1. March 2012
www.MissouriVentureForum.org
From Translational Research to Technology Transfer
March A presentation by Kevin Clifford Whittington, Managing Director, Portfolio Partners LLC
Forum Facts:
At the March meeting, Kevin C. Whittington be-
Speaker: Whittington, Ph.D. will discuss the gan to investigate
Kevin Clifford Whittington path that led him from academia to technology trans-
Managing Director entrepreneurship. He will discuss his fer, the process of
Portfolio Partners LLC experience of how entrepreneurs can taking an inven-
launch start-up enterprises by being tion from its in-
When: mediators of technology transfer and ception in a labo-
Friday, March 2, 2012 working with both the faculty ratory to a com-
researchers and universities. mercialized prod-
Time: uct. His firm provides the new start-
7:15 a.m.
Registration & Networking
Dr. Whittington is the Managing up enterprise with fundraising, senior
7:40 a.m. Partner of Portfolio Partners LLC, a management, business strategy, legal
Breakfast & Program St. Louis-Based Technology Transfer advising, sales and marketing, brand-
9:00 a.m. Adjourn Firm™. The firm works with faculty ing, scientific consultation, intellec-
researchers and the university's tech- tual property strategy, coordination
Where: nology transfer office to launch and of professional services (e.g., law,
Greenbriar Country Club grow new enterprises. Portfolio Part- accounting, etc.), government and
12655 Big Bend Rd.
ners represents the interests of the public relations, networking, and de-
St. Louis, MO 63122
faculty researcher and the university velopment of business culture and
outside the institution. professionalism.
Cost:
Members — free
Guests — $49.00 per person His first brush with academia put Currently, Portfolio Partners LLC
him on a career path of translational has partnered with a faculty
Guests Must Prepay research or biomedical research researcher and the Office of Technol-
(Visa, MasterCard, Discover and aimed at transforming scientific dis- ogy Management at Washington
American Express accepted) coveries into clinical applications to University School of Medicine to
reduce the incidence, morbidity, and launch a drug discovery start-up
Register at: mortality of disease. company in St. Louis, Missouri.
www.MissouriVentureForum.org
With a B.A. in Biomedical Engineer- Whittington grew up in Creve Coeur
Or call 314-241-2683
ing and Physics from Johns Hopkins and attended Ladue Horton Watkins
University, and a Ph.D. in Neurosci- High School.
Deadline—Noon
ence from University of Maryland,
Wednesday,
February 29, 2012
(No refunds after the deadline)
Members — A Chance to Win a Ticket to InvestMidwest
MVF Members! Attend the Friday, March 2 Breakfast Meeting, put your
card in the basket and you could win a complimentary registration to Invest-
Midwest in St. Louis on April 4-5! For details on InvestMidwest, see page
10 of this newsletter.

2. President’s Column
Off to a Great Start
I couldn’t help but to be Chris also stated that he had learned to “embrace
excited at our first 2012 his ignorance.” That is a great way to describe
Breakfast Meeting. It was the dilemma most start-ups run into. In a new
great to see so many familiar venture, what you don’t know can hurt you. As
faces after the January hiatus. a matter of fact it can kill you. Impressive that
There was a lot of buzz and the founder of a new venture knows that igno-
Steve Thomas excitement in the room from rance is not bliss but a liability. Even more im-
the time networking began until the networking pressive is when the guy with the idea rounds
ended, well after the presentation. MVF is out his team with people who possess the knowl-
clearly a meeting place for those who wish to be edge or skills he needs. Hearing about the recent
part of the entrepreneurial marketplace in the Startup Weekend and the ongoing Third Thurs-
region. days at ITEN are perfect examples of where en-
trepreneurs with ideas can go to learn how to
I listened closely to our speaker, Chris Sommers grow. There are many such venues for informa-
from Pi Pizzeria as he described his path to suc- tion in our community.
cess. I was impressed with his passion but also
with how well Chris described some discoveries Lastly, I was impressed by Chris' passion for his
that could be lessons to live by for every entre- venture. That same passion was true from our
preneur. Whether he came to these thoughts by Two-Minute Forum presenters about their new
design, through education or happenstance, they venture, Inclusion Sports. For Chris, this pas-
rang very true. sion created new ideas and new opportunities
such his new social media tool, Squid.
Chris mentioned that we live in a “thank you
economy.” This phrase he credited to author The February Breakfast Meeting really set the
Gary Vaynerchuck who published a book by that tone for what MVF promises for members and
title (The Thank You Economy available on guests this year. Between the Membership Cof-
Amazon). I plan to read it. Businesses today fees, Breakfast Meetings, Educational Events
must behave with the welfare of their customers and Invitation Events there will be something for
in mind. The customers expect to be extremely everyone in our community. If you have an in-
pleased, even thrilled in their interactions with terest in a particular topic, please let us know in
you and your products. People will stand for our survey following the meetings. I hope you
nothing less than that. Today's customers, happy all will continue to join us in sharing the pas-
or mad, have a voice and the social media tools sion, excitement and information exchange that
to help or hurt you. Every successful entrepre- is MVF.
neur knows that in his/her heart. Getting victo-
ries and creating goodwill is especially essential
in a start-up. For example, having customers Steve Thomas, President
sell your products for you by telling others how
great you are is part of the secret sauce behind
local start-ups like Nawgan and Yurbuds.
