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Now in our 25th year, The Collaborative has served as the resource for Minnesota's entrepreneurs, investors and innovators. From first-time startups, growth company CEOs, CFOs and middle-market teams -- to angels, VCs and other investors -- we're focused on Helping to Build Minnesota's Companies, our tagline.

Below are some nuggets from about half of the 150 speakers who addressed 40 topics at our twelve 2011 events.
• Thank you to all the speakers who gave their time and graciously shared their expertise and experience.
• Thank you to all of you for attending our 2011 events.
• Thank you for supporting our work Helping to Build Minnesota Companies.
CEO of the State
Governor Mark Dayton		 Billion Dollar Serial MN Entrepreneur
Phil Soran, President, Dell Compellent		 $800+ Million Health & Fitness Pioneer
Bahram Akradi, CEO, Life Time Fitness
“You – as ChangeMakers, as entrepreneurs, as innovators, as the successful members of our community – can seize the opportunity to lead not only within our state, but for our nation.”
-- February, The ChangeMakers		 “Know what your [competitive advantage] is and brand it. One of our differentiators at Compellent is our culture — we call it "Positive Aggressive" and it's memorable for our employees and our customers.”
-- October, 25th Annual Venture & Finance Conference		 “We need to change wellness plans from participation based to results based. Giving incentives for results rather than for just signing up assures a better wellness outcome for the employee.”
-- February, The ChangeMakers
Private Equity Sale in July 2010
Brian Sullivan, Chairman, SterilMed		 The State of Venture Investing
Mark Heesen, President, NVCA		 Global Medtech Leader
Katie Szyman, President, Diabetes, Medtronic
“The timing of the exit can create as much value as you did in growing the business.”
-- January, Private Equity Seminar		 “The entrepreneurs getting money today have the strongest ideas and execute their plans.”
-- October, 25th Annual Venture & Finance Conference		 “The challenge for Minnesota companies is to come up with ideas and to have the stamina to ride the waves that lead to the bigger payoffs.”
-- March, Medtech Seminar
Robert Stephens, CTO, Best Buy; Geek Squad World Leading MN Water Solutions Provider
Netha Johnson, President, Filtration, Pentair
 VC-Backed Cloud Based Software Firm
Justin Kaufenberg, CEO, TST Media
“The opportunity that startups have is to bypass traditional advertising and go directly to social media.”
-- September, Leveraging Technology: Social & More Panel		 “There is no more water.  Minnesota is in position to be the water capital of the U.S. We have numerous global players including GE, Pentair, 3M, Donaldson and Dow, as well as an environmentally aware culture here.”
-- May, Cleantech Seminar		 “We’ve seen talent approach us. They want to be a part of a start-up company.  It is not always about the compensation but about what kind of cool technology they can work on.”
-- October, 25th Annual Venture & Finance Conference
MN’s Largest Energy & Wind Energy Co.
Judy Poferl, CEO-MN, Xcel Energy		 $200 Million IPO in Feb 2011
Doug Kohrs, CEO, Tornier		 $300+ Million Public Co.
Jim Dolan, CEO, The Dolan Company
“There is nothing but opportunity for the smaller company.  The wave of the future is going to be focused on distribution.  Smart grid technology should advance at the speed of value.”
-- May, Cleantech Seminar		 “If you’re going public get a thick skin. Disclosure is something to be guarded against and the circle of insiders must be kept tight.”
-- May, Going Public Seminar		 “We had to invest in people.  It costs more to be public, but as a result we are better managed and better run.”
-- May, Going Public Seminar
Serial Tech & Software Entrepreneurial Success
Chris Heim, President, Amcom Software		 Wellness Leader of National Insurance Giant
Dawn Owens, CEO, OptumHealth, UHG		 Managing Partner of MN's Largest PE Firm
Tim DeVries, Managing General Partner, Norwest Equity Partners
“There is another wave of software companies coming through Minnesota. It is a market where it is a good place to start a software company.”
-- October, 25th Annual Venture & Finance Conference		 “By satisfying what they want, give them what they need.”
-- February, The ChangeMakers		 “In private equity, all of us are opportunists.  We look for good opportunities.”
-- January, Private Equity Seminar
Renowned Diabetes Researcher
Dr. Robert Rizza, Executive Dean for Research, Mayo Clinic		 Veteran MN Technology VC
Michael Gorman, Managing Director, Split Rock Partners		 World Leading Healthcare Provider
Dr. Douglas Wood, Director, Strategy & Policy, Mayo Clinic
“We have to get people to collaborate. Patients and health care givers need to work together to treat this disease (diabetes).”
-- March, Medtech Seminar		 “It has been feast or famine, more so than most cycles. There are outstanding and outsized gains and returns for a small fraction of entrepreneurs and investors, but that has not been the average.”
