WebVisible, is it a double entendre, a play on words? Co-founder Kirsten Mangers suggests it could be called WebInVisible, because of the subtle behind the scenes work they do for others. It's a story of a not-so-small startup, she closed her B-round in March and just hired employee #89. That's a lot of growth! What's changed? Plenty, but especially Kirsten. She doesn't behave like a founder anymore; she's grown into the role of CEO, working towards a potential exit.

So what is WebVisible? If you're an investor you've seen lots of business plans to bring the web to local businesses, like the plumber, the pizza parlor and the carpet cleaner. For myself personally, I've lost more money on these schemes than anything else. So who is making the web work for local business? WebVisible.

Who's on the board? Redpoint's Brad Jones, FieNet's Ted Smith and Sutter Hill's Jim White.

Show #164 (41:58)

Amplyx Pharmaceuticals got its initial funding from the Life Science Angels then they were introduced to Jack Florio and the Tech Coast Angels. Founder Andre Marquis describes how they're out to improve drugs that already have large markets; think Lipitor. Addressing big markets is sure to attract lots of angel investors, so that's where this show goes.

He's got a simple presentation for a complex product; he's a serial entrepreneur and he has the support of a former Eli Lilly exec. It seems like it's all coming together; he's almost funded.

Show #163 (48:39)

The Tech Coast Angels have just crossed the $1B threshold, attracting third party and venture capital funds to their portfolio companies.

Sometimes it's said that due diligence takes too long. We've all heard of companies that begin the due diligence process and never close. Is it a fault of the process, or is there more to it?

Tech Coast Angels founder, Luis Villalobos, describes one critical part of DD as a transformation process; it's not just getting answers to a 9-page checklist, it's helping to focus an efficient strategy on the startup's most promising market. TCA deal lead Steve Block liked what he heard about eGuardian before they even presented! He had another company that was dealing with children online. Steve would put the two companies together and bring the critical focus to transform eGuardian.

Attorneys General from 49 states are pressuring social networking sites to protect kids. eGuardian partners Ron Zayas and Robert Patrick have a new approach to protecting children while they're online. Robert's the technical one, Ron is Mr. Marketing; now they're back to complete the funding cycle.

It's been a long process, has that initial group of interested angels grown cold? How will the company regenerate some buzz in the investor community?

It's Part 1 of a Series: Almost Funded.
Show #162 (36:46)

Today's new sponsor: Vencore Capital

My best show ever? I'd like to think they get better every week, but many listeners say "this is the one". From back in December 2006, you'll have to give me credit for improved audio since then, but who am I to argue?

Jim Armstrong of Clearstone Venture Partners put the podcast on the map.

According to one listener: "The points made by Jim are priceless. This should be required listening for all angel investors. No wishy-washy nonsense here... some really great wisdom."

Show #161 (45:41)

Stephanie Hanbury-Brown is the founder of the Golden Seeds forums; there's four: in NYC, Boston, Philadelphia and coming soon to San Francisco. Golden Seeds is angel investing for both men and women, but they only invest in women entrepreneurs. Is Golden Seeds a social enterprise? Are there enough women-led startups? And does this single minded strategy complicate portfolio diversification?

She's the 2008 winner of the Hans Severiens Award, given by the Angel Capital Association.

You know I love video. She describes Golden Seeds' evolution in video capture of the entrepreneur's pitch. It's Part II in a series on women as angels...

Show #160 (37:49)

How can Tech Coast Angels attract more women members? Former french fry salesman, Bill Waldo, has a few ideas. As an entrepreneur he sold 60 million pounds of french fries a year then sold his Las Vegas food wholesaling business to retire to Newport Beach. But he's too young for retirement. Enter the Tech Coast Angels and now after 2 years Bill chairs the Orange County Membership Committee.

What do prospective members ask about the organization? What are their early impressions? And what advice does Bill offer to new members?

He has his challenges, especially how to recruit more women members. How will he open that door and attract more women? So why does TCA want more members? Is it political correctness or is there something more?

Show #159 (44:11)
Tags: TriTech, Tech Coast Angels, women angels, Cluepedia, Ginni Designs

Taking the highest award at Tech Coast Angels' 8th Annual Fast Pitch in Anaheim last week, ElectronVault's Linda Maepa describes her company's mileage extending technology. It's still expensive, but getting closer to commercial viablility, an alternative battery for the Toyota Prius that gets 100 mpg! The team comes from CalTech and worked with Entretech as they first began the process of looking to the investment community.

It's not her first startup, "in failing, I learned". She sounds well positioned to make ElectronVault a big success.

Show #158 (35:49)

Tags: Fast Pitch, ElectronVault, Prius, CalTech, Tech Coast Angels, Entretech

The Tech Coast Angels host the 8th Annual Fast Pitch wrapped up last night in Anaheim. Above, Linda Maepa of ElectronVault Inc., winner of Best Overall
Above: The moment of truth, the judges score Medisens' Art Scotten

Allan Sabol raised $1.15M for his staffing startup with a little help from Tech Coast Angel Dan Caulfied. After his release from the Marine Corps, Dan describes his early entrepreneurial activity working on internet startups for Ross Perot, "it was acrimonious". After that relationship wound down, Dan eventually joined TCA and met Dayak which was started by 2 former Marine officers. This common Marine background created an instant bond of trust.

Just what are the qualities that make a Marine officer a good entrepreneur?
Dan ticks them off:
Marine officers make decisions quickly and they're not afraid to make decisions without all the right answers. "The internet is very similar to a battlefield," he adds, and the combat analogies start flowing.

Although the company approached as a Seed stage opportunity, Allan says, "we raised almost four times what we originally expected."

What conclusions might you take away from this interview? Well, you'd like to have Dan Caulfield leading your funding effort.

Show #157 (43:54)

I'm back from the Angel Capital Association's Annual Summit in San Diego; what a super event! So this podcast is for all my new listeners from around the world. I made friends in Chile, EBAN: the European Business Angel Network, Puerto Rico, Scotland, New Zealand, Australia, Oh Canada!, Texas, Mississippi and Ohio, too.

UCSB's Director of the Venture Acceleration Initiative, Don Oparah, is out to commercialize more of the university's research. He has his work cut out.

Show #156 (43:16)

On the podcast for his 5th appearance, Tech Coast Angel Dave Berkus talks about the 10 boards he sits on. "Non-profit boards have to have 3 different kinds of members," and what about the for-profits? Dave has great perspective and offers many jewels of experience.

Dave "doesn't want to discourage other angel investors, but... " We discuss the long life cycle of these early stage investments. Just when can angels expect to see some exits?

Dave's a real gadget freak and he mentions many things like a high quality USB microphone, Skype and Sight Speed.

Show #155 (48:30)

Events
Register today to attend the Tech Coast Angels 8th Annual Fast Pitch, 6pm Monday May 19th.