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By Dean Miller On April 1, 2010, PACT was born. From our roots as the Mid-Atlantic Capital Alliance and the Eastern Technology Council, our mission is to serve as a hub for entrepreneurs, investors, corporations and professional advisors focused on emerging businesses in the technology, clean technology and healthcare industries. In our first year we have held over 30 events, which were attended by over 2,000 people; we have signed up over 350 member companies; and we have regularly connected with our database of over 6,000 of the industry leaders in our marketplace. News and FeaturesA social situation:
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It’s a common scenario. You receive an email from someone you can’t recall, requesting your friendship on Facebook. Or perhaps the sender wants you to become part of a LinkedIn network. She may reference the school you attended, a mutual friend or the fact you’ve done business together. You shrug and click the embedded link to accept.
The link takes you to what you think is Facebook, although you’re probably not looking at the URL. A popup message indicates that the browser needs an update. Routine stuff. You click on that, too.
You just put your company’s data and your personal data at risk. “As soon as you click on it, they own you,” says Jeff Lipson, a shareholder and board member for SaberSource, a Blue Bell-based provider of IT infrastructure maintenance and support services. “You’ve just downloaded malware onto your computer that allows them to do any nefarious thing they want.”
PACT recognizes top technology
and life sciences companies and entrepreneurs at the 18th Annual Enterprise Awards
With music, toasts and video salutes, the Greater Philadelphia Alliance for Capital and Technologies (PACT) announced the winners of the 18th Annual Enterprise Awards at a glittering black tie gala on May 4.
As the premier business recognition ceremony in the region, the Enterprise Awards celebrates achievement, innovation, and the success of technology, cleantech, medtech and life sciences companies, leaders and entrepreneurs. More than 900 business leaders and executives attended the gala at the Hilton Philadelphia City Avenue to salute 15 of the region’s best.
Drexel receives $10 million grant from Coulter Foundation for biomedical engineering translational research
Drexel University has been chosen to receive a $10 million endowment grant from the Wallace H. Coulter Foundation to support translational research in biomedical engineering. The grant will fund research designed to shorten the time it takes to move promising innovations from the laboratory into commercialization and clinical practice, bringing life-saving solutions to patients.
Drexel University has been chosen to receive a $10 million endowment grant from the Wallace H. Coulter Foundation to support translational research in biomedical engineering. The grant will fund research designed to shorten the time it takes to move promising innovations from the laboratory into commercialization and clinical practice, bringing life-saving solutions to patients.
Secrets of Success
Farid A. Naib, CEO and Founder,
Document Depository Corporation
Farid Naib is CEO and Founder of Document Depository Corporation (DDC), which develops SaaS-based critical data management (CDM) solutions that enable management teams, boards and investors to make better decisions and follow industry, governance and compliance best practices. DDC (www.docdep.com) launched at the prestigious spring 2009 DEMO conference in California and has continued to expand its software offering and customer base since then.
Naib has a long history of entrepreneurial activity, having founding several firms. He began his first company as a teenager, providing lighting services to a variety of local and international artists.
Events
Star-studded June 8 PACT event launches PACT Foundation
Montgomery, Banner, Luukko, Sakiewicz
discuss ’Entrepreneurial Lessons from Philadelphia’s Sports Franchises’
The 2011 PACT Founders Luncheon will feature an all-star panel of Philadelphia sports executives.
Moderator Sal Paolantonio, National Correspondent, ESPN, will lead panelists David Montgomery, President, Philadelphia Phillies; Joe Banner, President, Philadelphia Eagles; Peter Luukko, President/COO, Comcast-Spectacor; and Nick Sakiewicz, CEO and Operating Partner, Philadelphia Union, in an entertaining discussion: “Entrepreneurial Lessons from Philadelphia’s Sports Franchises.”
read moreSave the date: IMPACT 2011
venture conference set for Nov. 29-30
IMPACT 2011 Mid-Atlantic Venture Summit will be held on November 29 and 30 at the Ritz Carlton Hotel, the Pennsylvania Convention Center and the Crystal Tea Room.
The annual venture conference, a signature event of the Greater Philadelphia Alliance for Capital and Technologies (PACT), is the most established venture conference in the region. For more than 20 years, IMPACT has been showcasing the best and most promising investment opportunities in the technology, life sciences and clean technology sectors. IMPACT’s featured companies have raised more than a $1 billion in venture financing and are some of the region’s most recognizable names.
IMPACT 2011 is hosted by Duane Morris LLP, and presented by PACT and AlwaysOn.
For more information, visit http://philadelphiapact.com/programs-events/impact-conference/.
