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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Alan Fogg,
Director of Communications
afogg@fceda.org, 703-790-0600
Fifteen Companies Pitch for Investors at Red Herring Conference in Fairfax County
Start-ups present business plans to potential investors; AOL's Leonsis and computer security, life science and infrastructure experts speak
Fairfax County, Virginia, November 5, 2001 — Fifteen companies — five each in the fields of computer security, life sciences and infrastructure — presented business plans to potential investors and others today at Red Herring magazine's Fairfax County Portfolio venture capital conference at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel in Tysons Corner.
Red Herring designed the conference to recognize and focus on the technology sectors burgeoning in Fairfax County and the surrounding area.
More than 100 firms applied to present their business plans at the conference. The firms chosen had six minutes each to present their plans and two minutes to answer questions.
The network security firms selected: BioNetrix Systems, Vienna, Va.; Bluefire Security Technology (location unlisted); Blue Ridge Networks, Chantilly, Va.; Evincible, Chantilly, Va.; and NETSEC, Herndon, Va.
The life sciences firms selected: Aptagen Inc., Herndon, Va.; Cylex Inc., Columbia, Md.; Pluvita, Bethesda, Md.; Tetracore, Gaithersburg, Md.; and 20/20 Gene Systems, Rockville, Md.
The infrastructure/wireless technology companies chosen: Athena Technologies, Manassas, Va.; Ikimbo, Herndon, Va.; Ocular Networks, Reston, Va.; Spontaneous Networks, Bethesda, Md.; and Telverse, Dulles, Va.
"This event spotlights the kind of opportunity that exists in Fairfax County for entrepreneurs and investors alike," said Gerald L. Gordon, president and CEO of the Fairfax County Economic Development Authority. The FCEDA (www.FairfaxCountyEDA.org) was a leading sponsor of the event.
Ted Leonsis, vice chairman, America Online Inc. and president of AOL Advanced Services Group, delivered a keynote address focusing on the future of the Internet economy. Other speakers were Bruce Schneier, founder and CTO of Counterpane Internet Security; Richard Garr, CEO of NeuralSTEM; Dean Douglas, general manager, wireless e-business, IBM Global Services; Anthony Perkins, chairman, founder and editor-in-chief of Red Herring; and futurist and author Jim Taylor.
In addition to the FCEDA, other sponsors included IBM; Grant Thornton; Morgan Lewis LLP; Pillsbury Winthrop LLP; the Century Club of George Mason University; the National Venture Capital Association; the Northern Virginia Technology Council; the Virginia Center for Innovative Technology; cyberCFO; Wilmer, Cutler & Pickering; Kelley Drye; Iona; and Foley & Lardner. Red Herring also impaneled an advisory committee of area investors and venture capital service providers to help develop the Portfolio program.
The Fairfax County Economic Development Authority promotes Fairfax County as a business and technology center. The FCEDA assists businesses by identifying possible office locations and facilities, and is a source for up-to-date demographic and economic statistics. The FCEDA maintains a capital attraction program to link entrepreneurs and start-up companies with funding sources. The FCEDA maintains marketing offices in London, Frankfurt and Tokyo.
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