Southeast VC

We're Getting More Attention

Not a lot of time to do a big post this morning, but here are two articles I read over the last few days that I liked and thought they would be worth sharing here. Continued great news for the region:

Where are the Angel Investors and How do They Invest?

A couple of important stats from this article:

1. Almost 80% of angel group investments were made outside of California

2. The Southeast is a very close #2 of total dollars invested by angel groups in 2011. This one surprised me too.

3. The size check angel groups are writing increased over 2010. 

 

The Triangle is the Hottest Spot for Tech Jobs in the US

Employers within a 30 mile radius of Raleigh are posting over 1,100 jobs a day with an average salary of $79,000. That is 50% higher than last year and up triple from March 2009.

Exciting Job Opportunity as a Controller

A company I have been involved with for a while is seeking to hire a controller to be in Durham, NC.

The reason why I think it is such an exciting opportunity is that I love the team and they are growing really fast. And this isn't the typical controller positon. The job comes with a lot of other responsibilities as well. More of a description below.

If you are interested or know someone we should be talking with, send me an email [email protected].

Responsibilities:

• Own the production of monthly/annual financial and KPI reports to Executive Management and Board
• Oversee and improve financial operations, including reporting, controls, policies, and risk management
• Manage and participate in day-to-day financial operations and processes, including AP, AR, cash, payroll, invoicing/billing, collections, and fixed asset records
• Manage day-to-day tax and HR activities
• Manage the company’s cash position, including oversight of the company’s transaction processing systems and interfaces to processing vendors
• Work with outside auditor, banks, insurers, lessors, and credit card companies
• Provide financial analysis and process improvement to other areas of the company as necessary, including Operations, Support, Product, and Marketing
• Provide tactical/operational support as necessary

Requirements:

• Undergraduate degree
• Strong preference for CPA
• 5+ years work experience, with 2+ managing financial operations or in public accounting
• Exposure to business areas outside of F&A a plus (HR, Tax, Legal)
• Workmanlike Attitude – Willingness to roll up sleeves and help wherever necessary
• Willingness and ability to learn new things – Enough general business experience and resourcefulness to quickly get up to speed on a new problem and address it with little to no guidance.
• Ability to synthesize and understand large volumes of data derived from online sales activity
• Comfortable working in a fast-paced, performance-driven growing tech company

 

Startup Madness

Scott Kelly and a few others banded together last year to create Startup Madness in Durham. The purpose was to showcase technology companies being worked on by college students. He does this by creating a competition between the students where they pitch to a panel of judges and have a demo table.

I didn't make it last year, but I think the only participants were from North Carolina schools. This year is much different and bigger.

I am glad Scott put this one together and I know it takes a lot of coordinating. SCV is a proud supporter and I look forward to attending on March 14 in Durham.

Startups: Durham Wants You

This is a cool, creative idea.

The Durham Chamber put together a package to lure a startup to set up downtown Durham, NC. They are giving away the world's smallest office, which they are calling The Smoffice. It will be located in the front window of Beyu Caffe, which will get a ton of visibility and is a heavily trafficked restaurant and coffee shop. The winning startup gets the space for six months along with a free downtown condo at Mangum 506 and support from service providers.

Applications open Wednesday, February 29 and close on Friday, March 30. The winning company will be selected Friday, April 13 and the company will be in Durham starting on May 1.

Durham is quickly becoming a startup hub. By giving away the space for this length of time and giving away a free condo with it, it looks like they are trying to encourage a startup from outside the Triangle to relocate.

And check out the Techcrunch story.