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The Resource Center has all the info you'll need From content to user feedback, the resource center has the information you need for every level of the entrepreneurial process.
As an entrepreneurial leader, Larry Bawden has been focused on building companies that take technology from the lab and moving them through the process of commercialization and into a variety of consumer markets. Larry is currently the CEO of Q1 NanoSystems which has designed and patented the next generation solar cell utilizing Q1 Solar Brush technology. Current solar solutions are far from achieving economic parity with today's fossil fuel energy sources. Q1 NanoSystems technology will reduce current solar energy costs from $0.34/kWh down to $0.12/kWh, a 65% decrease from today's prices. The solution allows residential and commercial consumers to take advantage of a clean, limitless resource, while enjoying a fast return on their investment. Prior to Q1 NanoSystems Larry founded Jadoo Power Systems, Inc. (Jadoo) a solutions oriented, market-driven provider of portable fuel cell power products. Commercially-shipping products are a rare find in the crowded fuel cell industry; yet, with Larry leadership, Jadoo has developed proven technology, resulting in the production of economically-viable, hydrogen-based fuel cell solutions. Larry's first involvement with moving the fuel cell industry forward was developing a strategic technology transfer and partnership agreement between Aerojet and H Power Corporation (acquired by Plug Power - NASDAQ:PLUG). He held senior management positions in other energy and aerospace companies dealing with technology, business development, investment management, corporate strategy and engineering. Larry served on several key technical and advisory committees throughout his career in the aerospace industry and is the recipient of the Group Achievement award from NASA. As a co-inventor on five pending fuel cell and fuel cell system patents his advice is sought by businesses and government entities in dealing with key strategies related to implementation of fuel c
Ashwin Navin is the President and Co-Founder of BitTorrent, Inc. He joined Bram Cohen, the inventor of BitTorrent, in 2004, moving from Yahoo! where he was an influential member of the company's Corporate Development group. He possesses extensive experience in structuring and negotiating acquisitions, partnerships and alliances in the tech industry. While at Yahoo!, Ashwin was responsible for M&A, divestitures and company strategy in the U.S. and key global markets such as India and Korea. Before Yahoo!, Ashwin worked with Wall Street powerhouses Goldman, Sachs & Co. and Merrill Lynch as an investment banker and research analyst. Ashwin earned a dual B.A. from Claremont McKenna in Government and Economics.
Martin Eberhard is the Co-Founder, President of Technology, and former CEO of Tesla Motors, a company that produces the Tesla Roadster, a battery-powered electric sportscar. Martin brings with him 20 years of start-up, management, and development experience from his time as co-founder of NuvoMedia and Network Computing Devices. At NuvoMedia, Martin helped create the market for electronic books with the 1998 launch of the Rocket eBook. As Chief Engineer of Network Computing Devices, Martin spearheaded the development of X Window-based network terminals for Wyse Technology, where he began his career as an electrical engineer at Wyse Technology. There he designed his first product, the WY-30 ASCII computer terminal. Martin received his bachelor's degree in Computer Engineering and Masters Degree in Electrical Engineering from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Martin lives in both Northern and Southern California with his college sweetheart, Carolyn, and their two children, along with an old Siamese cat.
Armen Berjikly graduated with honors with a Bachelors in Computer Science from Stanford University. His primary research focus was Human-Computer Interaction, where he worked closely with professor Clifford Nass. He went on to obtain a Master's Degree from Stanford in Management Science and Engineering, with an emphasis on Organizations, Technology and Entrepreneurship. Armen was also a Mayfield Fellow, a prestigious fellowship that provides intensive training in entrepreneurship for those with an engineering background. After Stanford, Armen took a product management role at Echelon Corporation, helping manage their "intelligent utility grid" solution from paper concept to hundreds of thousands of units shipped. After a close friend's diagnosis with a serious medical condition, Armen began creating online communities designed to sponsor hope through research and community. Witnessing the power of connecting people with a shared experience, and therefore common understanding, led to the creation of Experience Project. Armen's passion is building technology that unites people who can improve each other's lives, and Experience Project is the epitome of these efforts.
Heidi Roizen is a managing director for Mobius Venture Capital. She joined the fund in April 1999. Ms. Roizen serves as a director of AuctionDrop, Ecast, InStoreCard, MessageCast, Perpetual Entertainment, Planitax, and Reactrix. She is also a board member of the National Venture Capital Association (NVCA). Her notable prior board service includes Great Plains Software, which was acquired by Microsoft in 2001. Prior to joining Mobius Venture Capital, Ms. Roizen was a consultant to numerous technology companies, including Microsoft, Intel and Compaq. From 1996 to 1997, she was vice president of Worldwide Developer Relations for Apple Computer. Before joining Apple Computer, Ms. Roizen served for 13 years as CEO of T/Maker Company, a successful software developer and publisher. She is a past president of the Software Publishers Association and has served as a public governor of the Pacific Exchange. Ms. Roizen has been recognized as one of the 100 most influential people in the microcomputer industry by MicroTimes, Personal Computing Magazine and Upside Magazine. Ms. Roizen has a B.A. and an M.B.A. from Stanford University.