2

3. March Organization Spotlight Board of Directors
Officers
ARCH Grants President:
Steve Thomas
Arch Grants was established in March 2011 as a 501(c)(3) entity The Net Impact
to create a more robust startup culture and infrastructure in St.
Vice-President:
Louis. "We recognize that a critical mass of entrepreneurs is Bob Cockrell
forming within the city and we believe that St. Louis offers Montgomery Bank
advantages and amenities that no other city can offer, particu-
Secretary:
larly affordable space, powerful broadband capacity, access to support ser- Joe Soraghan
vices and professional firms and a developing group of entrepreneurial com- Danna, McKitrick, P.C.
panies."
Treasurer:
Marie Carlie
On its first round of non-equity funding, the organization will award at least Stone Carlie
10 grants of $50,000 each at the beginning of May 2012 following a competi-
Immediate Past President:
tion starting on March 9. The grant recipients will also receive additional Bob Calcaterra
support in the form of pro bono legal and accounting services, reduced rent on Start-Up Midwest
office and residential space, business mentoring, collaboration with local uni-
versities, and access to the St. Louis investor community. Directors
Two Minute Chair:
The business plan competition is open to all for-profit entities, across all in- Bill Ellis
Branding for Results
dustries. "If you’re committed to helping establish St. Louis as the place for
entrepreneurs to be and if your venture aims to scale in terms of job creation Marketing/Communications Chair:
and/or sales, we welcome you to apply." David Meyer
Spoke Marketing, LLC
Information about the application process can be obtained by visiting Membership Chair:
archgrants.org. Nicole Ursch
Midwest BankCentre
Outreach Chair:
Vince Garozzo
Greensfelder, Hemker & Gale, P.C.
Program Chair:
Are You An Expert in Your Field? Anna Doyle
Centric Consulting
At MVF, we spend our time looking for that investor, supplier, account- Technology Chair & Newsletter Editor:
Sorin Vaduva
ant, attorney, future employee or partner that can help our endeavors ImRel, LLC
move forward. The conversations are colloquial and do not always give
you the chance to tell how good you are in your own field. But I have a Directors At Large
solution for you: write an article in our newsletter and share your exper- Nick Akers
tise and knowledge. All our members are eager to learn something new, Innoventor, Inc.
find out what is going on in other industries, and see who their MVF
Ken Harrington
peers are. Washington University
Tim McFadden
If you have something to say in your field of expertise, write an article Armstrong Teasdale LLP
and submit it for review to me at sorin@imrel.com or Judy Meador at
Judy@missouriventureforum.org. Jim O’Donnell
O’Donnell Capital Company, LLC
Sorin Vaduva, Newsletter Editor Frank Stokes
Innovate St. Louis
Chris Walsh
InvestMidwest Venture Capital Forum
3 Mark Witzling
Citi

4. Education Committee
MVF Education Upcoming Events
The Education Committee has six events planned for plans for these events over the next two
2012. By the time you read this, the first will have months. Watch this space for more details.
occurred and was sold out. We presented
“Alternative Sources of Funding” on February Our annual “Outlook for Capital
21st, with panelists Darcia Betts, Rick Palank and 2013” event will also be at the
Joy Ann Venverloh. Sheraton Clayton Plaza, on
Thursday, November 15, 2012
Our next Roundtable event, “Building A Profitable from 4:00 to 7:00 p.m. Panelists
Business” is scheduled for March 22. The panelists and other details will be decided
will be Judy Meador, Mitch Smith and George over the summer.
Rosenthal. See below for location, time and other
details. Go to www.missouriventureforum.org/ to If you would like to help with
register. these events, the committee is al- Bob Cockrell
ways looking for people. This is a
Please Save The Date for our next Education event, good opportunity to work closely with several tal-
“Where’s The Cash?” scheduled for 4:00 to 7:00 ented business people in a collaborative effort, to
p.m., Thursday, May 17, 2012 at the Sheraton Clay- showcase your talents and skills, and to improve
ton Plaza, site of several recent MVF education your reputation in the entrepreneurial commu-
events. The subject of the presentation will be a nity. You also would have the satisfaction of con-
summary of the many sources of funding for entre- tributing to the continued success of the MVF Edu-
preneurs. This event will be a panel discussion; cation program.
three panelists will describe possible sources in sev-
eral major categories: equity, such as micro-funding, The Missouri Venture Forum has been producing
crowd funding and angels; traditional bank financ- education events for 10 years, and we have achieved
ing; alternative financing such as mezzanine funds, some significant accomplishments in that time. Our
factoring and grants; and a variety of other possible potential is even greater, and you could be a part of
sources. There will be a Q&A session, so if you that success. Call me, Bob Cockrell, or contact any
have questions, come and find out if we have member of the committee for more information.
answers!
