Sharon Vosmek, CEO Astia

Message from the CEO

I love autumn in the Bay Area!

My favorite Gala apples are coming in to season, kids are excited (as are their parents) about returning to school, and Astia´s 8th Annual Call for Applications for the Silicon Valley program is well under way. This year we have over 300 potential companies lining up to apply for this competitive class of high-tech, clean tech and life science innovators. If you have yet to complete your application, it is not too late— but you better get on it— the deadline is September 10th.

Once again this year, Astia continues to innovate the programmatic offering for entrepreneurs. Built upon the experience and expertise of the individuals on the clean tech, high-tech and life science program committees, this year´s program will have an added emphasis on alternative funding sources and bootstrapping (always a good strategy)— including a keynote by Sramana Mitra, Forbes Columnist & Author of, "Bootstrapping, Weapon of Mass Reconstruction." Also the program is broken out by the three sectors with effective growth strategies for each built in to each day. This is truly a program not to be missed!

And the community of Advisors is lining up— with over 600 individuals already signed up to lend their time and expertise. Advisor Orientations will take place in October (notices will be sent out this week) and if you have not yet completed your Advisor profile, you should do so here.

If you are curious about the companies who have participated in the past, a number have had some great press lately and you can read about them in this newsletter and on our website.

Like I said, I do love the Fall! So very much happening here at Astia. I look forward to seeing many of you soon.

Cheers,

Sharon Vosmek

Chief Executive Officer


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Astia News

Sharon Vosmek, CEO of Astia interviewed by Women"s Radio

Anula Jayasuriya, President of EPPIC to speak at India LifeScience Day

Astia NYC´s Jennifer Hill featured on MSNBC "Your Business"

Jenny Zensut, Scout Labs to judge at DEMO

Shanna Tellerman, CEO, Sim Ops Studios to participate at DEMO
on panel with Mark Heesen, NVCA: "The Good, bad and the ugly of raising VC in the downturn."

Astia Executive in Residence, Laura Smoliar, Ph.D to speak at Columbia University on Entrepreneurship & Technology

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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.

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Astia Sponsors

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Three Guineas Fund, Fenwick & West LLP, The Althea Foundation, Deloitte, Microsoft, Mintz Levin, Morrison Foerster, Iron Creative Communications, Moss Adams LLP, Nixon Peabody, Osborne Clarke, Pillsbury, Reed Smith, SVB Financial Group, Wells Fargo, Cooley Godward Kronish LLP, Tenon, Greenberg Traurig, Square 1 Bank, Angelsoft, Cisco, J. Sagar Associates, UK Trade & Investment, Soennenschein, Pay Cycle

How to Get Connected

Silicon Valley
[email protected]

New York
[email protected]

London
[email protected]

India
[email protected]

Silicon Valley

Silicon Valley

 

Deadline Approaching!
Apply today to Astia´s Doing it Right Silicon Valley Program: Deadline is September 10th

Doing it right is an unparalleled resource for success— a transformative program designed by entrepreneurs for entrepreneurs who want to become dominant players in their sectors. The format? A comprehensive six-day workshop followed by a two-month program of personalized coaching from premier experts and the opportunity to start benefiting from the global ecosystem of angels, VCs, corporations, and entrepreneurs that is Astia. Who should apply? Exceptional women-led high growth startups who know that success is not just about raising money but about growing a business and thriving even in today´s market.

The Bottom Line:
Past presenting companies have achieved unprescedented results. Want the proof? Just look at the numbers:

Over a half billion dollars raised

Funding success rate
exceeding 60%

12 exits to date, 2 IPOs

KEY DATES:
Application Deadline:
September 10, 2009

In-Person Screening:
October 1, 2009

Doing it Right Silicon Valley: November 2-7

San Francisco Investor Forum: January 14, 2009

Visit Astia and complete your application… www.astia.org

New York

New York

 

Fall 2009 is approaching in the New York City area, and we are delighted to select the next class of Astia companies joining our outstanding global community. For entrepreneurs leading high-growth companies in the New York area, you are welcomed and encouraged to apply for Astia´s upcoming Doing it Right Program November 2-7, 2009 in San Francisco. This is an outstanding opportunity to quickly becoming a part of Astia´s Silicon Valley and New York communities and leverage opportunities to meet with investors on both coasts. This year´s speaker line-up will be better than ever. Click here to see the tracks! Interested companies should apply here and screen in person in New York City on October 1, 2009. For more information, please contact Jennifer Hill, Astia´s Vice President of New York Programs: [email protected].

