Capital Raising, Innovation Consulting, Technology Licensing Services - Alchemy Innovation

27 Jan, 2012

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In his article – ‘The Top 10 Angel Investor Groups’ Jason Fell looks at the largest groups that fund startups, ranked by number of investors.

In the United States, the Angel Capital Association is the “trade association” of investment groups. Angel investing in Australia are represented through the Australasian Angel Investors Association.

It is useful as an Australian startup, to assess if there is value in establishing early, a US presence for your company and attracting Angel support there. Some Angel groups syndicate support across 2 or 3 groups, capitalizing on the other group’s research and due diligence processes. Jason Fell lists the following groups as the largest in the US to support startups:

Ohio TechAngel Funds, Columbus, Ohio
Number of angels: 282
Who it helps: Supports early-stage Ohio-based information technology, advanced materials, and medical technology companies.

Tech Coast Angels, Los Angeles
Number of angels: 263
Who it helps: Provides connections, knowledge, mentoring and operational assistance to early-stage entrepreneurs in the tech, biotech, consumer products, Internet, information technology, life sciences, media, software and environmental markets.

Investors’ Circle, San Francisco
Number of angels: 225
Who it helps: Uses private capital to promote businesses that address social and environmental issues. The group has invested almost $150 million in 225 companies, it says.

Golden Seeds LLC, New York City
Number of angels: 190
Who it helps: Members invest directly, or through a managed fund, in companies that are founded by or led by women. Sectors include consumer products, technology, software and life sciences.

North Coast Angel Fund, Cleveland, Ohio
Number of angels: 180
Who it helps: Invests in Ohio-based technology startups.

Band of Angels, Menlo Park, Calif.
Number of angels: 136
Who it helps: Group of former and current high-tech executives that has invested almost $200 million in early-stage technology companies.

Hyde Park Angel Network, Chicago
Number of angels: 133
Who it helps: Members invest in seed and early stage businesses, primarily located in the Midwest. Industries include: information technology, business services, industrial technology, financial services, consumer or industrial products and healthcare services.

Alliance of Angels, Seattle
Number of angels: 100
Who it helps: Early-stage investors in startups based in the Northwest region of the country.

Pasadena Angels, Altadena, Calif.
Number of angels: 100
Who it helps: Provides up to $750,000 in early-stage and seed financing to startups in southern California.

New York Angels Inc, New York City
Number of angels: 99
Who it helps: Made up of entrepreneurs, CEOs, venture capitalists and other business leaders, the group invests between $250,000 and $750,000 in early-stage technology companies generally located in the Northeast.

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Kate Ingham is a partner at Alchemy Equities, a boutique corporate advisory firm that specializes in private equity capital raising for growth companies in Australia. See www.alchemyequities.com.au

Can i patent my design specifications without a prototype

27 Jan, 2012

by admin

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All my designs for my idea are on paper but I don’t have the experience to build a prototype. Do I need one for presentation and testing, or can I patent just the specifications?

While in many respects, producing a prototype isn’t compulsory, it’s generally regarded as a key part of the commercialisation process. One significant advantage of a prototype is that it helps you demonstrate that your idea can really work.

There are a number of different levels of prototypes ranging from virtual prototyping comprising animated 3D CAD drawings, right through to production stage products. A well produced prototype will allow you to:

Conduct any necessary testing to ensure the product will work as claimed.
Identify and protect any subsequent improvements prior to patenting.
Estimate the cost to manufacture
Provide a visual representation of your idea when you’re giving presentations to potential investors, licensees etc.
Research potential customers prior to entering the market.

Whether or not you choose to produce a prototype, may vary depending on the type of invention, available resources and your commercialisation strategy.

There are a number of services that can assist you in this area such as industrial designers, which you can find in the Yellow Pages. Additionally, many innovation centres and innovation consultants also provide government subsidised technical assessments that provide a written report on your current designs and drawings.

In terms of patenting your idea, again you don’t necessarily require a prototype, but you will need to convince the patent examiner that the device works as outlined and is useful. You could achieve this with comprehensive drawings and descriptions.

Contact the NSW Innovation Advisory Service to arrange a Preliminary Patent Search to ensure your idea has not already been patented.

The NSW Innovation Advisory Service provides an innovation consultancy which is subsidised by the NSW state government. Alchemy Equities is an innovation consultancy and is contracted by the state government to deliver the NSW IAS. See www.ausinvent.com

ipowow signs contract with channel 9 cricket australia vodafone

27 Jan, 2012

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Interactive Australian media company iPowow has just signed a significant contract with Channel Nine Australia, Cricket Australia and Vodafone.

The game of cricket has changed forever as ipowow uses its mobile web platform to allow broadcasters to interact instantly with their viewers via smartphone technology.

Via iPowow technology, broadcasters can ask an audience a question and they can use their 3G mobile phones or laptops to respond instantly.

iPowow’s global, cloud-hosted platform collects and combines the audiences responses and then delivers the digital results directly, second by second, which is displayed onscreen, in real-time, as a moving graphic – similar to ‘the worm’ used in political campaigns.

iPowow will debut for the first time on Australian television this Sunday the 25th of September at 10AM on Channel Nine’s Wide World of Sports.

iPowow products are Twitter and Facebook connected, engaging millions of viewers outside of a TV show’s normal audience. The iPowow scoring screens also gives viewers the ability to send Tweets and Facebook posts during the event, showing scores and the current leader board places.

The patented technology that sits at the heart of iPowow, is on the leading edge of a global shift towards participation television and second-screen content. iPowow gives broadcasters, television producers and advertisers the power to create a new breed of participation television.

iPowow Social also brings real-time audience feedback to social networking. The company has recently launched a campaign for basketball legend, Shaquille O’Neal.

“The product gives sports stars and celebrities the power to ask all of their Twitter followers and Facebook friends a question and receive the answer, instantly,” says iPowow CEO, Ettienne Fourie.

iPowow has signed UFC, Cirque Du Soleil, The American Music Awards, ABC Australia, Top Rank, and ‘The 2011 MISS USA® Pageant’.

To date the company has raised $3.5mil in private equity funds and are located in the USA and Australia.

iPowow is a client of boutique private equity firm Alchemy Equities which raises capital for high growth early stage businesses and is located in Sydney Australia www.alchemyequities.com.au and www.assob.com.au/wow