Long Island Capital Alliance (LICA), a nonprofit that helps area companies raise capital, said it's joining forces with a member-supported group that promotes the expansion of technology in the region.
The relationship aims to provide Long Island Software and Technology Network (LISTnet) members with greater access to capital, and help LICA connect with the local technology sector, they said in a statement.
"LISTnet will facilitate LICA's reach into the rapidly evolving technology corridors on Long Island," LICA said in the Jan. 27 statement. "LICA will be able to provide LISTnet members with access to capital and other strategic growth advisory services through its membership, quarterly Capital Forums, and other educational events."
LICA will host industry-specific capital formation forums throughout the year, including one specific to the technology industry on Jan. 31 in Melville, N.Y. The keynote speaker this month will be Ganesh Sundaram, who has authored more than fifty patents related to mobile technology, according to AlefEdge's website, where he serves as that company's chief executive officer and a board member.
"We create a community, where entrepreneurs can learn about how to grow their businesses, where investors can have a first look at some exciting companies we've screened for them, and where executives can come together to provide experience, knowledge, and other infrastructure," said Neil Kaufman, LICA's Chairman Emeritus and a current board member, in an interview with CQ Roll Call.
While many of the specific successes of LICA's capital formation efforts are proprietary, according to Kaufman, he said it has helped raise over $150 million for companies during its 35 year history.
LISTnet's membership includes "hundreds of companies, everyone from people who started their businesses in the basement to [international medical supplies distributor] Henry Schein Inc.," said Paul Trapani, LISTnet's President in an interview with CQ Roll Call. Trapani is a serial entrepreneur who has served the network in leadership roles for five years, although he has been member for fifteen, he said.
"We basically act as a chamber of commerce for the tech industry on Long Island," said Trapani. "We work to create a strong technology ecosystem here." The network's other members include national players like Uber Technologies Inc. and AT&T Inc., as well as burgeoning Long Island startups, according to its website.
LICA will hold additional sector-specific capital forums in 2020 including a health care industry forum on May 8, a Sept. 25 forum related to veterans raising capital, and the group expects to round out the year with a food and beverage industry forum on Dec. 11. All the events will be held at the RXR Center in Melville.
"After coexisting on Long Island for nearly a quarter century, it is with great pleasure that we announce mutual support between our organizations," said Michael Lane, Chairman of LICA, according to the statement. "With the mission of each organization having the common purpose of facilitating the growth of the Long Island technology economy, both LISTnet and LICA now will be better positioned to deliver benefits to our community."
By Keith Lewis, CQ Roll Call
Keynote Speaker: Dr. Ganesh Sundaram, Founder & CEO of AlefEdge, the Leader in Edge Internet Digital Transformation, Discussing Why 5G Will Disrupt the Internet
Fireside Chat with Long Island's Preeminent Business and Technology Incubators
MELVILLE, NY / ACCESSWIRE / January 28, 2020 / The Long Island Capital Alliance ("LICA"), Long Island's leading non-profit capital formation and business development organization, is hosting its Technology Capital Forum to be held on Friday, January 31, 2020, which will feature:
The chairman of this event and panel moderator will be LICA President Corey Massella, a leading financial services advisor for middle market companies at UHY Advisors NY, Inc.
Technology Capital Forum on January 31, 2020 -- Participants
Keynote Speaker
Dr. Ganesh Sundaram is a leader in Internet technologies with over 20 years of rich experience in technology creation and product realization. He is the founder and CEO of AlefEdge which is Pioneering the next generation distributed Edge Internet, and was recently recognized for his "Biggest Individual Contribution to Edge Computing Development" at the Edge Awards. He has developed several foundational technologies leading to new standards, products, and deployments and has authored over 50 patents relating to the Mobile Internet. He was named a Bell Labs Fellow in 2012, inducted into the Alcatel-Lucent Technical Academy in 2009, and is a recipient of two Bell Labs President's Awards.
Presenting Companies
Carlin West Agency (CWA): Empowering children with best-in-class products, games, technology and entertainment. Based in New York City, NY. www.carlinwestagency.com
FeatherDocs: Uses AI to automate document management, making it simple, powerful and secure. Based in New York City, NY. www.featherdocs.com
Hoplite Power: Developer of autonomous vending kiosks to provide batter pack rentals on-demand. Based in Long Island City, NY. www.hoplitepower.com
Standard Bots: The most advanced robot for automating repetitive physical tasks. Based in Glen Cove, NY. www.standardbots.com
Zeblok Computational: Solves computationally hard problems, helps enterprises adopt pragmatic AI, and deepens university-industry collaborations while developing the computing community and talent ecosystem. Based in Stony Brook, NY. www.zeblok.com
Panel of Investors
The following investment professionals will participate in the investor panel at the Technology Capital Forum, which will be moderated by Corey Massella:
Mark R. Basile: Mr. Basile is a principle of Cloudelake Capital Group, a Family Office that makes investments ranging between $1M and $5M in alternative energy, healthcare, and technology. He also is a Professor of Law & Entrepreneurship at Touro College - Jacob D. Fuchsberg Law Center on Long Island and a principle attorney at The Basile Law Firm, P.C., where he represents entrepreneurs on growth strategies. Mr. Basile holds several U.S. Patents in the areas of biometric identification, verification and authentication technology. He won the Smithsonian Award for Advances in Medical Technology.
Ben Boissevain: Mr. Boissevain has 30 years of cross border M&A experience. He graduated from NYU Law School and started his career at White & Case. He garnered investment banking experience at Erste Bank in Vienna and Barclays Bank in New York. He speaks regularly on panels on the technology sector and corporate finance and has appeared on TV at Fox News and Bloomberg.
