Thanks for the heads up [on the overnight product upgrade that provided an improved interface]. I'm excited to try out the new interface!…It is cool to see the web progress over time. We're lucky to have you as a partner! – Robert Albright, Public Relations Manager, Council for Entrepreneurial Development (CED)

hesketh.com Supports Sept. 27 Springboard Venture Forum Showcasing Women Entrepreneurs

Research Triangle Park, September 23, 2002 — hesketh.com is proud to sponsor the first-ever southeastern regional Springboard: Southeast 2002, a venture capital forum showcasing women-led high growth businesses. The forum, hosted by Springboard Enterprises and the Council for Entrepreneurial Development, is scheduled for September 27 at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill's Kenan-Flagler Business School.

Sixteen forum finalists were announced this week and will present at the September 27th forum. Companies were selected by a committee of the area's leading venture capitalists and service providers from an impressive field of 100 candidates recruited from Florida to Maryland. The Southeast forum presenters join 214 past Springboard presenters from Silicon Valley, the Mid-Atlantic, New England, Mid-West and Southwest, who have raised more than $750 million dollars for their companies since January 2000.

"The women chosen to present at Springboard: Southeast 2002 represent the next wave of successful entrepreneurs in this emerging region," said Monica Doss, president of the Council for Entrepreneurial Development. "These forums provide women entrepreneurs with access to the 'who's who' within the investment community and generate quality investment opportunities for the region's investors."

hesketh.com's Chief Financial Officer Debra Chamra says, "Women-led businesses are a vastly under-tapped market for equity financing. We're excited about the business opportunity this conference affords both the presenting companies and investors, and are excited to have played a part in helping make the event possible."

These companies were selected from a competitive field of candidates recruited throughout the Southeast.

September 27th Presenting Companies:

  1. AlphaVax (RTP, NC)
  2. Applied Genetic Technologies (Alachua, FL)
  3. Athenix Corp (Durham, NC)
  4. BioMarck Pharmaceuticals (Raleigh, NC)
  5. Business Devices (Columbia, MD)
  6. Cropsolution (RTP, NC)
  7. Goodroe Healthcare Solutions (Tucker, GA)
  8. Icagen (Durham, NC)
  9. Infinity Pharmaceuticals (Rockville, MD)
  10. Marligen Biosciences (Ijamsville, MD)
  11. MercuryGate International (Apex, NC)
  12. Phoenix S&T (Elkton, MD)
  13. RAGGS LLC (Charlotte, NC)
  14. Raindrop Geomagic (RTP, NC)
  15. StemCo Biomedical (Durham, NC)
  16. Vcom3D (Orlando, FL)

About hesketh.com

Founded in 1995, hesketh.com is a leading User Experience agency with a focus on web-based technologies. hesketh.com's professional services include usability analysis of web technology assets, strategic planning and consulting, development and deployment of online initiatives, and ongoing support and maintenance. The hesketh.com approach values your ROI, your technology asset's usability, and always emphasizes elegance and functionality equally in the use of Internet technologies.
http://www.hesketh.com

About CED

The Council for Entrepreneurial Development (www.cednc.org), located in Research Triangle Park, N.C. is a private, non-profit organization formed in 1984 to stimulate the creation and growth of high-impact companies in the greater Research Triangle region. As one of the nation's oldest and largest entrepreneurial support organizations, CED provides education, mentoring and capital formation resources to new and existing high-growth entrepreneurs.

About Springboard Enterprises

Springboard Enterprises is a Washington, DC based non-profit organization dedicated to increasing women-led high-growth enterprises' access to the equity markets. Springboard delivers its programs and services through local affiliate organizations and a national network of entrepreneurs, investors and business development professionals. Springboard's signature program is the Women's Venture Capital Forum, which is hosted in major markets throughout the United States. More information about Springboard Enterprises can be found at www.springboardenterprises.org.