Vator Splash Event Features Tech Industry Innovators and Influencers

SAN FRANCISCO, Feb. 1, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Vator's fifth Splash event will bring venture capital leaders together with promising business startups and seasoned entrepreneurs for a fun event that promises to spark fundraising opportunities and inspiration for Vator's 60,000-member community.

Keynote speaker Tim Westergren, founder and CSO of Pandora Media, Inc., will speak about turning his music genome startup idea into a profitable success, how his firm leveraged the Apple's iPhone, and what he foresees to be the future for Pandora Media as well as mobile media applications. Neil Young, founder and CEO of ngmoco, a mobile gaming and social gaming developer for iPhone and iPod that was sold to DeNA for $400 million last year, will relate his entrepreneurship experiences as a tour de force in the mobile gaming and social gaming industries. He'll also talk about the future of mobile and social gaming entertainment.

The Vator Splash entrepreneurs and venture capital event, slated for 4 p.m. on Thursday, February 3, at Cafe du Nord, 2179 Market Street in San Francisco, will feature a panel discussion on the topic of "Changing dynamics in early-state investing: Are super angels here to stay?" Guest panelists will include venture capitalists -- Duncan Davidson of Bullpen Capital, John O'Farrel of Andreessen Horowitz, Tod Francis of Shasta Ventures, David Hornik of August Capital, and Joe Kraus of Google Ventures.

Also joining in the discussion will be other early-stage venture capitalists, such as David Thacker (Greylock), Jed Katz (Javelin), Thomas Korte (AngelPad), Jay Jamison (Blue Run Ventures), Raj Kapoor (Mayfield), Saad Khan (CMEA), and Tim Chang (Norwest).  VCs such from Alsop Louie, Blumberg Capital, Claremont, Crosslink, First Round, Rustic Canyon, Hummer Winblad, Oak Investment Partners, Scale Venture Parnters, Lightspeed, Bessemer, DFJ, and more angels who help startups in raising money in rapidly growing fields, such as mobile and social gaming, will also be in attendance.

Ten promising high-tech startup finalists will make onstage presentations in hopes of raising money or just raising awareness for their startups. Entrepreneurs looking for their own angels and investors, or just looking to absorb the evening, can watch and learn.

The Splash after-party will feature the band Cover Flow, with Mayfield's Raj Kapoor, Norwest's Tim Chang, Blippy's Phil Kaplan, Facebook's Prashant Fuloria and Ethan Beard, Daniel Kraft, plus the Mule from Smule.

Vator (short for "innovator"), founded by CEO Bambi Francisco, is one of the largest entrepreneurship networks in the U.S. Vator Splash evening events seek to find and showcase promising startups to fundraising sources looking for investment opportunities. Additionally, Splash brings leading entrepreneurs onstage to share their lessons about entrepreneurship and offer their view of the future innovation.

To learn more please visit: http://vatorsplash.eventbrite.com/ or vator.tv

To get press passes or inquire about this Thursday's Vator Splash, please email: [email protected]

SOURCE Vator