San Diego MIT® Enterprise Forum| Upcoming Events

• Main
• In the News
• Upcoming Events
• Events Calendar

Launching VoxOx – the All-in-One Communications Platform:

How can a new phone company quickly become a market leader?

Case Presentation: TelCentris (creator of VoxOx)

Case Presentation Overview

The team at TelCentris had a vision: to combine all telephone, instant and text messaging, fax and e-mail into one platform.  They knew what it would look like and how it would work, but first they had to build a phone company.  Not a small task and yet they succeeded and are now ready to launch their communicator: VoxOx.  Should they try to market it themselves?  Or should they partner with other organizations?  Should they only approach consumers or look to a business market as well?

TelCentris is positioning itself to be the 1st choice among consumers of communication services.  They already have hundreds of thousands of users of their beta product and are asking for the Forum’s help to determine the best way forward.

About TelCentris

TelCentris, the creator of VoxOx, is an innovative San Diego-based unified communications and telecommunications provider, developing advanced communication solutions and serving the needs of carriers, enterprises and consumers. The founders have a long history in technology, and bring to communications the lessons learned from massively scalable enterprise data networking, IT and various software fields. TelCentris offers telecom companies, regardless of size, the ability to launch profitable IP telephony offerings in a matter of days while minimizing upfront capital expenditures. TelCentris also leverages its Service Delivery Platform (SDP) to provide hosted IP-PBX solutions for small and medium-sized businesses. For more information, visit: www.telcentris.com

Business Challenges for Forum Discussion

1. Should VoxOx be privately labeled for other organizations for faster market penetration and shared revenue?
   
2. While TelCentris already has hundreds of thousands of individual users, it sees the business segment as the ultimate target for VoxOx. Should TelCentris roll out a separate VoxOx, branded for business or rely on leveraging from the consumer base?
   

What will you learn?

1. Insight into building a unique software business, including building its own physical delivery system from the ground up.
2. Marketing and branding ideas and strategy.
3. Overcoming challenges of prioritizing revenue streams versus partnering.

Who should attend?

Entrepreneurs and consultants interested in a unique business case

CEOs, entrepreneurs and other professionals involved in telecommunications or internet businesses

Entrepreneurs involved in building brands or user communities

Marketing and advertising professionals involved in traditional and online branding

Who will be presenting?

Presenter: Michael Faught – President, TelCentris, Inc.

Michael Faught brings 25 years experience in investment banking, investment management, operating management and technology commercialization in diverse environments ranging from bulge bracket investment banks, to diversified Fortune 500 corporations to numerous start-ups and growth-stage companies. Most recently, Michael was Managing Partner of Technology Capital Partners a merchant banking boutique focused on technology-driven growth acquisitions.

Michael's investment banking experience spans corporate finance with Lehman Brothers, M&A and financial restructuring with Kidder Peabody and technology-startup financing and commercialization with Technology Management & Funding. Michael's operating experience includes President and COO of Media Data Corporation, Director of Operations Analysis for AlliedSignal (now Honeywell) where he had oversight responsibility for the corporation's $4.0 billion, 27 business unit, Engineered Materials (plastics, chemicals and synthetic fibers) Sector.

Moderator: Dr. Martha Dennis

Dr. Martha Dennis - Independent Venture Capital & Private Equity Professional Dr. Martha Dennis has most recently been a Venture Partner with Windward Ventures, venture investors in early-stage Southern California technology companies. Previously Dr. Dennis was President and CEO of WaveWare Communications, Incorporated, which she co-founded in April 1997; WaveWare sold software for wireless handheld connectivity. Formerly Dr. Dennis was co-founder and Vice President of Engineering of Pacific Communications Sciences, Incorporated, a San Diego based developer of wireless communications equipment founded in 1987 and sold to Cirrus Logic in 1993. Previous to this Dr. Dennis was Assistant Vice President at Linkabit Corporation. She serves on the boards and advisory boards of several entrepreneurial ventures and is Chairman of the Board of Netsapiens, Inc.

Panelists:

Anand Buch – Co-Founder and CEO, NetSapiens, Inc.
Anand Buch has more than 15 years of telecom experience. NetSapiens, Inc. is a telecommunications company offering complete Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) solutions to ISPs, WISPs, and carriers. Prior to NetSapiens, Anand was a Director of Engineering at Nuera Communications Inc. where he successfully drove the organizational transformation of the company’s Systems Integration discipline to meet the demands of a high growth Tier 1 targeted VoIP technology company. He earned an MBA from San Diego State University, and BS in electrical engineering from University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign.

Pete Lancia - Senior Director, Marketing, Qualcomm
Pete Lancia is responsible for content creation, messaging and corporate market intelligence activities. Prior to his current role, Lancia played key roles in Qualcomm’s Investor and Industry Analyst and Technical marketing organizations. Lancia first joined Qualcomm’s infrastructure business in a product marketing role in 1998. From 1999 to 2005, he worked in Ericsson’s CDMA infrastructure group in several different marketing and business development roles, including an overseas assignment in Australia. Pete received his BSEE from the University of Vermont and his MBA and MSEE from MIT.

M. David Titus - Managing Director, Windward Ventures and Managing Director, Strategic Initiatives, San Diego Regional EDC
David Titus is Managing Director, Strategic Initiatives for the San Diego Regional Economic Development Corporation (EDC). In this role he works to familiarize company executives in San Diego with EDC's mission, business development and policy programs to encourage them to remain and grow in San Diego. In addition, he supports the Business Development program in attraction, retention and expansion initiatives, identifying companies with immediate potential for expansion and new job creation. Mr. Titus is also a co-founder and Managing Director of Windward Ventures. In addition to directing the overall development of the firm, he is responsible for a number of investments in the software field.

Event Details
Date:
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
Time:
5:00 - Networking reception
6:00 - Case presentation
7:30 - Audience Q&A
8:00 - End
Location:
Salk Institute
10010 North Torrey Pines Road
La Jolla, CA 92037
Cost:
Members and sponsors of MITEF - Free (registration still required)
General Public $50
MIT Alums $25
CONNECT Members and Active EIRs $25
Students $15
At the door $60

Contact:
Karen Winston
kwinston@connect.org
858-964-1346
Register through www.sdmitforum.org or use this direct link:
REGISTER HERE

Supporting Sponsor:
Allen Matkins Leck Gamble Mallory & Natsis LLP

Media Partner:
San Diego Daily Transcript

Program Contact: