Venture: LiveTunes
Team Members: Brett Lentz, Brian McHugh, Ryan Maloney, Jennifer Wagner,
and Ashley Johndrow.
Venture Description: LiveTunes brings the live music experience to passionate fans by providing high quality live concert downloads within hours of the concert, and engaging music fans in an interactive global community. LiveTunes caters to concert attendees, passionate music fans, musicians, and third party providers who will target their consumers through live music.
Venture: reNEWit
Team Members: Peter Luger amd Karen Sarkavagyan
Venture Description: We are proposing to build a web site aimed at informing homeowners with their options related to home improvement projects. This site would be populated with contractors who pass strict tests to become members and would allow customers to see examples of past work, as well as previous customer referrals.
Venture: TakeShape
Team Members: Bill Sedlak, Andrew Earle, Cody Stavig, and Peter Vomocil
Venture Description: Through its patented body scanning device, TakeShape will change how all athletes track their progress and set goals. For college and pro teams TakeShape offers a revolutionary new way to evaluate talent. For health clubs, TakeShape offers a total workout solution that will help clubs attract and retain members.
Venture: pure intimates
Team Members: Meredith McCurdy, Kim Saunders, Bradley Russell,
and Monica Thilges
Venture Description: Pure is reinventing the way women express commitment to themselves, their community and the environment. We are an intimate apparel company that celebrates femininity, natural beauty, and a healthy lifestyle. Think Patagonia meets Victoria’s Secret.
Venture: NumberKind
Team Members: Gary Wood, Josh Hogan, and Celine Seeger
Venture Description: Math skills are crucial for success, both in school and preparing for high-value careers. Unfortunately, parents have had no scientific way to monitor their child’s development during the most crucial ages: 3-5. NumberKind has exclusive technology that will finally allow preschools and parents to reliably assess and boost their children’s development.
Venture: Momentum
Team Members: Emily McGrath, Itzel Orozco, Kevin Snyder, and Natasha MacDonald
Venture Description: Momentum is a nonprofit organization that improves the effectiveness of other Northwest organizations. Our services create partnerships between a growing talent pool of private sector managers seeking flexible post-career opportunities and nonprofit organizations in need of their skills. Momentum provides superior value to our nonprofit clients by tailoring each partnership to leverage the skill set of our highly qualified candidates at a price significantly lower than our competitors.
Our Judges:
Semifinal Round:
Lundquist Venture Flight
Katherine Moyer, is an attorney and a founding shareholder of Endeavor Law Group, P.C., a business law firm in Eugene, Oregon. Katherine’s practice focuses on corporate and business law, with an emphasis on securities law and capital formation issues, as well as mergers and acquisitions. Katherine works with a variety of start-up and emerging growth companies in the southern Willamette Valley, representing them in private i
capital investments.
Doug Wilson, teaches courses in marketing, entrepreneurship, business planning and strategy, and an introductory business course. He is the founder of DL Wilson Consulting, providing consulting and management services to companies ranging from start-up ventures to Fortune 500 corporations. Areas of expertise include the high-tech and professional services industries. Doug and his wife also own two business ventures in the areas of retail and agriculture. Doug’s past experience in marketing includes thirteen years with AT&T/US West Communications and the vice-president of sales and marketing for Palo Alto Software.
Sam Holloway, is a native Oregonian who moved to Eugene after several years working in both industry and education. After graduating from Columbia University, Sam worked as an estimator and project manager in the heavy construction industry, specializing in bridge construction. He is currently working toward his Ph.D. in management, with research interests in innovation, venture capital, technology entrepreneurship, and organizational learning. Sam is co-editor of a forthcoming research volume from Edward Elgar Publishing titled Organizational Learning and Knowledge Management
Volume I: Managing Learning and Knowledge.
