Midwest Growth Capital Symposium Announces 40th National Venture Capital Event

ANN ARBOR, Mich., Jan. 23, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- The Midwest Growth Capital Symposium (MGCS), the premier platform for Midwest emerging growth companies seeking funding to connect with investors, today announced that its 2020 event will take place May 12-13 at the Marriott Resort in Ypsilanti, Michigan. With venture investment in the Midwest growing steadily, more than 400 attendees are expected, including leading venture capitalists, angel investors and technology transfer professionals from across the U.S., as well as founders and CEOs of Midwest-based early stage and emerging, high-growth companies.

This year's program will highlight the traction that the life sciences, advanced manufacturing, mobility and other sectors are gaining in the Midwest technology ecosystem. Guest speakers and panel presentations hosted by some of the nation's leading investors and entrepreneurs will round out the program. Previous speakers have included Dixon Doll of DCM Ventures, Scott Kupor of Andreessen Horowitz, Wendell Brooks of Intel Corporation and Intel Capital and Clay B. Thorp of Hatteras Venture Partners.

"Over the past four decades, MGCS has provided an opportunity to showcase the growing startups and talent produced in the Midwest to a community of investors beyond the region, and offered tech transfer companies connectivity to the market," said David Brophy, professor of finance at the University of Michigan and founding director of MGCS. "The idea of building businesses and getting them funded has permeated the Midwest and our goal is to maintain this momentum."

Ahead of his retirement later this year, the event will also recognize Brophy's decades-long investment in and contribution to growing the Michigan venture capital community. Brophy, who also serves as the director of the University of Michigan's Center for Venture Capital and Private Equity Finance, founded MGCS in 1980. Through his dedication, the event continues to shine a spotlight on regional innovation, granting investors better access to ready-for-market companies in Michigan and the Midwest.

Call for Presenting Companies
The MGCS will host approximately 40 companies to pitch their businesses to potential investors and stakeholders in attendance. The MGCS University Research track will also showcase more than 50 emerging high-potential, high-growth companies that are commercializing research discoveries and new technologies in the life sciences, health care, advanced manufacturing and other sectors. Application forms for presenting companies are available online until Thursday, March 5 at www.MidwestGCS.com.

The Midwest Growth Capital Symposium is hosted by the University of Michigan's Center for Venture Capital & Private Equity Finance at the Ross School of Business. Organizers are currently enlisting sponsors for the 2020 event with packages ranging from $1,000-$10,000. For more information, please visit http://www.midwestgcs.com/ or email Mary Nickson at [email protected].

About the Midwest Growth Capital Symposium
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, university tech transfer officers and research faculty. 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.

SOURCE The Zell Lurie Institute