MCED Connect

Issue: # 7

July 2011

5 Minutes with Kip Moore

Owner: Little Diamond Enterprises

 


Mr. Moore created Little Diamond Island Enterprises in Portland in 1993 to make early-stage investments in technology companies, with a focus in the areas of software, computer services and data communications. Investments are generally in the form of equity and are initially in the range of $500,000 to $1,000,000. A majority of Mr. Moore's recent investments have been in early-stage Maine companies. Prior to moving to Portland Mr. Moore was a General Partner of Welsh, Carson, Anderson & Stowe, a New York based venture capital firm that has been making investments in information processing and health care companies, from 1981 through 1994. While Mr. Moore was a Partner of Welsh, Carson; the firm made investments in over fifty information processing companies. Mr. Moore was directly involved in (and a Director of) over twenty of these investments, eight of which became public companies. From 1975 through 1981, Mr. Moore was an executive with Automatic Data Processing in general management, marketing and development roles. From 1973 to 1975 Mr. Moore was an Assistant Professor of Computer Science at Cornell University. Kip is on the Top Gun Board of Advisors and also serves as a Top Gun Mentor.

 

 

1. Can you tell us a bit about Little Diamond Enterprises?

I moved to Maine in the early 90's and started looking for (and at) local Maine investment opportunities. I've made about fifteen investments in Maine companies, mostly early stage companies in software and computer services.
  
2. Why did you get involved in Top Gun?
I've always enjoyed working with people with entrepreneurial spirit and a vision of where they want to go.  Top Gun helped me do a bit more of that.

 

3. What do you as a mentor get out of the Top Gun program?
I've always enjoyed working with people with entrepreneurial spirit and a vision of where they want to go.  Top Gun helped me do a bit more of that.
 

4. Have you maintained your relationships with your Top Gun mentored companies, Liquid Wireless and Hall Internet Marketing?
I have stayed in touch with both Liquid Wireless and Hall Marketing, though the relationship is informal. I talk to Jason Cianchette and Tom Hall erratically, but fairly frequently. Every CEO of an early stage company needs people to talk to who have some background he (or she) doesn't have. I try to be that kind of resource.

 

5. Did you ever have a mentor? If so, how did that person contribute to your growth?
When I joined a venture capital partnership in the early 80's, I knew nothing about venture capital, so I needed lots of help (mentoring!). I had four other partners who more or less held my hand through the process of learning about the new job I had chosen. It made me realize how invaluable a mentoring relationship can be.

New Top Gun Maine Sponsors!

Top Gun Maine would like to thank the following companies for their generous sponsorship of the

2011 Top Gun Maine Program:

 

Department of Economic and Community Development

Innovation Policy Works

Kepware Technologies

Pro Search

 

 

Happenings 

 

Congratultions go to MCED graduate Company, ORPC, who have won the Technical Company of the Year and MCED board member Kerem Durdag and his company Biovation, who won Technology of the year at the recent Tech Maine Gala Awards. For an entire list of winners click here. 

 

Top Gun graduate Jason Cianchette and his company Liquid Wireless has hired new employee, Eric Greer who will be joining them in July. Way to grow Liquid Wireless!!

 

Ruby Moon was featured, along with MCED, in the Portland Press Herald on June 22nd and was the new venture showcase in MaineBiz on June 26th. Owners, Doug and Lyndsay Sanborn, are happy to welcome Fresh Off the Farm, The Good Tern Co-op, Bathras Market, and the Belfast Coop to the list of Maine retailers.

 

Top Gun graduate, William Crain and his company, Pondera Pharmaceuticals has partnered with Deepak Chopra, MD to commercialize Endorphinate and InnerGenesis LLC (http://www.innergenesis.biz) to commercialize their related anti-aging product. Pondera has also placed their first manufacturing order for Endorphinate™, their lead dietary supplement that naturally enhances healthy adaptive emotional and physical responses to stress and injury and helps maintain balanced neurotransmitter systems.

 

Top Gun graduate Cynthia Sweet and her company, Advance Electronic Concepts is doing well with our LED and Full View Motion Detectors for supermarket refrigerated display cases. Their initial rollout last fall was quite a success. They installed their lights and motion detectors in 10 stores. Following the success of that run, (and lessons learned in production and procurement) they received orders for another 19 stores which they are working on now. They have another 10 stores coming this fall. They have had some promising discussions with Energy Management firms and distributors. As a result of all this work, AE Concepts have added a full time assembler and 3 temporary assemblers with the hope of those becoming permanent positions. Also, they have utilized several Maine companies for parts and services.

 

Top Gun graduate Tom Hall and his company Hall Internet Marketing has been nominated for TechMaine Technology Company of the Year. They are a founding member of the Casco Bay Tech Hub - www.cascobaytechhub.com (See more on the tech hub in our "did you know section).They wrapped up the First Milestone of their MTI Development Award with great success and are very pleased with the results and how quickly and easily they were able to put the MTI funds to work in the Portland economy to enable them to grow jobs here.

