Due Diligence Is Not for Sissies

ANN ARBOR, Mich., Sept. 7 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- "Companies ready for equity investment don't always realize the landmines waiting for them on the due diligence trail; our next monthly forum will be educating them on the scrutiny they will face," says the team at the New Enterprise Forum, a well-established organization serving Michigan entrepreneurs.

NEF's next monthly forum, titled "Due Diligence is not for Sissies," will focus on what entrepreneurs should expect, what they will be asked, what documents they will need, what research they should do before they apply for equity money, in addition to how long the process will take, and much more. The event starts at 5:00 p.m., with the program beginning at 5:45 p.m. on Thursday, September 16, at SPARK Central, 330 E. Liberty Street in Ann Arbor.

The participants for this event include:

Andrew McColm – Andrew joined Early Stage Partners as Managing Director in October, 2009. Prior to joining ESP, Andrew was Associate Director - Business Formation, for the University of Michigan Office of Technology Transfer. Over the preceding twenty years, Andrew was a key manager in multiple international telecommunications startup companies in the United States, U.K., and Brazil. Andrew holds a Bachelor's Degree in Electrical Engineering and Management from McMaster University and an MBA with High Distinction from the University of Michigan.

Mahendra Ramsinghani – Mahendra Ramsinghani manages the First Step Fund, Detroit, MI – a fund focused on micro-investments in pre-seed and seed stage companies. Mahendra joined the Invest Detroit team with over a decade of experience in fostering the growth of early-stage technology businesses. Prior to First Step Fund, as Senior VP at Plymouth Venture Partners, (PVP) Mahendra was involved in all aspects of early and growth stage investments. Prior to PVP, Mahendra was the Director - Venture Capital Initiatives for Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC) for seven years. Mahendra's background includes a Bachelor's in Electronics Engineering and an MBA with a major in Marketing & Finance.

David N. Parsigian – David N. Parsigian is the Managing Partner of the Ann Arbor office of the law firm of Honigman Miller Schwartz and Cohn LLP, where he specializes in venture capital finance and representation of technology-based companies.  He has extensive experience in advising technology businesses with respect to locating sources of capital and structuring financings ranging from seed capital to initial public offerings.  His legal expertise includes corporate finance, mergers and acquisitions, strategic alliances and technology licensing.  Mr. Parsigian is a lecturer on matters relating to private equity finance and venture capital at the Ross School of Business at the University of Michigan, Michigan State University, Wayne State University and Walsh College.  He has also been a frequent presenter at meetings of the Association of University of Technology Managers.

Our moderator will be Ted Dacko, founder, Arbor Dakota, who has more than 36 years of experience in executive-level management and leadership, including Sales, Marketing, M&A and the Chief Executive Office, principally in the area of software applications and solutions. Most recently, Ted was CEO of HealthMedia® Inc., which he took from a small, near-death company to a $30M annual SaaS business. The company was sold to Johnson & Johnson in 2008 and resulted in an 18 to 1 return on invested capital for Chrysalis Ventures in a six year time frame and a 10 to 1 return on invested capital for Arboretum Ventures, which invested a short time later. This was accomplished during the worst economic time in recent history. Ted serves on several advisory committees. Ted holds a Bachelor's Degree in Mathematics from Waynesburg College in Waynesburg, Pennsylvania, and a Master's Degree in Mathematics from The College of William and Mary in Williamsburg, Virginia.

Showcase Presentation: Each month, NEF highlights an emerging company and provides them a Showcase Presentation. This month, our Showcase Presenter will be Erika Block with Local Orbit. Local Orbit makes it easy. They are a bridge between the deepening demand for locally produced food and limited distribution options that make it difficult for independent producers to get local product to market.

Business Introductions/Open Forum: The evening's agenda includes Business Introductions/Open Forum, during which attendees have the opportunity to make a concise, 10-second pitch for themselves, their company, product/service, or need.

Special meeting location: SPARK Central, 330 E. Liberty Street in Ann Arbor. Registration and networking begin at 5:00 p.m., with the program starting at 5:45 p.m. Free to NEF members, the cost is $20 for non-members, $5 for students. This month's event is sponsored by NEF stakeholder sponsor, SPARK (www.annarborusa.com).

ABOUT NEF: Through its hands-on work with entrepreneurs, NEF has been planting the seeds for Michigan's economic prosperity for over two decades. NEF serves Michigan entrepreneurs by linking them with management expertise, venture partners, business services, capital, and other critical resources. NEF also provides free coaching teams who assist entrepreneurs with investor presentations and business planning in preparation for fundraising meetings. For information, visit www.NewEnterpriseForum.org.

SOURCE New Enterprise Forum