Managing A Startup In Turbulent Times
The June 6, 2001 5-8:30 pm presentation
at the Renaissance Hotel in Richardson
The program will be a live, downlinked broadcast, and will feature
internationally renowned panelists who will discuss finance structuring,
managing and exit strategies for an uncertain economy. These leaders, who have
managed their way through changing business cycles, will share their experiences
and their expertise with entrepreneurs throughout North America through the
downlinked broadcast. The program, which will be simulcast to over 20 locations
from MIT Kresge Auditorium in Cambridge, will enable Dallas-Fort
Worth participants to interact in real time with the world-class speakers during
the interactive discussion period at the end of the broadcast. The program
schedule includes a 5:00 p.m. wine and buffet reception with liquid refreshments
sponsored by KPMG. The program will be from 6:00 to 8:30 p.m. The new
Renaissance Hotel in Richardson is at 900 East Lookout Drive, Richardson, TX
75082, on the east side of the North Central Expressway service road between
Campbell and Renner.. Registration
$35 at the door, $10 students. For
reservations and details of this special program, call Mary Langford at 972-377-4554, or email to mitforum@juno.com
Moderator
Panelists
-
Jon Hirschtick, CEO and Co-Founder of
SolidWorks
-
Beth Marcus, Founder and President of Glow Dog,
Inc.
-
Fred Middleton, Founder and General Partner,
Sanderling Ventures
-
Burt Rubenstein, Managing Director, YankeeTek
Ventures
Panel Overview:
Suppose you have a great company idea but the economy shows signs of trouble
-- money becomes harder to raise, the IPO window closes, recruiting gets harder.
How do you manage your company differently in the face of economic change? We
have assembled a panel of experts who have seen both sides of the business cycle
and are in a position to offer some real insight.
According to MIT Enterprise Forum CEO Edmund M.
Dunn, “Entrepreneurs face a unique set of issues in turbulent times.
Structuring financing, managing, and even exit strategies in an uncertain
economy can present challenges that are independent of the company’s values
and potential. This program is an opportunity to learn from leaders who have
managed their way through changing business cycles.”
The program's agenda will include an opening overview by the moderator, brief
introductory comments by each panelist, and interactive discussion with
attendees and satellite downlinked participants from across North America.
For
reservations and details call Mary Langford at 972-377-4554, or email to mitforum@juno.com
BIOS
As Managing Director of the MIT
Entrepreneurship Center, Ken Morse
leads the MIT effort to train leaders to bring innovative concepts and
technologies to market and build successful high tech startup businesses. Based at the MIT Sloan School of Management, the
Entrepreneurship Center has the mandate to teach entrepreneurship and to foster
research and collaboration, Institute-wide.
The student-run $50K Entrepreneurship Competition, as well as enrollment
in the New Enterprises and Entrepreneurship Laboratory Courses, are open to
students from Engineering, Science, and Management, encouraging
multidisciplinary teamwork. Morse
joined MIT in 1996 after 25 years as an entrepreneur helping launch six
high-tech ventures.
Between 1982 and 1996, Morse held a number of strategic positions in a
venture-backed startup, Aspen Technology, Inc., which commercialized
process-modeling software originally developed at MIT.
He initially crafted the company’s global strategy and secured early
customers in Europe and Asia. As a
member of AspenTech’s Board of Directors from 1986 until 1995, he focused on
Aspen Tech’s entry into new global markets, including high value applications
of their enterprise software. From
1992 to 1996, he resided in Brussels as AspenTech’s Managing Director for
Europe, Middle East and Africa where he opened and managed new offices in
France, Germany, Italy, Switzerland and South Africa, as well as integrating the
European businesses acquired by AspenTech.
Ken’s interest in international high tech ventures began at MIT, where
he graduated with a BS in Political Science in 1968.
Following graduation, as President of AIESEC-US and an International
Advisory Committee Officer for this global business student exchange program, he
traveled widely on behalf of AIESEC before entering Harvard Business School.
Morse received his MBA with honors in 1972 and joined Schroders, the
UK-based merchant bank, where he worked directly for Jim Wolfensohn, now
President of the World Bank.
In 1975
Morse formed a trading company under the aegis of Chase Manhattan Bank to assist
U.S. technology-based companies to enter emerging Asian markets.
He lived in Beijing for five years during the latter half of the Cultural
Revolution. As President of Chase
Pacific Trade Advisors, he assisted IBM, General Motors, Hughes Aircraft, Waters
Associates, Measurex, and Mine Safety Appliances to enter China and other
developing markets.
In 1980, Morse relocated to Silicon Valley as a founding member of 3Com
Corporation, and as employee #8, helped raise initial funding and served as the
first head of sales, marketing, and planning.
After a successful launch he returned to the Boston area where he has
been a founder of several other MIT-related startup ventures.