Bob Cockrell is Chair of the Education Committee and
Two more Roundtables are scheduled for July and can be reached at 314-579-4621.
August. The Education Committee will be finalizing
Register Now for the March 22 Roundtable—Attendance Limited to 25
When: Thursday, March 22, 4-6 p.m. Where: RubinBrown, One North Brentwood
11th floor, Clayton, MO
What: Building A Profitable Business
Cost: $15 per session—MVF Members
Panelists: $20 for nonmembers
Judy Meador, Former owner St. Louis Small Business
Mitch Smith, Author & broker, Crane Insurance Register: www.MissouriVentureForum.org or
George Rosenthal, President, Throttle Net call 314-241-2683
4

5. Two-Minute Forum Committee
Powerful Branding in Three Words
Your brand is your most valu- what isn’t currently working for you? I recommend
able asset and needs to be to my clients that they engage in what I call a
treated as such. If you don’t Branding Breakout (Brand audit) as a first step.
manage your own brand, some- Think of this as a ‘balance sheet’ for your brand
one else will. Needless to say, which begins to identify your assets and liabilities.
not everyone has your best in-
terests in mind and those that do Seek fresh perspective from people that you trust
Bill Ellis may not have a truly accurate and that are knowledgeable about branding and
understanding of your brand marketing. I often use the phrase ‘Move the Flash-
and your goals. This becomes increasingly impor- light” which means to look at what’s ‘there’ in a
tant in situations which are time constrained, such different light or perspective. When we are used to
as the MVF Two-Minute Forum presentations. seeing something one way it is very beneficial to
Building a solid brand based on authenticity and review it in a different light, especially from a
clarity is the best way to maximize both the short qualified expert. This is especially true with a new
term and long term results of your branding efforts. venture which is driven by an idea or an ideal. Of-
ten times new businesses fail to be open to adapting
My advice to anyone interested in branding their and adjusting to allow their idea, product or service
business, or themselves, is to first make certain that to meet the needs of the market. If you’re attempt-
they know what branding is (and isn’t), what it can ing to have the market fit your vision, you have a
(and cannot) do for you and your business. A logo very low chance of success.
is not a brand. A catchy saying is not a brand.
Your brand is your value proposition, your promise Lastly, have patience. Branding is a process. Take
to the public, your reputation…in short your brand the time to make certain that the brand you are
is the intangible sum of your attributes. Your brand building (or if re-branding that the changes you are
should result in an emotional connection with your
looking to make) truly reflects what is best for your
customers.
business. All too often businesses are reactive
If you’re building a new brand (or re-branding an without taking a look at the long-term ramifications
existing one) my very top line advice can be sum- of what it is they are proposing to build or change.
marized in three words – Purpose, Perspective, and Branding is not a race. Rather it should be a me-
Patience. thodical, intelligent approach to your business
which will guarantee you more success as you
What is the purpose of your branding? Know your
move into the future.
‘why’ and know your objective(s). Who do you
serve – and how? What is the emotional connec-
tion you’re attempting to achieve to establish that Bill Ellis is Chair of the Two-Minute Forum
all important connection to your target customer?
Committee and can be reached at 314-966-8889.
If you are re-branding, focus on what is, as well as
Learn more about how to apply to be a Two-Minute Forum presenter by going
to www.MissouriVentureForum.org and
click on “Two-Minute Forum”
on the menu on the left side of the home page.
5

6. Two-Minute Forum Committee
February Two-Minute Forum Presenter— INCLUSION SPORTS
INCLUSION SPORTS is a St. Louis based company INCLUSION SPORTS has partnered with the Senior
that has patented an innovative sport game called Olympics, YMCA, Rehabilitation Institute of Chi-
BulletBall. For the first time, a non-adaptive 'all- cago, World Sports, and the Wounded Warriors
inclusive' sport which allow persons with a disability Transition Unit.
to play competitively on a level playing field against
anyone; disability or not! The company is seeking assistance with developing a
marketing campaign, sponsorships for the Senior
BulletBall is also extraordinary because of its thera- Olympics and other sport venue commitments, legal
peutic benefits in providing a way for patients to expertise on Intellectual Property and company struc-
have fun while improving their modality on the way ture, and other resources.
to recovery.
For additional information, contact Marc Griffin
The more people with disabilities can be integrated at mgriffin@inclusionsports.com or call 314-533-
into society and be part of the workforce, the better it 2731 or visit www.inclusionsports.com.
is for them and for the American economy. Bullet-
Ball is a great way to break down barriers and is a
way to level the playing field not only in the confines
of the game itself, but in the way people regard their
own potential.
The population of people with disabilities is increas-
ing drastically and the challenge is, one, to integrate
disabled people into mainstream society and two, to
increase opportunities for this population to experi-
ence real and meaningful success. This sport is a step
toward both and the economic impact could be sig-
nificant.
