Press Release
Contact: Robert Albright |
Phone: 919-549-7500 ext.123 |
CED Accepting Venture 2005 Presenter Applications
Early Application Deadline Slated for Nov. 30;
Conference Set for New Venue in Pinehurst
October 27, 2004, Research Triangle Park, NC – The Council for Entrepreneurial Development (CED) is now accepting online applications from North Carolina-based companies interested in presenting at CED's 22nd annual Venture conference. The early application deadline is Nov. 30.
Scheduled for April 26-27, 2005, at Pinehurst Resort in Pinehurst, NC, Venture 2005 will continue a 22-year tradition of showcasing North Carolina's top investment opportunities to hundreds of venture capitalists and financiers from throughout the United States.
Durham-based Metabolon, Inc., a Venture 2004 presenter, closed a $9 million Series A round earlier this month. John Ryals, president and CEO of Metabolon, spoke highly of his company's experience at Venture 2004 and encourages North Carolina-based companies to apply to participate in Venture 2005.
“We were very happy with the results we received from presenting at Venture 2004,” said Ryals. “Metabolon used the meeting to kick off our latest round of financing, and we generated substantial interest from venture capital groups not only from the Southeast, but also from the Northeast and West Coast.”
The Venture 2005 Selection Committee, which includes active venture capitalists and angel investors from throughout the Southeast, is seeking high-growth companies from across North Carolina, and from an array of industries and stages, that are looking to raise either initial or subsequent rounds of private equity capital.
Because selection is highly competitive, companies are encouraged to submit their applications as early as possible so that they will have the opportunity to receive full consideration during as many of the selection stages as possible. Venture 2005 has three selection stages, with an early consideration deadline of Nov. 30, the second deadline of Dec. 31, and the final deadline of Jan. 31. For more information on applying to present and to complete the online application, visit http://www.cednc.org/conferences/venture/2005/presenters/.
CED President Monica Doss said Venture 2005 will showcase high-quality investment opportunities, with the goal of attracting both local and out-of-state investors. She said that Pinehurst, host of the 2005 U.S. Open Golf Championship in June 2005, will offer a new and fresh venue for Venture 2005, as well.
“Pinehurst provides an extraordinary opportunity for current and 'new to North Carolina' investors to get to know the nation's most innovative entrepreneurial companies and to connect with leaders of the Research Triangle's robust entrepreneurial and technology community,” Doss said. “The combination of great investment opportunities and the unparalleled hospitality of Pinehurst's world renowned resort will ensure an interactive and memorable experience for investors and entrepreneurs alike.”
Since 1999, Venture presenters have raised over $1.6 billion in venture capital. In addition to company presentations, Venture 2005 will include leading industry speakers, extensive networking opportunities and exclusive investor-only events. Venture 2005 conference co-chairs are Fred Hutchison of Hutchison & Mason and April Young of Comerica, Technology and Life Sciences Division.
About Venture 2005: CED's 22nd annual Venture conference - Where great minds meet smart money - is scheduled for April 26-27 at Pinehurst Resort in Pinehurst, NC. Last year's conference, Venture 2004, drew a crowd of more than 800 investors, service professionals, entrepreneurs and others involved in the entrepreneurial funding process from throughout the United States. www.cednc.org/venture
About CED: The Council for Entrepreneurial Development, located in Research Triangle Park, NC, is a private, non-profit organization formed in 1984 to stimulate the creation and growth of high-impact companies in the greater Research Triangle region. CED provides education, mentoring and capital formation resources to new and existing high-growth entrepreneurs through annual conferences, seminars, workshops and monthly programs on entrepreneurial management and finance. CED, which celebrates its 20th anniversary in 2004, is the largest entrepreneurial support organization in the nation with more than 3,500 members representing 1,000 entrepreneurial companies, financiers and professional firms. www.cednc.org
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