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COMPANIES TO JOCKEY FOR FUNDS AT FORUM INVESTORS PROVIDE VENTURE CAPITAL BASED ON FINANCIAL NEED 5/10/01
	By MARIA ZATE, NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER
Baseball fan and entrepreneur J. J. Matis has big dreams to elevate her company to the major leagues of business. Last year, Matis created a baseball-shaped backpack as a final project for her MBA degree. The product helped her launch a business when Major League Baseball and the Los Angeles Dodgers decided to license and sell her bags at Dodger Stadium. Her start-up company, J. J. Creations in Sherman Oaks, has grown to include products with the Los Angeles Lakers and the National Baseball Hall of Fame, but Matis is now looking to score big with investors who can fund her company's expansion. "I've made it this far on limited resources," she said. "Now I'm at that point where I really need more funding to take my business to the next level." In her search for money, Matis will join 25 other entrepreneurs to meet, greet and schmooze with deep-pocket investors at the fifth annual Central Coast Venture Forum, to be held May 17 at the Bacara Resort in Santa Barbara. Out of the 26 companies invited to participate in this year's forum, only 12 will be given the chance to make a formal presentation to the hundreds of private investors and venture-capital professionals expected to attend the event. The 14 remaining companies (J.J. Creations among them) will be given exhibit space to display their products and services. More than 50 companies applied to be presenters at this year's conference, said Diana Wilson, executive director of the Central Coast Venture Forum in Santa Barbara. The non-profit forum and its 100-member advisory group provides access to financial resources and services for emerging companies in the Central Coast and northern Los Angeles. Presenting companies are chosen based on financial need. "We selected companies that were looking to raise at least $1 million in equity," Wilson said. Most of the companies making formal pitches already have some level of financing in place and are searching for second and third rounds of financing, she said. Only a handful of firms are seeking initial seed funding. Forum organizers would not release the names of the companies taking part in the event, but they did reveal that most of the firms are from Santa Barbara and Los Angeles. Other companies are from Westlake Village, Ventura, Newbury Park and Santa Maria. "Our applicants this year represent much more diversity in the industries they represent" than in past years, Wilson said. The range of companies making presentations includes a firm with software to help update address books for everyone on a network and another firm that develops online video e-mail and instant video messaging. On the scientific end, one company claims to have the technology to convert hazardous waste into environmentally safe carbon dioxide and water. More than 300 people are expected to attend the event, which is open only to private, professional investors. The event is closed to the public. For more information, contact the Central Coast Venture Forum at 966-6644 or www.ccvf.org. [Santa Barbara News Press, May 2001]

COMPANIES TO JOCKEY FOR FUNDS AT FORUM
INVESTORS PROVIDE VENTURE CAPITAL BASED ON FINANCIAL NEED
5/10/01

By MARIA ZATE, NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER

Baseball fan and entrepreneur J. J. Matis has big dreams to elevate her company to the major leagues of business.

Last year, Matis created a baseball-shaped backpack as a final project for her MBA degree. The product helped her launch a business when Major League Baseball and the Los Angeles Dodgers decided to license and sell her bags at Dodger Stadium.

Her start-up company, J. J. Creations in Sherman Oaks, has grown to include products with the Los Angeles Lakers and the National Baseball Hall of Fame, but Matis is now looking to score big with investors who can fund her company's expansion.

"I've made it this far on limited resources," she said. "Now I'm at that point where I really need more funding to take my business to the next level."

In her search for money, Matis will join 25 other entrepreneurs to meet, greet and schmooze with deep-pocket investors at the fifth annual Central Coast Venture Forum, to be held May 17 at the Bacara Resort in Santa Barbara.

Out of the 26 companies invited to participate in this year's forum, only 12 will be given the chance to make a formal presentation to the hundreds of private investors and venture-capital professionals expected to attend the event. The 14 remaining companies (J.J. Creations among them) will be given exhibit space to display their products and services.

More than 50 companies applied to be presenters at this year's conference, said Diana Wilson, executive director of the Central Coast Venture Forum in Santa Barbara.

The non-profit forum and its 100-member advisory group provides access to financial resources and services for emerging companies in the Central Coast and northern Los Angeles.

Presenting companies are chosen based on financial need.

"We selected companies that were looking to raise at least $1 million in equity," Wilson said.

Most of the companies making formal pitches already have some level of financing in place and are searching for second and third rounds of financing, she said. Only a handful of firms are seeking initial seed funding.

Forum organizers would not release the names of the companies taking part in the event, but they did reveal that most of the firms are from Santa Barbara and Los Angeles. Other companies are from Westlake Village, Ventura, Newbury Park and Santa Maria.

"Our applicants this year represent much more diversity in the industries they represent" than in past years, Wilson said.

The range of companies making presentations includes a firm with software to help update address books for everyone on a network and another firm that develops online video e-mail and instant video messaging. On the scientific end, one company claims to have the technology to convert hazardous waste into environmentally safe carbon dioxide and water.

More than 300 people are expected to attend the event, which is open only to private, professional investors. The event is closed to the public.

For more information, contact the Central Coast Venture Forum at 966-6644 or www.ccvf.org.

[Santa Barbara News Press, May 2001]

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