The real meat of Intel Capital's gathering started with the so-called elevator
pitches, which gave portfolio company executives a chance to present their
organizations and products to small groups of potential customers. Broken up
into five rooms designated by sectors, including enterprise computing and
communications infrastructure, execs were given exactly one minute and 45
seconds to pitch their wares in the entrepreneurial equivalent of speed dating.
More than one participant was left looking confused, and slightly forlorn, as
the microphone snapped off as his allotted time ended. Next.
"These presentations force these guys to articulate crisply," said Intel Capital
managing director
Keith
Larson, who oversees its manufacturing, memory and health sectors.
"This really helps you think," said Wald Siskens, president and CEO of
Spatial
Photonics Inc. The company, which is also backed by Kleiner Perkins Caufield
& Byers, makes arrays of tiny digital light modulators used in
high-definition projection displays and has raised $16 million in Series A
financing. It's now looking for more funding, Siskens said.
"I'm in the middle of pitching our next round, and it's excellent practice," he
said.
Siskens gave a polished pitch and finished well within his time limit. But
Spatial Photonics is presumably used to being pursued — its board includes
Silicon Valley über-VCs John Doerr and Vinod Khosla as well as former Intel
Capital president Les Vadasz. That said, the company better be on its game — its
chief competitor is Texas Instruments. —Olaf de
Senerpont Domis
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