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Prominent PRivate companies to share secrets of success at MAVA’s Capital Connection 2008

Later Stage Presenters Include Companies that are Attractive Targets for IPO, Private Equity, Strategic Exit or Acquisitive Growth

McLean, VA — May 15, 2008 — The Mid-Atlantic Venture Association (MAVA) today announced that for the first time it will showcase as many as 20 prestigious later stage growth companies in a dedicated presentation track at the Capital ConnectionSM 2008 venture conference May 27-28, 2008, at the Baltimore Marriott Waterfront Hotel. Among the most accomplished privately funded ventures in the nation, these later stage companies will discuss their experiences in securing funding, building the business, and increasing the company’s value. They join 33 early and expansion stage companies already announced to present at the conference.

“The companies being featured in our later-stage presentations have fantastic growth stories to share across a spectrum of sectors,” said Peter J. Barris, managing general partner at New Enterprise Associates and a co-chair of Capital Connection 2008. "We believe that by bringing prominent later stage companies into the venture conference, we are providing our early and expanding companies with successful models to emulate, while also developing a richer pool of companies with which the investment community can build relationships.”

Presenters from the mid-Atlantic region and beyond were chosen based on their strong business models, top performance metrics and industry impact. Each of these later-stage companies also has demonstrated significant year-over-year growth, generated annual revenue from $30 million to $1 billion and achieved measurable market share. The presenting companies are at the point in their lifecycle where they are on a growth trajectory and may be seeking additional private equity financing, attractive exit opportunities, acquisitions, or registration for an IPO.

“We’re proud to bring together such an impressive line-up of high-quality private companies,” said Ed Mathias, managing director at The Carlyle Group and a co-chair of Capital Connection 2008.  “It is a testament to MAVA to have such a large, diverse group of businesses and investors together under one roof to explore business opportunities and impact on the future of the region’s investment landscape.”

The confirmed later stage companies, which will be presenting during designated times on both days of the venture conference, include:

Capital Connection 2008 has been one of the preeminent national venture conferences for more than 20 years, featuring some of the mid-Atlantic’s most prominent success stories, including Advertising.com, Blackboard, UUNet, SourceFire and Vocus, and attracted many of the most active investors from around the country.

This year’s event is being co-chaired by Barris, Mathias, Mark Levine, managing director at Core Capital Partners, and Don Rainey, general partner at Grotech Ventures. Sponsors of Capital Connection 2008 include Elite partner, the NYSE Euronext, and Premier partners Grant Thornton LLP and Proskauer Rose LLP. 

For more information on Capital Connection 2008, please visit www.capitalconnection.org.

About MAVA

The Mid-Atlantic Venture Association 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
Capital Connection is a registered service mark of the Mid-Atlantic Venture Association (MAVA).