Jean-Luc Benazat took some great photos at the CUTEC event on building winning teams. Lars Lindstedt, software economist of Microsoft introduced the speakers which was a cross section from the academic to the entrepreneur and one who is not sure in which camp he falls – you can guess the answer! Neither, but he is a great teacher. The line up is listed on the CUTEC site. Widen your choice of founders to plug into the biggest network and if you need to cut, cut deep and quickly. The business comes first and when people lose the plot, even founders, open the door and shove hard! Adrian Calder received a frank reply to his question on equity splits; John Cavill took 50% and split the rest between the other four founders and then followed this up with a reverse ratchet against his VC, 3i. He said “You get one chance to negotiate a deal; do it well and peform”.
Lots of alpha males row (and are entrepreneurs) and have little idea of their effect on others. So careful when you are next out on the Cam! A good team needs a good cox. Find time to read John Cavill’s Growth Entrepreneurship: Do we really understand the drivers of new venture success?
Book early for the CUTEC Conference on 12 June which was the highlight of last years Cambridge Cluster summer season. The first session was lead by Robert Sansom of Cambridge Angels, Laurence Garrett of 3i (whose has probably made and built more better business than anyone else in Cambridge) and Saul Klein of Index Ventures (now a partner) with Anne Glover of Amadeus in the chair.
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