This year's
conference showcased 24 dynamic Israeli companies, most of them early stage,
who presented their opportunities to over 90 receptive investors. The investors
included angels, investment banks, VC funds and corporate investors and, together,
represented literally billions of dollars under management.
The conference opened with a networking breakfast during which the presenting
companies met each other and mingled with the investors who came to share their
experience and knowledge during the morning panel discussions.
The panels focused on preparing the participants for receiving a VC letter
of intent, and how to understand what investors are
really looking for when they evaluate an opportunity.
The panel discussions weren't just insightful, they were very lively. (I
know I learned a lot.) Much of the discussions centered on the significance
of the human factor in
the fund-raising "dance." For
example, how investors look for an experienced, reliable management
team; why a company should try to sign with investors with whom they feel
confident and believe will support them during the (potential) crises faced
by emerging, technology-rich companies.
Presentations To Be Proud Of
The afternoon was dedicated to company presentations and one-on-one meetings.
We were very proud of the quality of the presentations. (At the pre-conference
orientation seminar in Tel Aviv, Trendlines' Karen Kozek gave
some very useful presentation tips and guidelines.) Clearly the companies
had practiced -- and practiced again -- to make the most of their
15 minutes.
Enthusiam Is Contagious
A number of investors told me how refreshing it was
to meet enthusiastic entrepreneurs with "high-quality
ideas." Energy levels
were clearly high as investors headed back to their home offices all over
the East Coast to share with their colleagues the opportunities
and to evaluate next steps.
Incredible Support
Although Trendlines has put together this conference, and a number of other
programs, I am always "surprised" at the amount of work it takes to "get
it right."
This report would not be complete without mentioning the fantastic
job the WolfBlock team did in hosting the conference. They achieved a perfect
mix of warm, supportive atmosphere and professional organization. The results
were deeply appreciated by the participating companies and the investors.
We'd like to share with you a number of comments we received
from investors and participating companies.
"The conference was terrific and we will be introducing our colleagues to
a number of the participants. Given the number of high quality situations
I've got to believe something good is bound to happen." Theodore
A. Schwab, Senior
Vice President, Smith Barney
"Congratulations on another successful venture fair. You really did a great job
with programming and recruitment. WolfBlock also lent a warmth and down-to-earth
atmoshpere to the program that is lacking in traditional venues. Thank you for
including AICC in the program." Debbie Buchwald, American-Israel Chamber of Commerce
"You guys ran as solid a conference as I've been to in a long time. Just
the right size in terms of numbers of companies and attendees. Quality companies,
very well organized, professionally run from top to bottom. Kudos to you and
your partners." Gary Fuchs, Clearview Investment Partners
"I wanted to thank you, and the whole team of WolfBlock, for organizing
such a good conference and doing it so well. It exceeded my expectations and
a significant part of it was the strong showing by investors ... and the good
mix of investors and their interests (private, angels, VCs of different preferences).
Not the least important was Beth's work behind the scenes in pointing investors
to companies of interest, as I have learned from investors she pointed in my
direction. Moti Levi, CEO, Fribit Technologies
"We truthfully appreciate the advice the participating investors addressed
to us during the conference. It was extremely helpful for us, as a young company,
to learn and benefit from them." Eliav Tahar, Managing
Director, Veterix
"I was extremely impressed with the organization of the conference and could
not be happier with the response to our presentation. I knew that Israel is known
for its start-ups, nerveless it was amazing to see so many U.S. angels and VC
investors at the investor's conference all eager to meet first hand with the
Israeli entrepreneurs and get the chance to seriously explore the possibility
of investing in Israeli start-up companies. As a result of the conference, we
are now in touch with half a dozen investors at different levels, including follow-up
meetings with two of the investors that attended the conference." Elan
Oren, CEO,
LeanWay
For more than 100 years, WolfBlock has helped entrepreneurial companies
to flourish. They have a developed proficiency in assisting companies from conception through the venture capital stage and into a public offering or exit sale. With seven offices in the Mid-Atlantic region (and more than 300 lawyers) covering the geographic corridor from New York City to Washington, D.C., their smaller clients benefit from an unusual combination: the sophisticated resources of a leading law firm coupled with a culture of servicing the unique needs of rising entrepreneurial companies.
WolfBlock's unique commitment to Israel is defined by proven expertise, close ties to the Israeli business community, and a deep understanding of the business and legal needs of Israeli companies working in the United States.
The Trendlines Group is Israel's leading international marketing and business development firm, moving businesses from concept to market to success. The company's unique focus is on assisting businesses of all sizes looking to start or expand their operations in the American, European, and Israeli marketplaces.
FundingPost has worked with thousands of angel and venture capital investors and entrepreneurs. With over 3,000 CEOs and 500 venture funds attending events in 15 cities across America, a quarterly DealFlow magazine, and a deal-exchange website that has, on average, seen an introduction of an investor to an entrepreneur every business day since its inception, FundingPost believes that it is important to reach investors in every medium possible.
