Deadline Approaches for Presenting Companies at Michigan Growth Capital Symposium

ANN ARBOR, Mich., March 26, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- With less than one week until application submissions close, organizers of the Michigan Growth Capital Symposium expect that 90 high-growth, innovative ventures will compete to secure one of the 40 available slots to present at this year's premier networking and investment event. Applications for presenting companies must be submitted online by April 1. The 33^rd annual Symposium is being held June 17-18, 2014 at the Marriott Resort in Ypsilanti, Mich.

Candidates include seed, early-stage, late-stage and pre-IPO companies seeking $500,000 to $20 million in funding within six months of the Symposium. Potential market sectors may represent, but are not limited to, Internet, software, healthcare, medical device, pharmaceutical, mobile and energy.

"In the past decade, the Symposium has provided nearly 350 companies with the opportunity to present to investors and those companies have gone on to raise more than $1.3 billion in capital," said Michigan Growth Capital Symposium Founder David J. Brophy. "The exposure to investment capital is just one phenomenal byproduct of presenting.  In addition, the Symposium serves as a great venue for networking with members of the innovation ecosystem and provides participating companies with hands-on mentoring and coaching from our team of industry experts."

Commenting on the Symposium as a venue for spotting new deals, Michael Johnson, associate at Flagship Ventures in Ann Arbor said, "The Michigan Growth Capital Symposium has done a lot to transform the state's investment landscape by bringing entrepreneurs and investors together in what has become a nationally recognized event. If you look at the event's history, the Symposium has led to investments in many companies and put them on the pathway to success."

Applications will be screened by a committee of qualified, national and regional venture capitalists who will select participants based on market opportunity, competitive advantage, management team, intellectual property and financial model. Selected companies will be invited to deliver a 10-minute pitch at the Symposium and will receive exhibit space throughout both days of the event. In addition, a dedicated team of industry experts from the Michigan Small Business Development Center, the New Enterprise Forum and the greater VC and entrepreneurial community will provide individualized coaching.

The application deadline is Tuesday, April 1 and selected companies will be notified on Thursday, April 24.

As one of the longest running university-hosted programs of its kind, the Symposium is the premier Midwest networking event for national leaders in venture capital investment to connect with emerging growth companies actively searching for partners and funding. Each year, the Symposium showcases up to 40 "Best of the Midwest" companies seeking up to $20 million in funding.

For more information, please contact Mary Nickson at (734) 615-4424 or visit the website at www.MichiganGCS.com.

About the Michigan Growth Capital Symposium (MGCS)

MGCS is the original university-based venture fair, which was first held in 1979. This nationally attended two-day event provides an opportunity for investors to connect with up-and-coming Midwest businesses and learn about emerging technologies. The Symposium offers the opportunity to build relationships with an unparalleled business network of distinguished private equity industry leaders, leading university research faculty, and entrepreneurial business professionals. MGCS is presented by the Center for Venture Capital & Private Equity Finance and the Zell Lurie Institute at the University of Michigan Ross School of Business with support from the Michigan Venture Capital Association and the Michigan Economic Development Corporation.

About the Stephen M. Ross School of Business
The Stephen M. Ross School of Business at the University of Michigan is a vibrant and distinctive learning community grounded in the principle that business can be an extraordinary vehicle for positive change in today's dynamic global economy. The Ross School of Business mission is to develop leaders who make a positive difference in the world. Through thought and action, members of the Ross community drive change and innovation that improves business and society.

Ross is consistently ranked among the world's leading business schools. Academic degree programs include the MBA, Part-time MBA (Evening and Weekend formats), Executive MBA, Global MBA, Master of Accounting, Master of Supply Chain Management, Master of Entrepreneurship, Master of Management, BBA, and PhD. In addition, the school delivers open-enrollment and custom executive education programs targeting general management, leadership development, and strategic human resource management.

SOURCE Zell Lurie Institute for Entrepreneurial Studies