Friday, October 9, 2009

Calacanis Expands Campaign Against Pitching Fees

Jason Calacanis, the CEO of Santa Monica-based Mahalo, is continuing his crusade against angel groups and others who charge startups to pitch their groups, saying that he's now calling on groups to stop charging fees, and post what fees they were charging to entrepreneurs on their web sites. Calacanis--who launched his campaign earlier this week, targeting angel group the Keiretsu Forum--has now expanded his list of target angel groups to not only Keiretsu, but also Westlake Village-based Maverick Angels, PrivateEquityForums.com, Los Angeles-based iHollywoodForum's Tech Supper Club, and Angels Den UK. In an email to his own private (but extensive) distribution list, Calacanis said "There is no circumstance where an angel investing group should charge a startup to pitch."

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