(l-r) Charles and Marc Griffin, INCLUSION SPORTS
MVF Membership Committee and Frontenac Bank Invite you
to a FREE Networking Coffee Wednesday, March 28
The first Networking Coffee for the New Year will be Wednesday, March 28 from 7:30 to 9:00 a.m. The
Coffee is sponsored and hosted by Frontenac Bank at its location at 801 South Lindbergh. The bank is
located about 1/2 mile north of I-64 on the west side of Lindbergh at the Southwest corner of German Blvd.
and Lindbergh.
This is an opportunity to network with St. Louis area business leaders and learn more about Missouri Venture
Forum. The event is free but reservations are requested. Register at www.MissouriVentureForum.org.
Sponsored by:
6

7. Membership Committee
MVF Like Getting An Associate’s Degree
Over the last six years, I thought I had been exposed to A few days later, I called her to talk
everything the Missouri Venture Forum was “like.” It is more about her question. I asked her
like an inspiration when we have entrepreneurs such as why she was so surprised by my re-
Chris Sommers from Pi Pizzeria come and tell us their sponse and discovered that she asked
stories. It is like an education when you attend the the question because she was certain
events such as Getting Money From Angel Investors. It my answer would be yes, that she
is like a light bulb when you hear the Spotlight Organiza- should enroll in the two year pro-
tion speakers talk about the different ways they are sup- gram. She further elaborated that
porting entrepreneurs. It is like a sigh of satisfaction since education is such a priority in
when you hear Two-Minute presenters pitch their new my life and the life of my son, surely Nicole Ursch
idea. But I had no idea that the Missouri Venture Forum that would bleed over to the other
was anything like an associate’s degree. And yet in one people in my life as well. I explained (as I forfeit the
very profound way, it is. chance of ever getting a job within the university system)
that I don’t think traditional college is for everyone. In
Over the holidays, my family had dinner with some close her instance, she has a career goal in mind that can be
friends. The children were sufficiently fed, had opened accomplished in less time and for less expense if she
their presents, and quickly departed to the basement to went through the accelerated program than if she went
play. In these brief moments when the holiday gathering for her associate’s degree. I recommended she keep
isn’t consumed by the barrage of “I need a snack, he isn’t looking to find an accelerated program that meets her
sharing, and can you get this Lego out of my nose,” the needs. And much to the delight of both of us, she did.
conversation is slightly more calm, light and mature.
That is, until your friend throws a question at you that So how is the Missouri Venture Forum like getting an
leaves you speechless. associate’s degree? Simply put, it’s not for everyone.
We are a networking organization whose focus is bring-
My friend, a nanny in her mid 40s, had enrolled in an ing together people who are genuinely interested in help-
accelerated medical assisting program. She accepted a ing entrepreneurs. There is no prescribed way to do this,
part time nanny position with a schedule that would al- but it should be at the forefront of all members’ minds
low her to attend classes, and they worked out her hus- and their main reason for being part of the organization.
band’s work hours to accommodate her changing sched- All of us have a vested interest in the new businesses that
ule. She talked to her small children about what it would find their home in the St. Louis area. These firms may
mean for them and felt sufficiently satisfied that she had provide our next job, or those for our children or grand-
tied it all up with a neat little bow and was ready to dive children. They may provide us with the inspiration to
in. That is, until the school cancelled the classes. My finally get out there and do our own thing. As members
friend begins to scramble. She is calling schools all over of the Missouri Venture Forum who don’t have the abil-
town to see if they have similar programs only to find ity to yet call ourselves entrepreneurs, we need to belong
one with comparable curriculum. The drawback for her because we want to do what we can to help make those
is that it is a two year program resulting in an associate’s who have already taken the leap more successful. I hope
degree, meaning there will be core curriculum in addi- those of you that are already MVF members have our
tion to the classes focused on her chosen field. So she primary goal in the forefront of your mind, and those of
asks me, “Nicole, do you think I should go to college?” you thinking about becoming a member will do so be-
I pause. I pause some more. I pause further, wishing my cause you have a passion for helping entrepreneurs suc-
son would run up the stairs and tell me he wanted an- ceed.
other cookie, so that I would have more time to think
about my answer and wouldn’t be forced to just blurt out Nicole Ursch is Chair of the Membership Committee and
what I was truly thinking. But no such cookie request can be reached at 314-544-8585.
came. I could pause no longer and finally told her, “No,
I don’t think you should go to college” which was fol-
lowed by wide eyes and then an exchange of blank
stares. And then right on cue, someone came upstairs
with a Barbie shoe lodged in her ear.
7

8. New Member
Lee Crockett, CEO, Venture Advisors Inc.
Venture Advisors creates, implements, and manages
business mentoring programs for municipalities, Have news about yourself? Received an award?
economic development agencies, and small business Moved? Changed positions? Gotten a promotion,
incubators. The programs provide tactical, business been a featured speaker? Send your information to:
mentoring to start-up and small businesses to help Judy@MissouriVentureForum.org
them launch, grow, and achieve sustainability.
