Capital Connection News
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MEDIA CONTACT: Brad Wills, Wills & Associates for MAVAdirect: (301) 767-1919 mobile: (301) 346-7398 bwills@wills-pr.com |
MID-ATLANTIC VENTURE ASSOCIATION (MAVA)
INVITES APPLICATIONS FOR PRESTIGIOUS
CAPITAL CONNECTION 2008
Later-stage Growth Companies Will Join Start-ups, Early-Stage and Expansion-Stage Companies as Featured Presenters
McLean, VA -- March 18, 2008 - The Mid-Atlantic Venture Association (MAVA) is now accepting applications from East Coast-based software, communications, Internet-enabled, medical technology and alternative energy companies that desire to showcase their capabilities to potential investors at Capital ConnectionT 2008. The region's top venue for bringing entrepreneurs and private investors together, Capital ConnectionT 2008 is being held May 27-28 at the Baltimore Marriott Waterfront Hotel.
This year, for the first time, the nationally recognized venture fair will include presentations from later-stage private growth companies as well as from companies in earlier stages.
"The expanded focus of Capital Connection reflects our members' continuing appetite for traditional venture capital opportunities as well as an interest in investing in later-stage, growth-oriented companies," said Julia Spicer, executive director of MAVA. "We encourage the region's top-tier private companies from start-up to later-stage to apply to be one of our presenting companies. We always have a great mix of entrepreneurs and investors at Capital Connection, and with this year's addition of later-stage companies, we expect this year's event to draw even greater interest."
Developed by venture capitalists for the venture community, Capital Connection's proven format provides multiple venues for private equity and venture capitalists, professional services firms, and advisors to interact with CXOs and discover the region's premier emerging and high growth companies. For the 2008 event, MAVA has prepared a program expected to draw an increased attendance including top-performing entrepreneurs, as well as investment sources and advisors ranging from venture capitalists to investment bankers to private equity and debt lenders.
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Capital ConnectionT 2008 Applications Under Way
The on-line application process is available at www.capitalconnection.org/present/index.htm. A veteran team of venture and private capital investors will review applications and is expected to select up to 50 companies to present and interact with hundreds of investors and important strategic partners during the two-day event. There is no fee to apply.
To foster entrepreneurship and company development, MAVA provides value to all companies that submit an application to Capital Connection:
· No fee required for submission of an application;
· The fair's pre-selection Entrepreneur & VC Networking Reception in Chevy Chase, Md., includes CEOs of companies that submit applications by April 2.
· Invitations to attend Capital Connection as well as other MAVA programs with investors throughout the year.
In addition, companies selected as presenters for Capital Connection 2008 receive:
· Opportunities to meet and collaborate with potential partners including merger and acquisition prospects, strategic/alliance partnerships and additional sources for critical capital;
· Expert counsel in fundraising strategy;
· Access to network with venture capitalists, representing in excess of $100 billion under management, as well as later-stage sources of capital;
· Forum to establish companies as sector leaders by elevating company profiles to important audiences of potential investors, partners and collaborators.
For more than 20 years, MAVA's Capital Connection annual venture fairs and the competitively selected companies that present during the event have helped shape the region's entrepreneurial economy. As testament to the quality of investment opportunities and the entrepreneurs leading those enterprises, 35 to 50 percent of companies presenting at the conference have secured funding within just one year of their participation; funding of past conference presenters has totaled more than $2.6 billion of direct venture investments. Some of the region's biggest success stories, including Advertising.com, AOL, Blackboard, UUNet, SourceFire and Vocus, have presented at previous fairs.
In addition to serving as a catalyst for funding success, Capital Connection also provides an opportunity for attendees to build critical financial and operational contacts; meet peer business leaders and uncover prospects that may lead to exit opportunities or future business partnerships. This year, the conference will also be adding specialized programming customized for attending leaders of high-growth, innovative companies.
About MAVA
MAVA represents private equity and venture capitalists with investment interests in the mid-Atlantic. Founded in 1986, MAVA provides a wide range of programs, information and forums designed to facilitate quality deal flow, encourage collaboration, and foster relationships with entrepreneurs and investors in order to promote private equity investment. Membership includes more than 500 venture capital professionals representing nearly 125 firms with collectively more than $100 billion in capital under management. In addition, more than 250 key professional services firms from the legal, financial, executive search and consulting fields are also MAVA members. For more information, please visit www.mava.org.
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