Michigan Growth Capital Symposium Accepting Applications for Companies to Present

Michigan Growth Capital Symposium Accepting Applications for Companies to
Present
30 Companies to be Selected and Profiled at Midwest's Premier Equity Event in
May 2008

ANN ARBOR, Mich., Jan. 22 /PRNewswire/ -- The Michigan Growth Capital
Symposium (MGCS) today announced the call for presenting companies at its
annual Midwest equity event which will be held May 14-15, 2008 at the Marriott
Resort at Eagle Crest in Ypsilanti, Mich. MGCS is the premier networking
event for venture capital investment leaders to connect with emerging growth
companies that are actively searching for funding and partners.
Entering its 27th year, MGCS has served as a catalyst to raise the
visibility of venture investment and entrepreneurial success in Michigan and
the Midwest region. The 2008 event will feature a carefully screened group of
30 companies representing industries ranging from information technology, life
sciences and alternative energy, which will present for an audience of venture
capitalists, angel investors and institutional investors. These companies
will represent high potential deals in the Midwest seeking their initial
investment, first institutional investment (A/B round) and expansion
financing.
"2008 will be an important year to shine spotlights on the investment
opportunities sprouting throughout the Midwest and the MGCS plays a critical
role in continuing to nurture the region's entrepreneurial potential," stated
David Brophy, MGCS Founder and Professor of Finance at the University of
Michigan Ross School of Business. "MGCS has a lot of support in its goal of
unifying the venture investment industry and aligning the players for growth.
We can make a big contribution to the regional companies that are forming."
MGCS has become an important venue for fueling entrepreneurial growth and
development in the Midwest by linking entrepreneurs with funding partners.
Just such a partnership was formed in 2006 when career entrepreneur Rand
Mueller, head of Guidepoint Systems, a vehicle communications company,
reconnected with Michigan-based Plymouth Venture Partners at MGCS to pitch a
second round of funding. "One thing led to another and they made an
investment in Guidepoint Systems. In addition to the money, we added a board
member who has been instrumental in helping us grow the business," said
Mueller.
Investors too find the Midwest, and MGCS in particular, to be a hot bed of
emerging technologies and innovative commercialization opportunities. Jason
Pankin, a new venture creation specialist for Delphi Corporation, a global
technology leader headquartered in Troy, Mich., met and subsequently invested
in Monarch Antenna, a start-up wireless technology provider. Commenting on
the value of identifying disruptive technologies at MGCS to bolster the Delphi
technology portfolio, Pankin said, "We can leverage our intellectual property,
obtain a commercialization strategy and reap the financial benefits of the new
group by commercializing the technology."
Call for Presenting Companies Applications
The early deadline for presenting company applications is Tuesday, Feb. 26
and the final deadline is Tuesday, March 11. To submit an application, please
visit: www.michigangcs.com.
About the Michigan Growth Capital Symposium (MGCS)
MGCS is the original university-based venture fair, which was first held
in 1979. This nationally attended two-day event provides an opportunity for
financiers to connect with up-and-coming Midwest businesses and learn about
emerging technologies. The Symposium offers the opportunity to build
relationships with an unparalleled business network of distinguished private
equity industry leaders, leading university research faculty, and
entrepreneurial business professionals. Entering its 27th year, MGCS
continues to draw top investors from coast to coast. MGCS is hosted by the
Stephen M. Ross School of Business at the University of Michigan and its
Center for Venture Capital and Private Equity Finance of the Samuel Zell &
Robert H. Lurie Institute for Entrepreneurial Studies.
SOURCE Michigan Growth Capital Symposium

Jean Serra, Version 2.0 Communications, +1-617-426-2222, jserra@v2comms.com;
Mary Nickson, Samuel Zell and Robert H. Lurie Institute for Entrepreneurial
Studies, +1-734-615-4424, mnickson@umich.edu