2021 Midwest Venture Showcase to Highlight Seventy Innovative Ventures Seeking Investment

ANN ARBOR, Mich., Jan. 18, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The 2021 Midwest Venture Showcase returns April 27-28, 2021, to highlight industry trends, expert insights, and growing Midwest companies seeking venture capital investments. The Midwest Growth Capital Symposium (MGCS) and InvestMidwest unite for a second year to present innovative ventures to an audience of top-tier investors, entrepreneurs, researchers, and business executives at the virtual event.

Launched in 2020, as a response to the pandemic, the Midwest Venture Showcase introduces an expanded network of investors to Midwest growth companies in an online forum to continue facilitating much-needed investment during the country's travel restrictions. The successful virtual event attracted over 600 active attendees focused on meeting the Midwest companies seeking seed stage, Series A, and Series B funding. Entrepreneurial companies made dozens of connections with over 200 investors from across the country at the event.

Applications are now live on the InvestMidwest and MGCS websites. New ventures in the agriculture/food, life sciences, medical device, and technology industries that are seeking $500,000 or more in equity investments with a high growth projection over the next five years are encouraged to apply. The deadline for applications is February 2, 2021.

The virtual event boasts over 40 Tech Transfer spinouts from major research universities across the Midwest that are seeking pre-seed and seed funding. This year's program will feature Michigan State University, Ohio State University, Purdue University, University of Louisville, University of Michigan, University of Minnesota, Wayne State University, Western Michigan University, and others to be announced.

"We're excited to continue the partnership with MGCS! Continuing the Midwest Venture Showcase is in the best interests of both the investors and the high growth companies in our region," said Phyllis Ellison, executive director of InvestMidwest. "The 2020 event was very successful, even with the quick pivot that both InvestMidwest and MGCS made to move the event online. The 2020 companies represented 15 states, including Michigan, Missouri, Iowa, Ohio, Illinois, Texas, Nebraska, Wisconsin, Colorado, Kansas, Minnesota, and Oklahoma."

"While we are beginning to see the true impact of COVID-19 on the startup investment arena, we know that it is vital for companies to continue to seek funding, and investors are still actively deploying capital in promising technologies," said David Brophy, founder and director of MGCS. "Investors are interested in building relationships with quality startups, whether they are investing immediately or later. Our investors love seeing the more advanced companies, as well as having access to the innovation coming out of Midwest-based tech transfer offices."

The Midwest Venture Showcase will provide easy access to companies' executive summaries and video pitches, and connect early-stage companies, angel investors, venture capitalists, technology transfer professionals and leading entrepreneurs. For more information on applying, attending, or sponsoring the showcase, please visit www.midwestgcs.com or email Emily Zaycosky (MGCS) or www.investmidwestforum.com or email Phyllis Ellison (InvestMidwest).

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.

About InvestMidwest Venture Capital Forum
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.

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SOURCE Midwest Growth Capital Symposium