Piranha Pond Pitch Party Debuts on South Coast September 13
You’ve Heard of the Shark Tank … Welcome to the Piranha Pond, bringing entrepreneurs and investors together on Thursday, September 13, 5:30-8:30 p.m., at the Advanced Technology and Manufacturing Center, 151 Martine Street, Fall River.
This is the first Piranha Pond program on the South Coast and is a partnership of the Southern New England Entrepreneurs Forum (SNEEF) and 128 Innovation Capital Group (128ICG). Entrepreneurs seeking funding have a five-minute opportunity to convince an investor panel to give them the money for their start-up, which must have either revenue or a working prototype. 128ICG has successfully run the program in Waltham.
Using a format similar to the popular television show “Shark Tank”, the Piranha Pond enables the investors provide feedback to the entrepreneurs about their presentations and companies, and information to all about why they decide to be “In” or “Out”. If they are “In”, they will meet with the entrepreneur at a later time to discuss the entrepreneur’s company. If they are “Out”, they will let the entrepreneur and audience know why.
The Investor panel will provide a broad spectrum of investment interests. Investors include: Ray Mathieu, Cherrystone Angel Group, Steve Pytka, Angel Investor, and Frank Silva, Boston Millennia Partners.
Mathieu is a member of Cherrystone Angel Stone, Rhode Island’s first organized angel group, which specializes in manufacturing, distribution, technology, and service companies. He s also an Investment Committee Member for the University of Rhode Island Foundation and an Advisory Board Member for the URI College of Business Administration. Previously, Ray served as Chief Financial Officer for Providence Equity Partners, a preeminent private equity firms that focuses on the communications, media, and technology sectors.
Pytka is an individual angel investor. He has most recently served as CEO of Vigix Corporation. Previously he was a Managing Director of Consilium Partners, an investment banking firm. He has also served as CEO for several high tech firms in the Boston area.
Silva’s responsibilities at Boston Millennia Partners (BMP) are deal flow, market segmentation, due diligence, and portfolio support. He also works closely with the Partners making investment recommendations and developing business strategies for his portfolio companies. Silva is lead analyst for Arthrosurface, Histogenics, MedAptus, Megapath, Infotrieve, Nexidia, Odyssey, and Precision Dermatology. BMP specializes in growth stage healthcare and technology enabled business service companies.
The Piranha Pond is open to the public, and other investors are expected to be in the audience. Admission is $25.00, which includes a light supper, or join SNEEF for $75.00 and attend the forums free for a year. Register at www.sneef.org.