Wider Wake launches angel investor network

Ronny Kerr · November 11, 2009 · Short URL: https://vator.tv/n/bc2

New angel network run by Paul Olliver and Jeanne Gammon aims to aggregate VC wisdom

Wider Wake Networks, Inc. announced Wednesday morning the launch of a forum for entrepreneurs and investors alike to share knowledge, gain experience, and make connections with each other.

The founder and CEO of Wider Wake, Paul Olliver (previously a senior digital media executive at Klipmart, Yahoo! and DoubleClick), established the new network as a place for those involved in digital media investing, specifically. Backing Olliver in running the company is Jeanne Gammon (most recently head of Media Platforms at Google UK).

"From first hand experience we understand that financing is only half of the equation, and consequently the companies we invest in will be able to leverage the significant expertise and reach of the Founder Members themselves, and the wider group as a whole. Therefore, for business owners our approach is incubational, but not smothering,” said Olliver. “For our investment members, we provide access to high growth deal opportunities, and back those with the post deal influence necessary to make the companies a success."

As of now, four digital media investment veterans make up the Founder Members: Chris Young, chairman and CEO of Digital Broadcasting Group; Joe Apprendi, CEO of Collective; Thomas Falk, CEO of Smart Clip; and James Aitken, founder of MediaBrokers and TechnologyBrokers.

Besides the Founder Members, Wider Wake is also made up of another twenty members with an expertise in the digital media market.

Right now, it appears that mostly companies easily connected to the Founder Members, like the Digital Broadcasting Group and Collective, make up Wider Wake's portfolio, however, that is sure to change as the network gains traction and picks up additional investors interested in the program.

Ronny Kerr

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Collective

Startup/Business

Joined Vator on April 24, 2008

Collective provides comprehensive display advertising solutions for advertisers and publishers. Our AMP® Data and Media Management platform leverages the most trusted 3^rd party data, proprietary audience modeling and ad effectiveness metrics to simplify audience buying and selling across display, video and social media. AMP powers the ad businesses of over 50 leading media brands, including our flagship products, Collective Display and Collective Video®. Collective is headquartered in New York with offices in Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Detroit, Los Angeles, San Francisco, London and Bangalore. Collective's investors include Accel Partners®, Greycroft Partners and iNovia Capital. For more information, please visit www.collective.com.

Wider Wake Networks, Inc.

Angel group/VC

Joined Vator on November 11, 2009

Wider Wake Networks, Inc. is an angel investor network where its members exchange information about pre-screened, early stage, and potentially high yielding investment opportunities. In connection with Wider Wake's investments, the members are actively involved with entrepreneurs and their companies throughout their lifecycles. Wider Wake is different than the majority of angel syndicates and investment clubs in that it has a high degree of industry niche focus in digital media.