ANN ARBOR, Mich., April 7, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Organizers of the 2021 Midwest Venture Showcase, a partnership between the Midwest Growth Capital Symposium (MGCS) and InvestMidwest, today announced that 57 companies actively seeking funding will be showcased to an audience of top-tier investors, entrepreneurs, researchers and business executives at the virtual event on April 27-28, 2021.
The companies in the Showcase span the life sciences, medical device, agriculture/food and tech industries. Of the 57 companies, 37 are seeking seed stage funding and 20 are seeking Series A/B funding. The companies hail from 15 states, including Michigan, Missouri, Ohio, Illinois, Wisconsin, Iowa, Indiana, Minnesota, Kansas, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Texas, Alabama, Nebraska and Pennsylvania.
The virtual event will also feature 20-25 Tech Transfer spinouts from top research universities seeking pre-seed and seed funding. Participating universities include University of Michigan, Michigan State University, Ohio State University, University of Chicago, University of Louisville, University of Minnesota, Wayne State University, and Western Michigan University.
The Showcase kicks off April 27 with a morning keynote conversation with Darren Cohen, co-head of Growth Equity in the Merchant Banking Division at Goldman Sachs. Following the keynote will be an exciting lineup of panels on the benefits of investing in the Midwest, the importance of diversity, equity, and inclusion in investing, and a special profile featuring Midwest unicorns.
Company pitches in Life Science, Medical Devices, Tech, and Food/Ag tracks will take place in the afternoon. Presenting companies' innovations include:
The morning of April 28 includes talks from several sponsors, ranging from Julie Harris, Bank of America's head of Global Banking Digital Strategy to panels from CBIZ, Husch Blackwell, and Canada. The Tech Transfer pitches are held in the afternoon.
"We're excited to bring together this mix of speakers and companies," said Phyllis Ellison, executive director of InvestMidwest. "This is an interesting lineup of topics and speakers, as we start to consider what the venture capital markets look like post-pandemic and after a record year of investing in 2020."
"This is a strong slate of companies pitching this year," said David Brophy, founder and director of MGCS. "Investors are continuing to build relationships with high-quality startups as companies find market strengths and new paths during the pandemic. For the second year, the Midwest Venture Showcase virtual event is the perfect place for investors to meet these companies and start connecting."
For more information and registration, please visit midwestventureshowcase.com, or contact Emily Zaycosky and Phyllis Ellison.
About the Midwest Growth Capital Symposium (http://www.MidwestGCS.com)
The Midwest Growth Capital Symposium (MGCS) is the original university-based venture investment fair. First held in 1980, this decades-old event is the largest Midwest venture fair of its kind that brings together venture capital investors, angel investors, high-growth companies, and university tech transfer officers. MGCS is presented by the Center for Venture Capital & Private Equity Finance and the Zell Lurie Institute for Entrepreneurial Studies at the University of Michigan Ross School of Business.
About InvestMidwest Venture Capital Forum (www.InvestMidwestForum.com)
The InvestMidwest Venture Capital Forum brings together high growth companies from across the Midwest that are seeking $1 million or more in equity investments in Life Science, Tech, and Ag/Food tracks. Celebrating 21 years, the annual spring forum attracts investors from across the country to meet with companies. InvestMidwest is managed by the Cortex Innovation Community, with strong support from the investment communities of St. Louis and Kansas City.
SOURCE Midwest Growth Capital Symposium
