By Allan Maurer, TechJournal South Editor
ATLANTA – About 100 Atlanta entrepreneurs, executives and others networked at the CEO Council/MIT Forum’s New Talent Exchange Wednesday night at the Buckhead Gordon Bierch restaurant.
The New Talent Exchange was designed to help those new to the working world get a foothold in the Atlanta technology community by bringing them together with professionals from the technology, business and law communities.
Color-coded nametags assisted with networking pairings for a portion of the evening, although we didn’t notice much use of that particular feature as those in attendance networked their way around the room.
Virginia Martin, Associate Director, MIT Forums
“This is the fourth New Talent Exchange we have presented, “said Virginia Martin, director of the MIT Enterprise Forum. “It’s a popular event for us and the perfect avenue for young professionals and their more seasoned counterparts to exchange ideas and business cards in an atmosphere that encourages success.”
We networked during the entire event, which ran from 5 p.m. to 7:30 and included excellent pizza, good beer and wine. Here are a few of the people we met:
Peter Rosen is president of HR Strategies & Solutions, Atlanta. He works with startups that need human resources advice and will be contributing a guest blog post to TJS.
Nelson Chu of Kinetic Ventures, a 25-year-old $65 million fund that invests in IT, clean tech, and telecom, was there talking to entrepreneurs. Kinetic invested in Atlanta's Vertical Acuity, among other Southeast firms.
Ron Stockton, of U.S. energetics, an Atlanta firm with technology to turn hog and other waste into electricity, told us, "There are 12 million hogs in North Carolina. More hogs than people. If 12 million people did not have waste management, it would be outrageous.
Jonathan Goldman, vice president at Hydro Phi Inc., an Atlanta firm working on technology to make hydrogen fuel, told us the company is about to close on its first Angel funding and expects to land a larger financing not too far down the road.
Michael D. Bloom, managing director of Mazzone & Associates and director of the MIT Forums in Atlanta for 2010, told us the next event on April 20 will focus on sustainability. The MIT Forums hold 8 to 10 events a year and four workshops where member companies present their business plans to potential investors.
Online: www.mitforumatlanta.org
HR Strategies & Solutions: www.hras.com
Hydro Phi: www.hydrophi.com
U.S. energetics: www.usenergetics.com
© 2010, TechJournal South. All rights reserved.
Tags: Atlanta, Events, HR Strategies & Soluitons, Hydro Phi, Kinetic Ventures, Michael Bloom, u.s. energetics
