65 VC firms set to attend U-M Growth Capital Symposium

Wednesday, May 6, 2009 | Source: Concentrate

There are places to be seen in the Midwest start-up/venture capital game, and the University of Michigan's Growth Capital Symposium is definitely one of them.

This is not a new thing. Next Tuesday and Wednesday is the 28th incarnation of the symposium, and given how many venture capitalists are coming and how many start-ups looking for funding wanted to get their foot in the door it shows how important the event has become.

This year 65 venture capital firms and a handful of angel investors will attend the May 12-13 event. They include names like locally known Arboretum Ventures and internationally revered Silicon Valley Bank. They will be paying attention to the 32 companies (more than double that applied) that will present their products at the event. All of these companies are looking for financing.

"We see a lot deals, a lot of partnerships coming out of this event," says Mary Nickson, manager of the University of Michigan's Growth Capital Symposium. "We put the right people in front of the right investors."

The symposium started as an economic development tool, a way to get investors to take a look at Michigan who otherwise wouldn't pay attention let alone invest dollars here. The symposium will be held at the Marriott Resort in Ypsilanti.

Source: Mary Nickson, manager of the University of Michigan's Growth Capital Symposium
Writer: Jon Zemke