Michael Goodman: Mr. Goodman's background includes significant operational experience in technology companies, M&A and deal-making from a corporate perspective, business development in the technology area, and international strategic planning for Fortune 500 companies. Prior to founding Pharus, a global boutique merchant banking firm, he was Vice President and General Manager of govWorks, Inc. where he was responsible for the company's consumer division and online business. Mike graduated with a BS in Economics, cum laude, from The Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania and earned an MBA, with honors, from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business.
Steve Perricone: Steve Perricone is the founder and Managing Partner of NYC-based Pilot Mountain Ventures, an early stage venture capital firm focusing on technology and medical device investments. He is formerly a Managing Director at Deutsche Bank, where he led their HNW Equity Derivatives Group. Mr. Perricone began his career at Accenture, where he was a Senior Consultant focusing on financial technology. He holds a BA from Wake Forest University and an MBA from Harvard Business School.
Corey Massella: Mr. Massella has over 25 years of experience as an entrepreneur; a trusted tax and business advisor; and as a specialist in SEC accounting and audit services. This multidiscipline background enables him to see all sides of the M&A transaction cycle and successfully guide his clients to make critical decisions while ensuring transactions are strategic and seamless. He has completed more than 300 M&A transactions spanning his career; and has served as a private equity and technology industry group practice leader. He has been the lead partner for the firm awarded M&A Advisor's Accounting/Due Diligence Firm of the Year award and has been nominated as Dealmaker of the Year by ACG New York and M&A Advisor. He is President of the Long Island Capital Alliance and has served on its Board of Directors for over a decade.
Long Island Incubators
Peter Donnelly: Managing Director of the Accelerate NY Seed Fund and Associate Vice President for Technology Partnerships at Stony Brook University.
Michael Nizich: Entrepreneurship and Technology Innovation Center Director at New York Institute of Technology.
Stacey I. Sikes: Executive Dean of Entrepreneurship and Business Development at Hofstra University.
LICA is hosting the Technology Capital Forum on Friday, January 31, 2020 from 8:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. at 68 South Service Road, Melville, NY, 11747. The capital forum provides an opportunity to meet capital providers, entrepreneurs, industry executives and businesses seeking capital, as well as to hear a panel of industry experts discuss financing alternatives. Investors receive complimentary admission.
About Long Island Capital Alliance
Since 1984, the Long Island Capital Alliance (www.licapital.org), formerly known as Long Island Venture Group, has been promoting business growth on Long Island. LICA seeks to create a productive and business-friendly environment that will afford area businesses access to the resources necessary to compete successfully in today's markets. LICA serves as a focal point for the exchange of ideas among new and existing business enterprises, successful entrepreneurs, investors, and service providers. Through quarterly capital forums and special meetings, LICA brings together members of the region's business community, and has been recognized as the place to turn to when small businesses need equity, debt, or other financing, or for investors to find an attractive investment opportunity.
LICA's mission is to encourage economic development on Long Island by facilitating capital formation for a broad range of companies in various industries, from early stage to mature, middle market, closely held and publicly traded businesses. LICA accomplishes this primarily through education, networking, quarterly capital forums, periodic special educational meetings, and alliances with other regional organizations. LICA brings together members of the region's business community and serves as the finance arm for significant local business and organizations.
The work of LICA in assisting dozens of local companies in raising over $150 million and providing business formation consultation would not be possible without the support of its sponsors. A total of 14 sponsors provide LICA, a non-profit organization, with financial contributions and in-kind services.
For more information on LICA and its next event, please contact LICA today orregister online at www.licapital.org.
Save the Dates - Upcoming LICA Capital Forums
January 31, 2020 - Technology
May 8, 2020 - Health Care
September 25, 2020 - Veterans
December 11, 2020 - Food and Beverage
* * *
Contact: Jordan Darrow Darrow Associates, Inc. jdarrow@darrowir.com 631-766-4528
SOURCE: Long Island Capital Alliance
MELVILLE, NY / ACCESSWIRE / January 27, 2020 / The Long Island Capital Alliance ("LICA"), Long Island's leading non-profit capital formation and business development organization, today announced bilateral organizational support with LISTnet, Long Island's leading member-supported organization dedicated to promoting and growing the technology ecosystem, in an effort to accelerate economic development, job creation and growth for regional technology companies.
LISTnet will facilitate LICA's reach into the rapidly evolving technology corridors on Long Island. LICA will be able to provide LISTnet members with access to capital and other strategic growth advisory services through its membership, quarterly Capital Forums, and other educational events.
"After coexisting on Long Island for nearly a quarter century, it is with great pleasure that we announce mutual support between our organizations," said Michael Lane, Chairman of LICA. "With the mission of each organization having the common purpose of facilitating the growth of the Long Island technology economy, both LISTnet and LICA now will be better positioned to deliver benefits to our community."
"As an advocate for the region's technology sector for over two decades, LISTnet looks forward to working with the Long Island Capital Alliance. LICA has an impressive record as a leading capital formation player on Long Island and we believe connecting companies with the capital they need to grow is essential to strengthening the local technology and innovation ecosystem," said Paul Trapani, President of LISTnet.
Reinforcing the support pledged to the respective organizations, Mr. Lane has been appointed to the LISTnet Board of Directors and Mr. Trapani has been appointed to the LICA Board of Directors.
