AoA Workshop – What to Know When Selling Your Startup

Hear directly from a former buyer of technology companies who then co-founded and sold his own technology company about how to make a buyer interested in acquiring your company. Get first-hand insight into what your business might be worth, when and why to sell, what companies are buying when they buy, how to prepare for a sale and what the sales process looks like.

Lowell will review the five-step process that he has documented for finding a buyer:
1. Planning & Research
2. Outreach
3. Engagement
4. Term Sheet & Due Diligence
5. Negotiation and close

Lowell Ricklefs twice built the leader in the online market research data collection industry – GMI (sold to WPP for $100M) and Toluna (sold to a Private Equity firm for $260M). He co-founded FlexMinder – the leader in Healthcare IT automated claim submission (sold to JellyVision), in addition he led the buying side of several transactions including a $10M technology company in Texas and a $40M technology company in Connecticut. At F500 Rockwell Automation as a Global Sales VP he worked closely with Corporate Development on acquisition strategy. Lowell started Traction Advising to pursue his passion: helping fellow entrepreneurs scale and sell software companies.

Gary Kocher is a partner in the Seattle office of K&L Gates with over 25 years of experience working with emerging growth companies and investors that support them. He counsels founders on business formation issues and works with clients on a wide range of transactions, including financings, strategic partnerships and acquisitions, intellectual property creation and protection, and exit transactions. Over his career, Gary has represented more than 100 start-ups. He serves as outside counsel to the Alliance of Angels in Seattle and is a member of the Public Policy Advisory Council to the Angel Capital Association. He has helped several angel groups form side-car investment funds and is a frequent speaker and writer on topics relevant to angel investing. In his spare time, he loves to fly fish and will talk for hours about pescatory pursuits.