Investing in the “Internet of Things”– Profile of G-51 Venture Scholar Jeff Brown
I caught up with Jeff Brown this week after a night class in Entrepreneurship. Like many of his peers within Boston University’s Professional Evening MBA program, Jeff spends his week days at work and attends selected classes in the evenings.
We discussed the three deals he had reviewed to date, and his basis for analysis of each. All three of Jeff’s deals were technology platforms serving various user groups.
His first deal was an Internet-of-things (IOT) platform for commercial and industrial use that offers the possibility IOT capabilities to integrate legacy systems at significantly reduced price points than existing alternatives. His second deal connected online businesses to their customers through a CRM platform facilitating speedier sales transactions and his latest deal featured a new personal finance platform.
Jeff has a strong operations background – he supplements his already substantial functional experience in the role with graduate school electives priming him for an MBA with a concentration in operations and technology management. I was curious to know if he leveraged on his expertise in his evaluation of his deals to date.
“Honestly, that’s what I like about these deals is that they let me do something different from what I do everyday at my job. I can literally learn about anything by talking to these entrepreneurs and just asking them anything I want to know.”
Some venture scholars had been unable to reach some of the entrepreneurs behind their deals, for various reasons. Did Jeff have a strategy in approaching these founders?
“I reached out to them explaining my affiliation with G-51 and that I was reviewing them for a deal. If they were interested from there, I’d set up a time to talk to them – and I’d always first send them a list of questions I’m thinking about. That way they can prepare and we can get the most out of our conversation.”
Jeff’s interest in the businesses he reviews does not end on Deal Review Day, when the Venture Scholars present their work. Jeff was the point of contact between entrepreneurs and venture capital. “The two businesses whose deals I reviewed are meeting with G-51 sometime this week or next.”
Blog posting prepared by BU MBA Candidate Joanna Ghazali
