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Astia Newsletter
May 2009
In This Issue
:: Astia News
:: Astia Awards Dinner 2009
:: Astia Company Spotlight
:: Astia Member Spotlight
:: Partner News
:: US Partner Events
:: UK/EU Partner Events
:: Renew Your Astia Membership
Sharon VosmekMessage from the CEO

It has been a busy month for us! I am pleased to share just some of the highlights here and I look forward to visiting with many of you soon at an Astia program or Advisory Board or planning meeting in the coming weeks. I greatly enjoy visiting with you - the individuals who are Astia!

In April, Astia NYC held the second annual Doing it Right program for entrepreneurs generously hosted once again this year by Cooley, New York City and served as a partner program of the first annual New York City's Entrepreneur Week. Over 40 companies participated, representing high tech, digital media, life sciences, medical devices, clean technology, and business and consumer internet services. From these 40 companies, 15 were selected to present on June 4th at the Astia NYC Investor Forum

Meanwhile, across the pond in London, finishing touches are being put on the Astia Doing it Right Programme for entrepreneurs scheduled for next week and to be hosted by Morrison & Foerster. Over 15 companies from 6 countries (England, Ireland, Norway, Holland, Germany and Scotland) and 72 students from London Business School are registered to attend the 4-day programme. A few spaces remain and last minute registrants are welcome to apply to the full programme or to buy single-day passes!

A bit further afield you can read about the progress being made on Astia India. The community on the ground is working hard to build out a strong community committed to the mission of Astia and success of the entrepreneurs.

This month in Silicon Valley we look forward to our quarterly board meeting at which we will finalize plans for this year's Silicon Valley Doing it Right program and Awards Dinner.

As I hope we articulate with great frequency - we are extremely grateful for your continued and thoughtful support and participation. Until the next Astia event...

Cheers,
Sharon Vosmek
Chief Executive Officer
London News
Astia is Doing it Right in London on
11-14 May, 2009


London 2009May has arrived! Next week, exceptional entrepreneurs will benefit from much hard work and collaboration during Astia's inaugural Doing it Right London Programme.

Gain insight from the exceptional experts participating in Doing it Right London -- single-day passes are still available.
PURCHASE TICKETS NOW!


Please take the time to review the London Details & Schedule and the Programme Speaker Bios. You will quickly learn that you will not want to miss it!

Select companies from the programme will be showcased during Astia London Investor Forum. We look forward to announcing the chosen companies on 18 May.
IndiaIndia News

On April 28th, 2009, the planning committee for Astia India met at the offices of J. Sagar Associates through the kind support of Sajai Singh and his colleagues. There were approximately thirty five participants who attended the introductory meeting which included representatives from across India ranging from academic institutions, media, both the public and private sector.

The agenda for this meeting included a summary of Astia India's activities to date and more importantly future plans for our launch in March 2010 with updates from Committee Chairs Anurakt Jain, Anu  Bhardwaj, Mumtaz Kutty, and Sajai Singh. In addition, the importance of collaborating with other mainstream non-governmental organizations and academic institutions who may facilitate Astia India's core objectives of nurturing high-growth VC backed women entrepreneurs were emphasized.

The outcome of this meeting was a positive exchange of ideas for next steps and more concrete ways in which we may leverage Astia's existing networks in the US & UK while harnessing mind-power of like-minded Indians who share a common goal and mission in supporting high-growth women entrepreneurs.
New York Recap
Astia DID it Right in New York on
April 20-23, 2009


New York 2009
Astia successfully concluded its 2nd annual Doing it Right New York City Program, a four-day program for high-potential, high-growth, women-led start-up companies across New York and the East Coast, which was held April 20-23. 

Over 90 people attended the program, and it received high praise from start-up attendees and investor panelists alike. MSNBC's Your Business and Inc. Magazine participated in the event to preview companies for their effective television and online media properties. Over 15 companies will be chosen to attend the 2nd annual Astia NYC Investor Forum on June 4, 2009.  If you are an angel or venture investor, please click here to receive your complimentary pass!
 
We are pleased to announce two new additions to the Astia NYC Advisory Board: Jalak Jobanputra of the New York City Investment Fund and Liz Hamburg of Upstart Ventures. Welcome Jalak and Liz!

A special thanks to all the Cooley Godward Kronish LLP members that helped make Doing it Right in New York a success!
Silicon Valley News
ENTREPRENEURS APPLY NOW!
Astia is Doing it Right in Silicon Valley on September 25 - October 23, 2009

Silicon Valley 2009Astia is now accepting applications for the Doing it Right Silicon Valley Program. Astia's hallmark program has resulted in a >60% funding success rate for prior participants. 

