for W3c validation

There’s an event next week that I wanted to share with any Seattle techies/entrepreneurs who read this blog. The fact that the proceeds of the event are being donated to a local seattle non-profit in the microfinance field called Vittana just makes the event even more appealing to me. Dave Schappell at TeachStreet gave me the heads up earlier this week, so I wanted to pass along the message:

• Beers and Boulder with Brad
• Wed, Feb 25, 6pm-8:30pm
• $5 entry fee
• Further Details – http://beersboulderbrad.eventbrite.com/

Brad Feld is coming to town and we are having an entrepreneur party. If you don’t know of Brad, he writes the popular blog Feld Thoughts (www.feld.com) and is a managing director at Foundry Group (www.foundrygroup.com). He’s been an investor in a number of Seattle-based companies over the years including AdReady, Smith & Tinker, Shelfari, and Judy’s Book, and is currently on the board of Impinj. Brad’s is also a co-founder of TechStars (www.techstars.org), a great startup program based in Boulder that has helped create a number of interesting companies, including SocialThing (acquired by AOL), Intense Debate (acquired by Automattic/WordPress), and Brightkite.

Brad’s going to spend the evening talking about his views on entrepreneurship, especially around early stage companies in today’s environment. He’ll give us a detailed view of TechStars and why it’s been working, along with an explanation about how he thinks about early stage VC investing. The evening with be heavily Q&A oriented – Brad’s open to any questions about anything.

NOTE: $5 fee will be donated to Seattle-based Vittana (www.vittana.org), an early-stage non-profit building the next step in microfinance — education microfinance.

SPONSORS: Event cost is being kept to a minimum thanks to the generous support of:

• Beacon Law Advisors (www.beaconlawadvisors.com) – Beacon works with startups — end of story. We’re a Seattle-based boutique firm of seasoned corporate, transactional, and technology attorneys who also have significant operating, in-house and entrepreneurial experience. Current clients include: MindBloom, TeachStreet, Vittana, and many more.
• The Microsoft Strategic & Emerging Business Team (SEBT) supports early stage and established software startups developing on the Microsoft platform. SEBT helps develop and grow local software economies worldwide through programs like Microsoft BizSpark, a global program for startups that provides fast, easy access to current full-featured Microsoft development tools and production licenses with no upfront costs and minimal requirements. To learn more visit www.microsoftstartupzone.com.
• Square 1 Bank specializes in providing financial services to entrepreneurs and venture capitalists. We help growing companies and their investors navigate financial obstacles by providing access to funds and expertise. Our customized product offerings and unrivaled team of venture banking specialists provide a banking experience designed exclusively for you. We are entrepreneurs serving entrepreneurs. To learn more visit www.square1financial.com