5:00 - 6:15 pm

Judges Panel: Startup Pitch

Henry Wong, Venture Partner, Garage Technology Venture

Mike Hodges, Managing Director, ATA Venture

Scott Ellman, CEO, USAsia Venture Partners 

Wendy Lung, Director, IBM Venture Capital Group 

Tom Chiu, Partner, Sand Hill Angels

Henry Wong,  Garage Technology Venture

Henry H. Wong has been a prolific and successful entrepreneur, executive, and venture investor in Silicon Valley for over 25 years. Henry applies his operational experience, investment talent, and his China expertise to advise, invest in, and build high technology companies with a global vision. He is the founder of Diamond TechVentures, and was a venture partner at Crystal Ventures, where he was actively involved with companies including SMIC, LGC Wireless, Infinera, and Exavio. 

As an entrepreneur, Henry has had several significant successes, including SS8 Networks Inc., where he was the founder, CEO and Chairman, as well as IP Communications, XaQti Semiconductor, CNet Technology Inc., and Combinet (ISDN Systems), all of which he co-founded and led. In 2002, Henry was a finalist for the Ernst & Young “Entrepreneur of the Year Award.” He is an advisor to several non-profit organizations and is active in community organizations. 

Henry holds a B.Sc. degree in Business from the University of Utah and a MBA in Telecom Management from Golden Gate University.  He is also a Mentor in the Stanford Graduate School of Business GSB S-356 MBA Program, and a Team Mentor in the Technology Venture Formation course MS&E 273 at Stanford's School of Engineering. 

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Mike Hodges,  MD ATA Venture

Mike Hodges joined ATA Ventures in 2006 and became a Managing Director in 2008. Mike has a reputation as a successful CEO and interim CEO and is credited with several successful turn–around efforts, including Tellium, a Telecom Networking company.

Prior to his startup success, Mike had direct operating roles through division president at Spectra-Physics. Along with Mike’s past operating roles, he has worked regularly with leading venture capital firms as an expert consultant. Mike provides expert support to the ATA Venture’s portfolio of companies, as well as seeking new investments for the firm’s funds. He currently serves as a Director on the Boards of PixSense, Billeo, Zoosk, Trilibis, Clustrix, KreditFly, Medagate and uCirrus. Mike graduated from U.C. Berkeley, receiving BSEE and MSEE degrees.

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Scott Ellman, CEO USAsia Venture Partners 

Scott Ellman is CEO of USAsia Venture Partners, a management consulting firm that helps US and Asian high-tech companies develop and implement marketing, business development and alliance strategies that drive breakthrough results. Scott works with senior management to address critical issues such as strategic positioning, new market penetration, business plan development for raising venture capital, partner selection and recruitment, and mergers & acquisitions. Scott is also an advisor or board member with several early-stage start-ups, where he focuses on overall business planning, product strategy and go-to-market strategy.

Previously, Scott held senior positions in product marketing, product management, business development and strategic alliances with technology pioneers Silicon Graphic and VMware. He was also the co-founder and VP of Marketing at the for-profit division of SeniorNet.org.  Scott was instrumental in every step of the company’s evolution, from co-writing the business plan and raising venture capital to forging strategic partnerships with eBay, IBM and others. Scott is a member of the Japan-US Innovation in Business and Technology Advisory Council and a strategic advisor to Keizai Society.

He holds masters in business administration from the Stanford Graduate School of Business and a bachelor’s of science in applied mathematics and economics from Brown University, where he graduated Phi Beta Kappa.

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Wendy Lung  Director, Corporate Strategy, IBM Venture Capital Group

Wendy Lung is a director of corporate strategy in IBM’s Venture Capital Group, whose mission is to leverage external innovation for IBM by building relationships worldwide with VCs and their portfolio companies.  Her responsibilities include working with the venture community to drive early insights into IBM’s strategy development, expand the ecosystems for IBM’s platforms, and build strong partner foundations in emerging markets.  

Lung has over a decade of experience with the venture and entrepreneurial communities, including her role as executive for IBM’s Net Generation business in Asia Pacific.  Based in Singapore, she managed marketing and business development with internet start-ups as well as large telecom service providers across Asia.

With over 20 years in the IT industry, her expertise includes sales, marketing and business development in industry verticals.  Most recently, Lung was director of marketing for IBM’s global telecommunications industry.  Leading teams across North America, Europe and Asia, she was responsible for market strategy/planning and market development with the top telecom service providers in the world.  Previously, she had been responsible for IBM’s wholesale distribution and retail industry marketing for North America.  Lung started her career at IBM in sales for the small and medium size business (SMB) market in the Pacific Northwest.

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Tom Chiu, Partner, Sand Hill Angels 

Tom Chiu is an active member of the Sand Hill Angels. He has been an angel investor for over 12 years with portfolio of 25+ startups. Tom serves on 8 advisory boards of startups in mobile, location and social space. He has a passion to work with startups in these areas.

Tom has over 20 years experience in mobile software, consumer electronics, wireless, patent sales/license, semiconductors, and embedded systems. He is currently the founder of IPforAsia, an intellectual property marketplace to bridge between Greater China and large U.S. corporations. He is also acting as a Business Development Director at NXP Software. Tom previously held director positions in Philips and Sina.com

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