Entrepreneurs are Optimistic, VC not so much

Members of Technology Executives Roundtable (TER) packed the room on Tuesday, Feb. 17, 2009 to hear some of the Southeast’s top VCs share their thought on how to find funding and what it will cost.

The panel featured Alan Taetle (Noro-Moseley), Frank X. Dalton (Fulcrum Ventures), Sean M. Banks (Total Technology Ventures), Steve Nussrallah (Value Plus Ventures) and N.C.-VC Katrin Burt (Intersouth Partners). David Calhoun (Morris, Manning & Martin) moderated the session which revealed all the VC on the panel were looking for deals but not bullish on 2009.

Above from left to right: Steve Nussrallah (Value Plus Ventures) and Alan Taetle (Noro-Moseley)

Taetle credited TER and its members for making solid introductions to strong ATL tech companies. All the VCs agreed they are “still taking meetings” and advised companies meeting with them do their homework to know how they like to be presented to (hint Dalton wants a two page business summary and Nussrallah likes to see the full executive team).

Above from left to right: Katrin Burt (Intersouth Partners), Frank X. Dalton (Fulcrum Ventures) and Steve Nussrallah (Value Plus Ventures)

Hot industries according to the group are: cleantech, healthcare services & IT, electronic medical records, rural broadband, and mobile apps and services.

Executives on hand for the breakfast event included Mike Neumeier and Sami Jajeh (Arketi Group), Gil Friedman (Discrete Wireless), Price Harding (CarterBaldwin), Ken Horowitz (North Star Health), Cy Smith (AirSage), Mark Rainosek (packIQ), Mark Droege (intellione), James Davie (Canvas Systems), Corne Aantjes (ORTEC), and Scott Grimes (Cardlytics).


For more information about TER, visit http://www.ter-atlanta.com/. (Hint register early for March’s meeting it is set to draw a huge crowd – speakers include ATL tech pioneers Dennis Hayes, Ben Dyer, Said Mohammadioum, Richard Brock and Les Freed.)

posted by Mike Neumeier, APR @ 1:36 PM
Arketi Group website
Arketi Group News
Arketi Group Case Studies
Arketi Group Podcasts
Arketi Group Surveys
Arketi Group Whitepapers