Ken Morse is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations, the World
Affairs Council, the Cercle Royal Gaulois Artistique & Literaire (Brussels),
and the Quissett Yacht Club. He is
a member of the MIT Enterprise Forum, Inc. Advisory Board of Directors. Mass
High Tech named Ken “High Tech
All-star” for his contribution to entrepreneurship education.
Jon Hirschtick, CEO and Co-Founder of SolidWorks, Inc., has more than
20 years experience in the mechanical Computer Aided Design industry. Prior to
SolidWorks, he was Founder and President of the computer-aided engineering
pioneer Premise, Inc., which was acquired by Computervision in 1991. From 1991
until he founded SolidWorks in 1993, he served as Director of DesignView Group
at Computervision. Before he founded Premise, Jon was Manager of the CAD
Laboratory at MIT. He received his bachelor's from MIT's School of Engineering
in 1983 and his master's (Mechanical Engineering Major) in 1986.
Beth Marcus is Founder and President of Glow Dog, Inc., a hot new
clothing brand making fashion and safety a style statement. Dr. Marcus is also a
founder of HBN Shoe, LLC, makers of Standing Ovationä the first innovation in
women's high heels since they were invented. She is also a strategic,
technology, and business advisor to several early stage companies. Dr. Marcus
was Founder, Chairman of the Board and Chief Technical Officer of EXOS, Inc. In
April 1996, EXOS was sold to Microsoft, Inc. a worldwide leader in software for
personal computers. The resulting product, SideWinderÔ Force Feedback Pro
joystick, was the hottest product in the market during Christmas 1997. Microsoft
continues to aggressively exploit the EXOS technology through new product
introductions. Dr. Marcus has a Ph.D. in biomechanics from the Imperial College
in London, where she was supported by a Marshall Scholarship. Her first two
degrees were from MIT's School of Engineering department of Mechanical
Engineering - a bachelor's in 1979 and master's in 1980. Dr. Marcus is a member
of the MIT council for the arts, and is herself a published poet. She is a
member of the MIT Enterprise Forum, Inc. Advisory Board of Directors.
Fred Middleton joined Dr. Robert McNeil in 1987 to found
Middleton-McNeil Associates, LP, the General Partner for the Sanderling Funds.
At Sanderling Ventures, he has played a key role as a founder, management team
member, and/or director of many Sanderling portfolio companies, including
CoCensys, DepoTech, Desmos, Genteric, Novatrix, Regeneron, and Vical. He works
closely with the Sanderling portfolio companies in strategic planning, fund
raising, business development, and positioning the company for growth. From 1984
to 1986, he was President and Managing General Partner of Morgan Stanley
Ventures, establishing the firm's office in San Francisco. From 1978 to 1984, he
was Vice President Finance, Administration, Corporate Development and Chief
Financial Officer of Genentech, Inc., having joined the company as the eighth
employee. He completed Genentech's initial public offering in 1980. He received
his B.S. in Chemistry from MIT in 1971, and his MBA with Distinction from
Harvard Business School in 1973.
Burt Rubenstein -- Managing Director, YankeeTek Ventures -- is a
senior technology executive with more than 25 years experience applying
information technology to solve business problems. He was a founding partner and
Chief Technology Officer of Internet Business Advantages (since acquired by
ServiceSoft/Broadbase Software), a professional services company that employs
Internet technology to create strategic business advantages. He was Chief
Technology Officer at Cambridge Technology Partners, a systems integration firm
heavily involved with the emerging client-server market. He helped lead the
growth of CTP from a 120-person niche shop to a 1200-person industry powerhouse.
In 1983, he co-founded Index Technology Corporation, an early leader in the
Computer Aided Software Engineering (CASE) field. As Vice President of Research
and Technology, he led Index Technology in introducing major new software
products as well as growing the company to a 350-person $35 million dollar
corporation. He also held executive positions at Groupe Bull, a leader in CASE
technology. He received his SB in Management from the MIT Sloan School of
Management in 1976.
The MIT Enterprise Forum Satellite Broadcast Series includes three
programs each year for entrepreneurs and investors. Earlier
broadcasts include: Virtually Live with Timothy Berners-Lee, Internet Futures
with Robert Metcalfe, High Tech Enterprises with Edward Roberts, Breakthrough
Technology with Robert Langer, Entrepreneurship with Alex d'Arbeloff, What To Do
with Michael Dertouzos, The Soft Side Of New Enterprise with Ray Stata, What
Private Equity Investors Are Looking For moderated by John Dean, Structuring
Venture Capital Deals moderated by Joe Hadzima, Building Value Through
Entrepreneurship moderated by Howard Anderson, Becoming a $Billion Software
Company and Managing Its Future with Kenan Sahin, and Valuation: What's My
Company Really Worth? Moderated by Joe Hadzima. The Satellite Broadcast
Series for 2001-2002 academic year will include broadcasts on Tuesday, September
11, 2001; Thursday, January 24, 2002; and Wednesday, June 5, 2002.
