Contact: Liz Schrum or Tom Still at 608-442-7557
Or visit http://www.wisconsintechnologycouncil.com to learn more
MADISON – Investors from Wisconsin, the Midwest and beyond will take part as speakers, panelists and “Elevator Pitch Olympics” judges in the Wisconsin Early Stage Symposium, to be held Nov. 10-11 at Madison’s Monona Terrace Community and Convention Center.
A number of investors will also observe company presentations in the Wisconsin Angel Network tracks, which will feature 22 companies seeking investments. Those tracks will take place from 2:45 p.m. to 4:45 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 10. Investors will also be invited to view the “First Look Forum,” which features emerging campus-based technologies. Panel discussions that will feature investors include:
* “Investing in the I-Q Corridor: A regional review”
* “Merlin Mentors: Lessons learned after year one”
* “How coastal investors view Wisconsin and the Midwest”
* “An investor’s perspective: The importance of IP strategy in early stage ventures”
* “Coming to terms with your term sheet”
* A discussion of entrepreneur and investor relations titled “Are investors being unreasonable?”
There will also be an investor-only workshop on portfolio management and co-investing, produced by the Wisconsin Angel Network.
“Learning how investors think about and approach deals is an important perspective, especially for entrepreneurs who may be seeking angel or venture capital,” said Tom Still, president of the Wisconsin Technology Council, which is producing the Early Stage Symposium. “We’re thrilled that so many investors are willing to talk about their experiences and how that may help others.”
The MidAmerica Healthcare Venture Forum is being held side-by-side with the Early Stage Symposium, beginning with the Nov. 10 joint reception, and investors attending that conference will be present at times during the Early Stage event.
Representatives of the following angel networks, funds and venture capital firms have registered thus far to take part in the Early Stage Symposium: Phenomenelle Angels, Stateline Angels, Wisconsin Investment Partners, Kegonsa Capital Partners, Falcon Capital, Calumet Venture Fund, Parish Capital, Gruppo, Levey & Co., RPX Group, Seneca Partners, First Analysis Securities, Triathlon Medical Ventures, RAIN Source Capital, Twin City Angels, Silicon Pastures, Marquette Golden Angels, Venture Isles, DaneVest Fund I, Peak Ridge Capital, Marshfield Investment Partners, NEW Capital Fund and Ventures Investors LLC. Individual investors, institutional investors and banking representatives will also be present.
The annual conference, which has existed under different names for more than 20 years, will feature the fifth annual “Elevator Pitch Olympics” for companies in a seed financing stage and the third annual Wisconsin Angel Network Investors’ presentation track for companies seeking angel investments beginning in the $500,000 range.
Twenty-two companies were selected for the WAN track (Tuesday, Nov. 10) and about 20 for the Elevator Pitch Olympics (Wednesday, Nov. 11). Companies in the WAN track feature technologies in major sectors: information technology and Internet services, biotechnology, medical devices, advanced manufacturing and “cleantech.” These companies are located in communities across Wisconsin as well as other Midwestern states.
In addition, 20 Wisconsin companies in the biotechnology, pharmaceutical, medical device and industrial biotech industries will be among 49 companies presenting at the MidAmerica Healthcare Venture Forum, which will be held back-to-back with the Early Stage Symposium at the Monona Terrace. The MHVF is an annual event led by the MidAmerica Health Investors Network, which includes 45 venture capital firms from 14 states as members. MHVF sought presenters in a 14-state region. Click here to read more.
Featured speakers include Bill Joos, co-founder of Garage Technology Ventures; Dan Berglund, president of the State Science and Technology Institute; and Donna Fenn, author of a book on “Gen Y” entrepreneurs and a contributing editor to Inc. magazine.
The conference is produced by the Wisconsin Technology Council and its partners and sponsors. Visit http://www.wisconsintechnologycouncil.com/events/earlystage to register, review sponsorship opportunities or to learn more.
