University of Marylands Business School
Expands Capital Access Network
Deloitte & Touche, Silicon Valley
Bank and
Maryland Department of Business and
Economic Development
Join School-sponsored
Network Assisting Regional Start-ups
College Park, Md. October 5,
2005 The University of Maryland's
Robert H. Smith School of Business today
announced that the schools Dingman
Center for Entrepreneurship has expanded
its Capital Access Network (CAN), a
program that facilitates funding
relationships between angel investors
and regional start-ups. The Dingman
Center has formed a number of key
partnerships and has planned new
activities which will provide
entrepreneurs with greater resources and
opportunities to secure funding. New
developments include:
- Deloitte & Touche and Silicon
Valley Bank have joined CAN as
sponsors to provide participating
entrepreneurs access to seed- and
early stage capital
- Beginning this year, Charles O.
Heller senior managing director of
Beacon Global Private Equity and
past director of the Dingman Center,
will work with the Maryland
Department of Business and Economic
Development (DBED) to further
evaluate companies and provide
assistance
- Monthly CAN breakfasts will
connect potential mentors and
investors with entrepreneurs
The commitment from the regional
investment and venture capital community
in targeting the network for involvement
has been great, said Asher Epstein,
managing director of the Dingman Center
for Entrepreneurship. Feedback and
interest from the entrepreneur community
has been strong as well. Were looking
forward to a productive and active
year.
Maryland DBEDs experience and
resources in assisting small businesses
will bring a tremendous added value to
participating entrepreneurs, said
Heller. Adding Maryland DBED to the mix
really enriches the network.
As an example of a recent success
story, the network recently assisted a
local start up, eXpert Technology
Solutions (XTS), which provides turnkey
business intelligence reporting to track
access to corporate computer systems, in
securing $50,000 in matching funds from
Maryland DBED in June 2005. After
securing the DBED funding the company
also obtained another $200,000 from an
early-stage investor.
We came to the Dingman Center and
got great feedback and help refining our
business plan, said Eric Spiegel, XTS
CEO. After the Dingman Center
introduced us to DBED things really
started rolling. Id encourage any local
entrepreneur to take advantage of the
resources offered by CAN as a key first
step in turning a business idea into a
reality.
As one of the first and leading
entrepreneurial centers in the nation,
the Dingman Center for Entrepreneurship
at the Robert H. Smith School of
Business, University of Maryland, is
dedicated to empowering entrepreneurs by
facilitating, supporting and guiding new
enterprise growth in the mid-Atlantic
region through professional services,
academic programming and outreach
alliances and events. To learn more
about the Dingman Center for
Entrepreneurship, visit:
www.rhsmith.umd.edu/dingman or call
301-405-9545.
About the Robert H. Smith School
of Business
The Robert H. Smith School of Business
is an internationally recognized leader
in management education and research for
the digital economy. The Smith School
one of 13 colleges and schools at the
University of Maryland, College Park
offers undergraduate, full-time and
part-time MBA, executive MBA, PhD, and
executive education programs, as well as
outreach services to the corporate
community. The school offers its degree,
custom and certification programs in
learning locations in four continents
including North America, Europe, Africa,
and Asia. More information about the
Robert H. Smith School of Business can
be found at
www.rhsmith.umd.edu.
|
For more information:
Angela Toda
Robert H. Smith School of
Business
University of Maryland
(
301.405.8062
atoda@rhsmith.umd.edu
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