Michael Lane's career spans over 35 years and ranges from entrepreneur to public company senior executive. His experience and counsel are frequently sought after to advise on the opportunities and challenges relating to business start-ups, funding and capitalization, business development and sales processes, mergers and acquisitions, management and leadership, and other organizational opportunities. Mr. Lane's accomplishments include significant sales growth and market awareness campaigns, product development leadership, mergers and acquisitions, and capital raises of $60 million for his companies. Earlier, he worked for some of the world's largest financial institutions and consulting firms in roles of increasing responsibility involving financial operations, business process management (BPM), software development, sales and marketing, and major account management for customers such as The City of New York, AT&T, and J.P. Morgan. Mr. Lane earned a BA degree from UCLA and received an MBA from Columbia Business School.
Paul Trapani is a consultant and entrepreneur experienced in executive management, business operations, technology planning, software consulting and business turnaround. After eight years of consulting and programming experience he co-founded XT Group, an IT consulting and support company in 2005. The company was eventually acquired by Fuoco Technology with Trapani serving as CEO until 2013. His next role was a turnaround situation as Vice President of Operations for Adil Business Systems, a large government contract staffing company. At Adil he reversed two years in a row of losses and increased profitability by 15%. After Adil was acquired he started his latest venture PJT Consulting, which helps companies formalize business requirements and turn them into software solutions. He also passionately works to grow and strengthen the Long Island tech community as President of LISTnet (Long Island Software and Technology Network).
About Long Island Software & Technology Network-LISTnet:
Long Island Software & Technology Network (LISTnet) (www.listnet.org) was founded as a member-supported organization in 1997. LISTnet's ongoing mission is to promote Long Island as a national center of excellence for software and technology.
Since 1984, the Long Island Capital Alliance (www.licapital.org), has been promoting business growth on Long Island. LICA seeks to create a productive and business-friendly environment that will afford area businesses access to the resources necessary to compete successfully in today's markets. LICA serves as a focal point for the exchange of ideas among new and existing business enterprises, successful entrepreneurs, investors, and service providers. Through quarterly capital forums, educational events, and special meetings, LICA brings together members of the region's business community, and has been recognized as the place to turn to when small businesses need equity, debt, or other financing, or for investors to find an attractive investment opportunity.
LICA's mission is to encourage economic development on Long Island by facilitating capital formation for a broad range of companies in various industries, from early stage to mature, middle market, closely held and publicly traded businesses. LICA brings together members of the region's business community and serves as the finance arm for significant local business and organizations. The work of LICA in assisting dozens of local companies in raising over $150 million and providing business formation consultation would not be possible without the support of its sponsors (Kaufman & Associates, Carter DeLuca, Eisner Amper, BDO, UHY Certified Public Accountants, Inpserity, Moritt Hock & Hamroff, Lorraine Gregory, EPSG, Accesswire, Executive Strategies Group, CFO Consulting Partners).
For more information on LICA and its next event, please contact LICA today or register online at www.licapital.org.
About LISTnet
Long Island Software and Technology Network (LISTnet) was founded as a member supported organization in 1997. LISTnet's ongoing mission is to promote Long Island as a national center of excellence for software and technology. LISTnet connects companies, educators and government, to form a strong technology ecosystem on Long Island. LISTnet also helps companies collaborate, holds events to share ideas and information, works to improve the tech workforce and partners with companies to provide the high tech centers and work spaces needed for the growth of the Long Island software and technology community.
Contact:
Jordan Darrow Darrow Associates, Inc. jdarrow@darrowir.com 631-766-4528
Cannabis businesses will get a chance to meet with potential investors later this month in a Melville capital forum put together by Long Island Capital Alliance.
LICA, a local nonprofit capital formation and business development organization, will host the Cannabis Capital Forum on Sept. 27 from 8 to 11 a.m. at 68 S. Service Rd.
The forum, held for the second year, will feature presentations by five companies working on emerging trends in the rapidly growing cannabis sector.
Representatives from these businesses will pitch their work and ideas to a panel of investors.
Boris Jordan, co-founder and executive chairman of Massachusetts-based Curaleaf Holdings Inc., a multi-state medical and wellness cannabis company, and founding partner of the Measure 8 Venture Fund, a cannabis industry investment fund, will be the event’s keynote speaker.
The presenting companies include two Long Island firms, Melville-based Marijuana Doctors, an online directory of medical marijuana doctors and PuraVida Vitamins of Holbrooke, a company that sells a wide range of CBD gummies, oils, topicals, vitamins and superfoods.
Two New York City companies, Tikun Olam USA, a seller of medical cannabis products, and Scopus BioPharma, a biotechnology company focused on developing therapeutic drugs based on the body’s endocannabinoid system, which responds to cannabis, and Colorado-based Endourage, a seller of CBD and full-spectrum hemp-derived products, will also will be among the presenting companies at the Cannabis Capital Forum.
Immediately following presentations, a panel of industry experts will discuss financing alternatives for cannabis companies.
Keynote Speaker: Boris Jordan, Co-Founder and Chairman of Curaleaf Holdings Inc., the largest cannabis company in the world
5 of the top Cannabis industry investors on panel
5 leading cannabis growth companies present their business plans
MELVILLE, NY / ACCESSWIRE / September 11, 2019 / The Long Island Capital Alliance (“LICA”), Long Island’s leading non-profit capital formation and business development organization, is hosting its second Cannabis Capital Forum to be held on Friday, September 27, 2019, after the huge success of its first cannabis capital forum in December 2018. The capital forum will feature:
The chairman of this event is LICA Chairman Emeritus Neil M. Kaufman, one of the leading corporate cannabis lawyers in the U.S.
