DISCUSSION: Spencer Bogart Head Research Blockchain Capital; Ken Kruszka, CEO SnapCheck; Susan Mason. Partner Aligned Partners; Danielle Deibler, CEO Jurispect; Alex Davidov Investor Core Innovation Capital; MODERATOR: David Spark, Tech journalist/Founder Spark Media Solutions
Venture Capital
Matt Bigge, Partner Crosslink Capital #cybersecurity
Matt Bigge, Partner Crosslink Capital has more than 25 years of experience as a serial entrepreneur and multi-stage venture capital investor. Matt’s relationship with Crosslink’s team spans more than 20 years, including working with Eric Chin at military spin-out venture firm, MILCOM Technologies. Prior to joining Crosslink, Matt was a Partner at Paladin Capital, where he focused on enterprise and industrial infrastructure with a particular emphasis on security. He co-invested alongside Crosslink in ProtectWise and Verodin. Matt has a strong track record of investing in leading edge technology companies, including ArcSight (acquired by HP), CloudShield (acquired by SAIC) and Narus (acquired by Boeing). He was also an early investor and Chairman of the Board of MeshNetworks (acquired by Motorola). As an operator, Matt co-founded seven companies, including MILCOM Technologies and Strategic Social (acquired by Constellis Group). Prior to his business career, Matt was a distinguished Airborne Ranger in the US Army.
Laura Cain, Associate Thomvest Ventures #fintechsuccess
Laura Cain Associate Thomvest Ventures, a $250MM cross-stage fund based in Redwood Shores, CA. At Thomvest, Laura focuses on fintech investments, with a specific interest in online lending and insurance. Laura is responsible for evaluating new investment opportunities, conducting financial & business due diligence, and supporting existing portfolio companies. Prior to Thomvest, Laura worked at Deloitte Consulting as part of the Technology Strategy & Architecture division. There she focused on advising clients on cloud computing, enterprise architecture, IT cost optimization, and M&A. She served a broad range of clients across healthcare, information technology, finance, hospitality, and consumer product industries. Laura graduated from the UC Berkeley with a BS in Business.
Ben Narasin, Partner Canvas Ventures #fintechsuccess
Ben Narasin Partner Canvas, focused on early-stage venture investments in mobile, fintech, and marketplaces/eCommerce as well as exciting new categories. Ben was an active institutional seed investor for eight years before joining Canvas, during which he personally invested in 75 companies including Lending Club, Check, Kabbage, Realty Mogul, Dropcam, Zenefits, and many more world-class startups. Half of the companies he seeded went on to raise follow-on venture capital. An entrepreneur since the age of twelve, Ben ran startups through high school and college before founding Boston Prepatory Company, a menswear company. He then founded Fashionmall.com in 1993, one of the first e-commerce companies on the Web and the first cost-per-click based business, which he took public in 1999 on the NASDAQ. In the moments when Ben is not spending time with his entrepreneurs and family, he is also a professional freelance writer on food and wine for various print publications as well as writing online about technology and entrepreneurship. His work has appeared in The SF Chronicle, Wine Enthusiast, Wall Street Journal, TechCrunch, Venture Beat, Gentry Wealth, SV and many other consumer and trade publications. Read Ben’s writings at Venture & Venison. Ben earned a B.A. in Entrepreneurial Studies from Babson College