-- October, 25th Annual Venture & Finance Conference		 “We do not hold our delivery system accountable for providing health. We have to change the discussion to rational care rather than rationed care.”
-- November, Reform Series Breakfast
Minnesota's Economy: 2025
State Economist Tom Stinson		 Mark Shavlik, Founder, Shavlik Technologies (sold to VMware in May 2011) Earth Friendly Fire Supression Innovator
Doug Ruth, CEO, EarthClean
“The Great Recession is over, but we will not return to where we were. We are moving to a New Normal.”
-- May, 16th Annual Entrepreneur & Investor Luncheon		 “Companies build a buzz around their products so people come to them. It is expensive to build a market if you don't do it this way."
-- September, Leveraging Technology As Your Business Panel 		“I think there will continue to be a lot of investment in cleantech. We don’t want to be bought. We want to eventually take the (big companies) over ourselves.”
-- May, Cleantech Seminar
$294 Million PE Deal in July 2010
Rob Kill, CEO, Virtual Radiologic		 Active MN Angel Investor & CEO
Vance Opperman, CEO, Key Investment		 Former Public Co. Acquired for $143 Million
Vin Riera, CEO, PLATO Learning
“Private equity tends to have a longer term view, and the timing was good.”
-- January, Private Equity Seminar		 “We have seen strength in the last year in information science, information technology and retail.”
-- October, 25th Annual Venture & Finance Conference		 “Investors want to know they have a partner in the business.  The management team will run the company but also needs to be open to ideas from the investors.”
-- April, M&A Seminar
Cheri Beranek, CEO, Clearfield Public Cardiorespiratory Diagnostics Co.
Phil Smith, (former) CEO, Angeion		 Ken Holec, CEO, Jobs2Web
“Make sure you own your sales process, don’t let your partners do the work.”
-- September, Building Revenue: Marketing & Sales Panel		 “This is a great opportunity for diagnostics. Smaller and more cost effective devices are going to be needed.”
-- March, Medtech Seminar		 “It still takes a professional salesperson to translate customer problems into solutions. The website cannot substitute.”
-- August, Building Revenue: Marketing & Sales Panel
Scott Burns, CEO, GovDelivery Jim Cuene, Director, Interactive, General Mills Joy Lindsay, President, StarTec Investments
“The angels here want to be emotionally committed to the deal, they are doing it for more than just the economic return.”
-- September, Technology Success in a Medtech Town Panel		 “Most important is how can we get extremely close to our customers so that we know what they want before they ask.”
-- September, Leveraging Technology: Social & More Panel		 “You should have a financing map laid and set milestones to match. If you are raising capital because you are out of money, than it is too late.”
-- June, Presenting Your Company to Investors Panel
$70 Million Medtech Leader
Gary Maharaj, CEO, SurModics 		Serial Minnesota Endovascular Entrepreneur
Dr. Dennis Wahr, CEO, Lutonix 		Acquired by Nordson in Nov 2010
Curt Miller, CEO, Micromedics
“Someone has to spearhead the effort of convergence.”
-- March, Medtech Seminar		 “There is no room for inefficiency. You have to have good people in each position”
-- March, Medtech Seminar		 “When you start down the road to a merger, you can’t back out from that. You have to go all the way to the finish line.”
-- April, M&A Seminar
Cutting Edge Employer & National Retailer
Dr. Joshua Riff, Medical Director, Target		 Veteran MN Healthcare VC
Pete McNerney, Partner, Thomas McNerney & Partners		 Globally Active Innovator & Acquirer
Henry Chang, Vice President of Strategy and Business Development, 3M Health Care, 3M
“Our current healthcare system is a disease care system and people realize they need to take control of their health. The corporate responsibility is to motivate people to choose the right path.”
-- February, The ChangeMakers		 “We’re not out of the woods yet, but we’ll get there.”
-- October, 25th Annual Venture & Finance Conference		 “It comes down to people.  At the end of the day, that’s how transactions get done.”
-- April, M&A Seminar
Paul Lidsky, CEO, Datalink Buzz Benson, Managing Director, SightLine Partners Molly Simmons, Principal, Tonka Bay Equity Partners
“I always look for board members who have more experience than me. I like a board that challenges me and has been there already.”
-- August, Boards of Directors I Panel		 “Look at what you need now as a company and what you will need in the future. The types of characteristics I like to see are demonstrated successful growth and successful exit.”
-- August, Boards of Directors I Panel		 “You want to show that you can be a steward of capital. Become a great presenter. People who do this well are not talking at the investor but having a discussion with them.”
-- June, Presenting Your Company to Investors Panel
Acquired by Boston Scientific for $375 Million
Jim Bullock, CEO, Atritech 		Paul Batcheller, Partner, PrairieGold Venture Partners $50 Million Diagnostics Provider
Mark Gorder, CEO, Intricon
“I always looked at mergers and acquisitions as an exit, but if you get intoxicated by it you are going to miss the things you need to do to develop the company.”
