Borealis Ventures takes its name from one of nature’s most awesome phenomena, the aurora borealis – dazzling glows high in the atmosphere above northern latitudes that result from charged solar particles interacting with the Earth’s geomagnetic field. Borealis Ventures uses the aurora to inspire our mission of partnering with exceptional entrepreneurs to build stellar companies.

As important as a company’s drive to build a successful enterprise is its dedication to its role as a citizen of its community. Balancing these dual commitments is not easy, especially for an early stage enterprise still shaping its culture and values. To recognize shining examples of this ideal, Borealis Ventures has created the Aurora Summa Award. On February 23rd, Jesse Devitte presented the @Last Software team with the inaugural Aurora Summa Award in recognition for building not only a great company but also a strong connection to @Last's community and those in need. Below is an excerpt from the text of the letter that accompanied the award:

@Last Software epitomizes the kind of great companies with which Borealis Ventures is honored to partner. From the Company’s founding mission to open the world of 3D to everyone, to its instinctive reaction to help those in need as it demonstrated by stepping up to support those affected by last year’s hurricanes, to its innovative approach to improving the lives of those affected by Autism through Project Spectrum – the entire SketchUp Team continually delivers on the promise of being a great company by making a positive difference in the world every day.

We are proud to present the first-ever Aurora Summa Award to @Last Software.

This Friday Borealis Ventures and FreshTracks Capital are proud to host the first event in a three-part Peak Pitch '06 series. Peak Pitch is a fun event that gives entrepreneurs and investors a chance to network on the slopes- no powerpoints, just skis, poles and a great pitch. The success of Peak Pitch ‘05 in linking Northern New England’s distinctive natural assets with its entrepreneurial culture and business community has motivated Peak Pitch founder and series organizer Borealis Ventures to expand the program for 2006. The event this Friday, March 3rd, will take place at Bolton Valley in Vermont.

Peak Pitch brings entrepreneurs and investors together for a uniquely Northern New England version of the classic "elevator pitch." In the traditional elevator pitch, entrepreneurs take advantage of an unexpected opportunity to share an elevator ride with a potential investor and present their business idea. At Peak Pitch, a shared chairlift is substituted for the elevator, giving entrepreneurs the opportunity to pitch their business plans to a variety of venture capitalists, angel investors, commercial lenders, and other entrepreneurial advisors as they ride together up a mountain on a high-speed chair lift.

“We are excited to bring this event to Vermont”, said Cairn Cross, co-founder and Managing Director of FreshTracks Capital. “Vermont has a history of successful innovation and entrepreneurship and of course a long and storied ski culture. This event combines the two and provides a great opportunity for entrepreneurs to connect with the resources they need to grow their businesses, all in a fun and informal fashion.”

Peak Pitch '06: Bolton Valley will be followed by Peak Pitch events at Mt. Sunapee on March 16 and Sunday River on March 30. To learn more about the Peak Pitch 2006 series or to register to participate, please visit our website: www.peakpitch.com.