Cannabis Capital Forum on September 27, 2019 -- Participants
Boris Jordan is one of the architects of the US cannabis industry. He is a co-founder and Executive Chairman of Curaleaf Holdings Inc. (CNSX: CURA; OTCMKTS: CURLF), the largest vertically integrated cannabis U.S. multi-state operator and the largest cannabis company in the world. He is also a founding partner of the Measure 8 Venture Fund, a cannabis industry investment fund.
Marijuana Doctors: Provides online search access to medical marijuana doctors. Based in Melville, NY. www.marijuanadoctors.com
Scopus BioPharma: A biotechnology company focused on developing novel therapeutics targeting the endocannabinoid system. Based in New York City, NY. www.scopusbiopharma.com
Tikun Olam USA: Tikun Olam ('repair the world' in Hebrew) is one of the world’s leading cannabis brands and is globally recognized as the pioneer of modern medical cannabis. The company provides therapeutic solutions through cannabis and a personalized approach to wellness. Based in New York City, NY. www.tikunolamusa.com
PuraVida Vitamins: Markets and sells a wide range of CBD-infused products. Based in Holbrooke, NY. www.puravidavitamins.com
Endourage: Has developed, markets and sells a line of CBD and full spectrum hemp-derived products. Based in Colorado. www.endourage.com
The following investment professionals will participate in the investor panel at the Cannabis Capital Forum, which will be moderated by Neil Kaufman:
Mitch Baruchowitz: Mr. Baruchowitz is Managing Partner of Merida Capital, one of the leading investment funds in the cannabis industry. He has nine years of experience in the legal cannabis industry. He is considered a national expert in the diverse licensing regimes governing each state. He has spearheaded leading licensing applications in Colorado, Connecticut, Minnesota and Maryland. Mr. Baruchowitz has approximately 20 years of experience in the legal and finance fields. He is the former Associate General Counsel and Chief Compliance Officer of publicly traded MarketAxess. He was also the General Counsel of investment banking boutique Pali Capital. Since 2010, he has led numerous public and private offerings, assisted in the formation and funding of several credit funds and a $60 million REIT while the Head of Investment Banking of ACGM, Inc. and at Cavu Securities. He currently sits on the Boards of New Frontier Data and Manna Molecular Sciences.
Jon Trauben: Mr. Trauben is a partner of Altitude Investment Management, the general partner of Altitude Investment Partners, one of the leading investment funds in the cannabis industry. He is an active participant in the cannabis industry as an investor, association member, mentor, and board member. He brings a wealth of experience and management expertise with a 25-year record as a seasoned commercial real estate, capital markets, and finance executive. Jon has held senior positions on Wall Street while at Barclays, Credit Suisse, Cantor Fitzgerald, and Hunt Companies where he was a business leader, lender, trader, and investor.
Justin Ort: Mr. Ort is CEO of Measure 8 Ventures Management, LLC and CIO of Measures 8 Full Spectrum Fund, LP. He has over 25 years of experience in the asset management industry. Prior to co-founding Measure 8 Full Spectrum Fund, Mr. Ort was the head of Domestic Equities at FNY Investment Advisors, LLC and a member of its advisory board. As a Senior Partner, Mr. Ort managed the largest allocation of any trader at FNY and has significant experience in cannabis and risk arbitrage investing.
Jeffrey Schultz: Mr Schultz is a partner at Navy Capital, a long/short cannabis investment fund and one of the leading investment funds in the cannabis industry. Schultz has over 12 years of experience as an attorney in the hedge fund and private equity fund industry. Prior to joining Navy, Mr. Schultz served as Managing Director, Senior Counsel and CCO for an emerging private equity fund manager, and prior to that, he served as Chief Legal Officer and Chief Compliance Officer of Phoenix Investment Adviser LLC, a hedge fund manager with peak AUM of $1.4 billion. He is a frequent speaker and guest-lecturer on legal and compliance issues in the hedge fund and cannabis industries.
Loren DeFalco: Mr. DeFalco, CFP, is a Partner and Head of Research of CB1 Capital Management LLC, a Long Island-based cannabis investment fund. Having cured himself of epileptic seizures through a regime of CBD and cannabinoids nine years ago, his intimate understanding of the endocannabinoid system and nutraceuticals enables him to fully analyze cannabinoid products. Loren formerly was President of LAD Capital, Inc., a Vice President and financial representative at HSBC, and a Vice President of Financial Planning at MetLife Resources.
Neil M. Kaufman is the Managing Member of Kaufman & Associates, LLC, a boutique Long Island law firm which is Corporate & Securities Counsel to the State-Legal Cannabis Industry™, and also is of counsel to the Frontera Law Group, a California-based cannabis law firm. He has been a corporate and securities lawyer for over 35 years concentrating on advising public and private companies, emerging growth and middle market companies, private equity and venture capital firms, institutional investors and investment banks in connection with mergers and acquisitions and public and private financings, and for the past five (5) years has advised clients in connection with over $800 million of domestic and cross-border transactions in the cannabis industry. Mr. Kaufman is a frequent speaker and panelist at leading industry conferences. Mr. Kaufman has been a Senior Advisor to Sciopus BioPharma Inc. since July 2019.
