GlobalAtlanta.com | More Venture Capital Need to Make Atlanta an IT Entrepreneurial Hub

Video Interviews
interview by Nema Etheridge	interview by Nema Etheridge
Jeffrey Hoffman is managing partner with local venture capital firm, Smith-Hoffman Capital LLC and a former executive with Priceline.com. Mr. Hoffman started his entrepreneurial career with software company, Competitive Technologies Inc., or CTI, which redefined computer automation in the travel industry. After selling CTI to American Express Corp. in 1992, Mr. Hoffman started a number of other businesses, and in recent years, he has become involved in the film production industry. In a video interview with GlobalAtlanta that was filmed in April, Mr. Hoffman discusses his work with new entrepreneurs – as both investor and a mentor – as well as his own interest in Georgia’s film industry. Related story VIDEO LINKS Jeffrey Hoffman moves to Atlanta because of city’s quality of life. Smith-Hoffman Capital seeks internationally-oriented companies Mr. Hoffman discusses Georgia’s technology industry How can Georgia attract more venture capital? Does Georgia have a growing film industry? What fosters film talent in Georgia? How can the Internet help filmmakers stay in Georgia? Mr. Hoffman discusses his work in Russia.	Christopher Klaus started Internet Security Systems Inc. while a student at Georgia Institute of Technology. ISS became a leading global provider of information protection solutions that defended online assets from attack and misuse. It was sold to IBM in 2006 for $1.3 billion. Mr. Klaus has donated $15 million to Georgia Tech’s College of Computing, helped found the Georgia Tech Information Security Center and serves as vice chair of the Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce’s Technology Marketing Council. He is also founder and CEO of social networking site Kaneva Inc. Mr. Klaus discusses Kaneva and international social networking during a filmed interview taped at SoCon07, an Internet-oriented conference held at Kennesaw State University in February. VIDEO LINKS What is Web 2.0? Why is becoming an IT capital important for Atlanta? If Atlanta promotes its IT community will it attract more venture capital here? Can the business community use social networking sites? Are social networking sites popular in other countries? Is online social networking popular in Asia? Is the Internet equipped to handle an increasing amount of data that is being passed online? Will you ever return to the Internet security industry?

interview by Nema Etheridge	interview by Leigh Miller
Brad Fallon is an e-commerce entrepreneur who specialized in search engine optimization before he and his wife Jennifer started an online wedding favor business in 2004. The company quickly grew to become a $32 million business by 2006, and the Fallons have since opened their own wedding favor design and wholesaling operation called Kate Aspen Design Inc. Mr. Fallon has also started Internet marketing classes called StomperNet, taken emerging entrepreneurs to trade shows in China and launched FreeiQ, a Web site that collects business-related information in a YouTube-like format. He talks about his business ventures in this GlobalAtlanta video interview. Related story VIDEO LINKS Brad Fallon discusses www.weddingfavors.com and how he got started working in China. What are the challenges to being an Internet retailer? What is a “dropshipper,” and how can someone get started in the business? What is search engine optimization? Mr. Fallon takes potential importers to China. FreeiQ.com – Mr. Fallon's new Web site and “a marketplace for ideas" Mr. Fallon discusses StomperNet. Is Atlanta a technology hub? Why live and work in Atlanta?	Edwin Marcial is chief technology officer for IntercontinentalExchange Inc., an Atlanta-based online energy trader that was vying with the Chicago Mercantile Exchange Holdings Inc. to buy the Chicago Board of Trade. The Merc won a more than $11 billion bid to buy the board of trade on July 9. In the GlobalAtlanta video that was taped in November 2006, Mr. Marcial discusses Intercontinental’s business activity in Atlanta. Related Story VIDEO LINKS What is ICE? ICE's customers Why ICE is in Atlanta Atlanta's technology labor pool ICE's impact on energy trading

interview by Leigh Miller	interview by Nema Etheridge
Yoqneam, Israel-based Given Imaging Ltd. has three commercially viable PillCam capsules that when swallowed, employ minute cameras to help doctors detect problems in a patient’s gastrointestinal tract. With the help of the American-Israel Chamber of Commerce Southeast Region, the company opened its U.S. headquarters in Duluth last year to be better positioned to serve the American market. It also got approval last month from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to market the PillCam ESO2, which does video imaging of the esophagus. In a video interview that was filmed in December, Homi Shamir, the company’s president and CEO; Christopher Rowland, president of the company’s U.S. division and Tom Glaser, president of the American-Israel chamber, discuss the company and their decision to open an Atlanta office. VIDEO LINKS Tom Glaser explains how Given Imaging came to Atlanta Homi Shamir and Chris Rowland discuss the Atlanta location Given Imaging's products Competition and intellectual property Clinical trials in Atlanta How to access Given Imaging's technology	Narsi Narasimhan, co-founder and CEO of Paalam Inc., which facilitates software development and call center outsourcing operations in India, is also a founder of the Indian Professionals Network, a former board member of the India American Cultural Association and the president elect for the Georgia-Indo American chamber of Commerce. In the video interview with GlobalAtlanta, he discusses his company and monthly roundtable forums that he has organized for chief technology or information officers in local businesses. He also offers suggestions about how to attract more IT venture capital to Atlanta. Related story VIDEO LINKS Was businesses networking important to you when you moved to Atlanta? Dr. Narasimhan talks about outsourcing firm, Paalam Inc. Why does Paalam host CIO roundtable forums? Dr. Narasimhan talks about how to get more venture capital to Atlanta.
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