Plans Unveiled for 30th Anniversary of the Michigan Growth Capital Symposium

Event will Celebrate 30 Years of Success and Look Ahead to the Bright Future for Innovation and Investment in the Midwest

ANN ARBOR, Mich., Dec. 16, 2010 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Michigan Growth Capital Symposium (MGCS) today unveiled preliminary details for its annual Midwest equity event.  Celebrating 30 years at the center of innovation and growth capital investing in the Midwest, MGCS is the premier networking event for leaders in the venture capital investment world to connect with the entrepreneurs, startups and emerging growth companies that are actively searching for partners and funding.  The event, which fuels economic development and growth, will be held May 10-11, 2011 at the Marriott Resort in Ypsilanti, Mich.  

Diversifying the economy of a state is an enormous job – especially one that has provided such wealth, success, and prestige as Michigan's automotive industry. It's a challenge that MGCS Founder David J. Brophy, Director and Professor of Finance at the University of Michigan Ross School of Business, foresaw over three decades ago.

"When the Symposium started, business leaders said it would be a 30 year job to influence the direction of Michigan and move it toward knowledge-based industry," said Brophy. "This whole effort has been about that – and specifically to repair the deficiency we had in access to finance in Michigan – by giving young companies the opportunity to present themselves to investors from around the country."

The Michigan Growth Capital Symposium continues to serve as an important catalyst for innovation and a champion of entrepreneurial investment opportunities in the region.  By bringing together entrepreneurs, universities and venture capitalists, MGCS has paved the way for growth industries such as technology, life sciences, advanced manufacturing and alternative energy.

Ian Bund, chairman of Plymouth Management Company and a long-standing pillar of Michigan's venture capital community, recalls, "The Michigan Growth Capital Symposium became the central vehicle of transforming the University of Michigan's entrepreneurial activities.  The Symposium was an extremely important vehicle in providing that annual showcase of the best and the brightest."

The 30th Anniversary of MGCS will feature keynote speakers and panel discussions led by some of the nation's leading investors and entrepreneurs.  The sessions will provide insight on venture capital and investment trends and industry snapshots of emerging growth sectors such as life sciences and technology.

Discussing the 2011 Symposium, Brophy said, "This year's event aims to celebrate the significant accomplishments we've achieved over the last 30 years, while simultaneously energizing the region as we continue to build partnerships between entrepreneurs and investors that will fuel tomorrow's high growth companies."

MGCS is actively enlisting sponsors for its 2011 event.  Initial sponsors include leading media, venture capital and economic development organizations.  Sponsorships range from $1,000-$10,000.  For more information on MGCS or to become a sponsor of the 30th Annual Symposium, please visit www.michigangcs.com.

About the Michigan Growth Capital Symposium (MGCS)

MGCS is the original university-based venture fair.  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, leading university research faculty, 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 and the Michigan Economic Development Corporation.

SOURCE Michigan Growth Capital Symposium