Mr. Kaufman is on the Board of Trustees and Chairman of the Audit Committee of Two Roads Shared Trust, a Series Trust comprised of 20 alternative mutual funds with approximately $2.8 billion under management. Mr. Kaufman is also on the Board of Trustees and Chairman of the Audit Committee of Altegris KKR Commitments Master Fund, a closed-end private equity mutual fund with approximately $400 million under management. Mr. Kaufman is the Chairman of the Long Island Chapter of Financial Executives International, a nationwide U.S. organization of chief financial officers and corporate controllers. Mr. Kaufman is also Chairman Emeritus and was previously the Chairman of the Long Island Capital Alliance. Previously, Mr. Kaufman was a Partner and Head of the Corporate and Securities Department of two law firms in New York and Long Island. Mr. Kaufman began his career at Lord Day & Lord, then a leading New York law firm. Mr. Kaufman received his B.A., with distinction, from Harpur College/Binghamton University and his J.D. from New York University School of Law, where he served on the staff of the Journal of International Law and Politics, an honorary law journal.
LICA is hosting the Cannabis Capital Forum on Friday, September 27, 2019 from 8:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. at 68 South Service Road, Melville, NY, 11747. The capital forum provides an opportunity to meet capital providers, entrepreneurs, industry executives and businesses seeking capital, as well as to hear a panel of industry experts discuss financing alternatives for cannabis and related companies. Investors receive complimentary admission.
View source version on accesswire.com: https://www.accesswire.com/559113/Long-Island-Capital-Alliance-to-Host-Second-Cannabis-Capital-Forum-on-September-27-2019
Long Island Capital Alliance Appoints Michael A. Lane as Chairman
Neil M. Kaufman to Serve as Chairman Emeritus and Remain a Director
Melville, NY – December 7, 2018 – The Long Island Capital Alliance (“LICA”), Long Island’s leading non-profit capital formation and business development organization, today announced that Michael A. Lane will become its Chairman of the Board effective February 1, 2019, the beginning of its next fiscal year. At that time, LICA’s current Chairman, Neil M. Kaufman, will transition into the role of Chairman Emeritus and will remain on the organization’s Board of Directors.
“I have thoroughly enjoyed my tenure as Chairman and look forward to continuing to serve LICA as Chairman Emeritus and a member of its Board of Directors ,” said Neil Kaufman. “It has been a privilege to participate in the success that LICA has enjoyed, including its dynamic enhancement of the growth and development of many local companies.” Mr. Kaufman served as a LICA Chairman since 2012, Vice Chairman from 2005-2012, and as Secretary and a director for several years prior to 2005.
Mr. Kaufman continued, “I am confident that the energy, ideas and leadership that Michael Lane will provide as chairman will drive LICA to continued and further success. For the past 5 years, LICA has immensely benefited from Michael’s contributions. The regional growth economy is in very good hands with Michael now leading this organization.”
“On behalf of LICA’s Board and entire membership, as well as the regional business and investment communities, we are grateful for Neil’s leadership, tireless commitment, organizational achievements and the many wonderful business relationships he has forged for LICA,” said Michael A. Lane, Chairman-elect of LICA. “With Neil as Chairman for the past 7 years, we have continued to enhance our highly successful quarterly industry focused Capital Forum series to be best-in-class events. We also have expanded our entrepreneurial educational programs, increased our membership and expanded our Board of Directors. We are particularly proud to have created access to capital for the formation and advancement of countless companies on Long Island and in the tristate area. I look forward to continuing to work with Neil in support of LICA’s mission of promoting economic development in our region.”
Mr. Lane has been a director of LICA since 2013. His career spans over 30 years, during which time he has held senior executive positions and led sales organizations primarily focused on
Information Technology applications and Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) solutions at companies ranging from early stage venture capital backed companies to large publicly traded enterprises. Mr. Lane brings strong operational, managerial and consultative expertise, with significant experience gained while at Accenture, Bankers Trust, Chase/Chemical Bank, Bottomline Technologies, PegaSystems, and a division of Fiserve. He is also an experienced angel and venture capital investor.
As an entrepreneur and C-suite executive at several private companies, accomplishments include significant sales growth and market awareness campaigns, product development leadership, mergers and acquisitions, and successfully raising capital totaling nearly $100 million in aggregate from Accenture, Microsoft, Compaq, The Bank of New York, Advent Software and several leading venture capital and private equity firms. Earlier, he worked for some of the world’s largest financial institutions in roles of increasing responsibility involving billing and MIS, business process management (BPM) software development, implementation and sales/marketing, and major account management for customers such as some of the bank’s largest clients, including The City of New York, AT&T, Amerada Hess, Pepsi, and Bear Stearns.
Mr. Lane earned a BA degree from UCLA and received an MBA from Columbia Business School.
Mr. Kaufman is the managing member of Kaufman & Associates, LLC, a corporate and securities law firm based in Hauppauge, NY. He represents a wide variety of businesses and investors in connection with their corporate, securities, financing, borrowing, merger & acquisition, contract and other legal matters. He combines over 30 years of experience in corporate and securities law and in the boardroom with extensive experience and a deep understanding of the special circumstances and nuances of the cannabis and technology industries.
In addition to LICA, Mr. Kaufman’s other business advisory, volunteer and philanthropic activities include serving as chairman of the Long Island Chapter of Financial Executives International; a member of the Board of Trustees and chairman of the audit committee of Two Roads Shared Trust, a collection of open-end alternative mutual funds; and member of the Board of Trustees and chairman of the audit committee of Altegris KKR Master Commitments Fund, a closed-end private equity mutual fund.
Mr. Kaufman received a J.D. from New York University School of Law (1984) and a B.A. from Binghamton University (1981). He is admitted to practice law in the State of New York, and was named a 2017 SuperLawyer.
