Angel investors invest in early stage or start-up companies in exchange for an equity ownership interest. With high-profile success stories like Uber, WhatsApp, and Facebook, interest in angel investors has grown significantly.  What should you look for in an angel investor and what does an angel investor look for in a business and an entrepreneur?  Come to the next SNEEF event, being held on April 13th, at the CIE, 151 Martine Street, Fall River, MA, from 5:30-8:30 and listen to Jennifer Schwall Rousseau, Executive Director of Cherry Stone Angels, as she discusses these topics and more.  Jennifer will be joined by a panel of founders who have been successful in raising angel funding.

Jennifer Schwall Rousseau, Executive Director, CherryStone Angels

At Cherrystone, Jennifer manages the angel group's operations as well as serves on the Steering, Screening and Due Diligence Committees. She has experience in screening deals, determining valuation models and conducting market research for

several verticals including pharmaceutical, medical devices, software, hardware and internet/mobile applications. She advises portfolio companies on fundraising strategies, term sheet negotiations and works with the CEOs to keep investors updated.

Jenn serves as a representative of Cherrystone in the Boston and New York markets at various fundraising and networking events as well as serves on several boards including UMASS Dartmouth's Center for Innovation, the RI Business Plan Competition,

the Chamber's Innovation Providence, the Angel Capital Association’s Membership Committee, the Global Investor Forum and The Capital Network.

Jenn graduated Summa Cum Laude from Bryant University with a B.S. in Finance and a minor in Legal Studies. She received the Delta Sigma Pi Scholarship Key, awarded to the graduating senior with the highest cumulative academic average, as well as the Jack H. Rubens Leadership in Finance Award.

Bob Anderson, President, Ocean Server Technology, Inc.

Bob will be providing his insight as someone who has been both a recipient of Angel funding and an investor himself. 

Prior to OceanServer, Mr. Anderson was a founder and President of IntraServer Technology, Inc. IntraServer designed and manufactured embedded storage modules as an OEM supplier to the Computer Industry. After five years of technical achievements and revenue growth, IntraServer was sold to LSI Logic in 2000. Prior to IntraServer, Mr. Anderson was the Managing Director of Computer Crafts (Europe) Ltd, a startup firm engaged in the design, manufacture, and marketing of computer networking products.  Mr. Anderson has twenty-five years of experience in firms providing components and value-added manufacturing services to the Computer Industry, and five years as a Logistics Officer with the U.S. Army.  Mr. Anderson holds a Bachelors Degree from The State University of New York, and an M.B.A. Degree in Management from Bryant University.   

OceanServer Technology, Inc. is a privately held company, established in 2003 to develop a small, modern Autonomous Underwater Vehicle (AUV) suitable for a variety of data collection missions in reservoirs, rivers, bays and near coastal waters.  The company is located in Fall River at the UMass ATMC Facility, between Newport, Rhode Island and Woods Hole.  This area has many small marine-science businesses that provide significant innovation in marine instrumentation, underwater vehicles and research into behavioral and applications software. The company’s primary customers include Navy, environmental researchers, commercial survey contractors and robotics/ sensor developers throughout the world.

Jon Feinman, Executive Director of InnerCity Weightlifting

As founder and executive director of InnerCity Weightlifting (ICW), Jon is focused on aligning the vision, strategy, culture and growth of ICW to increase economic mobility and social inclusion for young people at the highest-risk for violence; all while shifting perceptions, so that the factors that lead to segregated pockets of violence fade away changing the course for future generations.

 Building upon his experience with AmeriCorps and as a personal trainer, Jon received his MBA from Babson College in 2010 where he launched ICW.

 InnerCity Weightlifting has been featured on ESPN, The Boston Globe, CBS Evening News, WSJ, as well as WGBH, NESN, The Huffington Post, Whole Foods Magazine, and several other publications.

 For his work with InnerCity Weightlifting, Jon has received awards from the Boston Celtics, Babson College, Bostinno, Year Up, Good Sports, Cabot Creamery, Anytime Fitness. He was named as one of the Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce 2014 Ten Outstanding Young Leaders, a 2012 Social Innovator by Social Innovation Forum, and received the Ernst & Young 2015 Entrepreneur of the Year New England Award in the social entrepreneurship category. InnerCity Weightlifting received the 2015 Rosoff Award in the Nonprofit Diversity Initiative Category.

Matthew Vega-Sanz is the founder and CEO of Lula, a peer-to-peer car sharing platform for college students set to launch in Spring 2017. Prior to his time at Lula, Matthew was Director of Operations at 180 Degrees Consulting—Babson. As DIO at 180DC—Babson, Matthew oversaw a team of student consultants that assisted various venture backed startups with their go-to-market strategy, developing their business model, and raising capital. Between his time as CEO of Lula, and Director of Operations of 180 DC—Babson, Matthew has had part in raising more than a million dollars in seed funding. Apart from being an entrepreneur, Matthew is a sophomore at Babson College, where he is studying Information Technology Management, along with Technology, Entrepreneurship, and Design.

Michael Vega-Sanz is a founder and the President of Lula. Prior to his time at Lula, Michael was one of three co-founders of 180 Degrees Consulting – Babson College. Here, Michael held the position of Vice President where he grew the consulting association from a consultancy for small start-ups, to a consultancy for some of the most global, recognizable, and largest companies in the world, including Fortune 500 Companies, within eight months of operating. Between being the President of Lula and Vice President of 180 Degrees Consulting – Babson College, Michael has an extensive amount of experience in the start-up world where he has personally raised several hundreds of thousands of dollars in seed funding for his venture. Outside of Lula and 180, Michael is a twenty-year old college student at Babson College where he is studying Finance and Information Technology Management.

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