Vigilix sells a software product that monitors information technology resources, detecting changing conditions, initiating repair protocols, and alerting managers via telephone, email or pager. BMW Manufacturing Corporation was one of the initial users.
Vigilix CEO Andrew Kirtz is a neighbor of mine, and last year I asked him to present his company at InnoVenture 2004. "John, I don't know a venture capitalist or anyone that has raised venture capital." We worked on his presentation over coffee a couple of Saturday's. Andrew did good at the conference.
He did not raise any money, but he did think deeply about his company. He met several venture capitalists and learned about what they are interested in. He got actively involved in planning for this year's InnoVenture, and went with a group of us to Atlanta last fall to visit with venture capitalists and learn more.
I'm excited that Vigilix will be the one company from 2004 that will present at InnoVenture 2005, and I'm looking forward to seeing how much Andrew's thinking about his business has progressed in a year.
Recently on a visit with Bobby Hitt to ask that BMW participate in the InnoVenture Innovation Hall, I explained the Vigilix story. If BMW would participate in InnoVenture, that would attract venture capitalists, which would help Andrew attract resources to further develop the product, which would allow Vigilix to deliver greater functionality to BMW.
Bobby's answer ... "Of Course!" Tom Peters calls this a blinding flash of the obvious.
One way or another for two decades, I have been working on developing an entrepreneurial infrastructure in South Carolina. At InnoVenture 2005, we will have BMW, Vigilix, and venture capitalists together in one place making it happen. The stars are aligning. The conversation at BMW was one of the most rewarding I have had in a long time.
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