Since 1984, the Long Island Capital Alliance (www.licapital.org), formerly known as Long Island Venture Group, has been promoting business growth on Long Island. LICA seeks to create a productive and business-friendly environment that will afford area businesses access to the resources necessary to compete successfully in today's markets. LICA serves as a focal point for the exchange of ideas among new and existing business enterprises, successful entrepreneurs, investors, and service providers. Through quarterly capital forums and special
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meetings, LICA brings together members of the region's business community, and has been recognized as the place to turn to when small businesses need equity, debt, or other financing, or for investors to find an attractive investment opportunity.
LICA's mission is to encourage economic development on Long Island by facilitating capital formation for a broad range of companies in various industries, from early stage to mature, middle market, closely held and publicly-traded businesses. LICA accomplishes this primarily through education, networking, quarterly capital forums, periodic special educational meetings, and alliances with other regional organizations. LICA brings together members of the region’s business community and serves as the finance arm for significant local business and organizations.
For more information on LICA and its next event, please contact LICA today or register online at www.licapital.org.
Contact: Jordan Darrow Darrow Associates, Inc. jdarrow@darrowir.com
LONG ISLAND EXPERTS EXPECT A STRONG YEAR FOR ANGEL INVESTING IN 2018, MIRRORING NATIONAL TRENDS. ONE EXPERT SAYS HE’S SEEING A “HISTORICALLY HIGH VOLUME” OF LOCAL FIRMS LOOKING TO PITCH TO INVESTORS.
Angel investors, or high net-worth individuals as they’re known, invested larger amounts in fewer deals last year, according to the Center for Venture Research at the University of New Hampshire.
Total investments nationwide in 2017 were $23.9 billion, an increase of 12.6 percent over 2016, while the number of entrepreneurial ventures that received angel funding — 61,560 — was down 4.4 percent, according to the center’s data.
The numbers bode well both locally and nationally for entrepreneurs.
Matt DeMaio, left, of Valley Stream-based Condition One Nutrition, produces the firm’s meal replacement bars at Kaltec Food Packaging in Port Jervis. Photo Credit: David Handschuh.“I think we’re on the right track,” says Jeffrey Sohl, director of the UNH center. “This looks like a relatively stable market.”
There are good deals to be had for angels, although they appear to be paying slightly more for them, he says. The higher valuations could reflect more competition for fewer deals, he says.
While local statistics weren’t broken out, New York and Boston are “two major centers of startup activity and angel investing,” says Sohl.
On Long Island, experts said activity mirrored the national report’s findings, with larger amounts invested in fewer deals.
That follows the trend in the national report’s findings: The percentage of angel investments in companies in the seed and startup stage was identical in 2016 and 2017, at 41 percent, but angels increased their presence in early-stage investing to 41 percent of investments, up from 31 percent in 2016.
Faltischek says he is “ambivalent” about the local investment outlook for 2018, noting he’d like to see more “quality” opportunities for seed investment locally in order to attract more angels. He says he is meeting with local research institutions and universities to gauge future opportunities for commercialization of technologies.
Condition One Nutrition bars ready for packaging at Kaltec Food Packaging in Port Jervis. The Valley Stream-based firm recently snagged angel funding. Photo Credit: David Handschuh
Meanwhile, Neil Kaufman, chairman of the Long Island Capital Alliance and managing member of Kaufman & Associates law firm in Hauppauge, says he’s seen a good crop of firms presenting at LICA’s quarterly forums, where companies pitch to potential investors.
“We’ve seen a high quantity of high-quality local companies at all stages,” he says, noting LICA has been receiving a “historically high volume of applicants” to present at its forums.
Kaufman says he expects 2018 to continue 2017’s trend, with a strong volume of applicants and activity.
Matt DeMaio, president of Valley Stream-based Condition One Nutrition, hopes so.
Matt DeMaio, president of Valley Stream-based Condition One Nutrition, works on cutting and packaging the bars at Kaltec Food Packaging in Port Jervis. Photo Credit: David Handschuh
He presented at LICA’s December forum and recently snagged angel funds for his firm, which manufactures meal replacement bars.
“I’m in discussions for additional funding from other angel investors I met through LICA,” he says, noting Kaufman assisted in structuring and closing the deal.
DeMaio wouldn’t reveal the amount of funding he received but says it will be used for working capital, marketing and sales.
Going forward, Bob Brill, managing partner of Newlight Management in Jericho, which manages $100 million in tech investments, says he thinks 2018 will be a solid year.
“I think 2017 was a good year for angel investing and 2018 will probably be better,” he says, noting better economic conditions will help fuel that.
Brill, also on the board of LIAN and an angel investor himself, sees strong interest in cybersecurity, biotech, medical devices and financial tech companies.
The key to getting angel funds continues to be the founding team and what they bring to the table, as well as the market, he says, noting those key elements have to be in place for him to invest.
“Personally I may look at 20 to 30 deals and only invest in one,” says Brill.
Melville, NY – June 21, 2018 – The Long Island Capital Alliance (“LICA”), Long Island’s leading non-profit capital formation and business development organization, today announced the launch of a Summer Internship Program and the selection of two promising business leaders of tomorrow as the 2018 class of summer interns. The program is intended to provide qualified interns with exposure to a range of business disciplines while lending support to LICA’s mission of encouraging economic development on Long Island by facilitating capital formation and through education, networking, quarterly capital forums, and alliances with other regional organizations.
“The launch of LICA’s Summer Internship program reflects the expanding activities of our organization and the importance we play in supporting the regional community,” said LICA Chairman Neil M. Kaufman. “For our inaugural class of summer interns, we selected two individuals that demonstrated academic excellence, promising leadership skills, and a high level of interest in their career development. We look forward to their contributions to LICA and their growth toward becoming future titans of industry on Long Island.”
