Document text
0 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? e-edition | subscribe | newsletter | deals Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » NEWS NOW Emergency services, Oct. 16 ... Since You Asked: Park resurfacing delayed during winter ... SOU training gives tips on what to do if there's an active shooter ... Emergency services, Oct. 16 ... Since You Asked: Park resurfacing delayed during winter ... SOU training gives tips on what to do if there's an active shooter ... ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT Quick pitches give way to Angels & Entrepreneurs conference Comment By Greg Stiles Mail Tribune MailTribune.com By Greg Stiles Mail Tribune Posted Apr. 7, 2015 at 5:19 PM Updated Apr 7, 2015 at 6:04 PM By Greg Stiles Mail Tribune Posted Apr. 7, 2015 at 5:19 PM Updated Apr 7, 2015 at 6:04 PM » Social News Winds of change have blown through the Southern Oregon Angel Conference. After investing nearly $1.2 million in four years during winner-take-all competitions for entrepreneurs and start-up companies, there will be a new format with a new name for the event in 2015. Southern Oregon Regional Economic Development Inc.'s Angels & Entrepreneurs annual conference debuts April 29 at EdenVale Winery on Voorhies Road off South Stage Road. Instead of four or five launch-ready businesses vying for a six-figure investment and another handful of concept companies seeking development backing, the event will showcase what investors have been doing and provide a way for entrepreneurs to plan their next move. "The changes are the result of evaluating what we've achieved against what we had as our goals," said SOREDI Executive Director Ron Fox. "The rationale is to learn from what we have accomplished over the last five years and to look at what other similar organizations in Oregon, around the Pacific Northwest and West Coast are doing with the same objectives. To identify entrepreneurs, help them develop a solid business proposal, and to get them ready for a successful launch." Central Point cheesemaker Rogue Creamery, Grants Pass candymaker Cary's of Oregon, and Ashland production firm Joma Films will share their stories during the event. The angels and entrepreneurs rollout accompanies a transition to continual evaluation of business plan submissions, said Southern Oregon Angel Conference founder Steve Vincent. While two Ashland software companies claimed the investment prize, Bend and Portland firms walked away as winners twice, leading investors to rethink their strategy. Of the 125 accredited investors in the regional network, 58 have participated in the four limited liability companies formed to channel the money to the winners. An additional 65 told Vincent they wanted to keep informed about future opportunities. "Our investors wanted to invest in a local company," Vincent said. "Companies that continued to apply from outside the region were better investment decisions in the once-a-year, winner-take-all model. A few of our investors still want to look at Portland companies, but with most of our investors there is a strong local bias, so we needed to create a different way." The open pipeline for submissions, www.southernoregonangelinvestors.com , is reviewed by a vetting committee and then passed along if the idea is considered viable. Vincent said the vetting committee met with two software companies Monday. An announcement about funding for one dealing in the health care realm is expected in the next 30 days, Vincent said, although funding for the second hasn't yet been secured. "Our previous model was for the investors to put $5,000 up front, not knowing where it's going to end up," Vincent said. "Now they can see the opportunity before making a decision." In evaluating proposals, Fox said it's desirable to find companies with ambitions reaching beyond local retail opportunities. "We're going to be focused on getting entrepreneurs ready, getting them ready as quickly as possible, and then helping them to be successful in getting the capital that is almost always needed to successfully launch early stage, scalable types of businesses," Fox said. "The advantage of the Angels moving from the singular event to anytime ready submission means that entrepreneurs willing to work hard to get their business proposals into a competitive position will be able to move forward rapidly as their capacity and readiness justifies." The conference runs from 5 to 7 p.m.Wednesday , April 29, at EdenVale Winery, 2310 Voorhies Road. The cost is $5 for entrepreneurs with current proposals in the works and $20 for others. For information, call 541-773-8946 or email Colleen Johnston at [email protected]. Reach reporter Greg Stiles at 541-776-4463 or [email protected] . Follow him on Twitter at www.twitter.com/GregMTBusiness , on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/greg.stiles.31 , and read his blog at www.mailtribune.com/ Economic Edge . By Greg Stiles Mail Tribune MailTribune.com By Greg Stiles Mail Tribune Posted Apr. 7, 2015 at 5:19 PM Updated Apr 7, 2015 at 6:04 PM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Southern Oregon Directory Featured Businesses Loading... Business Name address Location, ST | website.com Find Southern Oregon Attractions Bars Restaurants Beauty Salons Entertainment Doctors Medical Specialists Contractors Education Lawn Services Lawyers Shopping Travel Tanning Used Cars Wedding Services ▼ Add your business here + Events Calendar Connect with MailTribune.com Facebook Twitter RSS Back to top Reader Services Reader Services Home Subscriptions Subscriber controls Contact us Submissions Photos Events Letters to the editor Corrections Announcements Obituaries Story ideas Since you asked Alerts Email Alerts RSS Feeds Text Alerts Advertise Media Kit Home Products and services Ad rates Advertising contacts Propel Marketing Mail Tribune Daily Tidings The Nickel Shop Our Valley Blogs Mobile Site Stay Informed Email newsletter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Your privacy is important, read our privacy policy. © Copyright 2015 Local Media Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms of Service | Local Media Group Publications Original content available for non-commercial use under a Creative Commons license, except where noted. MailTribune.com | P.O. Box 1108, Medford, OR 97501