Draper Investment Company http://draperinvestmentcompany.posterous.com Draper Investment Company engages in funding opportunities for early-stage technology companies. posterous.com Mon, 23 Jan 2012 12:59:00 -0800 Donald (Don) Plaisted Describes the Essential Elements of a Business Plan http://draperinvestmentcompany.posterous.com/donald-don-plaisted-describes-the-essential-e http://draperinvestmentcompany.posterous.com/donald-don-plaisted-describes-the-essential-e

Picture this. You are an entrepreneur with a great idea but no way to move your new product from the garage to the storefront. You need capital for your business to grow from investors or a loan to put money in your coffers to get started. The key to attracting investors and reassuring them of your idea’s feasibility will be a solid business plan. Business plans typically adhere to a standard structure that allows readers to easily find the information they need. Successful business plans contain several elements, but three crucial elements are the details of the business, examination of the marketplace, and background of the entrepreneurs.



 

 

The Business:

It is the entrepreneur’s obligation to provide investors with the information they need to make an informed decision. Investors need to know relevant information regarding the business’ structure and any milestones the company has achieved.

 

 

 

 

The Marketplace:  

Present detailed data to potential investors to show them that your product has a viable market. Define the demographics of your target market, including as much information as possible such as age, ethnicity, geographic data, and whatever other pertinent information your research reveals. This section is also where you describe your competitors and their strategies and why you think you have the "next great idea/product."

 

 

 

 

Entrepreneur(s) Background:  

You can reassure investors of your abilities as a business owner and manager by providing a good overview of your background and expertise. Don't be worried if you have never been in a startup before or haven't attended a top university, just show that you (and your team) have the necessary qualifications for the tasks at hand.

 

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As Managing Director, Donald Plaisted oversees the day-to-day operations of Draper Investment Company. A key member of the firm, Plaisted has successfully developed early-stage technology investment opportunities in Europe, India, and Asia.

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Mon, 21 Nov 2011 12:04:00 -0800 The Draper Investment Company Presents: Raising Financial Support for C2Call http://draperinvestmentcompany.posterous.com/the-draper-investment-company-presents-raisin http://draperinvestmentcompany.posterous.com/the-draper-investment-company-presents-raisin

We at Draper Investment Company pride ourselves on spotting technologies that carry the potential to permeate millions of homes and improve the standards of living in a myriad of ways. In 2010, Draper Investment Company raised funding for one such company, C2Call, a German startup offering web-based calling services that provides a unique offering in the VoIP sector.

Draper Investment Company first took notice of C2Call due to its ease of use. Founded in 2008, C2Call allows users to make calls using its FriendCaller service. Users register for a free FriendCaller account and receive a unique CallMe link. Any other FriendCaller users can call that FriendCaller user for free by simply clicking the CallMe link, eliminating the need for memorizing phone numbers and screen names. To spread awareness of the service, C2Call also allows FriendCaller users to call landlines and cell phones for only cents per minute.

To facilitate C2Call's growth, Draper Investment Company raised funding for the Germany-based startup. Today, C2Call boasts over 900,000 users worldwide. Draper Investment Company foresees C2Call expanding even further due to growing awareness and positive reception to the simplicity of C2Call's FriendCaller service.

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Fri, 24 Jun 2011 11:11:11 -0700 Draper Investment Company and C2Call GmbH (1/2) http://draperinvestmentcompany.posterous.com/draper-investment-company-and-c2call-gmbh-12 http://draperinvestmentcompany.posterous.com/draper-investment-company-and-c2call-gmbh-12

A leading venture capital firm that provides funding opportunities for early-stage information technology (IT), telecommunications, and software companies around the world, Draper Investment Company maintains a firm commitment to facilitating advancement across a wide array of emerging Internet platforms. In addition to holding a primary focus on venture capital, Draper Investment Company assists fledgling entrepreneurs through several areas of the investment process, from initial funding to exit strategies. Always seeking opportunities to foster innovation, Draper Investment Company boasts an impressive portfolio of clients and affiliates that include:  Dialcom Networks, Imagini, PhoneDeck, and Bharat Matrimony (to name a few). 

Recently, the Draper Investment Company provided funding, along with other early stage investors, for an estimated $2 Million in working capital to C2Call GmbH, a pioneering technology organization that offers an extensive variety of web browser-based Java Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) services for the ever expanding computing cloud. Founded by Actai Networks executives Martin Feuerhahn and Michael Knecht, C2Call distinguished itself as a visionary endeavor from the very beginning.

Prior to establishing C2Call, Mr. Feuerhahn and Mr. Knecht recognized an obvious deficiency in the design of pre-existing VoIP applications. Before C2Call introduced its innovative online operating system, the only VoIP solutions available to consumers were constructed around closed user group systems. Operating properly only after a user installed special software and registered an online identification, VoIP technology lacked fell short of expectations in numerous respects.

