Impact Investing in Technology

Summary: Internet and IT have a profound positive impact in energy, food, political and social justice, and many other sectors that are having a positive impact in our world. Participants at this gathering will meet the country’s leading investors in “Tech For Good.” Participants will understand the opportunities to do this work, learn about breakthrough companies, and hear about the investing strategies of innovative investors. We will review the lessons from key “Tech For Good” incubators, and inspire Boulder’s leaders to deepen our community’s involvement in this global evolution.

Participants will come away with a deeper understanding of what ROI looks like in this context, what motivates investors, and why some businesses are thriving in this sector.

It’s important to note, for the people who are uncertain, that “impact investing” and “tech for good” are terms that include a generally for-profit approach to solving environmental and social challenges. Although we honor and respect the work of technology in the world of non-profits, “impact” does not imply the volunteering of technologists and engineers.

Who Should Come: Everyone! This is not an exclusive event. While we know that many angel investors with a curiosity about impact will be attending, we also welcome entrepreneurs wondering about how to integrate best practices and access capital, as well as anyone with a sense of responsibility towards taking action in pursuit of the greater good.

This event is part of Boulder Startup Week. Seats are limited and RSVP is required (https://www.eventbrite.com/e/impact-investing-in-technology-tickets-11381296765). Tickets are free! Please RSVP online here. (https://www.eventbrite.com/e/impact-investing-in-technology-tickets-11381296765)

Panelists:

Chuck Templeton, CEO, The Impact Engine (tech for good incubator in Chicago) and founder / former CEO of OpenTableRick Moss, co-founder of Better Ventures (tech for good

http://www.impacthubboulder.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/Chuck-Image-IE-300x168.jpg (http://www.impacthubboulder.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/Chuck-Image-IE.jpg) Chuck Templeton is passionate about early stage and emerging companies, and is focused on using business principles to find solutions to the world’s most pressing problems. He has been involved with over two-dozen startups as an entrepreneur, investor, board member, or advisor, and most recently spent the majority of his time helping impact companies as the Managing Director of

Impact Engine (http://www.theimpactengine.com/)

, an accelerator program designed to provide environmental and societal entrepreneurs with the capital, business resources and network they need to build successful companies. Chuck’s experience as an entrepreneur started with the founding of

OpenTable (http://www.opentable.com/)

, (NASDAQ:OPEN), and, inspired by his daughters, is committed to using what he has learned to find creative solutions to climate change and conditions related to income inequality.

(http://www.impacthubboulder.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/Chuck-Image-IE.jpg)

Rick Moss is Managing Director and Founder of Better Ventures. He thrives on solving customer development challenges for startups and spends most of his waking hours at the whiteboard. He has 18 years of technology, entrepreneurship and corporate venture capital experience with Oracle, Sun Microsystems, Computer Sciences Corporation, The Modem Shop (which he founded) and Kleiner Perkins-backed WineShopper.com (acquired by Wine.com). He holds a BA from Trinity College and an MBA from the Amos Tuck School at Dartmouth College. Rick believes passionately that technology should be used to address the world’s most important problems. Rick lives in Oakland, CA with his wife and two kids, is an avid cyclist and a craft beer enthusiast.

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Jim Davidson is an early-stage investor and advisor with over 20-years of internet technology experience. Previously, he was a senior leader at Aol where he served as CTO of DigitalCity, the internet’s first hyper-local portal, and later as VP of Web Services and Publishing, where he led teams responsible for some of the most innovative and high-scale sites including Aol.com and MapQuest. Jim has also been a leader at early-stage companies including: CTO of ShareThis.com, President of Examiner.com, and co-founder and CEO of Laborfair.com, an online marketplace for disadvantaged service providers. Jim is now focused on early-stage impact-investing, providing capital and advice for companies which leverage technology to further their social-benefit and sustainability missions. He is also guarantor and loan committee member of MicroCredit Enterprises which helps fund micro-loans around the world. Jim lives with his wife Melanie and two children in Denver, CO, and aspires to one day finish a triathlon with something more than a participation medal Learn more about Jim at his LinkedIn (http://www.linkedin.com/in/jgdavidson) site.

http://www.impacthubboulder.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/image-150x150.jpg (http://www.impacthubboulder.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/image.jpg)

Ms. Kunz’s experience spans numerous roles including CEO, Founder and Corporate Executive. Currently, as CEO of Avenir International, Inc., Sue is responsible for corporate vision, strategy, execution and capitalization. Avenir is Sue’s fifth startup, four of which she led. Prior to Avenir, Ms. Kunz led a clean tech company, BioVantage Resources, a sustainable water reclamation company. Before this she founded and led Solidware Technologies, Inc., a software quality company which was acquired in 2008. Ms. Kunz’s corporate experience included Sun Microsystems where she was Director of Marketing & Business Development, Six Sigma Director and held various engineering and management positions. Before Sun, Kunz founded an independent consultancy selling digital imaging solutions in Germany. Also in Europe, Kunz held various international product/strategic marketing positions at IBM. Ms. Kunz started her career at Precision Visuals, Inc. and as the only headquarters’ representative Kunz was instrumental in setting up their European offices in Germany.

Sue served on Governor Hickenlooper’s and on Governor Bill Ritter’s Venture Capital Investment Advisory Committees and served on the Governor’s Council for Innovation; she currently serves on Colorado Universitiy’s ICT Law Program Advisory Board and is a Master’s course instructor at Watson University, and a mentor at the Unreasonable Institute. She has served on multiple boards and advisory boards and has been a Techstars mentor. Kunz graduated cum laude with a BS in Computer Science from the University of Idaho.