrats to @Internet_Summit founders @EricGregg and @Scott_Hedrick of @TJ_South! I hear you are crushing it again! Well played.

Cybersig55: @Internet_Summit great job #isum10!! This has been an informative and well organized event. I look forward to attending again next year!

Huddy: Super excited to have been at the #iSum10. Great people, great sessions, great lessons… everything you want from a great conference.

invitecottage: Great 2 days @Internet_Summit #isum10. Lots of ideas for the new year!

DH_David: Not sure if there is enough coffee to get me through the day as I recover from two great days at Internet Summit 2010 in Raleigh. #isum10.

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Posted in Amazon, Apple, Best Practices, Business advice, Carolinas, Cloud, entrepreneurship, Facebook, games, Google, Internet/New Media, IT, LinkedIn, Marketing, Microsoft, Mobile, mobile games, North Carolina, smartphones, social media, Tech Culture, TechLife, Telecommunications, Twitter, video | No Comments »