C2Call GmbH maintains a strong presence at the forefront of VoIP's transition. As it gains in popularity, companies like C2Call are laying the foundation for optimal, hassle-free VoIP implementation. Individuals who are interested switching to VoIP from an outdated landline or other phone service should consider testing out C2Call’s FriendCaller, an application that requires no hands-on installation whatsoever.

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Fri, 24 Jun 2011 11:11:00 -0700 Draper Investment Company and C2Call GmbH (2/2) http://draperinvestmentcompany.posterous.com/draper-investment-company-and-c2call-gmbh-22 http://draperinvestmentcompany.posterous.com/draper-investment-company-and-c2call-gmbh-22

Building on its reputation for an action-oriented approach to technology investing, the Draper Investment Company predicted that C2Call GmbH’s products would be a forthcoming success.  The Draper Investment Company has been pleased to witness C2Call’s expansion and growth since the initial investment. Moreover, the Draper Investment Company admired C2Call’s s obvious dedication regarding the development and application of a quality product that met and exceeded customer expectations.

Determined to design a Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) module that would be effective and easy to use, Martin Feuerhahn and Michael Knecht created an easy-to-use, click-to-call system equally compatible with Windows, Mac, and Linux. Needing no software or hardware installation whatsoever, the new C2Call communication platform seamlessly integrated cohesive VoIP functionality into a small Java applet.

Less than one year after C2Call GmbH’s inception, the company chose to enter the sphere of social networking. To this end, C2Call released FriendCaller, an entirely web-based communication tool. A Voice over Internet Protocol solution that eschewed the common closed-system model, FriendCaller is fully supported by C2Call and hosted securely in the cloud. This unique new product immediately garnered distinction as a user-friendly alternative to the most popular installed VoIP services including MSN, AIM, and Skype, among others. With the introduction of C2Call’s FriendCaller.com website, the young company carved out a notable niche in the VoIP services market, earning accolades from social network members and communications technology professionals alike.

In 2009, most VoIP systems available to consumers could not function unless users on both ends installed the same software and traded user identification information. Prior to C2Call GmbH’s introduction of FriendCaller.com, closed connection social networking platforms dominated the industry despite the fact that users were unable to obtain an instant person-to-person link. C2Call’s FriendCaller.com changed all that, enabling crystal clear real-time conversation with impressive proficiency. 

To learn more about C2Call’s VoIP-powered FriendCaller, visit http://www.friendcaller.com today.  To learn more about Draper Investment Company, visit http://www.draperco.com.

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Tue, 01 Jun 2010 16:34:00 -0700 Draper Richards Foundation http://draperinvestmentcompany.posterous.com/draper-richards-foundation http://draperinvestmentcompany.posterous.com/draper-richards-foundation

The Draper Richards Foundation, based in San Francisco, California, supports social entrepreneurs who have shown dedicated leadership and a commitment to social change through revolutionary new ideas. Since 2002, the Draper Richards Foundation has identified talented social entrepreneurs and invested considerable funds into their new non-profit organizations.

Each social entrepreneur chosen by the Draper Richards Foundation receives $100,000 in annual funding for three years. The Draper Richards Foundation awards only six fellowships per year. Chosen entrepreneurs possess a healthy blend of creativity, integrity, and honesty as well as a commitment to building beneficial relationships.

Executive Director Jenny Shilling Stein runs the Draper Richards Foundation. As Executive Director, Jenny Shilling Stein oversees strategic direction of the Draper Richards Foundation and manages the foundation’s portfolio. Jenny Shilling Stein holds a Master of Education and a Master of Business Administration from Stanford University, as well as a Bachelor’s degree from Amherst College.

The Draper Richards Foundation’s team includes William H. Draper, III, a 51-year veteran of venture capital funding; Anne Marie Burgoyne, former Executive Director of the United Cerebral Palsy of the Golden Gate; and Robin Richards Donohoe, a professional with over 15 years of experience in the international venture capital industry. Also on the Draper Richards Foundation team are Christy Remey Chin, former Deputy Director of The Philanthropy Workshop West at the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, and Cynthia Lam, a Certified Public Accountant with experience serving both large and small companies in a variety of financial matters.

The Draper Richards Foundation has funded many startups over the years, including America Abroad Media, Education Pioneers, Girls For A Change, Global Heritage Fund, A Home Within, Living Goods, The Mission Continues, Naya Jeevan, Room to Read, Spark, and the Taproot Foundation. Other Draper Richards Foundation fellows include Digital Matters, the Genocide Intervention Network, Grassroot Soccer, Kiva, Komaza, Mapendo International, One Acre Fund, the Reentry Strategy Institute, Upwardly Global, and VisionSpring. Learn more about the Draper Richards Foundation at www.draperrichards.org.

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