Introduced by Sam Hopmeier, Innovate Venture
Mentoring Service
Olin Cup Competition Winners Announced
In a move reflecting the wave of entrepreneurial activity happening in the region, at the Olin Cup Awards Cere-
mony on February 1, an unprecedented three teams were selected to receive up to $50,000 each. Sponsored by
the Skandalaris Center for Entrepreneurial Studies at Washington University in St. Louis, the annual Olin Cup
typically awards $70,000 in seed investment money to fund start-up businesses, and a $5,000 student prize. This
year, investments may total up to $150,000 for three teams:
 SoMoLend, a web-and mobile-based peer-to-peer lending company.
 Eyelten Therapeutics, a company designed to develop therapies to treat age-related macular degeneration
 Loadmaster ToolKit, a pocket computer with custom software to streamline loading and managing cargo
on military airlifters.
The $5,000 student prize was awarded to Ryan Rakestraw, a first-year MBA student at Olin Business School
and a member of Freiezo, LLC, a company developing high-efficiency distributed wind energy systems.
Thank you MVF Sponsors!
www.charterbusiness.com www.stcpa.com
www.stlouisarchangels.com
www.evans-dixon.com
www.advantagecap.com
www.stlrcga
CPAs, Business Consultants and Wealth Advisors
www.carmodymacdonald.co www.stonecarlie.com
8

9. Events of Interest
Wednesday, February 29 Founder Institute’s "Ideation Bootcamp," designed to help you articulate your start-up business
ideas, is from 6:00-9:00 .m. at T-Rex, 611 Olive St., 12th floor. The speaker is Peter Griess, Infrastructure Engineering with
Facebook who previously worked at a start-up that was purchased by Yahoo. The event is free. There will be beer and pizza,
and the best pitch will receive a $100 cash prize. Space is extremely limited, so register today at http://stl-
startupideation.eventbrite.com/
Friday, March 2 Missouri Venture Forum Breakfast Meeting from 7:15-9:00 a.m. at Greenbriar Hills Country Club. $49 for
nonmembers. See front page for details. Register at www.MissouriVentureForum.org or call 314-241-2683.
Friday, March 2 The Skandalaris Seminar Series: Developing Skills, Perspectives, and Relationships, is a free opportunity
for commercial and social entrepreneurs from the community and campuses of Washington University to explore possibilities,
learn, and connect with each other. All events are free and open to the public. The event is from 1:00-4:00 p.m. The topic is
“The Business Plan and Telling Your Story.” Please RSVP online at www.ideabounce.com
Thursday, March 8 ITEN 2nd Thursday from 4:00-6:00 p.m. at Tavern of Fine Arts, 313 Belt Ave., 63112. Speaker: Sarah
Spear, Executive Director, Arch Grants. All are welcome to come and network with mentors, entrepreneurs, investors and
others.
Thursday, March 22 MVF Entrepreneurial Roundtable from 4:00-6:00 p.m. at Rubin Brown, One North Brentwood. The
topic is “Building A Profitable Business.” See page 4 for details.
Wednesday, March 28 MVF Membership Networking Coffee from 7:30-9:30 a.m. at Frontenac Bank, 801 South. Lind-
bergh. No charge but please RSVP at www.MissouriVentureForum.org. See page 6 for details.
Thursday, March 29 IdeaBounce® at 5:30 p.m. on the Washington University Danforth Campus in Steinberg Auditorium.
IdeaBounce® is an opportunity for any entrepreneur or innovator to post their idea to the www.ideabounce.com. From the Ide-
aBounce® site, the Skandalaris Center chooses 15-20 “bouncers” to give their 2-minute elevator pitch to a panel of judges and
audience of creators, inventors, investors, business people, service providers, customers, mentors, and others. Post your idea
to www.ideabounce.com by Monday, March 26 at 9am to have your idea considered to be chosen to pitch. Or, attend the
event to hear ideas, participate in the “open mic” portion, and meet others in our concluding networking reception.
April 4-5 InvestMidwest provides an opportunity to hear high growth companies from throughout the Midwest to present and
network with the audience of over 300 attendees including 60 -70 venture capital investors. See page 10 for details and visit
www.investmidwestforum.com or call 314-503-1019.
Wednesday, April 4 Coffee with the Experts from 8:00-9:30 a.m. provides opportunities for startup social and commercial
entrepreneurs to have a 10-minute private conversation (and a free cup of coffee) with panelists with various areas of exper-
tise, including experienced entrepreneurs, investors, and service providers. The only requirement to make an appointment is to
have an idea posted on www.ideabounce.com. Contact the Skandalaris Center at sces@wustl.edu or call 314-935-9134 to
schedule an appointment
Wednesday, April 4 Save the Date for Capital Innovators Demo Day. For more information go to
www.CapitalInnovators.com
Friday, April 6 Missouri Venture Forum Breakfast Meeting from 7:15-9:00 a.m. at Greenbriar Hills Country Club. $49 for
nonmembers. Register at www.MissouriVentureForum.org or call 314-241-2683.
