Michael Gurau

LED STRATEGIC FINANCE FUNCTION: Led capital markets, reporting and controls, business systems, and  investor relations.

Served as CFO for Nanocomp Technologies Inc (NTI). a DuPont Corporation- and US government-funded advanced materials company that produces the the strongest, lightest and most conductive material on earth.

Provided strategic and financial leadership to the Board, CEO, investors, lenders and accounting team to ensure that the Company had, and preserved, funding required support its growth.

Worked closely with the CEO to co-lead the negotiation effort to secure a three year Joint Development Agreement with DuPont Corporation (http://bit.ly/1IYiPwb).

Led capital markets activities raising $15M in venture capital and private equity, and $4M in mezzanine and debt financing.

Recommended several strategic software platforms including ERP (Infor's Syteline), CRM (Salesforce.com), BI (IBM Cognos), Marketing Analytics and Web Content Management (Hubspot).

Led the accounting team on budgets, forecasts, treasury, and insurance.

Organized selection and management of accounting firms (Ernst & Young, McGladrey) managing audits and 409A valuations.

Led investor and lender relations.

LED MARKETING INITIATIVES: Developed and implemented marketing strategy and programs including: 

 Initiated, led design and authored content for the company's web site (www.nanocomptech.com) and social media program including Linkedin, Twitter and a Company blog (http://bit.ly/1Si3act)

Co-managed public relations helping select and manage Schwartz Communications and, later, Makovsky.

Worked with the CEO and a leading national branding agency, Lexicon, to develop and select product names "Miralon" and Bexite" for NTI's two major product lines,

Initiated and authored applications that led to the Company winning a Gold and Silver (Thomas) Edison Award (2014) and a Frost and Sullivan Game Changing Manufacturing Technology award (2013).

Note: From 2011-May 2014, I maintained overlapping roles as Nanocomp's lead investor-director (see CCV Fund below) and its CFO.

Served as CCV’s President since the early stage venture capital fund was formed, leading strategy and operations, and reporting to the Fund's board and investors.

Hired, led and managed the investment and administrative team.

TO BUILD BRAND:

Led 21 "Financing Fast Growth" seminars to more than 2,000 attendees in four states over four years;

Authored more than 150 regular columns for national and regional publications including: Mass High Tech, MaineBiz, New Hampshire Business Review, Providence Business Journal and Science Progress.

Created CCV's proactive origination program--a plan that won $100,000 Yale Goldman Sachs Business Plan competition grand prize--that used web/print research, mapping applications, and directories/databases to uncover non-competitive investment opportunities.

TO DRIVE PERFORMANCE:

Committed to nine investments and served as lead investor-director in seven, of which two as Board Chair.

Helped recruit and screen board members and senior managers to enhance governance, profile and operating performance.

Co-developed strategies, business plans, executive summaries and investor presentations that helped raise more than $60M in equity financings from private investors, venture capital funds, and DuPont Corporation.

Led the first professional investor round in Nanocomp Technologies (NTI), a company designated "Essential to the National Defense" and considered by the White House, defense department and industry to be the top nanotechnology materials company in the US.

Catalyzed and co-developed brand, identity and positioning work for market-leading consumer products companies Rustic Crust, Putney Pasta, Looks Gourmet and advanced materials company NTI.

Originated and helped negotiate acquisition by Rustic Crust (RC) of the American Flatbread business, a brand that has become the fastest growing, largest and most profitable brand in RC's portfolio.

Led Product Management strategy, research and process to augment the Company's business process management application beyond its core customer service application to include eCommerce.

Recommended and oversaw implementation of Microsoft .net solution.

Joined the emergent marketing team organized just prior to the Company being acquired by Kana Communications.

Recruited to join a newly formed alternative medicine division to plan and launch a new internal direct mail and eCommerce venture.

Hired and managed a small team, developed a strategy and business plan, secured internal funding, and designed and launched an alternative medicine print catalog and eCommerce site to Oxford's members.

Identified, researched, priced, structured and negotiated private equity and venture capital transactions for this large private equity fund in its London office.

Supported, led and/or co-led investments totaling $65M, generating a 3.9X return of capital and a 42% internal rate of return (IRR).

Quickly climbed the learning curve on investments spanning stage (LBO/MBO, expansion and early) and sectors, as below:

• EuNet: Pan European internet service provider roll-up, purchased by Qwest Communications 
• Colofon: Dutch professional publisher, purchased by Elsevier 
• Inspec: UK-based specialty chemical buy-in, management buyout (BIMBO). which was taken public then purchased by Laporte.
• ESAT Telecom: Irish telecom services provider, purchased by British Telecom.
• European Software Publishing: UK based software publisher

Hired as first analyst for Advent, developing and documenting (for later hires) the Fund's proactive origination program.

Sourced investment opportunities, led due diligence and supported Partners in their transactions.

Worked closely with several of Advent's thirteen corporate venture capital partners to identify investment and strategic opportunities consistent with their fund charter.

Participated as Board Observer.