Clera Wins Silicon Valley 'Best Investment Opportunity' AwardTwo Companies Win Best Investment Opportunity in Highly Competitive Process Venture Capitalist Judges Deem Clera and SBTV.com Winners in Life Science and Technology Categories San Francisco (October 13, 2006) Two women entrepreneur presenters were chosen from among 27 competitors by an elite panel of 11 venture capitalist judges at The Women¹s Technology Cluster¹s (WTC) Entrepreneur Venture Conference on October 5 in Silicon Valley. Selected from over 150 nationally referred companies, the 27 companies in search of funding presented to over 370 conference attendees and potential investors. The Best Investment Opportunity Award in the life science category was given to Clera, a Canadian pharmaceutical company focused on the discovery and development of novel small molecules for the diagnosis and treatment of major CNS disorders. The Best Investment Opportunity Award in the technology category was given to SBTV.com, a St. Louis, Missouri-based Web platform provider of television quality news, information and resources to small businesses. "Investors attending the Venture Conference get exposed to an array of fundable plans in a compact timeframe. The WTC made it very easy for Battery to connect with companies such as SBTV, who traveled from St. Louis for the event," said Brian O¹Malley, Sr. Associate with Battery Ventures. Each year, the focus of the WTC Conference is to contribute to the successful funding of early-stage companies. 56% of the presenting companies received funding within five months of the 2005 Conference ‹ an outstanding success for an early stage conference. The 2006 Conference was once again the focal-point of the 2006 Women¹s Technology Cluster Catalyst Program, a two-month long boot camp designed to prepare technology, life science and cleantech entrepreneurs for fundraising. ³Every small business should go through the WTC Catalyst Program. The program helps early stage technology companies focus on the critical components of their business and identify its strengths and weaknesses. SBTV came away with a much clearer strategic business vision. This program has been one of the best investments we have made for our future,² said Dan Demko, President of SBTV.com. The WTC Catalyst Program is an extensive program involving eight VC-led panels and workshops with separate technology and life science tracks; three to four coaches for each company over two months, and two sessions of presentation skills development. ³I was extremely pleased to have the opportunity to hear and meet a diverse set of high quality companies at the WTC Venture Conference. It was evident from the content that these companies had been selected post a very thoughtful and competitive process. In addition, the business plans and presentations had been refined and fine-tuned by coaches and mentors from life sciences industry. WTC is doing a superb job of catalyzing the coming together of entrepreneurial creativity with seasoned mentoring and sources of funds, certainly a value-add proposition for all involved! As a VC, I look forward to tapping into this self-selected and high quality deal flow,² said Nandini Tandon, Ph.D., Venture Partner with MDS Capital (U.S.A.) Corp. "Driving success for the presenting companies was the number one priority among WTC¹s coaches. After those intensive weeks of work, it is truly an honor to be awarded the ŒBest Investment¹ from this group of promising companies,² said Jeanne Bertonis, Clera's President and COO. "Our affiliation with the WTC has provided us with access to new investors whose support will enable our company to achieve our goal of improving the quality of life for millions of patients suffering from central nervous system (CNS) diseases.² Clera is a Canadian pharmaceutical company focused on the discovery and development of novel small molecules for the diagnosis and treatment of major CNS disorders, including a lead molecule for schizophrenia, and programs in L-Dopa psychosis, depression and Parkinson's. The company recently opened a US office in San Francisco. Technology Company Presentation Judges:
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