Southeast VC

Startups247.com Launched by CED

CED announced this week the official launch of Startups24/7, their new on demand resource for entrepreneurs. The content on the site is updated regularly and based partly on CED's conferences, forums, roundtables and workshops. It includes content like videos and presentations.

I have committed some time to Startups24/7 and am moderating the "Raising Capital" section. The site gives entrepreneurs the ability to easily ask questions, share experiences and get answers from experts and other leading entrepreneurs.

Although it was built for CED members, I really think this will emerge as a great resource for entrepreneurs everywhere. Access is $14.95/month or $119.95/year, but is free to all CED members.

Q4 and 2007 National & Regional VC Highlights

I was in Charlotte yesterday and missed yesterday's PWC Shaking the MoneyTree quarterly breakfast, but thanks to Laura Troy at PWC, I attached the presentation Download pwc_q4_2007_highlights.ppt . I just went through it and here are some interesting stats:

• The amount of venture capital invested in the US in 2007 was the highest in 6 years
• Looking at the Southeast, $1.86 billion was invested in Southeast-based companies, that represents a 46.4% jump over 2006.
• North Carolina ranked #5 in Q4 and #7 for the year when looking at states that attracted the most venture capital.

Capital Connections Highlights Atlanta Trip

David & I will be in Atlanta over the next 2 days wrapping our trip around Capital Connections. If you haven't heard of it before, this is the regular free networking event that our friends Michael Blake and Scott Burkett put together. The goal is very simple: to put Southeast-based entrepreneurs together with active investors.

At last count, 175 entrepreneurs are attending representing 120 companies. Total count tomorrow should be closer to 250 which includes investors, volunteers and sponsors. Scott also shared with me that 60% of the entrepreneurs that are attending are attending Capital Connections for the first time, while 28% of the investors are also "new."

If you are attending and want to make sure we connect while we are there, feel free to email me. I'll have my blackberry with me.