- Gain exposure to leading VCs, angel investors and corporate business development

- Learn from industry experts about how to achieve high growth
- Take your business to the next level
- it is current, fresh and relevant
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Astia News

Sharon Vosmek, Astia CEO, interviewed by Women's Radio
Lady Entrepreneurs Do it Right Women's Radio

Astia's 2nd Annual Doing it Right New York City Program Jumpstarts Venture Fundraising for More Than 40 Women-led Startup Companies

Astia Press Release

Growth in women-led start-ups outperforms national average in UK
"Percentage growth in female-only start-ups increased by 9% to more than 90,000 in 2008 compared to 83,000 in 2007. Male-only start-ups showed a slight increase of less than 1%, to 300,000." Barclays Media Centre

Jennifer Hill, Astia VP, to Speak at MIT Enterprise Forum Event
MIT-EF: We Can All Learn a Thing or Two From Women
Thursday, May 14th, 5:30pm - 8:30pm
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John China, SVB Capital Joins Astia Board of Trustees

Astia is the premier organization dedicated to the success of women leaders in the innovation sector. SVB Financial Group is proud to be a long-time supporter of Astia - we share its deep commitment to accelerating the growth of women-led startups.
- John China, SVB Financial Group
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Special Thanks to Professional Women's Healthcare Alliance

Astia would like to thank the members of the Professional Women's Healthcare Alliance (PWHA) for their generous support of the Astia Doing it Right Program for Life Science companies. Their contribution will help to underwrite the 2009 program in Silicon Valley.
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Astia Awards Dinner 2009 Updates

Tickets to the Astia Awards Dinner 2009 Are Now On Sale!

Join us at this year's 5th Annual Astia Awards Dinner on November 18th at Four Seasons San Francisco. You do not want to miss this fabulous evening as we unveil this year's award winners, honor our community, and provide an inspiring evening for all! To purchase tables or individual tickets, please contact Vanessa Kliewer, Events & Program Manager at (415) 421-5500 ext. 8.

AUCTION DONATIONS NEEDED for Awards Dinner
Astia is actively seeking donations to auction off on this evening. Interested in donating to Astia's Awards Dinner Silent Auction? Please contact Vanessa Kliewer at [email protected] or (415) 421-5500 ext. 8.
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Find local green businesses, products, services, events, classes, tips and more.Astia Company Spotlight
GenGreen Life - Find the Green in Everything... Locally

GenGreen is the preeminent aggregator and distributor of environmental content online. GenGreen is the creator and maintainer of the largest verifiable database of green businesses and organizations in the US, with over 45,000 companies currently in their system. Their website GenGreenLife.com offers environmental resources for individual users and crucial visibility for these businesses servicing them. The core business model for GenGreen encompasses the distribution model and software applications that spread their content across many different platforms. GenGreen currently licenses their database of green businesses to media companies such as National Geographic and Gannett. It is delivered through a complex application programming interface, or API. GenGreen also services corporations in need of direction for sourcing and procuring of verified environmentally friendly products and companies. Their database and its customized software solutions delivery methods are highly desired in today's marketplace as businesses are in need of ways to minimize their environmental impact and mitigate their carbon footprint. GenGreen also offers statistical data for monitoring green trends and specific market growth.
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Astia Member Spotlight
Brooke Shields - Founder & Principal, BXS Group

Brooke Shields brings operational, strategy and marketing expertise, as well as a strong entrepreneurial spirit, to all engagements. Her experience ranges from global high technology companies to small businesses in the San Francisco Bay Area and in Costa Rica. She has held executive roles at Autodesk, Sun Microsystems, and The Communication Group. In 2003 she founded the BXS Group, a Bay Area consulting practice providing interim management, strategy and business services to small and medium size growth companies. Ms. Shields serves on a variety of boards including the San Francisco-based children's mental health agency Edgewood Center for Children and Families, and on the Advisory Committee for Nollenberger Capital Partners, a privately held investment banking and investment advisory firm.  She resides in San Francisco with her partner, two sons, and two very large dogs.

Interested in joining the Astia Community?  Become a Member Now!
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ffiNow Accepting Applications

The Funded Founder Institute is a four month program that trains new and seasoned founders alike on the best practices for building next generation companies.� more details
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HarQen in the News

Recruiting: Tapping the Talent Pool... Hiring In an Employer's Market Apr. 2009 Inc.com Mansueto Ventures LLC. New York, NY.