 

WORK it UP is pleased to announce the appointment of a new Executive Director, Dr. Michael Ehringhaus. Bill Taylor, who has served as interim Executive Director for the programs of the organization over the past year will continue as President and Chief Executive Officer.

 

Richard Lugg of SonicBlue has a HyperMach/SonicBlue combined launch at the Paris Air Show. HyperMach Aerospace unveiled plans for its 20-seat SonicStar V-tailed, supersonic business jet yesterday at the Paris Air Show. Company CEO Richard Lugg claims the Mach 3.6 aircraft will take no more than one hour 45 minutes to fly from Paris to New York. The SonicStar is scheduled to fly in 2021, with certification possible, but not promised, by 2025. Please click here for full article.

 

Micro Technologies, Inc. announced today that the company's board of directors and shareholders approved a name change to Kennebec River Biosciences. The change is a reflection of the company's heightened focus on emerging blue biotechnology opportunities and a tribute to its coastal Maine roots.

 
Did you know about the Casco Bay Tech Hub? 

 

Where: 30 Danforth Street - Second and Third Floors
Portland, ME 04101

 

The Casco Bay Tech Hub offers many great benefits for Maine technology companies that will aid them in recruitment, building partnerships, networking, education and funding growth. Through CBTH, local tech companies can share, learn and work together as they build relationships with other tech companies, educational institutions, service providers, funding sources and government entities. CBTH hopes to deliver a tech environment, supported by local businesses and culture, that proves Portland is a great place for the brightest tech minds to work. CBTH hopes to support local tech companies so they can grow and add high paying, high demand jobs here in Portland. Eventually, we want to connect entrepreneurs with MTI and other early stage funding sources, local universities and colleges, and MCED, so they can build a network of real support for their start up businesses.

5 Minutes with Kip Moore
New Top Gun Sponsors
Happenings
Did you know about the Casco Bay Tech Hub?
Upcoming Events

UPCOMING EVENTS

Friday, July 8, 2011

Free Google Tools

for Business
Productivity & Marketing  

 

Sponsored by:

Maine WBC at CEI;
Vinalhaven School

Time: 10:30AM to 2:00PM

Place: Vinalhaven

Vinalhaven School
22 Arcola  
Cost: $30

FMI: 207-882-7552 x158

[email protected]

_______________________

Tuesday, July 12, 2011

 

Going green with cloud computing

Sponsor:

Maine Association
of Nonprofits
Time: noon-1:30 p.m.
Place: Maine Association

 

of Nonprofits, Portland  

Cost: Free

Contact: 871-1885.

www.nonprofitmaine.org

 ________________________

Tuesday, July 12, 2011
Portland SCORE's
Starting Your Own Business Sponsored: SCORE
Time: 6:00-9:00pm
Place: Portland 2nd floor,
100 Middle Street
Cost:
www.scoremaine.com
to register or FMI:
207-772-1147
[email protected]
________________________
Wednesday, July 13, 2011
Making the Most of the Media
Sponsored by:
Maine Association
of Nonprofits
Time: 1 - 4pm
Place: Waterville
Colby College - Diamond Building
Cost: $50,
NonMember: $100
FMI: (207) 871-1885
______________________
Friday, July 15, 2011
Tales of a Serial Entrepreneur
presented by Dick Hale,
President and CEO
of Wentworth Technology
Sponsored by:
Association for Consulting
Expertise (A.C.E.)
Time: 7:30-9:30 a.m.
Place: Falmouth,
Portland Country Club,
11 Foreside Road
Cost: $22
FMI: (800) 464-5043 [email protected]

_______________________

Thursday July 14, 2011
Public forum with Lisa Read, manager at Bath Iron Works
Sponsor: Maine Million
Dollar Women
Time: 8:30-10 a.m.
Place: Cumberland Club,
Portland
Contact: mainemilliondollarwomen
______________________
Friday, July 15, 2011
A.C.E. Monthly Meeting
Registrations are required
by July 12, 2011.
Sponsored by:
Association for
Consulting Expertise
Time: 7:30am - 3:30pm
Place: Falmouth,
Portland Country Club
11 Foreside Road
Cost: Member prepay $17,
nonmember $22
FMI: (800) 464-5043

______________________

Tuesday, July 19, 2011
Portland SCORE's
Marketing and Sales workshop
Sponsored by: SCORE
Time: 6:00-9:00pm
Place: Portland,
2nd Floor, 100 Middle Street
Cost: $35.00
with online registration
FMI: 207-772-1147 [email protected]

 _____________________

Tuesday, July 26, 2011

 

Portland SCORE's Writing a Business Plan workshop

Sponsored by: SCORE

Time: 6:00-9:00pm

Place: Portland

2nd floor, 100 Middle Street

Cost: $35.00

with online registration

FMI: 207-772-1147 [email protected]

 

_____________________ 

 



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