You've heard of the Shark Tank ...
Welcome to the

What is the Piranha Pond? It is a "pitch party" where a select group of entrepreneurs has up to 5 minutes to convince a panel of investors to meet with them to discuss funding their ventures. Using a format similar to the popular television show Shark Tank, our investors provide feedback to the entrepreneurs about their presentations and companies, and information to all about why they decide to be "In" or "Out." If they are "In" they will meet with the Entrepreneur at a later time to discuss their company. If they are "Out" there is no interest at this time. Again, the investor lets us know why they will not move forward with the presenter.

IMPORTANT: For these events, we will be seeking companies with revenue or a working prototype. The ideal company will have raised funds from friends, family, and/or grants such as SBIR's. If the company's product is a software or SAAS product, it should be in beta testing or later.

The Piranaha Pond event at SNEEF has been one of our most successful events to date. It brought a diversity of startups, with founders who were able to get expert advice from a panel of seasoned investors and make connections. Likewise, the audience had the opportunity to learn about these startups and hear from the experts about how they can grow.

Diana Jennings, Chair, Board of Advisors
Southern New England Entrepreneurs Network (SNEEF)

Applicants & Presenters

At the Piranha Pond events, only 8 entrepreneurs are selected to present to the investor panel. There are others who have applied whose companies are exciting and innovative and deserving of investment. You can see them here.

Investor Participants

The investors who have participated at the Piranha Pond events give generously of their time and counsel. They are primarily Angel Investors or early stage Venture Capitalists. They help our entrepreneurs and our audience understand what they are seeking in a company before writing a check.

Prior Events

Contact Info

Now accepting applications for the next


Pitch Party

Thursday June 13, 2013
at the IBM Innovation Center

Click HERE for more info.

Important Dates:

Application Deadline - 5 PM on 5/31/2013

Download Entrepreneur Guidelines

Apply to Present

Monday, June 10 6:00 PM - Piranha Pond Pitch Practice Session at the IBM Innovation Center

Register to attend this event

Thursday, June 13 7:30 - 10:00 AM - Piranha Pond Pitch Party at the Enterprise Center

Register to attend this event

The next

is scheduled for

Thursday, June 13, 2013 from 7:30 - 10:00 AM at our

regular meeting

to be held at the IBM Innovation Center, 404 Wyman St., Waltham, MA 02451

Register to attend this event.

Applications will be accepted from 4/15/2013 through 5/31/2013

Download Entrepreneur Guidelines

Apply to Present

Investor Panel for June 13, 2013 Piranha Pond Pitch Party
Rick Blume

Excel Venture Partners
Norman Meisner

The Beta Fund
David Verrill
"Mr. Wonderful"

Hub Angels Investment Group

Rick Blume has been financing companies in healthcare for over three decades. His early investment banking career involved financing and banking relationships with hospitals, payers, physicians, and new biotech companies. The excitement he saw at Genentech, in its early years, led him to transition into venture capital in the mid 1980's.  Rick co-founded CB Health Ventures in 1998.

In each of his five prior venture funds Rick has followed the same successful strategy: invest broadly in healthcare across various sectors and stages and focus on businesses that lower costs and improve outcomes. By having savvy healthcare providers as limited partners and advisers, Rick has built up an extraordinary network to help with due diligence and market acceptance issues.

Rick did his undergraduate studies at University of the Pacific and Stanford. His MBA is from Stanford University.

 Norman Meisner is the co-founder and principal at the Beta Fund, a $5 million early stage venture fund, focused on emerging high tech and biotech start up companies. He has been an angel investor since 1999 and has invested in 35 early stage companies, of which 5 have yielded substantial positive exits (including SmartCells acquired by Merck, Synchronoss, which had an IPO, and Softricity, acquired by Microsoft.) and 20 are still currently active in various stages.

We are a small fund for small companies. We invest early, typically at the angel financing stage, prior to typical venture capital financing, and in concert with other angel funds and groups. We see this as the time when value grows fastest, capital can have the most impact, and good judgment and execution can make the biggest difference.

We focus in New England, and greater Boston in particular, which is one of the most vibrant and productive environments in the world for starting companies.


 After receiving his master's degree from Sloan in 1987, David Verrill joined MIT's Office of Corporate Relations where he initiated and built the Financial Services sector for the Industrial Liaison Program.  In 1991 he became Associate Director of Corporate Development and helped develop MIT's approach to strategic corporate partnerships which have made MIT unique amongst its peers in corporate fundraising.  David still holds a partial appointment at the MIT Sloan Center for Digital Business.  In 1996 he joined Xerox as Manager of International Sales and Business Development for the Adaptive Products Division.  In 1998 he joined third party marketing firm Winchester International Group as Managing Director.  In 2000 Winchester helped found the Hub Angels.  David sits on the Boards of Intelligent Bio-Systems and Harmony Line.  He is currently Vice-Chair of the Angel Capital Association