Vinod grew up dreaming of being an entrepreneur. He was raised in an Indian Army household with no business or technology connections. When, at age 16, he first heard about Intel, he dreamt of starting his own technology company. Upon graduating with a Bachelors in Electrical Engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi, he tried to start a soy milk company to service the many people in India who did not have refrigerators. He then came to the US and got his Masters in Biomedical Engineering at Carnegie-Mellon University. His startup dreams attracted him to Silicon Valley where he got an MBA at Stanford University in 1980. In 1982, Khosla started Sun Microsystems to build workstations for software developers. At Sun he pioneered "open systems" and RISC processors. Sun was funded by long time friend and board member John Doerr of Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers. In 1986 he switched sides and joined Kleiner Perkins where he was a general partner. There, he worked with Nexgen/AMD, Juniper, Excite, and many other ventures. In 2004, Khosla formed Khosla Ventures. Khosla Ventures offers venture assistance, strategic advice and capital to entrepreneurs. The firm helps entrepreneurs extend the potential of their ideas in both traditional venture areas like the Internet, computing, mobile, and silicon technology arenas but also supports breakthrough scientific work in clean technology areas such as bio-refineries for energy and bioplastics, solar, battery and other environmentally friendly technologies.
Kavita N. Ramdas has won numerous awards for her vision and advancement of an inclusive philanthropy in which donors and grantees are treated as equal partners. In 2005, Kavita received the Juliette Gordon Low Award for her significant contributions to advancing women's human rights and for being exemplary role model for girls and women. In 2004, Financial Women's Association named Kavita Woman of the Year for the Public Sector; and Women and Philanthropy gave her the LEAD (Leadership for Equity and Diversity) Award for her championship and commitment to funding the global human rights of women and girls. KQED public television recognized her as a 2004 Bay Area Local Hero. She serves on the Board of Trustees of Mount Holyoke College, Massachusetts, and the Board of Directors of the Rural Development Institute, Washington state. She is a member of the Advisory Council to the Ethical Globalization Initiative, a venture of Mary Robinson, former UN High Commissioner for Human Rights. She also serves on the Council of Advisors on Gender Equity to the Woodrow Wilson School at Princeton University and the Women's Rights Prize of the Gruber Foundation. Before joining the Global Fund, Kavita supported both domestic and international initiatives in economic development and population as a program officer at the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation in Chicago, Illinois. She earned a master's degree in international development and public policy at the Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs at Princeton University, and a BA at Mount Holyoke College. Kavita was born and raised in India, and speaks Urdu, Hindi, English, German, French and Spanish.
David Neeleman is Chairman and CEO of JetBlue Airways Corporation. JetBlue, which began operations in 2000, serves 23 U.S. cities with 57 new Airbus A320 aircraft. JetBlue is Neeleman's third successful launch in the aviation business, His goal is to bring people back to air travel by offering low fares, friendly service and a high quality product. JetBlue was rated "Best Domestic Airline" at Conde Nast Traveler's 2003 Readers' Choice Awards for the second consecutive year, and was runner-up for "Best Domestic Airline" at Travel & Leisure magazine's 2002 and 2003 World's Best Awards. Neeleman's career in the airline industry began in 1984 when he co-founded Morris Air. As president of Morris Air, he implemented the industry's first electronic ticketing system and pioneered a home reservationist system that is now the foundation of JetBlue's call center. Neeleman sold Morris Air and took the electronic ticketing to Open Skies. He sold Open Skies to Hewlett Packard in 1999. During this period, Neeleman acted as a consultant to WestJet Airlines, a successful Canadian low-fare start-up airline.
Guy Kawasaki is a founder and Managing Director of Garage Technology Ventures. Prior to this position, he was an Apple Fellow at Apple Computer, Inc. and sits on the board of BitPass Inc. A noted speaker and the founder of various personal computer companies, Guy was one of the individuals responsible for the success of the Macintosh computer. He is also the author of eight books including Rules for Revolutionaries, How to Drive Your Competition Crazy, Selling the Dream, and The Macintosh Way. Guy holds a B.A. from Stanford University and a M.B.A. from UCLA, as well as an honorary doctorate from Babson College.
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