Nearly 60 entrepreneurs attended Meet the Angels Thursday, June 12 at the Union League Club of Chicago where a panel of angel investors spoke about their experiences, and attendees participated in roundtable discussions.

At this program, start-up and early-stage firms had the unique opportunity to network with angel investors from various parts of the country, and heard stories of their past deals. A panel of angel investors discussed the criteria that were used to make some of their investments, what went right and wrong in due diligence, how relationships with their portfolio firms have evolved, and factors that contributed to the success and/or failure of their deals.

In addition to the panel discussion, roundtable discussions were hosted by angels where entrepreneurs had the opportunity to ask questions and gain further insight into how that particular investor (or his/her network) makes investment decisions.

A panel discussion is held with Rick Galdi, Lauren Flanagan, and Aziz Virani (above).


An angel investor talks with entrepreneurs and answers their questions during the second half of Meet the Angels (below).

“Meet the Angels” is the only educational and networking program of its kind for entrepreneurs. One of the Coleman Center’s most popular events, it has attracted nearly 500 attendees during the past two years, as well as some of the best known angel investors and networks from the Midwest.

Panelists

Lauren Flanagan
Lauren is the Chairman & CEO of SCIO Corp., a company that provides strategic advisory services to emerging companies in the IT, BioTech and CleanTech sectors. Additionally, SCIO Corp. assists companies in obtaining appropriate financing and invests in select clients. Lauren is also a co-founder and Managing Director of Phenomenelle Angels Fund I, LP, an early-stage fund based out of Madison, WI. The Fund is targeted at high growth companies in the Midwest that use proprietary technology to create new markets or to disrupt existing markets, and has a preference for women and minority-led firms. She previously founded WebWare Corporation, a leader in Digital Asset Management where she raised over $20 million in equity capital for the company. During her 15 years of senior management experience prior to WebWare, she co-founded 4 technology companies and consulted for many high technology leaders including Apple, Atari, HP, IBM, Microsoft, NeXT, Texas Instruments and Xerox.

Aziz Virani
Mr.Virani recently retired from Accenture after more than 23 years working with the firm in Silicon Valley and Seattle. During his time at Accenture, he held a number of operating roles in North America and globally. Mr. Virani was the global managing partner responsible for Accenture’s systems integration and outsourcing practice in the Financial Services and Resources operating units. Prior to that, he was the client group managing partner for the Accenture’s Financial Service practice on the US west coast. In addition to management roles, Mr. Virani consulted with numerous Financial Services clients in North America and Europe. Currently, he works with CEOs and management teams of early stage companies where he has investments, developing their corporate strategy, sales strategy, market positioning and fundraising.


Rick Galdi
Mr. Galdi is the President of Great Lakes Angels in Rochester, Michigan, and is a seasoned executive with over 22 years experience of running many successful enterprises including StarShowz Corp., which he co-founded in 1986 and still operates today. StarShowz is a media production company that accommodates internet content needs, and innovates media-rich family-oriented entertainment products. He applies a unique set of skills that combine a deep background in all facets of creative media production with the disciplines of accounting and finance. His work has earned numerous awards and accolades from top executives, print and TV media, and his peers. Additionally, Mr. Galdi is a Principal Member of Windfall Projectz LLC, and Investor/Board Member of Saleztrack LLC.

Roundtable Hosts

Lauren Flanagan, Phenomenelle Angels
Aziz Virani
Rick Galdi, Great Lakes Angels
Frank Ballantine, ReedSmith
Sharon McDade, Hyde Park Angels
Jeff Carter, Hyde Park Angels
Bill Houston, Cornerstone Angels
Michael Gruber, Cornerstone Angels