-- April, M&A Seminar		 “A business plan is an opportunity to take an integrated approach to looking at a business or opportunity. A strategic plan is not an integrative tie-in but drills deeper into a functional area.”
-- June, Business and Strategic Planning Panel		 “One way to reduce healthcare costs for an aging population is to move care into a smaller venue, like the home, and with that we need devices that communicate and that untrained people can use.”
-- March, Medtech Seminar
Renowned Health Entrepreneur and Author
Dan Buettner, CEO, Blue Zones		 National PE Investor (AGA, GeoDigm)
Sean Traynor, General Partner, Welsh Carson Anderson & Stowe		 Head of MN's Energy Agency
Ellen Anderson, Chair, Minnesota Public Utilities
“What we are doing is not working, you can’t count on people to change. We need to set up nudges to mindlessly push people into healthier lifestyles.”
-- February, The ChangeMakers		 “Deals are all about people and each side has a big decision to make”
-- January, Private Equity Seminar		 “Renewable energy regulations are driving demand in Minnesota.  It is helpful to have predictable policies that stay in place for a long time to help level the playing field with the ups and downs in renewable energy costs.”
-- May, Cleantech Seminar
Alan Bignall, CEO, ReconRobotics Mark Wagner, CEO, Celleration Sven Wehrwein, Board Member, Compellent, Proto Labs and more
“I like to position advisors as owners or employees. Make sure that they can grow up with you”
-- June, Leveraging Your Advisors Panel		 “You need really talented people to guide you through the investment process and you have to have a thick skin. If you get a rejection, solicit feedback.”
-- June, Presenting Your Company to Investors Panel		 “The best directors know what’s going on, but don’t try to be the CEO.”
-- August, Boards of Directors II Panel
Jim Bernard, Senior Vice President of Digital, Star Tribune Randy Schmidt, Venture Partner, Lemhi Ventures World Leading Medtech Company
Dr. Doug Daum, Director of Research, CRV, Boston Scientific
“There needs to be an editing process so the one-percenters (those few that complain the loudest) don’t drive business processes.”
-- September, Leveraging Technology: Social & More Panel		 “We look first and foremost at the business model, secondly the people, and lastly we look at the assets. You need to prove that you have a product that people are going to pay for.”
-- June, Growth Financing Strategies Panel		 “The public wants flawless medical devices and cutting edge technology. The FDA has to balance the two for the people.”
-- March, Medtech Seminar
Global Health Technology Provider
Andrew Slavitt, CEO, OptumInsight		 Gordy Meyer, CEO, eBureau Energy Storage System Innovator
Todd Headlee, CEO, Silent Power
“There is no more higher quality, no more thoughtful, no more talented workforce than here in Minnesota. This is one place where Minnesota can compete and get on top.”
-- November, Reform Series Breakfast		 “You have to use friends and family until you get someone else to fund you.  If you can do that well there is always money to be had.”
-- September, Technology Success in a Medtech Town Panel		 “With all the good infrastructure in place, our role is in helping utilities put more and more renewables into their system.”
-- May, Cleantech Seminar
Global Cleantech Manufacturer
Patrick Peyton, CEO, Despatch Industries		 Global Conglomerate with MN Water Roots
Joseph Such, General Manager, GE Power & Water		 VC Backed Solar Power Innovator
Dallas Meyer, President and Founder, tenKsolar
“Any stage company should never lose their entrepreneurial spirit. It’s all about putting out the best product at the lowest cost.”
-- October, 25th Annual Venture & Finance Conference		 “Minnesota is well-positioned in the U.S. It’s here, Boston, San Diego and Toronto. We represent GE’s third largest facility worldwide. We keep the most sensitive intellectual property based work here in Minnesota.”
-- May, Cleantech Seminar		 “We have a tremendous opportunity to market our products as well as grow our company in Minnesota. Overall, in my experience here, the talent is tremendous and there is good support from local and state governments.”
-- May, Cleantech Seminar
Dan Sullivan, CEO, SuperDimension David Shapiro, Vice President, Marquette Capital Tom Goodmanson, CEO, Calabrio
“Unmet clinical need is key. How do you fit into the market potential? Assess where you fit in and where you think you’re going to fit in the future.”
-- August, Getting a Deal Done Panel		 “The economy has gone through a few years of turbulent times, but today there is a healthy amount of private equity and not enough companies. The money is sitting there waiting to be used.”
-- August, Getting a Deal Done Panel		 “We wanted to be a partner driven sales company because we could then go worldwide.”
-- September, Building Revenue: Marketing & Sales Panel
Growth Equity Fund Investor
Leslie Frécon, CEO, LFE Capital		 MN PE Investor with New Fund
Darren Acheson, Managing Partner, Mill City Capital		 Pioneering Healthcare VC & Entrepreneur
Tony Miller, CEO, Lemhi Ventures; Carol
“The ability of the entrepreneur to listen and take advice is just as important as commitment and focus.”