In addition, Astia is proud to announce our global partnership with 85Broads— a global network of 20,000 trailblazing women who are inspired, empowered, and connected worldwide. The founding members of 85Broads are women who worked for Goldman Sachs at 85 Broad Street, the investment banking firm´s NYC headquarters. Over the past decade, 85 Broads expanded its membership to include women who are alumnae and students of the world´s leading colleges, universities, and graduate schools. Their members are located in 82 countries around the world and work for thousands of different companies and non-profit organizations. Astia and 85Broads are working together to inspire, empower and connect entrepreneurs, mentors and investors within their community to support new enterprises.

London

London

 

Sharon Vosmek will be bringing together members of the Astia European community in a series of activities in London and Cambridge this month. Gethering UK Advisory Board members, Astia entrepreneurs and sponsors. We will be hosting "Astia UK in Cambridge" on 22 September— tell us if you would like to join the meet up. Astia UK would like to thank Coutts & Co for hosting its intimate champagne reception as part of this visit.

We are pleased to welcome UK Advisory Board member Isabel Fox as part of her September visit to Silicon Valley. Startups in the Bay area interested to discuss PR in Europe should arrange to meet with Isabel, founder IF Communications via Astia. Isabel represents VCs and startups in Europe and is well-connected and highly-regarded.

Additionally, Astia is pleased to announce the promotion of Evie Mulberry to Vice President, Astia UK/EU. Evie has served for the past year and a half as Director of that market. The promotion is in recognition of her exceptional performance in building the Astia UK community and program. Evie is largely credited for the success of the first European Doing it Right program during which 8 companies presented to the investment community. Only in its first year, Astia UK/EU has already become the benchmark for innovative entrepreneur programs and the go-to place to source high-quality start-ups. Participants came from 6 European countries to attend four days of program and the subsequent Investor Forum both held in London this past Spring. In her capacity as Vice President, Evie will provide the Executive oversight of the market ensuring the successful strategy development and implementation effort there. Congratulations Evie!

India

India

 

Astia is thrilled to introduce you to VP India, Ruchi Khemka. Ruchi recently joined Astia and is leading Astia´s efforts in India. She has over 9 years of experience across an IT organisation, a non-profit-organisation and is a true entrepreneur at heart. She started her career as a Sales & Distribution coordinator with Microsoft India in 1999 and moved up to take up the role of Events Manager - India for them. In November 2003, Ruchi realised that setting up her own entrepreneurial venture was much more fulfilling and started her entrepreneurial journey by setting up a ´plus size fashion garment store´ in India. However, despite aspirations to scale-up, in June 2006 she moved on from her enterprise and joined TiE— The Indus Entrepreneurs, as the Associate Director, Mumbai Chapter. In January 2008, she moved to London with her marriage with Ashish and took up the role of Chapter Manager, TiE London. At TiE, Ruchi was responsible for structuring regular programs on diverse aspects & challenges of entrepreneurship, to educate, inspire, mentor & connect entrepreneurs.

Ruchi has now relocated to Mumbai, India (August 2009) and looks forward to manifest her entrepreneurial passion and orientation by meaningfully and proactively adding value to the entrepreneurial ecosystem in India. She is ready to lead the Astia India strategy and implementation upon funding of the market. Since May she has been working closely with the Astia team to map the India market plans and to secure funding. We are more than pleased to have Ruchi join our Astia team.

If you would like more information on Astia India or would like to contact Ruchi Khemka directly, please email [email protected]

Astia Company Spotlight

Since participating in the Astia Doing it Right London programme in May, and presenting at the Investor Forum in June, Affect Labs have been busy launching their first product FestBuzz. Recently featured in the Scotsman, FestBuzz helps audiences at the Edinburgh Festivals find out what the ´word on the tweet´ is about various shows and events by automatically aggregating and summarizing opinions from Twitter. The site is funded by 4iP, Channel 4´s Innovation for the Public fund, and is one of many new ventures supported by the fund with the aim of harnessing and disrupting new media. Affect Labs have several projects in the pipeline based around their sentiment engine, which powers FestBuzz, and are currently looking for angel investment.


