Hundreds of investors, entrepreneurs heading to KC for InvestMidwest
March 27, 2017 | Meghan LeVota
A midwestern venture capital forum that has led to over $1 billion in early-stage investments will convene in Kansas City on Tuesday and Wednesday, March 28 and 29.
The 18th annual InvestMidwest conference aims to showcase the best early-stage, high growth tech companies in the region. The event regularly garners more than 300 attendees and is being held at the Sheraton Kansas City at the Westin this year.
Hoping to attract the attention of potential investors in the audience, 45 companies representing 11 states and Canada will give pitches throughout the day. Three industry tracks — life sciences, information technology and food/agriculture/bioenergy — will present simultaneously.
Collectively, companies that have presented at previous InvestMidwest conferences have raised over $1 billion in equity investment over the last 17 years. Seven Kansas City area companies will present, yet the names have not been disclosed.
“This event will reflect a great geographic footprint,” Christine Walsh, executive director of InvestMidwest said in a release. “Over the years, the companies that have applied have shown increased sophistication in approaching the venture capital environment. This process has reflected a substantive strengthening in the Midwest’s entrepreneurial environment.”
In addition to giving high growth firms the opportunity to present to investors, the conference allows for networking and expert speakers. The event kicks off with an opening reception Tuesday evening.
From Kansas City: KCRise Fund managing director Darcy Howe, EyeVerify CEO Toby Rush and Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation entrepreneurial advocate Nathan Kurtz will speak at the breakfast on March 29th. As for the luncheon on the same day, Kansas City area speakers include retired JE Dunn Construction CEO Terry Dunn and TechAccel CEO Michael Helmstetter.
The forum alternates between being hosted in Kansas City, Mo. and St. Louis, Mo. each year. To read more about the forum and its history, click here.
2017 Startups to Watch
stats here
Related Posts on Startland News
Caffeine nation: 1 Million Cups hits the century mark
Dubbed as “the church for entrepreneurs,” 1 Million Cups recently hit a milestone with the reach of its programming. A product of the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation, 1 Million Cups has launched in Waco, Texas, marking the entrepreneurial forum’s 100th participating community. 1 Million Cups launched in Kansas City in 2012 and has been spreading…
Take a tour of KC’s newest, largest coworking space: iWerx
Kansas City’s newest and largest coworking studio plans to celebrate its grand opening in style during Global Entrepreneurship Week. Based in North Kansas City, iWerx’s massive 33,000-square-feet facility is now welcoming tenants into its swanky new digs that feature an array of amenities, most notably access to its ridiculously fast 10-gigabit Internet. Built in 1929,…
The metric that your startup needs to measure: Net promoter score
Startups are full of uncertainty — and prospective clients know that. Credibility and reputation are both keys to a company’s ability to not only sell a product or service, but also to create brand ambassadors that will promote it to friends and others. As the saying goes, your customers are your best salespeople. “If you…
Comcast launches new gigabit service in Kansas City metro
The Kansas City gigabit market just become more crowded. In addition to Google Fiber and AT&T, Comcast has now joined the ranks of Kansas City Internet providers offering gigabit speeds. In 2017 Comcast will begin to roll out residential gigabit Internet service to customers in the Kansas City suburban area. The company will deliver the…