April 3: Venture Forum 2003


The Venture Forum 2003 will address new opportunities, current trends, and market realities and present an outlook of the future of emerging technologies. In addition to presenting companies who define technical excellence, world-class experts will share their knowledge about meaningful investment opportunities amidst the current marketplace. Keynote speakers: Shaygan Kheradpir, Chief Information Officer, Verizon Communications; Albert Myers, Corporate Vice President and Treasurer, Northrop Grumman.
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The New Pack: Venture Forum 2003

by Wendy Hall, Larta Staff Writer

Larta's upcoming venture forum is being held at a time when both the venture capital and technology industries are struggling to regain their former momentum. Venture funds are being extremely selective with their investments and are focusing on companies with strong teams and proven value propositions. While the challenges of the current marketplace have created new standards for companies seeking venture capital, this year's Venture Forum brings to the forefront companies that are well positioned to cross the higher threshold set for them.

"Most of the companies presenting this year [at the Venture Forum] address significant growth opportunities and have the potential to be the leaders in their spaces," says Randy Lunn, General Partner at Palomar Ventures. The dozen companies presenting at the upcoming Venture Forum represent diverse market sectors (biotechnology, medical devices, computer software, telecom, nano materials, among others) and growth stages. Taken together, they represent a new breed of tech startup that has accomplished more, has moved farther along the curve, and knows what its markets really are. Some of the companies presenting this year include:

  • A company that has devised a technology to help increase the speed and functionality of computer chips and other microelectronic devices. The company's end users will include device manufacturers, such as Intel, Samsung, AMD, and TSMC. Direct customers will include semiconductor equipment suppliers, such as Applied Materials, Novellus, and KLA-Tencor.
  • A company that uses MEMS chips and wireless technologies to monitor and track the intraocular pressure of patients afflicted with glaucoma, cataracts, and other ophthalmic diseases, a market of over $1.2 billion and 11-13 million procedures annually.
  • A company that develops infrastructure software for fully-fault tolerant (FT) or "highly available" (HA) operations in mission-critical application environments and that is about to close its second round of funding.


Click here for the complete list of companies presenting at the Venture Forum 2003

This year's group of 12 companies selected by Larta and an investment committee also includes many later-stage companies seeking additional rounds of funding. Regardless of stage of development, these companies have all emerged in - or survived - a brutal downturn in the investment climate. Says Dana Warren, Principal of law firm Riordan and McKinzie and co-chair of the Venture Forum's Mentor Program, "The companies presenting this year are more indicative of the current climate. Investors are looking for companies to accomplish the fundamental milestones and are funding business as opposed to just funding the development of the technologies. As a result, you have companies that are a lot more polished and sophisticated about what they're doing. This year's companies are a very high quality, exciting group."

The Venture Forum is an excellent opportunity for business leaders in early stage and growth industries to present to an audience of active institutional investors. "With a group of companies like this, you're not wasting your time at The Venture Forum 2003. There is something for everyone here," says Bob Ashley, Chair of the conference.