Coping With Resume Overload
Careers Apr. 2009 The Wall Street Journal Dow Jones & Company, Inc. 3 April 2009

How to find the right resumes in a haystack Money Mar. 2009 Daily News Daily News, L.P. New York, NY.
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SimOps in the News

Shanna Tellerman, Sim Ops is Pushing the Envelope of 3D Technology Apr. 2009 BusinessWeek The McGraw-Hill Companies Inc. 20 April 2009
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United States Partner Events

SDForum: Non-Traditional Funding Sources
� event details
Thursday May 07, 6:00am-8:30pm - Menlo Park, CA

FWE&E: Women Empowering Women
� event details
Thursday May 07, 6:00pm-9:00pm - Sun Microsystems | Menlo Park, CA 

Partner for Funding: University Technology Assistance in this Recession� event details 
Friday May 08, 8:00am-12:00pm - CUNY Graduate Center | New York, NY

Astia & SDForum: Clean Tech Breakfast #2: "The Future Size of the Carbon Footprint"
� event details
Tuesday May 12, 8:00am - 10:00am -
Nixon Peabody | San Francisco, CA
Astia members receive $5 off the non-member price -- use Discount Code: 'CT09'

The Neurotech Industry Investing and Partnering Conference 2009� event details
Monday May 11 - Wednesday, May 13 - St. Regis | San Francisco, CA

NCWIT: May Meeting - "Global Status of Women in Technology"
� event details
Tuesday May 12 - Thursday, May 14 -
Google Headquarters | Mountain View, CA

MIT Enterprise Forum: We Can All Learn a Thing or Two From Women� event details
Thursday May 14, 5:30pm-8:30pm - Milbank | New York, NY
Jennifer Hill, Vice President of Astia to speak on the panel.


TiE: TiEcon 2009� event details
Friday May 15 - Saturday, May 16 - Santa Clara Convention Center | Santa Clara, CA

FWE&E: Board Readiness Program
� event details
Wednesday May 20, 6:00pm-9:00pm -  Sonnenschein | San Francisco, CA

SJF Ventures: Summit on the New Green Economy� event details
Tuesday, June 02 - Wednesday, June 03 - Durham Marriott Convention Center | Durham, NC

IBF: 20th Annual Venture Capital Investing Conference� event details
Wednesday, June 03 - Friday, June 05 - The Palace Hotel | San Francisco, CA

Visit
Astia's Event Calendar for all partner events and details!
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European Partner Events
 
TiE UK: The Future of China & India
� event details
Thursday 7 May, 6:00pm-9:00pm - London, UK

BVCA: Regional Dinner and CEO Awards 2009: Bristol
� event details
Thursday 14 May
- Bristol, UK

INSEAD: Global Entrepreneurship Forum
� event details
Friday 22 May
- INSEAD Campus | Fontainebleau, France

TiE UK: An Evening With Alex van Someren
� event details
Tuesday 26 May, 6:00pm-9:00pm - London, UK

BVCA: Regional Dinner and CEO Awards 2009: Birmingham� event details
Thursday, June 04 - Birmingham, UK

Visit Astia's Event Calendar for all partner events and details!

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Have You Renewed Your Astia Membership for 2009?

The financial contributions received through our membership program help to underwrite Astia's mission of providing programs that accelerate the funding and growth of women-led companies, develop the executive leadership of the founding team, and enable new ventures to fully participate in high-growth markets. Operating on a less than one million dollar budget, Astia continues to deliver unparalleled programs and services to women entrepreneurs and leaders worldwide. 

For more information on membership levels and benefits, visit our website:
Become an Astia Member - We cannot do it without you so please become a member or renew your membership today!
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Astia is now blogging!  Join our ongoing discussions at Astia Notes

You can now follow Astia on Twitter:
Sharon Vosmek | AstiaSF | AstiaUK | AstiaNYC

Astia is also on
Linked-In and Facebook.  Be sure to join our groups!

Want to
join the Astia community?  Register for the community portal and fill out your member profile!

Andrew Deaver
Marketing Associate

[email protected]

A  S  T  I  A

Funding
| Growth | Leadership

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Astia Sponsors - Become an Astia Sponsor

3 Guineas
          Fenwick and West
   Althea Foundation
                                      
    
   
           MicrosoftDeloitte
               Mintz Levin
         
    
                Morrison FoersterIron Creative
  Moss Adams
        
                                                     
Pillsbury New Logo
Nixon Peabody       Osborne Clarke
   ReedSmithWells Fargo
           SVB
   
cooley   
Tenon
    Greenburg
Square 1 bank

Angelsoft
CiscoJSA
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Astia Investor Advisory Council - Join Astia's Investor Advisory Council
 
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