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Astia Events

Clean Tech Breakfast #4: Innovation Opportunities Using Solar Technologies with SD Forum

Tuesday, September 01 2009, 8:00am - 10:00am
Photovoltaic technology has been reducing its cost for energy production at a steady rate over the last twenty years. Recent focus and investments in this field target innovations that will accelerate the reductions in the Levelized Cost of Energy (LCOE) that can be achieved by this technology.

To view more information on this upcoming event and to register, please visit our website by clicking here.


Clean Tech Breakfast #5: Old Energy Resources in a New Climate with SD Forum

Tuesday, November 10, 2009, 8:00am - 10:00am
Hydrocarbons as a source of energy still keep the lights on at night in most of the world. What´s new and where is the market going?
Is this really a dinosaur?

To view more information on this upcoming event and to register, please visit our website by clicking here.


Ask the CEO: Global Entrepreneur Session

Tuesday, September 22 2009
Silicon Valley— 9:00 AM | New York— 12:00 PM
London— 5:00 PM | Bangalore— 9:30 PM

"Ask the CEO" with Laura Smoliar, Ph.D.
Astia would like to welcome Laura Smoliar who is currently working as Entrepreneur in Residence with Astia, focusing on client evangelism and is interviewing executive teams to capture their stories for case studies, white papers, articles and other information sources. She also works with Peppertree Engineering, providing strategic and business development counsel for high-technology companies. In 2005, Dr. Smoliar launched Mobius Photonics, a company that produces commercial fiber lasers. As Chairman and CEO of Mobius Photonics, Laura Smoliar built a corporate team, established key customer relationships in Europe and Asia, successfully raised angel and strategic financing from the U.S. and Japan, and established a strong intellectual property (IP) position based on the company´s unique breakthrough light technology.

To view more information on this upcoming event and to register, please visit our website by clicking here. All sessions are open to Astia members and clients only. To become a member, please click here.


The 5th Annual Astia Awards

Thursday, November 19, 2009, 6:00pm

Join us for an evening to celebrate this year´s award winners, honor the Astia community and provide an inspiring evening for all!

Cocktail & Awards Reception
Golden Gate Club of San Francisco


Regular Ticket Price: $150 | Silver Ticket Price: $250*
Gold Ticket Price: $500*

Purchase your ticket here

* Includes access to exclusive VIP Reception


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Astia Partner Events

AngelNews presents Pitch For Management, not Money!

September 8, 2009
London, UK | Click here for more information

85Broads presents Women´s Power Breakfast

September 10, 2009
New York, NY | Click here for more information

AlwaysOn presents Going Green West 2009

September 14-16, 2009
Cavallo Point, San Francisco, CA | Click here for more information

BioPharm America´s ChinaBio Day 2009

September 15, 2009
San Francisco, CA | Click here for more information

TiE UK— TiE Young Entrepreneurs

September 16, 2009
London, UK | Click here for more information

Women in Technology´s Communicating with Confidence

September 16, 2009
London, UK | Click here for more information

BVCA Regional Dinner and CEO Awards 2009

September 17, 2009
Manchester, UK | Click here for more information

DEMO fall 09

September 21-23, 2009
San Diego, CA | Click here for more information

Women´s Unlimited presents Franchise your
Way to Business Growth

September 23, 2009
British Library, UK | Click here for more information

The Hatchery´s Gauntlet

September 23, 2009
United Kingdom | Click here for more information

BayBio´s 17th Annual Gene Acres Conference

September 30, 2009
South San Francisco, CA | Click here for more information

The Next Women presents Darwinian Business:
Survival of the Fittest

October 7, 2009
London, UK | Click here for more information


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Recommended Reads

Mining the Web for Feelings Not Facts - The New York Times

August 23, 2009
Astia client Scout Labs and their sentiment analysis software get great coverage in the New York Times.

The World´s 100 Most Powerful Women - Forbes.com

August 20, 2009
Women are making waves in business, politics and nonprofits around the world. Their influence is growing.

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