Planning on entering the Women 2.0 Startup Competition: Pitch 2009 but don’t know how? Or trying to perfect your pitch and looking for some feedback?

Women 2.0 is bringing you the best resources for perfecting your pitch or refining your business idea.

Join us on Tuesday, March 3rd, 2009 at the Institute for the Future in Palo Alto for "Pitch 101: Applying to Women 2.0's Startup Competition".

Aihui Ohg (Pitch Coordinator, Women 2.0) will go over the application process for Pitch 2009, talking about things to do -- and not to do.

Participants will get one-on-one feedback from Georges Harik (Principal, Better Planet Investments), Rebecca Lynn (Principal, Morgenthaler Ventures), and Betty Kayton (Founder and CEO, InnovativeCFO).

ALL THREE are judges for the Pitch 2009 Competition!

Schedule:

7:00pm - 7:15pm:  Introductions
7:15pm - 7:30pm:  Pitch Presentation by Aihui Ong (Pitch 2009 Coordinator)
7:30pm - 9:00pm:  One-on-one Q&A with Georges Harik, Rebecca Lynn, and Betty Kayton (bios below)

Wine and snacks will be provided! Come mix and mingle with other aspiring entrepreneurs, and learn about how to best prepare your startup for the Women 2.0 Startup Competition: Pitch 2009.

Special Guests:

Georges Harik
Principal, Better Planet Investments
Interested in: Web 2.0

Georges was Director of Googlettes and a Distinguished Engineer at Google. As Director of Googlettes, his team was responsible for the product management and strategy efforts surrounding many starting Google initiatives including Gmail, Google Talk, Google Video, Picasa, Orkut, Google Groups and Google Mobile. As a Distinguished Engineer, Georges was the co-developer of the technology behind AdSense, the first engineering manager of the Google Search Appliance, and the co-author of the original product plan for the AdWords Online system. Georges has contributed to numerous patents covering Google’s search engine and advertising networks. Georges worked previously at SGI, where he was a developer on MineSet, a data mining product. Georges received a Ph.D. in Computer Science from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, where he focused on mathematical models of genetic algorithms, programs that evolve to solve problems, that are inspired by natural processes. Georges is currently an advisor to various startups focusing on the areas of internet applications and biotechnology. He is also a founder of imo.im and starting an open source research lab in the area of artificial intelligence.

Rebecca Lynn
Principal, Morgenthaler Ventures
Interested in: Web 2.0, Enterprise (web, mobile)

Rebecca joined Morgenthaler’s Menlo Park office in 2007, and she focuses on early-stage investments in mobile, internet services, digital media and financial services. Rebecca began her career at Procter and Gamble where she worked in international new product market entry. She then spent four years at NextCard where she led product development efforts and later served as the Vice President of Marketing where she managed one of the top five largest online marketing efforts. After NextCard, she ran her own consulting business focusing on online marketing for financial services and affiliate marketing. During law school, she was a Summer Associate at Heller Ehrman/Venture Law Group and at Quinn Emanuel where she focused on intellectual property litigation. Rebecca is also an inventor on several issued patents. She was published in the Berkeley Law and Technology Journal, and she is a registered Patent Agent. During business school, Rebecca chaired the Berkeley Business Plan Competition and was a member of New Venture Fellows. Rebecca earned a JD/MBA degree from the Haas School of Business and Boalt Hall School of Law at the University of California at Berkeley, and a B.S. in chemical engineering from the University of Missouri.

Betty Kayton
Founder and CEO, InnovativeCFO
Interested in: Web 2.0, Mobile, Clean tech, Consumer Hardware (electronics), Enterprise (web, mobile), SaaS

Betty has over 25 years of experience in the technology industry, as a key member of the executive team at high-growth, venture-funded start-ups. Her contribution ranges from strategic planning and fund raising to tactical challengers such as building appropriate infrastructure without stifling growth. Betty concurrently serves as CFO of several high tech companies (Wi-Fi/mesh networks, consumer products, Web 2.0, eLearning), and previously was CFO at Leapfrog (a leading manufacturer of interactive learning aids), Nominum (internet/telecom infrastructure software), MGA Entertainment (since grown to be the world’s largest privately-held toy company), and senior financial management positions at Fortune 500 companies including Fujitsu and Citicorp. Betty was certified as a CPA while working for Ernst & Young. She holds an MBA from the University of Southern California and a BA from Pomona College.