Wednesday, April 11 Awards for the YouthBridge Social Enterprise and Innovation Competition include a keynote recep-
tion, poster board session, and cocktail reception. RSVP online at www.ideabounce.com
Thursday, April 26 Gateway to Innovation Conference (G2I) will explore how IT drives growth in social media, mobility,
the life sciences, manufacturing, finance, global commerce and industries yet to be discovered. Interactive break-out sessions
with regional executives and industry leaders will address the convergence of IT with other business imperatives. An evening
gala and awards program will recognize the efforts of local leaders and help foster the region’s most significant economic
cluster. Apply now to have your early-stage venture featured in G2I's Entrepreneurial Showcase that gives a select number of
innovative companies an opportunity to be seen by all of the conference attendees. Go to http://www.g2iconference.com/ for
details.
9

10. Information for Entrepreneurs
Register Now for the 2012 InvestMidwest
The 13th annual InvestMidwest is scheduled for April 4-5 and will be held at the Hilton St. Louis at the
Ballpark. The early bird registration rate of $350 is available through March 16. Missouri Venture Forum
is an organizational sponsor of the event.
InvestMidwest provides investors the opportunity to see presentations from the best high-growth compa-
nies throughout the Midwest—43 companies representing 11 states will present in the three industry tracks
of life sciences, IT/general business and clean energy/sustainability. These companies were selected from
over 100 applications by the 34 members of the InvestMidwest selection committee—the professionals that
volunteered their time and expertise to this process are from 24 organizations representing five states.
The event also provides the opportunity for entrepreneurs and investors to network—the event attracts over
300 attendees and includes 60-70 venture capital professionals and 25-30 angel investors.
Recent research has confirmed the impact of the InvestMidwest program—companies that have presented
at InvestMidwest have raised over $850 million in funding and through acquisitions since presenting at
InvestMidwest.
For more information regarding the 2012 InvestMidwest,
please contact Christine Walsh at cwalsh@stlrcga.org or 314-444-1151.
Request for Applications St. Louis Regional i6 Project
Third Round Applications Due – April 2, 2012
The i6 Project provides $25,000 - $100,000 of funding to support commercialization of bioscience technolo-
gies or business concepts from universities or other research institutions, entrepreneurs, or individuals
throughout the St. Louis region. It supports innovations in the broadly defined areas of bioscience including
but not limited to: human health therapies, diagnostics, & devices; animal health; plant science; bio– and
renewable energy; and health care/bioscience service companies. The i6 program is intended to provide the
first significant financing of new companies and is designed to support activities that will increase the prob-
ability of obtaining follow on funding.
Primary uses of the funds might include market assessments, lab experiments, and/or prototype develop-
ment. Funded projects also receive the opportunity for additional support from the BioGenerator beyond the
i6 Project funding. Such support may include access to the BioGenerator Accelerator Labs facility, manage-
ment support, and fundraising assistance.
Applications for this round will be due on April 2.
More information can be found at http://www.biogenerator.org/i6 or by contacting
Charlie Bolten of the BioGenerator at cbolten@biogenerator.org or (314) 615-6355.
10

11. Happening in St. Louis
Startup Weekend January 27-29 Recap
by Jay DeLong
St. Louis’ first Startup Weekend was an overwhelm- With teams pitching their final products on Sunday
ing success. Held at downtown incubator, T-REx, night, teams worked feverishly through Sunday.
the event was sold out with over 100 attendees from Sunday night teams pitched to a packed audience,
as far away as New Orleans, participating in a fast- and four judges. The judges ranged from an entre-
paced business development competition. The first preneur, Mark Sawyier of Off Campus Media; to an
night kicked off with Square co-founder and local investor, Brian Blanchard of Hypervize; to lawyers,
entrepreneur, Jim McKelvey, discussing the impor- Brian Salmo and Chris Swenson of Polsinelli
tance of self-evaluation and objectivity when start- Shughart. The decision of the judges to name the
ing your own business. Mr. McKelvey was followed top three teams was difficult given the caliber and
by Bob Lozano, founder of Appistry, who shared unique concepts of each team. However, at the end
his thoughts on the importance of balance and ca- of a 54-hour work-a-thon, AnalyticsJust.Us took the
maraderie among teams in a startup. top spot. Presenting their winning application that
uses proprietary programming to mine specific legal
Following the speakers, over 40 attendees pitched data to predict outcomes, the AnalyticsJust.Us Team
their ideas for a concept they would like to develop received:
over the weekend. Ideas ranged from a mobile app  $500 credit for office space at T-REx
that would convert a smart phone into a strobe light  Business & Technology feasibility
or glow stick to a program that would chart a child’s analysis from Hypervize
chores or tasks and offer incentives via online retail-  Pro-bono incorporation services from
ers. Participants were given 30 minutes to seek out Weiss & Associates, P.C.
the ideas they would like to work on, and at the end  Lunch/Mentoring session with Hal
of the night, 12 teams were formed and starting Gentry, managing partner of Capital
working. Innovators
 Microsoft BizSpark Program
Saturday was a workday for the teams, with lunch  $100 Downtown Gift Card
from Pi Pizzeria owner, Chris Sommers, who par-  The Lean Startup by Eric Ries
ticipated in a Q&A session with the teams over  Startup Weekend T-Shirt
lunch and spoke to his lessons learned while starting
his own businesses, several of which are IT based. Second place went to Amppad, an immediate elec-
To lend their expertise, five local entrepreneurs, tronic delivery service for political discourse, and
Dan Klotzer, Sultan Meghji, Gregg Smith, David third place went to Debt Dash, an online debt man-
Strom and Chuck Vallurupalli spent the afternoon agement tool.
mentoring each team, answering questions and help-
ing teams refine their ideas.