-- October, 25th Annual Venture & Finance Conference		 “This is a great place to invest.  The economy is diversified and has endured the recession.”
-- October, 25th Annual Venture & Finance Conference		 “If the money capital isn’t here (in Minnesota) at least the human capital is.”
-- October, 25th Annual Venture & Finance Conference
Veteran Orthopedic & Medical Device Investor
Dave Stassen, Split Rock Partners		 MN's Largest Care & Insurance Entity
Kathy Cooney, Executive Vice President and Chief Administrative Officer, HealthPartners		 Large Healthcare Provider & Innovator
Dr. David Moen, Fairview Physician Associates
“The industry is shrinking.  There is less money to invest and there is a lot of cost to distribute capital. Early stage investors are not getting paid to take those risks.”
-- November, Reform Series Breakfast		 “People have to have more individual responsibility for their health. We need health to be a social movement.”
-- November, Reform Series Breakfast		 “We don’t have a healthcare system that delivers consistent health outcomes to the population. Physicians need to advocate for change in the systems.”
-- November, Reform Series Breakfast
Bob Atkinson, Founder, Apnex Medical John Guider, Co-Founder of Compellent, Xiotech, Tricord Systems and more MN Medtech Innovator – Raised $200 Million
Nadim Yared, CEO, CVRx
“In terms of best practices, when you’re raising capital and the investment council is breathing down your back, it’s important to present comprehensive and competitive IP filings.”
-- August, The Role of IP in Financing and Technology Transfer Panel		 “One of the positive aspects of this area is the quality of the talent.  This makes a difference as to whether or not you are able to integrate into a team where you can do bigger things.”
-- September, Technology Success in a Medtech Town Panel		 “If I had to start today, and if I wanted to swim with the current, I would start with a small idea, small investment and try to exit early with a smaller exit.”
-- November, Reform Series Breakfast
Global Medical Technology Manufacturer
Chad Cornell, VP Bus. Dev., Medtronic		 Jeff Hinck, General Partner, El Dorado Ventures Consumer-Driven Healthcare Entrepreneur
Kyle Rolfing, President, RedBrick Health
“Large healthcare markets have stalled.  Growth is imperative and innovation/ technology is our vehicle.”
-- November, Reform Series Breakfast		 “Capital is a bit of a problem here. We are starting to see more technology companies that are further along, having bootstrapped their businesses in the early stages, given this tough venture capital environment.”
-- September, Technology Success in a Medtech Town Panel		 “We leverage social media because we get sick together then get well together.”
-- November, Reform Series Breakfast
Minnesota-Based Healthcare IT Network
Mark Briggs, CEO, ABILITY Network		 Don Smithmier, CEO, Sophia Learning Dan Johnson, CEO, Search America
“There is an enormous amount of data in healthcare that remains siloed in proprietary systems. We think that this is a great opportunity.”
-- November, Reform Series Breakfast		 “On the internet, we know where the fish are biting, we know what people are searching for on Google.  Because it moves so quickly, you have to invest in good talent that understands online marketing.”
-- September, Leveraging Technology As Your Business Panel		 “Every year we do a three to five year business plan and never achieve it but it keeps us on track.”
-- September, Leveraging Technology As Your Business Panel
Paul Moe, Deputy Commissioner, MN DEED Steve Rupp, President, Mcgyan Biodiesel Peter Goepfrich, CFO, Vital Images
“As you approach public entities for financing, all your information will become public.”
-- June, Growth Financing Strategies Panel		 “If we don’t take advantage of these (government) programs, our competitors will. Get the message out there and get excited about it.”
-- June, Growth Financing Strategies Panel		 “It’s important to keep your view in the long-term and be patient.”
-- August, Getting a Deal Done Panel
MN Medical Device Success Story
John Shannon, CEO, Incisive Surgical		 Ed Spencer, Jr., Chairman, Affinity Capital Dan Carr, CEO, The Collaborative
“Great management teams with great ideas will get funded."
-- March, Medtech Seminar 		“I love listening to the company pitches at the annual conference and seeing the fire in the eyes of so many entrepreneurs!”
-- October, 25th Annual Venture & Finance Conference		 “Entrepreneurship is the foundation of our economy and it is the entrepreneurial spirit, and the passion that this conference celebrates."
-- October, 25th Annual Venture & Finance Conference

-- And that's only half of our 2011 speakers! Thanks to all the experts who work with startups, mid-market and growth companies. Thanks also to our fantastic sponsors — the busiest professionals in Minnesota who take time each year to give back to our Minnesota innovators.
• Click here to join and catch the 2012 schedule.
• Click here for recaps of all our 2011 events.

 
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