The Slater Technology Fund, Rhode Island’s oldest and most active seed-stage investment fund, today announced that Robert Maccini, managing director of Angel Street Capital and founder of Drive Time Metrics, and Christopher Graham, the managing partner of the Providence, R.I. law office of Locke Lord, and co-chair of the firm’s corporate and transactional department, have joined its Board of Directors. Richard Spies, former executive vice president for planning and senior advisor to the president at Brown University, was named Chair.

“As Slater continues its important work of fostering entrepreneurship and innovation in Rhode Island, we welcome the support and guidance of seasoned founders and private equity experts like Bob and Chris,” said Slater Managing Director Thorne Sparkman. “Slater will benefit greatly from the perspectives they bring, and their expertise and experience will help shape our investment activities in the months and years ahead.”

Maccini founded Drive Time Metrics, a cloud-based platform for accessing, displaying, and reporting data of connected cars. The company’s technology is designed to enable innovative new revenue streams from connected car data.  He was previously the founder and CEO of Ando Media, which created the de facto standard and platform for measuring streaming media, after having spent the first part of his career as an owner and investment banker in the radio space.  In addition to his entrepreneurial career in digital and terrestrial audio, Maccini is also an experienced investor and the founder of Angell Street Capital, a seed-stage fund based in Providence.

Chris Graham advises business clients of all types, although he invests much of his time on matters involving private equity. He has led teams of lawyers in many different types of corporate transactions, both domestic and cross-border. Graham counsels start-up enterprises and assists in their capital formation, represents emerging companies and private equity investors in different rounds of equity financing, and negotiates acquisitions, dispositions and management buyouts for corporate buyers and sellers, private equity funds and management teams. He frequently represents borrowers in financing transactions, including highly-leveraged financings that are integral parts of private equity buyouts.  His clients include private equity funds, Fortune 500 companies, international conglomerates, privately-held manufacturing companies and numerous technology and life science start-ups.

Richard Spies has been a Slater board member since 2013. Since leaving Brown University, Spies has served as a senior advisor to Ithaka S+R’s Educational Transformation Program and been the co-principal investigator of a study of the efficiency and effectiveness of public higher education in selected states.

“As the primary venture investment fund in Rhode Island, Slater plays a critical role in promoting economic growth by helping entrepreneurs build high-growth companies based on innovation,” said Spies. “I look forward to working with the board to help Slater as it expands its mission to catalyze private-sector investment to stimulate technological innovation and venture formation.”

About Slater Technology Fund

The Slater Technology Fund is an evergreen not-for-profit seed fund dedicated to supporting new venture development in Rhode Island. More than two decades ago, Slater launched a platform for seed-stage investing in Rhode Island; today, the organization remains the most active seed-stage investor in the state. Slater has invested in hundreds of technology ventures in the region, achieving multiple exits while also generating economic impact returns in the form of high-wage jobs.  For more information, visit www.slaterfund.com.

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For more information, contact:
Laura Nelson
SVM Public Relations
401.490.9700
laura.nelson@svmpr.com