SVASE VC Breakfast Club with Eric Zimits, Managing Director, Granite Ventures Focus: Early-Stage Communications and Components June 4, 2009

SVASE VC Breakfast Club with Eric Zimits, Managing Director, Granite Ventures Focus: Early-Stage Communications and Components

Start: 06/04/2009 - 8:00am
End: 06/04/2009 - 9:30am

Contact Info:
JaiKumar Email: [email protected]
Cell: 408-406-4693

Location:
Greenberg Traurig LLP 1900 University Avenue, 5th Floor
East Palo Alto, CA 94303

URL:www.svase.org/?q=node/2257

Granite Ventures, www.granitevc.com
Granite Ventures has been helping early-stage technology companies build solid foundations for success since 1992. We focus our investments on two sectors where our partners have deep domain expertise, broad industry knowledge, and significant investment experience: Communications and Components and Software.

Granite has managed over $1 billion in venture capital and has invested in more than 90 private companies. We partner with promising and successful entrepreneurs to create businesses that have a competitive edge and help them achieve category leadership.

Our team has been involved with some of the most dynamic and successful companies in the technology world. We have founded companies, held senior executive positions inside notable corporations, bought and sold companies, and guided our investments through significant milestones including Initial Public Offerings. In short, we understand what entrepreneurs are experiencing because we have been there. We know what it takes to build a viable business that can survive in the public markets because we've done that. And we help companies map out their future — whether it's going public or getting acquired. An investment from Granite provides access to our collective expertise.

Granite's team of investment professionals has a history of backing leading companies, including: Digimarc (NASDAQ:DMRC), DigitalThink (acquired by Convergys Systems), InfoGear (acquired by Cisco), Internap (AMEX:IIP), NetBoost (acquired by Intel), Nexabit (acquired by Lucent), Siebel Systems (NASDAQ:SEBL), Sierra Wireless (NASDAQ:SWIR), SnapTrack (acquired by QUALCOMM), Tumbleweed Communications (NASDAQ:TMWD) and Vignette (NASDAQ:VIGN).

Eric Zimits, Managing Director, Granite Ventures
After spending a long career in finance and investments with a focus on the communications sector, Eric Zimits joined Granite Ventures in 2000 to focus on investing in early-stage communications and components companies.

Prior to Granite, Eric was Managing Director and head of the Communications Research Group at Hambrecht & Quist (later Chase H&Q), where he sponsored several venture capital investments, including: Amber Networks, acquired by Nokia; InterNAP (NASDAQ: INAP); Paragon Software, acquired by Openwave; WavTrace, acquired by Harris Corporation; and VocalData, acquired by Tekelec.

Prior to H&Q, Eric launched a research effort in the telecommunications and wireless industries as a General Partner at Volpe, Welty & Company. He also held analyst positions at Rauscher Pierce Refsnes and Morgan Keegan & Company.

Eric’s years of experience tracking the communications industry teamed with his financial savvy enables him to guide portfolio companies in making sound business decisions based on a deep understanding of the marketplace. He currently serves on the Boards of Directors for AirTight Networks, Percello, RipCode and Quantance.

Eric received a B.S.E. from Purdue University and an M.B.A. from Tulane University's A.B. Freeman School of Business.

WHEN: Thursday, June 4
8 – 9:30 AM

LOCATION: Greenberg Traurig LLP, 1900 University Avenue, 5th Floor, East Palo Alto, CA 94303

PRE-REGISTERED RATES:
Members - $25; Affiliates who advertise this event - $39; General Public - $49.

This event is intended for entrepreneurs seeking feedback on their startup ideas and funding strategies. Please do not register if you do not fit this profile.

This event is co-sponsored by Greenberg Traurig LLP, www.gtlaw.com.

Official Website: http://www.svase.org/?q=node/2257