Lecturers

John May is the founder and managing partner of New Vantage Group, a Vienna, VA firm that innovatively mobilizes private equity into early-stage companies and provides advisory services to both funds and private investors. Mr. May’s experience in private equity capital over the last 20 years ranges from venture capital fund management to angel investing.

Mr. May co-founded The Dinner Club, an investment group of 60 regional angels who collectively invested in regional early-stage ventures. A larger private investor pool, the eMedia Club with 75 members, followed it, and in 2000, the Washington Dinner Club with 75 members was started. Active Angel Investors, a “pledge” fund was created in 2003. New Vantage Group administers all of these groups. Additionally, in 2006, New Vantage Group partnered with Focus Enterprises in the launch of Seraphim Capital, an expansion-stage, UK venture capital fund.

Mr. May has been at the forefront of the angel investor movement. In 1991, he co-founded the Investors' Circle, a national non-profit group of 125 family and institutional investors working to grow the social venture capital industry. Additionally, in 1996, he co-founded and became executive director of the Private Investors Network, an angel network sponsored by the Mid-Atlantic Venture Association, which he led until 2002. John is now Chairman of the Angel Capital Association (formerly a program of the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation), is a lead instructor for the "Power of Angel Investing" seminars, and is co-author of two books, Every Business Needs an Angel (Crown Business: 2001), and State of the Art: An Executive Briefing on Cutting-Edge Practices in American Angel Investing (Darden Publishing: 2003).

Mr. May holds a Masters inPublic Administration from the Maxwell School of Syracuse University and a Bachelor of Arts from Earlham College. He is married, has two adult children and resides in McLean, Virginia.



Steve Eastham is an experienced founder, CEO, Board member and corporate attorney in early-stage technology companies. Steve Eastham has 20+ years experience managing complex businesses and investment transactions in U.S. and international markets. As President, Director and Co-Owner of Finalco Group, Inc., he helped to build this financial services business into a nationally recognized leader in its industry, financing over $2 billion of technology equipment and managing 25 operating subsidiaries and numerous investment partnerships. Mr. Eastham's core skills include: mentoring of owner/operators, new venture fund raising and financing strategies, IPO leadership, deal valuation/negotiation, public and private company Board experience, high growth management, and a long history of private equity investment experience. Steve received his B.S. in accounting and J.D. law degree from Indiana University, and currently serves as: Adjunct Professor at Johns Hopkins University, (NASDAQ) and PackingSlip.com, Outside Director-FastCase, Inc., Managing Director of Naztec International Group, Inc., and President/Owner of VentureLease, Inc. and Eastham & Associates.