The Second Annual LaunchMemphis Investment Forum has been set for June 19th, 2009. As an institutional or angel investor, we invite you to join us from 8:00am to 12:30pm to take the time to ask good questions, provide feedback, participate in the event, and if interested pursue follow-up with the startups for potential investment.   Location FedEx Institute of Technology On the Campus of the University of Memphis Agenda 8:00 – 8:30 Welcome / Coffee 8:30 – 9:45 Seed Track 9:45 – 10:00 Break 10:00 – 11:00 Venture Track (Part I) 11:00 – 11:15 Break 11:15 – 12:15 Venture Track (Part II) 12:15 – 12:30 Closing

Here is a post I wrote for MemphisConnect.com here that I have place below: http://www.memphisconnect.com/2009/06/10/how-was-the-weekend-intense-and-creative/ Enjoy!   — On May 29th, 30th, and 31st, 2009, seventy (70) Memphians came together for one of the most intense, creative, and entrepreneurial events of their lives.   In just 48 hours (6pm Friday to 6pm Sunday) these creative class members from all walks of life pitched 14 ideas, selected 5 for startup, and launched 3 beta products.  In its second year of operation, LaunchMemphis brought Startup Weekend back to Memphis to support entrepreneurial action! Why the excitement? Last year, LaunchMemphis hosted over 100 people at EmergeMemphis and one idea was selected and born, Spynner.  That concept eventually died, but one other idea pitched that weekend went on to form a team, build a product, achieve user base, and garner revenue in 2009.  That company is NRange (www.nrange.com), a golf GPS app for smart phones that is cheaper but just as accurate as $300-$500 range finders golfers buy.  Now that’s entrepreneurial action!  This year with an enhanced entrepreneurship ecosystem and a dedicated group of 70 people, LaunchMemphis Startup Weekend delivered five new business concepts to our local economy.  Will all of these startups succeed?   According to Tulane University business Professor Lisa Amos, the average for entrepreneurs has 3.8 failures before finally succeeding.  At LaunchMemphis with programs like Startup Weekend, we encourage people to form teams, build startups, and ‘fail fast’ so that they can learn and get right back into the ecosystem of entrepreneurship to start again. You did what?

We are only two and a half weeks out for start up weekend (May 29-31). We will start at 6 PM on Friday and end Sunday evening. There are still some tickets left and you can get yours here: http://memphis2startupweekend.eventbrite.com/. This year we will have a  pre-event gathering to present ideas. We will video record them and post them to a face book group page. Don’t worry, if you can’t make that you can still present your idea on the first day of the event. No decisions will be made until Friday, May 29th.

Mark your calendars on April 23rd, 2009 for Mastering the New Modes: Insights and Innovations from the Blending Worlds of Technology, Marketing, and Culture Featuring the World-Renowned Thought Leaders Adrian Ho from Zeus Jones and C.C. Chapman from The Advanced Guard LaunchMemphis and the Southern Growth Studio band together to bring an event like no other to Memphis. Two leaders from the world of innovation, interactive marketing, and user experience will give both a private workshop and a panel conversation that is open to the public. Details When: April 23rd Where: Emerge Memphis, 516 Tennessee Street, Memphis, TN 38103 What: Both a Private Workshop and a Public Panel Hashtag: #newmode Private Workshop: 1:30pm to 4:00pm Limited Seating, So Reserve Your Spot Now http://modes.eventbrite.com $150.00 Open Panel and Reception: 5:30pm to 7:30pm Free and Open to the Public Refreshment will be provided About the Speakers Adrian Ho, Founding Partner, Zeus Jones (Greater Minneapolis-St. Paul Area) Adrian Ho is a founding partner at Zeus Jones. At Zeus Jones we believe actions speak louder than words, that modern brands are defined by what they do not what they say. We built our company around these beliefs. A company where strategy, creativity, design, digital expertise and user-experience flow directly into each other to solve business problems.  Adrian was formerly director of strategic planning at Fallon in Minneapolis.  Prior to that, Adrian worked at Goodby, Silverstein & Partners and at Anderson & Lembke both in San Francisco.  Adrian’s thinking has been recognized by the IPA

LaunchMemphis will be featured at Next American City’s URBANEXUS series.  URBANEXUS brings together great minds in lectures and salon-style discussion centered on the future of the urban life in great cities across the country.  In Memphis the salon-style event will feature a collaboration between eight local organizations discussing the role of civic engagement in moving Memphis forward including LaunchMemphis.   Admission is free for all attendees. —  URBANEXUS  the Salon: The New Face of Civic Engagement   Thursday, March 19th 2009 6:00pm Stax Museum of American Soul Music 926 McLemore Avenue, Memphis

Then you should attend SocialCamp Memphis . . . Evening of March 6th and the day of March 7th, 2009 Location: Memphis College of Art, 1930 Poplar Ave, Memphis, TN 38104 Information: http://www.socialcampmemphis.com/ Tickets: http://socialmem.eventbrite.com/ SocialDevCamp, like BarCamp, is an un-conference; An open format event where programmers, designers and business owners can network and learn. A SocialDevCamp conference is unlike any other technology conference. Rather than being planned by a committee in advance, each community works together to create its own event. A SocialDevCamp generally has an underlying theme, but the individual topics and sessions are organized shortly before or even at the event. This enables SocialDevCamp to be much more than targeted to the needs of the community.

This is the Spring 2009 Schedule for LaunchMemphis. In keeping with our goal to stimulate entrepreneurship in the Mid-South, we have a unique set of events planned – a combination you won’t get anywhere else. We hope you will join us in growing a rich community and building new business ventures. Boot Camp: Build and Refine Your Business Plan January 31st, 2009 & February 7th, 2009 Location:  EmergeMemphis For more information: http://www.launchmemphis.com/2009/01/15/launchmemphis-2009-bootcamp/ For registration: http://bizplanbootcamp.eventbrite.com/ The LaunchMemphis Boot Camp is an intense, two session course in entrepreneurship that will dramatically boost your chances of seeing your dream become a reality.  Professionals will offer advice on all aspects of starting, successfully running, and gaining funding for your new venture.  Join us at EmergeMemphis for two exciting days that will answer all your questions and put you on the right track for success in whatever business you are trying to start! TechFuel: Taking Startups to New Heights February 19th, 2009, 5:30pm-7:30pm Location: The Tower Room in Clark Tower (5100 Poplar Ave) Inspired by other networking events occurring across the country like Tech Cocktail, the LaunchMemphis TechFuel is designed for technologists, entrepreneurs, media (bloggers), and other business professionals to meet, and share ideas in a fun and open atmosphere. The event is open to the public. With the LaunchMemphis TechFuel we hope to see the Memphis tech community better connected. SocialCamp Memphis ( Tag: #SocialMEM ) Evening of March 6th and the day of March 7th, 2009 Location: Memphis College of Art, 1930

Mark your calendar for TechFuel this Thursday, February 19th from 5:30pm-7:30pm.  We’ll be at the Tower Room in Clark Tower (33rd Floor — 5100 Poplar Ave). TechFuel is focused on bringing technologists, entrepreneurs, media, bloggers, and other business professionals together to share ideas in a dynamic atmosphere.  With the LaunchMemphis TechFuel we hope to see the Memphis tech community better connected and focused on commercialization. The event is open to the public and no ticket is required to attend. We’ll provide the hors d’oeuvres.  Bring some cash for the drinks. Come and enjoy the company and the views of our fine city.