Michael Terpin
Founder/CEO of SocialRadius, Startup Debut; founder Marketwire (funded by Sequoia & Hummer Winblad, sold $35mm in 2006). 10-15 investments/yr, usually clients.
I invest in
3-4 startups
@ $10-75k a year
How I like to add value
Most of my investments involve a combination of equity, advisory and/or a bridge loan for services at SocialRadius (a Nevada C corp., so this part isn't a personal investment, it's corporate). In addition to the 3-4 equity stakes I take a year, we provide a dozen or so bridge loans toward services.
Skills
What I'm looking for
Markets
Locations
What I've done
Serial entrepreneur in online marketing, content distribution, PR and social media. After starting The Terpin Group in 1990, which launched a number of early iconic brands, including Earthlink, Motley Fool and the America Online Greenhouse (arguably the very first Internet incubator), I spun off the first Internet-based press release distribution network, Internet Wire, in 1994. We raised another $17 mm for Internet Wire from Sequoia Capital and Hummer Winblad, changed the name of the company to Marketwire in 2003 and sold the company for $35 mm in 2006; Today it is owned by OMERS Capital and is the third largest press release wire in the world.
After that sale, I started SocialRadius, a hybrid social media marketing and PR services firm specializing in startups, international market entry, content creation/distribution, social network activation & viral marketing. We've averaged over 60 percent growth the past two years and have offices in LA, SF, NYC & headquarters in Las Vegas
Founder
Investor
