Monday Club is a group of over 500 High Tech Executives and Business Professionals in Southern California who meet once a month to help start-up companies raise their first investment capital. Members have extensive experience in working with high tech companies. They know what it takes to make a good presentation, and they know what investors are looking for.
Chapters. Monday Club was founded in Orange County in 1984. A second chapter was formed in the “South Bay” of Los Angeles in 2010. The Silicon Beach Monday Club began holding monthly meetings in Santa Monica in October, 2013.
Monday Club Founded in 1984. The original Orange County Monday Club was formed in 1984 by Fred Haney as an informal “Sidecar Fund” for 3i Ventures California, the venture capital fund he founded and managed from 1983 to 1991. Monday Club was a way of bringing seasoned high-tech executives and experts into the 3i Ventures Family. No investment was involved, but Monday Club functioned in much the same way as a “Sidecar Fund” or “Technology Fund” affiliated with a venture capital firm. It was a way of assembling company-building experts to help early stage companies in fundraising, making key decisions, finding advisors, and networking in the high-tech community.
Presentation Model. Monday Club’s goal is to help businesses improve their chances of fundraising success by providing informed feedback and helping them find advisors. Each member fills out a one-page “feedback sheet” that grades the presentation both qualitatively and quantitatively on major criteria.
Meeting Format. Meetings are from 11:45 am to 1:30 pm one day per month. Each presenting company has 35 minutes for its presentation, including feedback and Q&A. Monday Club has helped about 400 companies to improve their presentation and/or identify investors or advisors. Periodically, past presenters provide a “status update” that allows the members to see how companies are progressing.
Sponsors. Orange County Monday Club is sponsored by Knobbe, Martens, Rutan & Tucker, and KPMG. South Bay Monday Club is sponsored by Raimondo Pettit Group Accountants, PDM CPAs, California United Bank, The Law Office of Brandon S. Chabner, Parker Mills, LLP Business Lawyers, Petillon Hiraide LLP Business Lawyers, Los Angeles Biomedical Research Institute. The South Bay Meetings are held at the Toyota America Historical Automobile Museum. Sponsors for The Silicon Beach Monday Club are Bryan Cave, LLC and Cooley, LLC. Sponsors take turns providing lunch for the monthly meetings.
Membership. The three groups have a combined membership of approximately 600 people. Average attendance in Orange County is around 30; in South Bay, about 20 and growing; in Santa Monica, 20 and growing rapidly. Growth is organic; members are encouraged to bring guests and new members are added by referral. The only “criteria” is an ability to provide useful feedback to our presenting companies. Monday Club is not a general “business leads” network; it stays close to its purpose. Nor is it specifically an “investment” organization, although in Orange County, many members are also members of Tech Coast Angels (of which Fred Haney was a co-founder in 1997).
Benefits to members. Members see two early stage business presentations each month. Companies are chosen to present based on “venture capital” investment criteria and their topical and educational nature. As members meet the other members, they expand their own network of professionals who help build new companies. Finally, members may find client companies that they can help as directors, advisors, or investors.
No Fees. No fees are involved in Monday Club. Members are not charged for meetings. Presenters are not charged a fee.
Web site. The web site (www.mondayclub.com) was reconstructed in 2013. It serves as a “brochure” to explain Monday Club to interested parties. It also contains useful resources, including a PowerPoint outline, suggestions for presentations, and the “feedback sheet.”
Meeting Schedule. A meeting schedule is prepared for each of the three groups at the beginning of the year. Meetings with presentations are held from January through November. In December, each group enjoys a no-host social luncheon in a local restaurant. Past venues have been the Wine Cellar at the Ritz Restaurant in Newport Beach, the Palos Verdes Golf Club, and 41 Ocean Club, Santa Monica.
Monthly Invitation. At the beginning of each year, members receive a schedule of meetings. An invitation/reminder is emailed to members about a week in advance of each meeting. The invitation summarizes the two presenting companies and gives detailed location information. Invitations are sent by “bcc” to members.
About the Founder. Fred M. Haney, Ph.D. is a venture capital fund manager, private investor, and entrepreneur. He cofounded NovaDigm Therapeutics, Inc. where he served as Chairman of the Board.
