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
Prestio drives users to auto dealerships without traditional car buying pain points
Gone are the days of traditional car buying for Ben Anderson, the first customer of Kansas City-based startup Prestio. Anderson, an accounting professional at CBIZ, had grown deeply frustrated by auto dealerships, he said. In fall 2017, he turned to Prestio –– a first-of-its-kind software-as-a-service platform that allows customers to buy, trade, and finance vehicle purchases…
Crema co-founder details expansion experiment at Thinking Bigger breakfast
Crema’s work is all about proximity, said George Brooks, seeking to clarify potential misperceptions about the digital product agency’s foray into markets outside Kansas City. “We’ve been running an experiment,” the Crema co-founder told a crowd at Thinking Bigger Business Media’s recent Big Breakfast. “We’re from Kansas City, but probably 80 percent of our clients…
Techweek 100 list released: Dozens of KC’s top cultivators, ambassadors and innovators
Techweek Kansas City on Friday released its Techweek 100 list of the premier leaders pushing innovation in Kansas City. The collection of cultivators, ambassadors and innovators is a who’s who of familiar names across the startup, entrepreneurship and tech communities. Released in the runup to Techweek KC’s Oct. 8-12 festivities, the list isn’t a ranking,…
Not high-growth or a tech startup? AltCap Your Biz $10K prize could be the boost you need
A $10,000 prize can mean a world of difference for the right entrepreneurial dream, said Davin Gordon. “There’s not a ton of opportunities for small businesses to not only pitch their business and go through that process, but actually have an opportunity to win some money,” he said. Entering its fourth year on the startup…