Steve Hoey

Senior Director, Springboard Accelerator Program

CONNECTApril 12, 2017

Mentoring to Accelerate Innovation

MISSION

CONNECT helps create and scale great

innovation companies through access to

the resources entrepreneurs need most –

People, Capital, & Technology

CONNECT STRUCTURE

ENTREPRENEUR EDUCATION and TRAINING

ENTREPRENEUR MENTORING and COMMERCIALIZATION STRATEGY

ACCESS TO CAPITALDIVERSITY and OUTREACH

ADVOCACY

SPRINGBOARD

Springboard is a world class mentoring program for innovators

and entrepreneurs in the science and technology arenas

Primary Objectives of the Program:

• Assist entrepreneurs in developing a compelling commercialization

strategy for their product or service

• Prepare them for significant funding and future growth

Springboard program is made possible by a large group of volunteer

Mentors

• Entrepreneurs-in-Residence (EIRs)

• Domain Experts

SPRINGBOARD HIGHLIGHTS - Growth after Mentoring

2005 Through 2015

418Companies havecompleted Springboard

256 Springboard alumni are still in business

61% Actively in business

67% Have raised capital

$1.9B Cumulative capital raised and exit value capital

281 Springboard alumni raised capital

$192M in capital raised in 2015

88% of those who pitched to investors were successful raising funds in 2015

24 Springboard alumni have been acquired

>5,000 Jobs have been created by Springboard alumni

• 90 mentored Companies participated in the program(includes 6 @ CONNECT DT co-working space)

• 45 mentored Graduates (Springboard, CHAI & Innovation Assessment)

• New partnership with DeskHub co-working space in downtown San Diego (CONNECT DT)

• >140 Mentoring Panels completed (includes 4 @ CONNECT DT)

• >160 Active mentors

• >7,000 Total hours of mentoring time managed

• >$3M of Mentoring time captured and invested in ecosystem

SPRINGBOARD - 2016 Highlights

SPRINGBOARD PROCESS

CHAI

Innovation Assessment

Refer to Ecosystem

MENTORING – The Heart and Soul of CONNECT SB

Springboard Mentors: The Entrepreneurs in Residence

CONNECT EIRs have extensive experience . . . . .

• Growing early stage innovation companies

• Successfully raising capital and/or innovative business approaches within large corporations (intrapreneurs)

• Expertise in a broad swath of innovation industry sectors

Over 50 percent of the Springboard alumni findtheir long-term advisors or team memberswhile participating in the program.

Springboard Mentors: The Domain Experts

Domain Experts have expertise in either a specific technical or functional area

• Marketing, market segmentation, sales, business development• Financial modeling, investment strategy, valuation• Technical expertise across the innovation industry verticals • Regulatory• Legal – Intellectual property, corporate structuring

Each Springboard company will be assigned several Domain Experts who will assist the EIRs as part of the mentor team.

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 5, 2017

CONNECT's office and co-working space in UTC. Photo courtesy of CONNECT

CONNECT Co-Working Spaces – University Town Center

“CONNECT Offering Co-working Space in UTC

CONNECT, a local nonprofitfocused on growing startups, isentering the co-working worldwith new shared workspace inSan Diego.”

“Innovation has never been about physical office space —it’s about ideas, technology, and connections to people.”

Greg McKee, CONNECT CEO

CONNECT Co-Working Spaces - CONNECT DT @ DeskHub

COLLABORATION WITH UNIVERSITIES and

RESEARCH INSTITUTIONS

“I have been extremely pleased with the CONNECT process, the staff, and the mentoring that our company has received. Our EIRs helped us revise the plan and get our business to a point where we are now being considered for funding. By the way, we also met our potential funding source at a CONNECT panel. I can truly say that we have received nothing but first rate advice (even though it may have been difficult to hear at times). Thank you CONNECT and keep doing great work for entrepreneurs in San Diego!“

Glenn Oliver |Founder| H2Bid

SPRINGBOARD GRADUATES – What They Have To Say

“CONNECT and the various programs there were hugely helpful in ecoATM’s success ranging from when we were just a couple of founders with an idea to later stages when we were looking for our Series B funding. CONNECT provided mentors, exposure to investors, exposure to the broader tech community, introductions to key partners and customers, and exposure to key hires. CONNECT is a wonderful asset for any entrepreneur in San Diego. “

Mark Bowles | Founder | ecoATM

SPRINGBOARD GRADUATES – What They Have To Say

“CONNECT is the epicenter of entrepreneurship in the region, contributing the power of its network, mentoring, and knowledge to entrepreneurs. Events.com is a grateful graduate of Springboard and we have gained a significant advantage from participating in CONNECT programs.”

Mitch Thrower | CEO | Events.com

“Not only were our advisors very helpful, but we made some strategic pivots that truly changed the direction of our company because of their advice. We also have received an incredible amount of exposure because of the Springboard program.”

Camille Newton | Founder | Purewick

CONNECT MENTORS – Why They Volunteer

"I have been a mentor with Springboard for more than 10 years. Springboard consistently surfaces and screens the best early stage companies and runs them through a rigorous cycle of review and improvement. Drawing from a variety of disciplines and backgrounds, the mentors I work with are top notch. The Springboard process has proven itself to be a valuable resource for start-up companies and for San Diego."

Marc Friedmann | Serial Entrepreneur | Board member of multiple software companies

“It is gratifying to be at a point in my career where I can give back to the San Diego business community in a way that meaningfully impacts the success of entrepreneurs who are the growth engine of the region.”

Denise Pirotti Hummel| Serial Entrepreneur | Former CEO of Universal Consensus, acquired by Ernst & Young

“I have found CONNECT Springboard to be an invaluable process for entrepreneurs who wish to have help organizing their business plans and creating a funding strategy. Together the symbiotic relationship of mentor to entrepreneur provides us both great reward and success. I highly recommend the CONNECT Springboard program to aspiring entrepreneurs and to mentors looking for a process and partner that gives you support and success equally!”

Rick Kreysar|Serial Entrepreneur|Completed 2 IPOs, 20 M&A Deals & 12 VC-Lead Deals

SIGNATURE EVENTS - NETWORKING

CONNECT annually honors the celebrities of innovation and their groundbreaking new products launched within the past two years.

Mix and mingle with San Diego’s innovation A-list; leaders at startups to established companies in the life science and technology industries.

INTERNATIONAL CONNECT NETWORK

Northern Ireland

CONNECT

www.connect.org

Steve Hoey

shoey@connect.org