I just had a moment to watch the various video pitches recorded for the TAG/GRA Business Launch Competition. A couple of quick thoughts:

• A couple of trends -the big clusters seem to be in:
  • Events, finding something to do, connecting with friends, social networking (3 deals out of the 25)
  • Educational plays - of the 25 pitches on the site, 5 of them were in the education space - that’s a very positive trend, in my opinion.
• A handful of the companies listed recently attended one of our PitchCamp sessions. I’ll say this. It is very obvious to me which ones put in the effort. The difference is night and day in terms of getting the core message across.
• Video pitches have the power to turn otherwise normal people into amateur actors. When I watch a 2 minute video pitch, I don’t want to be entertained - I want to learn about the business, the market, the company, the product - the pain. Bringing in your children for cameo roles, doing humorous skits, or hooting and hollering like a used car salesman just don’t get me all that excited. Granted, it leaves me laughing, but at what …. the jokes, or your business? My two cents … your mileage may vary. At the end of the day, an investor wants to invest in your business, not a local chapter of the Screen Actor’s Guild.

Cheers.

Over the past few months I’ve had the privilege of serving as an advisor and mentor to Henry Hipps, a young entrepreneur here in Atlanta who is embarking on a very ambitious, yet noble undertaking with his venture (Trajectory Learning). Henry entered Trajectory Learning into the TAG/GRA Business Launch Competition, which has a cash prize of $100K and $200K worth of professional services. This prize would allow him to really get the business going. He’s worked extremely hard on this, and it is exciting to see it coming together.

Henry participated in a video pitch component, which if he wins it, he will earn a “bye” during the first round of judging. This is the equivalent of the “People’s Choice” category.

If you have a moment - check out the pitch here (it is the second one listed). It is only a couple of minutes long. I’m sure Henry would appreciate your vote as well - if you have a moment, click the “Vote Here” link at the top of the page, and check the deal you like the most (we’re hoping, of course, that it is Trajectory Learning)

Good job, Henry!

Cheers.

My good friend and StartupLounge.com co-conspirator, Mike Blake, is going to be presenting a very “unique” presentation at the upcoming TAG/ATDC Entrepreneurs gathering on March 6th. Sadly, I will be out of town, and won’t be able to attend, but trust me, you will want to attend this one. Mike has put together perhaps one of the most compelling and thought-provoking presentations I’ve seen in a long time.

Please join us for TAG/ATDC Entrepreneurs “The South Shall Raise Again: Raising Early Stage Capital in Georgia and the Southeast” with Michael Blake, CFA and managing director of Adams Capital, Inc. This session will focus on the challenges early stage companies in the SE are facing in respect to raising capital. Mr. Blake will also convey success stories and address his thoughts on best practices. Finally, he will forecast the fund availability outlook going forward, and discuss what GA needs to do to be competitive with the SE and the most successful parts of the USA.

The event details are as follows:

• Organization: Technology Association of Georgia
• Event Name: TAG/ATDC Entrepreneurs “South Shall Raise Again: Raising Early Stage Capital in Georgia and the Southeast”
• Date: March 6, 2008, 7:30am to 9:00am
• Entrepreneurs Only Roundtable:* 9:15am to 10:00am
• You MUST attend the presentation in order to attend the Roundtable*
• Location: Centergy One Building
• 75 5th Street NW Atlanta, GA 30308
• http://www.tagonline.org

Cheers.

A little breaking news here, folks. Through a strategic partnership between a number of groups, including the Technology Association of Georgia (TAG), the Georgia Research Alliance (GRA), the Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce, ATDC, Georgia Department of Economic Development (GDEcD), AEA, and others, a new $30M early stage technology venture fund is in the formative stages. Still early in the process, but this is certainly good news for Georgia entrepreneurs.

Tino Mantella, the President of TAG joined us for a great podcast over at StartupLounge.com. In addition to giving us a nice update on this initiative, Tino also shared with us some other goodies, such as a new partnership with the ATDC. Take a listen for more details!

Cheers.

I had a great time yesterday chatting with Tino Mantella, the President of the Technology Association of Georgia (TAG). We had a lively discussion around professional online social networks, and where they’re headed. If you’d like to hear it, follow this link.

On a related note, Tino will be appearing as our January guest over on the StartupLounge.com podcast, so be sure to stay tuned for that. We’ll be discussing TAG’s role in promoting entrepreneurship in Georgia.

Cheers.

Fall is in the air in Georgia, and that can only mean one thing. Well, actually, it means a lot of other things (Turkey, Football, cooler weather, etc.) But it also means that it is time for another great event from TAG and the Business & Technology Alliance (B&TA) .

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Bright and early this past Friday morning, about 400 of Atlanta’s technology movers and shakers gathered down in Buckhead in the Venetian Room of the InterContinental Hotel for the 2006 TAG Excalibur Awards.

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