The 2018 class of summer interns for LICA include Jason Ambrosini and Kevin Boehme.
Jason Ambrosini of Wading River, NY, is a recent graduate of StonyBrook University with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and a concentration in American Government, Law, and Public Policy. His background also includes an internship for Woodbury-based Bookkeeper360, a fast growing bookkeeping technology and advisory services firm. During college, he completed a Study Abroad Program in Spain. He is a graduate of Shoreham Wading River High School. He is actively involved in the East Coast Umpires Association and was awarded the Iron Man Award in 2016 for his dedication and commitment.
Kevin Boehme of South Huntington, NY, will be entering this fall into his senior year at Villanova University. He is working toward earning a Bachelor of Business Administration with a major in Finance and dual minor in Accounting and Business Analytics. His background also includes an internship with Morgan Stanley’s Wealth Management division and participation in the Stifel Sophomore Investment Banking program. He graduated from St. Anthony’s High School in South Huntington and was a 4-year member and senior year captain of the Crew team.
The interns will support LICA’s Executive Director Carol M. Lane in marketing, membership development, event management, social media and collateral development. “We welcome the fresh ideas and new perspectives of our first group of interns and appreciate their assistance in reaching our organizational goals,” said Ms. Lane. The interns also will have the opportunity to engage with LICA’s Board of Directors comprised of 12 New York City and Long Island based business leaders representing the fields of corporate securities and intellectual property law, audit and accounting, corporate and venture development, investment management, investment banking, operational management, investor relations and corporate communications. The internship is designed to offer hands on experience in marketing and development of a non-profit organization which in turn is focused on the creation and advancement of all forms of growth businesses.
Save the Dates – Upcoming LICA Events
Capital Forums
September 14, 2018 -- Technology Capital Forum December 7, 2018 – Technology Capital Forum
LICA’s mission is to encourage economic development on Long Island by facilitating capital formation for a broad range of companies in various industries, from early stage to mature, middle market, closely held and publicly-traded businesses. LICA accomplishes this primarily through education, networking, quarterly capital forums, periodic special educational meetings, and alliances with other regional organizations. LICA brings together members of the region’s business community and serves as the finance arm for significant local business and organizations.
Jordan Darrow
Darrow Associates, Inc.
631-766-4528
jdarrow@darrowir.com
Melville, NY – February 14, 2018 – The Long Island Capital Alliance (“LICA”), Long Island’s leading non-profit capital formation and business development organization, today announced the presenting companies and investor panelists for its Technology Capital Forum to be held on Friday, March 9, 2018. The capital forum will feature presentations by companies which have connections to the Long Island region and are building business around dynamic and emerging technologies.
Seven companies in the technology sector will present their business plans to an audience that will include venture capital firms, investment banks, private equity firms, and angel and high net worth investors. Each of the companies selected by LICA for presentation at the capital forum possesses technologies that innovatively solve modern day problems and have strong catalysts for growth. A panel of investment professionals will review the presentations, offer their insights on the presenters’ commercial viability and prospects for market success and provide expert commentary on investment conditions in the broader technology.
Technology Capital Forum on March 9, 2018 -- Participants
Acculis: A web-based platform for general contractors to streamline 3D design for construction. Based in New York, NY.
Brimes Energy: Harnessing the power of renewable wave energy, a vast, untapped, & clean resource. Based in Hauppauge, NY.
Food Moves: Marketplace that connects mobile food vendors, including food trucks and farmers markets, to targeted consumers and suppliers. Based in Brooklyn, NY.
Idiom: A proprietary cloud-based application to disrupt and redefine the $800 million yearbook industry by porting the print yearbook to the cloud. Based in Huntington, NY.
Munch Money: A mobile loyalty & marketing platform that connects users to an array of fast casual restaurants where they can load funds into brand specific accounts to access per-purchase discounts and other perks. Based in West Islip, NY.
Omni-Scient: A virtual reality E-Commerce landlord with patented 3D immersive technology. Based in Bellmore, NY.
SSVR Distribution: Technology to reduce avoidable police-citizen violence by improving officer judgement through VR training. Based in New York, NY.
Panel of Investors:
The panel will be moderated by Corey L. Massella, Managing Director of UHY Advisors NY, Inc. and President of LICA. The following investment professionals will participate in the investor panel at the Technology Capital Forum:
Robert Delman: Mr. Delman is a recognized angel investor and a Managing Director of Golden Seeds, an angel investor organization targeting high growth women-led ventures. He also is a Limited Partner in Golden Seeds Fund 1 and Fund 2, AccelFoods, ARC Angel Fund, BluePrint Health, Canrock Ventures and Las Olas Ventures, all of which invest in seed and early-stage companies with high growth potential.
Inbar Haham: Ms. Haham is a Managing Partner at Capital A Partners, “CAP A”, an early stage, Preferred Seed and Series A venture capital firm operating out of New York, NY, USA & Stockholm, Sweden. CAP A invests in B2B tech companies focused on the global marketplace in areas of Mobility, Security, Human / Computer Interaction and “Infrastructure of Things”. She has over 12 years of technology and finance experience. As a venture capitalist, she led business development for 5 years in the USA for Magma VC, one of Israel’s most established VCs.
Alex Katz: Mr. Katz is a Managing Partner & Investing Partner of FF Venture Capital. As Investing Partner, he identifies investment opportunities and serves as Lead Investor on many of the firm’s investments. He also serves on the Boards and audit committees of several portfolio companies, including those in the Information Security, Enterprise SaaS, Consumer Electronics and VoIP industries.