Jay DeLong is Vice President, New Ventures &
Capital Formation, St. Louis RCGA.
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12. Happening in St. Louis
Recap of StartUp Missouri Launch
by Jay DeLong
Startup Missouri launched with 90 individuals, more than two-thirds entrepreneurs, and included service providers,
incubators, policy influencers, and members of local media. The attendees heard from eleven entrepreneur speakers
from across the state.
Attendees developed mission and objectives of Startup Missouri, and a specific action items were identigfies that
should be accomplished in Startup Missouri’s first year. Following lunch, the assembled crowd split into three discus-
sion groups, whose outcomes are summarized below. The meeting concluded with identifying 4 central action items
for Startup Missouri to accomplish in the next year:
1. Create a central portal for the entrepreneurial community in Missouri (web-based).
2. A Pro-“MO” Campaign, to promote Missouri as a thriving entrepreneurial hub
3. Educating entrepreneurs and investors about the process of capital formation to promote “deal flow” in Mis-
souri
4. Promote passage of angel investor tax credits (AVIA) and MOSIRA in MO state legislature
Entrepreneur Presenters:
Ryan Bell, Gremln; Seth Burgett, Yurbuds; Beth Daniels, Around the Table Games; Justin Albright, NAB Automa-
tion; Mike Brooks, Regional Economic Development, Inc. (REDI); Jamie Stephens, Book’d; Jim von der Heydt;
Nawgan; Eric Gulve, BioGenerator; Marla Esser, HomeNav; Greg Kratofil, Google Fiber Project Kansas City; and
Alex Eaton, MOBIO. The video address was by Reid Hoffman, founder of LinkedIn.
Discussion 1 - Resource Connections: Moderated by Brian Matthews, of River City Internet Group.
 The primary idea that emerged was the need to develop a centralized portal to connect the entrepreneurial
organizations in different regions of the state
 Need to leverage existing resources by appointing region heads responsible for understanding what
is going on in each affiliated region.
Discussion 2 - Capital Formation: Moderated by Kyle Welborne, FinServ Tech Angels.
 Promote and/or provide education amongst both startups and potential investors about the process of
investing
 Promote Missouri as a good place to begin a business (Pro “MO”)
Discussion 3- Statewide Policy: Moderated by Greg Kratofil, Posinelli Shughart
1. Explain the utility of legislation to increase capital availability through such policy as:
 Missouri Angel Investor Tax Credit
 Missouri Science and Innovation Reinvestment Act
 SBIR provisions, with the state matching federal funding
2. The purpose of Startup Missouri
 To educate and disperse information to entrepreneurs
 To promote needs of entrepreneurs to legislators in Jefferson City through first person entrepreneur
testimony
 Become a PR firm for entrepreneurs around Missouri, promoting strengths, possibilities and job creation
Jay DeLong is Vice President, New Ventures & Capital Formation, St. Louis RCGA.
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13. Scenes From The February MVF Breakfast Meeting
(l-r) Patti Harty, Sandler Training | Stark & Associ- (l-r) Gayle Jackson, Energy Global Inc.; Derek Weber,
ates; Laura Dierberg Ayers, Attorney at Law; goBrandgo!; Darcella Craven, Veterans Business
Chuck McCloskey, Charles C. McCloskey, LLC Resource Center
(l-r) Laurie Washington, Attorney at Law; Allison (l-r) Lee Crockett, Venture Advisors Inc.;
Krepel, Saint Louis University Law School; Michael Mike Devereux, Emerging Business Resources Corp.
Moberly, Knowledge Protection Strategies
(l-r) Janet Katz, Katz and Associates, PC; February (l-r) Mike Minkler, CMIT Solutions of Clayton;
speaker, Chris Sommers, Pi Pizzeria; Jim Brasunas, J.D. and Pierce Powers, Powers Insurance and
IT Entrepreneur Network Benefits
13

14. From the Editor
Onboarding a New Employee
by Susan Martin throughout the onboarding
process the manager should
First days on the job sometimes are handled so engage in conversation about:
poorly that they’re enough to make any new hire
run home vowing never to return to their new digs.  Relationships—teach the
But it doesn’t have to be that way. In fact, it new employee how to build
shouldn’t be that way if companies want their new relationships with co-workers.
employees to quickly become contributing mem-  Passion—discover what
bers of their team. the new hire is passionate
about and help channel those
Many companies are expanding or replacing tradi- Enterprise Newsletter
passions at work. Editor Sorin Vaduva
tional employee orientation programs with  Challenge—learn what chal- can be reached at
“onboarding,” the HR buzzword of the millen- lenges will keep the new person Sorin@imrel.com
nium. The difference between employee orienta- excited to grow and stay with
tion and onboarding is the amount of time spent the company.
connecting the new employee to the job, to the  Focus—help the new employee understand the
team and to the company’s values. The payoff of company’s vision and how they can contribute.
the onboarding process is better retention and a
 Balance—understand what’s important in the
more fully engaged, assimilated employee.
new hire’s life outside of the workplace and sup-
port a healthy work/life balance.