Boyle Venture Flight
Sabrina Parsons, is currently CEO for Palo Alto Software, was previously co-founder
and co-owner of an entrepreneurial business that eventually became Palo Alto Software
in the UK. That company was founded in London in 2001 and was purchased by the parent company in 2002. She previously was founder and co-director of a successful internet consulting company based in the Silicon Valley, with a focus on advertising, marketing, and business development. She had been Senior Partner Manager at Epinions.com, Director of Online Marketing at Commtouch Solutions, and Marketing Manager at Encommerce, all of which were absorbed into public companies. She has a
BA from Princeton in 1996.
Steve Christian, a Viet Nam combat veteran decorated for bravery four times and winner of two Purple Hearts, is currently the owner and operator of his own restaurant after retiring eight years ago from a successful financial services career. Steve was VP and CFO of a start-up venture in St.Paul, MN following an investment management role with Nipsco Industries, a midwest gas and electric utility firm for five years. From 1987 – 1990, Steve managed Pegasus Energy Management in Denver, CO after opening and managing Denver Loan Production Office for Mellon Bank where he managed four lending units from 1983 – 1987. He began his career in corporate banking at Security Pacific Bank in Los Angeles, CA after completing his undergraduate business degree in 1975 and MBA in 1976 both from the University of Oregon.
Doug White, is president of Douglas White & Associates, a consulting firm specializing in health care and non-profit organizations since 1984. With emphases in appreciative inquiry, developing team initiatives, electronic research and board development, Douglas coached and mentored senior executives on topics ranging from e-commerce to transformational redesign efforts. Doug obtained masters and doctoral degrees from the University of Oregon, is former UO Alumni President
and member of the UO Foundation and is currently a member of the Governor’s Oregon Rural Health Coordinating Council that has as its mission to improve the quality and availability of health care for rural Oregonians. He is a lecturer in the Lundquist College of Business and was elected to the Volunteers in Medicine Board of Directors in 2005.
Venture Quest Championship Finals Round
Wayne Embree, has eighteen years' experience as an early stage investor. Embree co-founded Reference Capital Management, LLC (previously Cascadia Partners, LLC) and its five prior funds, actively participating in crafting the vision, raising capital, and in making and managing investments. He has had a principal role in creating nearly 20 spinout companies from research universities and corporations. His prior experience includes developing economic programs and conducting policy analysis for the Oregon Legislative Assembly and former Arizona Governor Bruce Babbitt. He also served as a tactical operations officer in the US Air Force from 1975-1980 directing real-time command, control and communications systems. Consistently given responsibilities reserved for higher ranks, Embree was recommended for accelerated promotion and decorated for distinguished service.
Embree holds a Bachelor of Science in Natural Sciences from Western Oregon University and a Masters of Urban Planning from the University of Oregon. He was a founding board member of the Oregon Bioscience Association, the Oregon Young Entrepreneurs Association and the Northwest Capital Network. He is a frequent speaker on technology commercialization and venture creation. Embree is an active private pilot, flying classic and antique aircraft.
Bernie Hansen has been affiliated with the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, a Department of Energy facility managed by Battelle Memorial Institute, in Richland, WA for the past 11 years and is their Manager of Entrepreneurial Programs on a part-time basis. He is also Manager of Business Diagnostics, LLC, a 12 year old Seattle-based consulting firm focused on start-up and early stage companies. Bernie is currently a Board Member of two technology companies and an Advisor to five other technology companies. He earned a MLA degree from Harvard University and a BLA degree from the University of Oregon.
Nathan Gerhardt, works with a broad range of clients, from start-up companies to long-established businesses. His practice encompasses formation, financing, corporate, governance, mergers and acquisitions, securities law compliance, contract negotiation and general corporate maintenance. He is a member of the Emerging Business and Corporate Finance groups. Nathan also works with family-owned and closely held businesses in organizational and formation issues, day-to-day operations and long-term succession and strategic planning. Nathan holds a master’s degree in business administration with an emphasis on entrepreneurship as well as a law degree.
