Forum for Women Entrepreneurs' Orange County Chapter Showcases Entrepreneurial Diversity at Venture Summit Progressive Dinner.

NEWPORT BEACH, Calif. -- Trio of Event Attendees Reveals Various Entrepreneur Needs and Industries

The Southern California chapters of the Forum for Women Entrepreneurs (FWE) today announced that its Venture Summit Progressive Dinner (VSPD) has been chosen by a diverse group of entrepreneurs to debut their businesses and products. The VSPD is the fifth progressive venture dinner sponsored by a chapter of FWE, but the first to be held in Orange County.

The event, to be held on October 5 and 6 at Pelican Hill Golf Club in Newport Beach, California, is unlike traditional venture events. At the VSPD, the focus is on matching venture funding opportunities to each entrepreneur's industry, growth and stage. Feedback and referrals are immediate, as entrepreneurs progress through a total of three table exchanges during the evening (salad, entree, dessert and coffee), presenting their pitch to at least six capital providers matched to their particular needs.

"We're thrilled to have received such a large turnout of exceptional entrepreneurs in high-growth areas that have chosen this event to grow their business through capital funding," said Jnana Anderson, president of FWE Orange County. "The fusion of entrepreneurs, top-tier capital providers, service providers, sponsors and guests attending will certainly make for an exciting and enlightening evening."

Three entrepreneurs attending the event include:

--Susan Guenther, president, and Pam Patterson, founder and CEO, of EducationTrak.com. Described as "the fast track to better grades" with its timed drill practice sets that are based on CliffsNotes-styled standard school curriculum, immediate feedback and rewards, EducationTrak.com provides families with an easy-to-use, affordable co-curricular solution for students in grades K-12. Internet-based, the EducationTrak.com improves grades and self-esteem immediately. The technology is the first to provide an automated, individualized drill and practice system that works with what students are learning in school.

Included in the program is a built-in motivation system, which engages and rewards the students. Students obtain points for lessons, and in addition to seeing their names and standing online, can shop a catalog of products from student-friendly vendors.

Patterson, a mother of five children in Orange County schools, originated the concept of EducationTrak.com out of pure need. "Just having one or two children in school that need help with their studies can be overwhelming; having five can cause you to become undone," Patterson claims.

EducationTrak.com's founders are looking forward to meeting with capital providers at the VSPD. According to Guenther, "There's always a gain when you participate. At every event, we've met people who have taken us a step further."

--Rhos B. Dyke, co-founder and president of RadioWeb. RadioWeb connects high-end hospitality and managed-care facilities' guests and residents to the property in ways that have been impossible to do using TV or printed materials in each room.

RadioWeb has combined the features of conventional radio, on-demand, Internet-enabled computer and player to redefine PC, according to Dyke, as "Personal Concierge" for the user. "People want to access news, weather, sports from where they live or come from," he continues. "And facilities want heads in beds and yield." RadioWeb delivers both well.

The player (Alpha) is an attractive, user-friendly appliance similar in appearance to a clock radio. Using a secure Internet host, property owners or managers will be able to send and receive 1-to-1 messages to its occupants. Occupants get information they choose, from practically anywhere in the world.

Although the company is based in Pacific Palisades, California, Dyke says that his firm has operational roots in Orange County: RadioWeb has received financing, funding and leasing support in Orange County, and the product will be manufactured in Orange County. "Electronic manufacturing took a beating in Orange County over the past couple of years, and we took advantage of that," said Dyke. "When it came time for us to select a manufacturing partner, we chose SMTD in Anaheim. We feel that there are great brains in Orange County that will build a better device than in other parts of the country or world."

--Mike McCann, president and CEO of US Techlab. US Techlab gives doctors and medical providers a handheld system to supplant paper-based patient charts, resulting in better quality care with fewer mistakes. Currently, 98,000 people die in hospitals from medical mistakes each year. US Techlab's system can reduce that number by creating a comprehensive system to carry out virtually everything electronically at the point of care, reducing human error. In addition, McCann stated that US Techlab's solution will also help hospitals save time and money.

The company's next step will be to complete a pilot site, after which it will be seeking an institutional capital round. He is attending the VSPD to take note of the interest the capital providers express in his company, and to qualify the capital providers who he feels he will want to invest in his company when the time is right.

McCann says that young people going into entrepreneurial life should be forewarned that the life of an entrepreneur is not always as attractive as the myth perpetuated by the dot-coms in the late 1990's. "It's anything but glamorous," McCann said. "It's precarious and uncertain. You need to have a lot of flexibility and a pretty good tolerance for risk. The key is to get good people around you, people you can rely on."

Entrepreneurs interested in attending FWE's VSPD are encouraged to apply before September 30, 2004. Qualified entrepreneurs include men and women in high-growth industries with beyond concept, venture-fundable business models. For information on how your business can apply or qualify, see www.pvdsc.org or contact Karen Muller at [phone] or [e-mail].

--For more information about FWE's Venture Summit Progressive Dinner, or to register for the event, visit www.pvdsc.org.

About Forum for Women Entrepreneurs:

Founded in 1993, the Forum for Women Entrepreneurs (FWE) is the premier entrepreneurial organization for women building and leading high-growth companies. The organization's mission is to accelerate women's opportunities to start, manage and invest in market-leading companies by providing its members with powerful access to powerful networks. FWE offers innovative programs, access to top-tier funding sources and a collaborative online community that accelerates women entrepreneurs' ability to launch and build world-class companies. In the past five years, FWE members started over 300 companies, created 5,000 jobs and raised $1.5B in venture capital.

For more information on Forum for Women Entrepreneurs' Orange County chapter, please call Jnana Anderson, president at [phone], e-mail [e-mail], or visit the organization's web site, www.fwe.org/laoc.

Contact Information for Entrepreneurs/Companies Listed in this Release:

--RadioWeb: Web: www.radioweb.com, phone: [phone], fax: [phone], e-mail: [e-mail]

--EducationTrak.com: Web: www.educationtrak.com, phone: [phone], fax: [phone], e-mail: [e-mail]

--US Tech Lab: Web: www.ustechlab.com, phone: [phone], fax: [phone], e-mail: [e-mail]