Date changed for Seattle SW
Dear Seattle Startup Weekenders, We’d first like to take this opportunity to express our gratitude for being among the first [...]
Andy Sack
Managing Director of TechStars Seattle, CEO of Lighter Capital, Founder & Managing General Partner of Founder’s Co-op | Twitter
Andy has over 15 years experience running and investing in high tech businesses. Most recently Andy co-founded Lighter Capital to use revenue-based finance to disrupt the small business lending industry. Andy is also the Managing Director of TechStars Seattle and a Managing Partner of Founder’s Co-op.
Prior to Lighter Capital, Andy was the co-founder and CEO of Judy’s Book, a local search social network. Prior to founding Judy’s Book in 2004, Andy co-founded three successful Internet technology companies: Kefta, Abuzz, and Firefly Network.
Bill Bryant
Venture Partner, Draper Fisher JurvetsonBill Bryant has had early and instrumental involvement in over 25 leading software, Internet, digital media and mobile companies, as a founder, senior executive, investor and Board Member. Companies include Visio, Netbot, Qpass, Medio, Isilon, Swype, Winshuttle, Loudeye, Jabber, Opscode and Z2Live. He is currently a Venture Partner with Draper Fisher Jurvetson.
Donald DeSantis
Partner, LIFFFT | Twitter
Donald is a user experience designer and storyteller. He is a partner at LIFFFT, a product studio that brings the speed and innovation of startups to major brands.
Prior to LIFFFT, Donald led user experience at Giant Thinkwell, a TechStars company funded by Madrona Venture Group. At Giant Thinkwell, he designed social video applications for mobile devices and Facebook applications for celebrities and brands. Before Giant Thinkwell, Donald designed new products for Google and venture-backed technology startups.
An occasional writer and speaker, Donald has been featured in national media outlets including GeekWire, GigaOm, and The New York Times.
Rebecca Lovell
Chief Business Officer at GeekWire | TwitterRebecca Lovell, GeekWire’s chief business officer, is the former executive director of the Northwest Entrepreneur Network & the Alliance of Angels. She teaches a class on Venture Capital in the UW Foster MBA program, and is also serving as a mentor for TechStars & Founder's Institue and is also a community advisor for Startup Weekend.
Mike Crill
Managing Director at Atlas Accelerator
Mike is the Managing Director of Atlas Accelerator, the largest venture accelerator in the U.S.. Atlas is a team of 30 tech professionals working in accounting, HR, sales, marketing, and development to help start-ups get to the next level. Atlas invests about $2MM in seed-stage companies each year and is one the top ten seed-stage investors in the country. Mike has sat on over 30 boards for public and private companies and advised over 100 startups. As an advisor, Mike focuses on funding strategy, corporate governance, go-to-market strategy, board and executive compensation, and contracts. He began his work in startups as a CFO where we served over 75 companies in that capacity over 15 years.
Mike's prior work history includes assignments as a division controller and plant manager with AlliedSignal where has was certified as a master black belt by the six sigma academy. Earlier, he served as an operations analyst with Data General, as a cost accounting consultant and, earlier, an officer supporting the US Army's elite 82nd Airborne division. He left active duty as a Captain in 1989, having contributed to winning the Cold War (you’re welcome). Mike holds BS from Syracuse University, magna cum laude, with majors in Finance, Personnel and Industrial Relations, and Managerial Law and a Military Science minor. Mike graduated at the top of his class with an MBA, summa cum laude, from Duke University.