Looking ahead: Cloud Computing Conference coming in March 2012
Plans for PACT’s annual Cloud Computing Conference are taking shape. The event, which will be held in March, will be steered by a committee featuring: Robert Moul, GM, Dell Boomi (Title Sponsor); Rob Kelley, COO, LiquidHub; Brian Knotts, SunGard Higher Education; Alan Bender, Director, Secure Cloud Program, Unisys; Kamal Advani, Managing Director, ICG; and Scott Kinka Sr., VP, Network Services, EvolveIP.
Departments
Corporate Counsel
The battle against international intellectual property theft is fought on several fronts
In appropriate circumstances, victims of intellectual property theft can obtain injunctive relief and damages through civil lawsuits. However, a U.S. lawsuit is of little value when the knock-off artists’ operations are overseas or their assets are beyond the reach of U.S. courts. In today’s globalized economy, where intellectual property theft is as easy as e-mailing specifications or delivering a sample by international express mail to an overseas manufacturer, victims of intellectual property theft increasingly turn to federal law enforcement for assistance.
Intellectual property theft affects both innovators and consumers of branded products. The proliferation of everything from bootleg DVDs; knock-off handbags, electronics and shoes; to counterfeit pharmaceuticals and medical products presents issues of brand and price erosion, lost profits, and increasingly, safety issues.
read moreInvestor Insight
Getting run over
— even on the right track
Will Rogers once said, “Even if you’re on the right track, you’ll get run over if you just sit there.”
From an investor’s perspective, that is 100% applicable when evaluating potential investments and entrepreneurs.
A company can have a fantastic idea, solid product, established customer base, good management team and everything can appear to be on the right track. However, a precipitous event could make the difference between getting run over or staying ahead of the curve.
When a company achieves some level of success, complacency can set in and this can be more of a recipe for disaster than anything else. When pitching to an investor, it is critical to show that you are the type of entrepreneur who doesn’t get too comfortable, and instead, continues to innovate, prepares for the unexpected and eliminates stagnancy.
read moreMembers
New Members
The Greater Philadelphia Alliance for Capital and Technologies welcomes these new members:
Adaptimmune
Ashton Tweed
Baaj Group, LLC
BDO
Clifton Gunderson
Continua Mission Critical
Delaware Crossing Investor
Dell Boomi
Document Depository Corporation
Domain Technology Group, Inc.
ElectroPetroleum
ePlus Technology
JB Financial Management and Consulting
John Hlywak
Kelleher Associates, LLC
Longevity Biotech
NB Therapeutics
Optofluidics
Preston, Romano & Shea LLP
Scherrer Resources, Inc.
Textronics, Inc.
WeiserMazars
White and Williams
Member Reports
We want to hear from you.
Send us your news.
If you want your company’s news included in the September 7 edition of imPACT Times, please send your press releases to Dianne Strunk at dstrunk@philadelphiapact.com by August 22.
Click here to view news from the companies below.
Allied Pixel
Aptalis Pharma
BARD HOLDING, INC.
Ben Franklin Technology Partners
of Southeastern Pennsylvania
DDC
Embrella Cardiovascular
Fairmount Partners
Garber Venture Capital Fund
Hollister Creative
IT Solutions
Kelleher Associates, LLC
LearnQuest
NewSpring Capital
RES Software
Scherrer Resources, Inc.
University City Science Center
imPACT Times is published four times a year as a service to members of Greater Philadelphia Alliance for Capital and Technologies (PACT), as well as those who actively participate in the business, life sciences, investment and technology communities in Greater Philadelphia
Publisher: Dianne Strunk, Vice President of Business Development, PACT
Hollister Creative, Wynnewood, Pa.,
provides creative services as follows:
Editor: Kim Landry
Managing Editor: Martha Michaela Hutchman Brown
Contributing Editor: Pamela George
Art Director: Georgette Klotz
imPACT Times Advisory Board
Mitch Codkind, VP Business Operations, Oracle
Nick Spring, Founder, Topaz Pharmaceuticals Inc.
Mike Persiano, VP Marketing, iPipeline
Julia Rafferty, Stradley, Ronon, Stevens and Young LLP
Jeffrey Lipson, CEO, Sabre Source
Carter Caldwell, Principal, Cross Atlantic Capital
Jane Hollingsworth, CEO, NuPathe
This publication is distributed with the understanding that neither the publisher nor any other party is rendering expert advice. If expert assistance is required, seek the advice of a competent professional. ©2011 Greater Philadelphia Alliance for Capital and Technologies, 200 South Broad Street, Suite 700, Philadelphia, PA 19102-3896
215-790-3800