McLean, VA - Capital Connection ’09, the annual flagship event for the Mid-Atlantic Venture Association, presented a packed program of opinion leaders from technology, investment, and government to standing-room-only crowds during the two-day conference that concluded Wednesday in Washington.

More than 800 attended this year’s event held May 26 and 27 at Washington’s Mandarin Oriental Hotel.

Attendees heard from some of the nation’s leading experts in business and government as well as presentations from 45 emerging and established companies. Software, clean tech, digital media, health care IT, internet and online services, wireless, and telecommunications were among the sectors represented by the presenting companies.

“Participants at Capital Connection tell us our conference stands alone in the industry in delivering unsurpassed opportunities for information-sharing and interaction in the context of relevant, timely programming,” said Julia Spicer, executive director of the Mid-Atlantic Venture Association. “This year’s conference featured presentations from entrepreneurs that are building and sustaining strong companies in a tough economy, and it offered perspectives from a tremendous slate of experts who are setting a new course for growth in a number of sectors.”

Featured presentations and panels Tuesday included:

Keynote address by Vivek Kundra, Federal Chief Information Officer

“The Action Has Moved to Washington” panel:
• Reed Hundt, former Chairman of the FCC, Co-Chair of The Coalition for Green Bank, Senior Adviser to McKinsey and Company, and member, Obama-Biden Transition Project's Agency Review Working Group responsible for the international trade and economics agencies
• Tommy G. Thompson, former Health and Human Services Secretary, partner at the law firm of Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld, and Chairman of AGA Medical Corporation
• Tom Wheeler (moderator) Managing Director, Core Capital Partners, and leader of the 2009 Obama-Biden Transition Project's Agency Review Working Group in charge of transitions for the science, technology, space and arts agencies

Featured presentations and panels Wednesday included:

Keynote address by Tom Adams, CEO, Rosetta Stone

“CEO Circle” panel, moderated by John Burton, Co-Founder and Managing General Partner, Updata Partners. Tom Adams was joined by:
• Michael Chasen, President and CEO, Blackboard, Inc.
• Fred Schaufeld, Founder and Chairman, NEW

Clean tech “Growing the Smart Grid” panel:
• Thomas Casey, CEO, CURRENTGroup
• Stephen Johnston, CEO, SmartSynch
• Suedeen Kelly, Commissioner, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
• Jigar Shah, Founder, SunEdison
• Jake Tarr (moderator) Managing Director, Kinetic Ventures

“Media Convergence: The Business of New Online Models and Leveraging Change”
panel:
• Matt Marshall, Editor-in-Chief, VentureBeat
• Tim O’Shaughnessy, CEO, LivingSocial
• Brian Tierney, Publisher and CEO, The Philadelphia Inquirer
• Christopher Schroeder (moderator) CEO, HealthCentral

About Capital Connection

As it has done for more than 20 years, MAVA’s flagship event, Capital Connection, brings together the broad community of company builders and their partners to help further enhance business and economic growth. Opinion leaders from business and government, along with leading technology companies at all growth stages have showcased their capabilities to a nationwide audience of investors, advisors, partners, and entrepreneurs at the annual signature event.

About MAVA

The Mid-Atlantic Venture Association represents private equity and venture capital firms with investment interests in the mid-Atlantic and beyond, entrepreneurs, and their strategic partners. MAVA provides a wide range of programs, information and forums designed to stimulate revenue and company growth, facilitate quality deal flow, encourage collaboration, and foster relationships among entrepreneurs, investors, strategic partners and customers. Membership includes more than 500 venture capital professionals representing nearly 125 firms with collectively more than $100 billion in capital under management. For more information, please visit www.mava.org.