Ed Pettiss provides new venture strategy, funding, and pitch guidance to the regional early-stage start-up ecosystem as mentor, executive-in-residence, investor, grant reviewer, and speaker. Until recently, he was a Board Director for RTP Capital Associates, a leading angel investment network, holding positions as Vice-President, Treasurer, and Chair of the Screening Committee. He is currently on the Seed Fund Advisory Board for The Launch Place, Executive-in-Residence with the NC State Technology and Entrepreneurship Collaborative program, a Lead Mentor with the Council for Entrepreneurial Development, and Core Reviewer for NC IDEA Seed Grant Program. Ed is also an Executive & Leadership Coach with UNC’s Kenan-Flagler Business School.

Ed is a former senior executive, general manager, and board director with global experience in both large multi-national organizations and high-growth, technology-driven start-ups. He was Senior Vice President, Marketing and Communications for a large environmental services company. With a major chemical & machinery company, he served as President of a start-up technology-based joint venture and General Manager for a high-growth worldwide biotech chemical business. Ed earned an MBA from the University of Virginia Darden School and an AB in Economics from Duke University.

Ed is often a guest lecturer and panelist in entrepreneurship conferences and university programs in areas of expertise including…

· Building a Compelling Value Proposition and Business Model

· Customer Discovery and Validation

· Marketing Strategy and Segmentation

· Technology Commercialization

· Targeting/Qualifying Funding Sources

· Telling Your Story - Presentation Development, Delivery, & Pitch Scrubs

Edmund B. Pettiss, Jr.