ANN ARBOR, Mich., April 19, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- With growing attention being paid to the Midwest as an emerging venture capital and investment hub, organizers of the Michigan Growth Capital Symposium today unveiled the roster of high-profile speakers that will address emerging investment trends at the 30th annual event. Reidar Langmo, partner and CEO of Novus Energy Partners will open the event on May 11 and Jay Hoag, founding general partner of Technology Crossover Ventures (TCV), will offer the luncheon keynote address.

The Michigan Growth Capital Symposium is the state's largest and most highly sought after venture capital event for leaders in the venture capital investment world to connect with the entrepreneurs, startups and emerging "Best of the Midwest" growth companies that are actively seeking partners and funding. The Symposium, which will be held at the Marriott Resort in Ypsilanti, Mich. on May 10-11, 2011, will host over 400 attendees and 65 investment firms.  

With over a decade of clean energy expertise, Langmo will provide insight on one of the Midwest's most promising growth sectors: clean technology. Prior to founding Novus Energy Partners, he helped found ScanWafer in 1994 and REC, which yielded one of the world's leading solar companies, in 2000. In his positions as chairman and CEO at REC and its subsidiaries, he played a key role in connection with REC's strategic acquisitions of ASiMI's silicon plants and contributed to the most successful clean energy IPO to date with an ~$8B market cap. Reidar holds an MSc from the Norwegian University of Science and Technology.

Jay Hoag will bring his extensive insight from over 27 years as a venture capitalist and technology investor to the program. He has been involved several of TCV's deals, including those with C|Net, eHarmony, Expedia, Fandango, Netflix, TechTarget, Vacationspot.com (sold to Expedia), Viant Corporation and Zillow, among others. Prior to TCV, Hoag was a managing director at Chancellor Capital Management where he spent over 12 years as a technology-focused venture capitalist and fund manager leading private investments in CompUSA, Intuit, Sybase and many others. He received a BA in Economics and Political Science from Northwestern University and an MBA from the University of Michigan.

In addition to Langmo's and Hoag's keynote addresses, the robust agenda features presentations from 42 top Midwestern companies actively seeking funding and five world-class panel discussions with members of the Midwest's vibrant innovation community, including investors, entrepreneurs, academics, and leaders in the legal, clean tech, and biotech sectors. The panels for this year's event will cover:

• Early Stage Investing: Anatomy of a Successful Deal - moderated by Jonathan Murray, Managing Director, Early Stage Partners with panelists representing Accio Energy, Allos Ventures and Swift Biosciences
• Investment Trends in the Life Sciences - moderated by Paul McCreadie of Arboretum Ventures, with panelists from Simpirica Spine, Versant Ventures, Montgomery & Co. and BioVentures
• The Venture Investors' Perspective on Optimizing Available Resources – moderated by Michael Staebler, Partner, Pepper Hamilton LLP with insight from Siguler Guff & Co., MK Capital and Pepper Hamilton LLP
• Best Practices in Venture Capital: Leveraging the CFO - moderated by Michael Schiavo of Venture Investors LLC, with panelists from Essex Woodlands, SV Life Sciences, ARCH Venture Partners  and Venture Investors LLC
• Next Generation Vehicles: Leveraging Private Sector Resources with Government Incentives  - moderated by Jeffrey L. LaBine, Principal, Miller Canfield, with panelists from GM Ventures and WatCAR

"When I started the Symposium three decades ago, many questioned if Michigan would ever transition to an innovation economy," said David J. Brophy, Michigan Growth Capital Symposium founder. "Then the question become not if that could happen, but when it would. With the support of events like the Symposium and organizations like the MVCA, the entrepreneurial and investment communities here have evolved dramatically in recent years and are now converging in a way that puts Michigan at a critical inflection point for growth."

Visit www.michigangcs.com to register to attend or for details on presenting companies, being released in late April. To follow and contribute to conversations ahead of and during the event, track and use #MGCS on Twitter.

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 financiers 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 and entrepreneurial business professionals. Entering its 30th year, MGCS continues to draw top investors from coast to coast. MGCS is presented by the Center for Venture Capital & Private Equity Finance at the Ross School of Business at the University of Michigan with support from the Michigan Venture Capital Association.

SOURCE Michigan Growth Capital Symposium