Efficient markets are essential to facilitate investment and capital formation to grow and sustain a vibrant new industry. Multiple different markets provide the means for the best ideas and enterprises to obtain capital and credit to allow these young companies and their founders to adequately fund the research and development necessary for growth. Nowhere has this been more evident than the smallest industry where we have rapid growth coupled with technological challenges.
Dara A. Panahy
As leader of the firm’s Transportation and Space Group in Washington, D.C., Dara’s practice involves representation of satellite operators, aerospace manufacturers, launch services providers, communications companies, banks, private equity firms and hedge funds in debt and equity offerings, project, structured and vendor financings, mergers & acquisitions, financial restructurings and in negotiating commercial contracts. He also advises on regulatory, sanctions, anti-corruption, national security and export control matters.
PRIMARY FOCUS & EXPERIENCE
Mr. Panahy’s practice focuses on representing clients involved in the aerospace and communications industries. His experience includes representing satellite operators, aerospace manufacturers, launch services providers, communications companies, banks, private equity firms and hedge funds in numerous financings involving public offerings, high yield debt, investment-grade bonds, project and vendor financings, mergers & acquisitions, financial restructuring and reorganizations and in negotiating project contracts. He also counsels clients on domestic and international regulatory and trade matters, including licensing of communications systems, economic sanctions, regulation of foreign direct investment, anti-bribery and corrupt practices, national security and export control laws and regulations and risk management.
William Jefferson Black
William Jefferson Black is the publisher of SatelliteFinance, which provides extensive global coverage of complex transactions in the private and public equity and debt capital markets, mergers & acquisitions, and corporate strategy considerations. He also serves as the publisher of TelecomFinance and the M& A journal, Transaction Advisors. These unique financial publications are provided by Finance Information Group, which provides valuation databases, books on corporate development, industry research, and M&A conferences.
Mark Boggett
Mark Boggett is CEO of Seraphim Capital a London based venture firm. The team manages the recently launched Seraphim Space Fund, a pioneering new fund backed by a range of leading space corporates seeking investments in space-related start-ups. He is also director of UK Space Tech Angels and is Chairman of the London Co-investment Fund – one of the most active seed investors in Europe. Prior to Seraphim he was at YFM Equity Partners serving on their mainboard for a number of years and working on the British Smaller Company VCT 1 and 2. He has a degree in Accounting & Finance, an MA in Economics & Finance from the University of Leeds and a range of professional investment qualifications.
Mike Collett
Mike Collett is Founder and Managing Partner of Promus Ventures in Chicago. Mike previously was Founder and Managing Partner of Masters Capital Nanotechnology Fund and also on the Technology Equity team with Masters Capital, a hedge fund. Mike was Vice President at Merrill Lynch in the M&A Group as well as an Associate in M&A Division with Duff & Phelps. Mike has invested in over 60 software/hardware startups and is currently on the board of Spire, Layer, Kurbo Health, Gauss Surgical, Dispatch, Enview, FirstLine, and Daylight Solutions. Mike received his BS in Math and a BA in English from Vanderbilt University and an MBA from Washington University in St. Louis. Mike and his wife Paige have four children and live in Chicago.
Rob Coneybeer
Rob is a founder of Shasta Ventures and a veteran of the Silicon Valley venture capital industry. He is passionate about anything with motors, including robots, satellites, and race cars. Early in his career, Rob served as an engineer in the Astro Space division of Martin Marietta, where he helped build the first A2100 satellite, a platform that is still in production today at Lockheed. Rob earned an MS in Mechanical Engineering from the Georgia Institute of Technology and a BS in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Virginia. He also holds an MBA degree from the Wharton School.
Rob led Shasta’s Series A investment in Nest (acquired by Google for $3.2 billion in 2014). His current investments include Accion Systems (ion engines for in-space propulsion), Starsky (self-driving long-haul trucks), Vector (space launch vehicles), Spire Global (small satellites for tracking weather, ships, and airplanes), and Fetch Robotics (robots for warehouse logistics).
Ann Kim
Ann Kim is a Managing Director in Silicon Valley Bank’s Frontier Technology group. Ann has spent much of her career working with venture-backed companies in aerospace, robotics, automation, transportation, mobility, AR/VR, and digital health segments. She was previously on the Corporate Finance team, advising later-stage and public tech companies. Prior to joining SVB, Ann was a healthcare consultant focused on commercialization strategies for pharmaceutical and medical device companies, and a Research Assistant at The Clorox Company.
Ann holds a bachelor’s degree in Molecular and Cell Biology from UC Berkeley. She was President of the Korean-American Student Organization, an active member of the Korean-American Scientists and Engineers Association (KSEA), and served on the executive operating committee for Asia America MultiTechnology Association (AAMA).
Ann is serving her fellowship at Silicon Valley Bank as a member of Class 24.