LICA is hosting the Technology Capital Forum on Friday, March 9, 2018 from 8:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. at 68 South Service Road, Melville, NY, 11747. The capital forum provides an opportunity to meet capital providers, entrepreneurs, industry executives and businesses seeking capital, as well as to hear a panel of industry experts discuss financing alternatives for emerging technology companies. Investors receive complimentary admission.
Save the Dates – Other LICA Events
May 31, 2018 (Healthcare) September 27, 2018 (Special Event) December 7, 2018 (Life Sciences/Pharma)
LICA's mission is to encourage economic development on Long Island by facilitating capital formation for a broad range of companies in various industries, from early stage to mature, middle market, closely held and publicly-traded businesses. LICA accomplishes this primarily through education, networking, quarterly capital forums, periodic special educational meetings, and alliances with other regional organizations. LICA brings together members of the region's business community and serves as the finance arm for significant local business and organizations.
Melville, NY – November 8, 2017 – The Long Island Capital Alliance (“LICA”), Long Island’s leading non-profit capital formation and business development organization, today announced the presenting companies and investor panelists for its Food & Beverage Capital Forum to be held on Friday, December 1, 2017. The capital forum will feature presentations by companies which have connections to the Long Island region and are building business around dynamic and emerging trends in the consumer edible, food service and agricultural products sectors.
Jeff Lichtenstein, CEO of Organic Opportunities and Founder of Gourmet Guru, which he built and successfully sold to an industry leader, will deliver the keynote address at the capital forum describing his path to success. Five companies in the consumer edible, food service and agricultural products sectors will present their business plans to an audience that will include venture capital firms, investment banks, private equity firms, and angel and high net worth investors. Each of the companies selected by LICA for presentation at the capital forum possesses better-for-you edible products or supply chain and food service-related innovations with strong catalysts for growth. A panel of investment professionals will review the presentations, offer their insights on the presenters’ commercial viability and prospects for market success and provide expert commentary on investment conditions in the broader food and beverage sector.
Food & Beverage Capital Forum on December 1, 2017 -- Participants
Jeff Lichtenstein, CEO of Organic Opportunities and Founder of Gourmet Guru
Mr. Lichtenstein built Gourmet Guru, an all-natural and organic food retail distribution company, with a $10,000 personal investment in 1996 into a vertically integrated manufacturing, importing, representation, merchandising, consultancy and distribution business based in a state of the art LEED-certified facility in Hunts Point, Bronx, with over $60,000,000 in revenues and over 100 employees before being sold in 2016. In 2017, he launched Organic Opportunities, raising the bar in the organic food/beverage technology landscape.
MUD Frozen Dessert: The first non-dairy nutritious frozen treat made with absolutely NO processed sugars or additives. The company is based in Belle Harbor, NY.
Renuble: An innovative supplier of organic fertilizer to fill the growing need for organic crop production by growers. The Company is based in Stony Brook, NY.
Ortex Organics: An environmental technology company offering cost-effective food and organic waste solutions. The company is based in Brooklyn, NY.
Foodfaves: A mobile app to help people identify their food cravings and quickly and easily order a solution to satisfy it. The company is based in Deer Park, NY.
Keith Nervous Breakdown: A provider of all-natural, non-alcoholic, specialty bottled cocktail mixers sold to distributors for retail stores, restaurants, hotels and on-line retailers. The company is based in East Hampton, NY.
The following investment professionals will participate in the investor panel at the Food & Beverage Capital Forum:
Mark Elenowitz: Mr. Elenowitz is the CEO of TriPoint Global Equities, LLC and BANQ®, a leading electronic broker-dealer. He integrates a successful entrepreneurial background with extensive financial services and capital markets experience to advise clients on financings and acquisitions. Mr. Elenowitz is also Managing Director of TriPoint Capital Advisors, LLC. He is the recipient of several entrepreneurial awards and has been profiled in BusinessWeek and on CNBC.
Robert Hussey: Mr. Hussey is a seasoned financial, marketing, and operations executive focused on advising private equity and institutional investors. He founded and managed the first NASDAQ IPO and ultimate sale to News Corp of POP Radio, which became the country's largest direct broadcast satellite network. He is currently the Lead Board Director of CPXi, a top 10 US independent digital media company.
Daniel Broyles: Mr. Broyles is a partner of FundWorks, a venture capital fund with $100 million in assets. Prior to establishing FundWorks, he was active in the real estate market, including the National September 11 Memorial Museum. Mr. Broyles is also a member Andrew Carnegie Business Council.
LICA is hosting the Food & Beverage Capital Forum on Friday, December 1, 2017 from 8:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. at 68 South Service Road, Melville, NY, 11747. The capital forum provides an opportunity to meet capital providers, entrepreneurs, industry executives and businesses seeking capital, as well as to hear a panel of industry experts discuss financing alternatives for emerging food and beverage companies. Investors receive complimentary admission.
New LICA Sponsor
LICA is pleased to welcome the support of R&D Tax Savers as its most recent new sponsor. R&D Tax Savers was founded by Charles R. Goulding, Attorney/CPA, in order to identify for its clients qualified R&D tax credits. Since 1981, the R&D tax credit has helped stimulate American innovation. R&D Tax Savers plays a key role in helping companies grow by quantifying and monetizing their ingenuity.
The work of LICA in assisting dozens of local companies in raising over $150 million and providing business formation consultation would not be possible without the support of its sponsors. Including R&D Tax Savers, a total of 14 sponsors provide LICA, a non-profit organization, with financial contributions and in-kind services.
© 2020 Long Island Venture Group, Inc.