Orientation is what happens the first day or the
 Intention—both the manager and the new hire
first week that a new hire is at the company. It
should determine the lessons learned from
usually consists of completing required forms, un-
these conversations.
derstanding benefits and policies, etc. Orientation
leads into the lengthier onboarding process, which
Effective onboarding makes new employees feel
should last at least six to 12 months. During this
connected to the company and its purpose. And
time, the employee’s manager has the opportunity
the odds are that a new employee will stay with the
to connect with the new hire—to get to know the
company and will be more productive in a shorter
new person and what they want from the job and
amount of time if the company invests in a good
what they can contribute.
job of onboarding.
New employees usually start a job excited, like a
charged battery. However, usually around the Susan Martin is with AAIM Employers’ Associa-
three-month mark, that excitement either continues tion and can be reached at 314-754-0203.
or begins to wane. To keep a new hire charged up,
Follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/moventureforum and
on Facebook by searching Missouri Venture Forum.
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15. Missouri Venture Forum Committees
Entrepreneur Education
Purpose is to educate and guide entrepreneurs by developing and presenting educational programs.
Chair: Bob Cockrell — Montgomery Bank
Ron Ameln — St. Louis Small Business Monthly Pete Peters — InnovateVMS
Patrick Clarkin — Charles L. Crane Agency Bill Prenatt — Simply Successful LLC
Cathy Davis — Davis Creative Chuck Reitter — CA Reitter Consulting, LLC
Bill Ellis — Branding for Results Brian Rogers — Evans & Dixon, L.L.C.
Jan Hendrickson — Senniger Powers LLP Joe Soraghan — Danna McKitrick, P.C.
Margaret Kenyon — AAIM Employers’ Association Joy Ann Venverloh — Lexx Funding, Inc.
Marketing/Communications
Purpose is to promote the Missouri Venture Forum and partner organizations and
write and edit the Enterprise newsletter.
Chair: David Meyer — Spoke Marketing, LLC
Newsletter Editor: Sorin Vaduva — ImRel, LLC Barry Gleeson — The Alternative Board (TAB)
Cathy Davis — Davis Creative Ann Marie Mayuga, AMM Communications
Membership
Develop and implement programs, activities and events that will foster and support the
recruitment and retention of members and also provide a benefit to the members, as well as
carry out the mission of the Forum.
Chair: Nicole Ursch — Midwest BankCentre
Nick Akers — Innoventor, Inc.. Margaret Kenyon — AAIM Employers’ Association
Andy Bourey — Vistage (TEC) St. Louis Doug Kolker — Mueller Prost PC
Millie Cain — First State Bank Tim McFadden — Armstrong Teasdale LLP
Rochelle Freeman — New York Life Steve Thomas — The Net Impact
Dale Furtwengler — Furtwengler & Associates, P.C. Sorin Vaduva — ImRel, LLC
Barry Gleeson — The Alternative Board (TAB) Mark Witzling — Citi
Hal Hardin — Insperity
Interested in joining a Committee?
Call the Committee Chair:
Education Bob Cockrell 314-579-4621
Marketing David Meyer 314-517-8459
Membership Nicole Ursch 314-544-8585
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16. Missouri Venture Forum Committees
Two-Minute Forum
Purpose of the program is to help entrepreneurs succeed in their entrepreneurial endeavors by providing exposure to the Forum’s
membership and the entrepreneurial community.
Chair: Bill Ellis — Branding for Results
Jim Brasunas — IT Entrepreneur Network Alan Ludmer — The Voyager Group
Jay Logsdon — The Logsdon Group Brian Peterson — UHY Advisors
Outreach
Purpose is to encourage collaboration between MVF and other organizations that support the region’s
entrepreneurial community.
Chair: Vince Garozzo — Greensfelder, Hemker & Gale, P.C.
David Butler — Heartland Innovations, LLC
Chris Walsh — InvestMidwest
Program
Identify and arrange for topics and speakers for the monthly meetings and determine other events with
different meeting formats that would be of value to members.
Chair: Anna Doyle — Centric Consulting
Bob Calcaterra — StartUp Midwest
Jim von der Heydt — Nawgan
Technology
Purpose is to develop, enhance and maintain the Forum’s technology infrastructure.
Chair: Sorin Vaduva — ImRel, LLC
Ken Bentlage — Bentlage Marketing
Joe Furlong — Washington University
Interested in joining a Committee?
Call the Committee Chair:
Two-Minute Forum Bill Ellis 314-966-8889
Outreach Vince Garozzo 314-516-2624
Program Anna Doyle 314-265-4233
Technology Sorin Vaduva 314-600-0709
Questions? Call the MVF Office at 314-241-2683 or visit www.MissouriVentureForum.org
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