2020 Midwest Venture Showcase to Feature Sixty Companies Actively Seeking Funding

ANN ARBOR, Mich., April 16, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Organizers of the 2020 Midwest Venture Showcase, a partnership between the Midwest Growth Capital Symposium (MGCS) and InvestMidwest, today announced that 61 companies actively seeking funding will be showcased to an audience of top-tier investors, entrepreneurs, researchers and business executives at the virtual event on May 5-8, 2020.

The Midwest companies in the Showcase span the life sciences, medical device, agriculture/food and tech industries. Of the 61 companies, 28 are seeking seed stage funding and 33 are seeking Series A/B funding. The companies represent 15 states, including Michigan, Ohio, Illinois, Wisconsin, California, Missouri, Colorado, Minnesota, Kansas, Oklahoma, Massachusetts, Texas, Iowa, Nebraska and Virginia. Presenting companies' innovations include:

• A mobile device helping countries diagnose and follow up with COVID-19 patients through heart monitoring
• Testing to identify and treat children whose condition is a result of antibodies attacking their brain
• Technology to increase crop production via increased quality of light
• An all-in-one diabetes management system in a smartphone case
• System that allows easy and stable blood collection samples from anywhere

The virtual event will also feature 12 companies from the Capital Innovators tech accelerator 2019-2020 cohorts and 35-40 Tech Transfer spinouts seeking pre-seed and seed funding. Participating universities include Michigan State University, Ohio State University, University of Louisville, University of Michigan, University of Minnesota, Wayne State University and Western Michigan University.

The Showcase is flexible to accommodate the current needs of the investor community. All presentations will be taped in advance, with pitch videos going live on May 5 and available through June 5. There will be opportunities to interact with the companies on May 5 during a virtual networking session and on May 7-8 during one-on-one meetings.

"We listened to our investors and designed the event based on their feedback," said Phyllis Ellison, executive director of InvestMidwest. "We created a format that allows busy investors to access presentations at their own pace during a time when they may also be focusing heavily on their existing portfolio."   

"Now is the time for companies to authentically appeal to investors and let them know they are moving forward," said Mary Nickson, associate director of MGCS. "Investors are equally interested in building relationships with high-quality startups during these challenging times, and gaining firsthand insight to the innovation coming out of Midwest-based University Tech Transfer offices." 

For more information and to register, please visit www.MidwestGCS.com or www.InvestMidwestForum.com, or email Mary Nickson and Phyllis Ellison.

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, 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
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/Energy tracks. Celebrating 20 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 The Zell Lurie Institute