Silicon Prairie News

Fargo Articles
2228_04fc0e3150_small May 11, 2011 by Michael Stacy

Fargo When we talked to Tadd Tobkin of Arthur Ventures for the story published Monday about the Fargo, N.D.-based venture capital firm, Tobkin was so generous with his insights that we couldn't squeeze everything into one post. So, we've compiled a collection of noteworthy excerpts from our interview with Tobkin that didn't quite make the cut for Monday's story. Included in the video are Tobkin's take on what he looks for in potential portfolio companies, why Arthur Ventures takes such a hands-on approach to venture capital and what it will take to get successful Midwestern entrepreneurs to consistently reinvest in local startups. … read more

2150_7a2b134379_small May 9, 2011 by Michael Stacy

Fargo As the chairman and CEO of Great Plains Software, Doug Burgum helped transform the company from a small software shop in Fargo, N.D. in the early 80s into a booming business that Microsoft bought for $1.1 billion in 2001. But what ended with a billion-dollar exit started as an idea that Burgum had to bet the farm — literally — to fund. "He had inherited some ground, inherited some land," said James Burgum, Doug Burgum’s nephew and one of his partners in Arthur Ventures, a venture capital firm they founded in 2008. "He mortgaged that land to invest in a software company." That wasn’t all. It took other creative funding to get Great Plains off the ground. …  read more