Event Details
Software as a service (SaaS) is what many entrepreneurs have been building in the last 7-8 years. VCs seem to like this model because of it's recurring revenues, the shorter sales cycle, and the high margins. So, how has this model evolved? What do the VCs think about it now? Who are these VCs that are focused on funding SaaS companies?
Keynote Speaker: Brian Jacobs, GP at Emergence Capital
Brian Jacobs is a Founder and General Partner of Emergence. He has over 18 years of venture capital experience, a deep national network and broad experience helping both consumer and business-oriented startups achieve their business goals. Prior to founding Emergence, Brian was an early General Partner at St. Paul Venture Capital. During his 10 years with St. Paul, Brian helped to grow the firm to one of the 15 largest venture investors in the country. He led the firm's Silicon Valley investing activities. His prior venture capital experience was at Security Pacific Venture Capital. Brian also worked for the Raychem Corporation, where he developed and marketed advanced software and electronic components. He also has engineering and new product development experience with RCA, Westinghouse, and Polaroid, and he holds several patents.
Brian was named to the Forbes' Midas List of the top venture capital investors in 2006 and 2007. He is an experienced board member who has served on dozens of public and private boards. He currently serves on the boards of Visage Mobile, Krugle, Intacct, InsideView, and DVDPlay.
Brian's reputation for helping entrepreneurs build innovative technology-enabled service companies comes from his active involvement in Lexar Media (LEXR), WebTV (sold to Microsoft), HireRight, nQuire Software (sold to Siebel Systems), Microchip Technologies (MCHP), BigFix, NetPerceptions (NETP), NextCard (NXCD) and many others.
Brian has a MS and BS in mechanical engineering from M.I.T. and an MBA from Stanford. He is happily married with two children. He enjoys international travel and scuba diving.
Panel Speakers: Brian Jacobs and Alex Osadzinski, Venture Partner at Trinity Ventures.
Alex has over 20 years' experience in computer systems and software sales, marketing, engineering and general management. He began his career in the UK at two software startups, was AT&T's European Sales Manager for its UNIX products and then started and managed Sun's marketing function in Europe. He held a number of management positions at Sun in the US, including VP Markets & Product Strategy.
After general management positions at Grass Valley Group (Tektronix) he was VP Sales & Marketing at Be. More recently, he was VP Marketing at Vitria Technology and CEO of Katmango.
Investment focus: Software, Communications and Networked Systems, and Semiconductors
Topics that will be discussed include:
What is Software as a Service? Where is SaaS going from here? What are it's advantages and disadvantages? Why does it work for certain apps and not for others? What are the risks involved? Is this business model really working? What industries tend to buy into the SaaS model?
Schedule: 10/5/07
8:30am - 9:00am: Registration
9:00am - 9:15am: Introduction of sponsors & speakers
9:15am - 10:00am: Keynote
10:00am - 10:15am: Break
10:15am - 11:00am: Panel
11:00am - 11:30am: Panel
Continental breakfast will be served.
Email
Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
MySpace
Digg
del.icio.us
Reddit