The Investor Team is working on their due diligence skills, learning about deal terms and conditions this week as we finalize the membership in the investor LLC.   We've got enough investors to qualify for the OGA matching funds, so the investment prize will be $25,000 stronger, which is great news.

These are the top four things Wade and his group looks for in the companies his organization is considering for investment:

1. Entrepreneurial expertise

2. Affordable loss

3. Early “yes” answers

4. Milestones met

Thinking about Entrepreneurship, and why folks should get involved in the WAC, and ran across this great video from last year's conference...it says so much about the drive, motivation and fun of getting creative, getting active, and starting something from scratch and making it so much more...

Willamette Angel Conference 2010 - Randy Harrington - The Entreprenuer Riff

- video by craighgray

Greg has over 20 years of experience focused on building real-time business systems. As the co-founder and chief executive officer for iovation, Greg is the visionary leader behind the use of reputation systems to prevent fraud and abuse of online services. He has an active role in iovation's business development and strategizing the company's fraud management services to the marketplace on a global scale.

A serial entrepreneur, Greg previously founded ieLogic, a pioneer in online community technology within the online gaming market. He has a strong passion for developing leading fraud fighting solutions that make the Internet a safer place to do business and communicate.

A forward-thinker in the areas of Internet security, online privacy and fraud management, Greg is a frequent speaker at industry trade shows across the globe, where he speaks on various topics including fraud management and emerging technologies that protect online environments against fraud and abuse.

Greg holds a B.S. in Business Administration and a B.S. in Economics from Oregon State University.

The Willamette Angel Conference is a investors conference, connected early stage and seed businesses with angel and venture investors in the Willamette Valley  in Oregon.  Its mission is to encourage, accelerate and showcase start-up companies in the Willamette Valley.  Business Plan submissions are due on March 21st, and The competition is held May 12th 2011.  www.willametteconference.com

In the Dodd-Frank Act enacted on July 21, 2010, the Securities and Exchange Commission has been instructed to amend the net worth standard for an “Accredited Investor”. The new standard excludes your primary residence as part of the $1 million net worth threshold.

Accredited Investor status is based on either net-worth or annual income. Before the Dodd-Frank Act, an accredited investor was required to have at least $1 million in assets, $200k in personal annual income or $300k in joint-spousal annual income. With the Dodd-Frank Act in place, an accredited investor must have at least $1 million in assets besides the value of your primary residence or meet the annual income requirements.

The logic for the change is that a primary residence is not truly a liquid asset as it is depended upon for the basic need of shelter. While it is unfortunate that some accredited investors have been stripped of their status, the damage is far less than it would have been with the original proposal to adjust all requirements for inflation since 1982!



The day began with a look back at WAC 2009. Trevor Misfeldt, the CEO of last year’s winner, CenterSpace Software, addressed the crowd. Misfeldt noted how the WAC not only gave CenterSpace a helpful monetary award but also the chance to make connections in the local business community and receive advice from other angels to help them perfect their business plan.

Keynote speaker Marshall Kirkpatrick, lead writer for technology blog ReadWriteWeb, discussed how it’s an exciting time to be working in or with start-up companies and how new opportunities exist for start-ups in social networking data, web data and sensor-based data.

After the keynote, Tim Berry, an investor from Palo Alto Software took the stage and prefaced the business pitches. Berry noted the exciting time for entrepreneurship in the Willamette Valley before Mark Frohnmayer from Arcimoto, LLC took the stage to present the company’s pitch, telling the audience and investors about Arcimoto’s commute-capable electric vehicle called the Pulse.

Steve Lazar from Delta Point, Inc. introduced the audience to Delta Point’s non-invasive, contrast-enhanced MRI imaging software that can help doctors take the guesswork out of breast cancer.

InFuez, Inc.’s founder and president Greg Martin told the audience about the surface product made from recyled materials that it manufactures to provide homes and buildings with sustainable building solutions and a better chance at gaining LEED certification.

Robert Head and Joshua Bradley from ShopDragon discussed their e-commerce software to help expand companies’ sales channels, reduce inventory risk and remove barriers to entry.

After ShopDragon’s presentation, the IgniteAngel wild card pitches were delivered. Four companies presented their three-and-a-half minute pitches to the audience and investors: Hydrovolts, Inc., Live Solutions, Ugo Furniture and Whippersnappers Studios. An audience vote via text message after the IgniteAngel pitches awarded Hydrovolts, Inc. the winner of the Ignite round, giving them the opportunity to present their full pitch after the lunch break.

During the lunch break, the investors, entrepreneurs and other audience members headed into downtown Eugene where they enjoyed lunch at one of five local restaurants and the chance to make connections with other conference attendees.

The CEO of VizMe, Dan Mayhew, showed how the company’s scalable social application could interact with existing social networks and change the way people share their passions and interests online.

Good Clean Love CEO Wendy Strgar, eventual winner of the conference, presented the company’s high quality, all-natural and organic intimacy products.

The final presenter of the conference was Hydrovolts, Inc., which won the IgniteAngel round and earned the chance to give their full presentation. Hydrovolts’ Burt Hamner explained how the company makes hydrokinetic turbines to generate renewable energy from water power.

While the angel investors deliberated their decision, a panel of entrepreneurs took the stage and discussed their experiences starting their business and working with angel investors. Linda Naerheim, CEO, President and Co-Founder of Elements Naturals; Bryan Sims, CEO of brass|MEDIA; Luke Sontag, Founder and CEO, What Stop Now; and Jeff Tunnell, Co-Founder and Managing Partner, PushButton Labs, talked with the audience about their respective businesses, what inspired them to go into business and delivered advice for entrepreneurs working to get their businesses of the ground.

Once a decision had been made by the LLC, Good Clean Love was announced as the winner of the Willamette Angel Conference 2010. Congratulations to Wendy Strgar and everyone at Good Clean Love and to all the businesses and participants at this year’s conference.

Thank you for sponsoring, supporting, investing in, applying and presenting to, and attending @WAC10! We are looking forward to seeing you at next year’s conference in Corvallis on May 12, 2011!