Archives of the Mayor's Press Office

MAYOR GIULIANI ANNOUNCES 6TH ANNUAL
NYC VENTURE CAPITAL CONFERENCE & SHOWCASE

Mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani today announced that the Sixth Annual New York City Venture Capital Conference & Showcase will be held from July 8th through July 10, 2001 at the Marriott Marquis Hotel in Times Square. The three-day event is being billed as the largest gathering of venture capital professionals in the nation. The conference will offer some of the City's brightest entrepreneurs a unique opportunity to meet with investors from across the country.

"New York City offers every entrepreneur and venture capitalist the possibility of realizing his or her dream," Mayor Giuliani said. "This annual conference is the perfect setting for such visionaries to explore investment opportunities and to form strategic partnerships. I'm confident that the essential industry information and analysis offered at this conference will help those attending to achieve financial success."

The National Venture Capital Association reported recently that New York City venture capital funds raised more money from investors than those in California's Silicon Valley during the first quarter of 2001, an economic feat not accomplished here in the last ten years.

Last year's Venture Capital Conference & Showcase drew more than 1,200 attendees, including nearly 200 venture capitalists, 500 entrepreneurs, and industry leaders from 12 countries and 29 states.

Speakers this year will include venture capitalists from Silicon Alley Seed Ventures, Red Leaf Group LLC, Millennium Technology Ventures LP, Bessemer Venture Partners, Genesys Partners, Inc., Invesco Inc., and Patricof & Co. Ventures. More than 125 venture capitalists are scheduled to speak at the conference.

This year's conference will also showcase approximately 50 of New York City's most promising entrepreneurs, appearing before an international gathering of venture capitalists, investors and industry leaders. Workshops and discussions with distinguished panelists will focus on methods companies can use to finance, structure and focus their businesses in today's challenging environment; for discovering early-stage investors; and strategies for working with corporate investors and strategic partners.

Special sessions on developing methods of finding creative financing alternatives and on selling or merging a company also will be offered. In addition, an exciting new interactive feature, the Advisory Board Program, will allow eight companies to present their strategies to a Venture Capital panel and the entire audience, and receive immediate feedback and advice.

New York City-based companies seeking early-stage investments, and/or second or third round financing are encouraged to exhibit or to apply to present their business plans at the conference. Eligible entrepreneurial exhibitors will have the opportunity to conduct an "elevator pitch" -- a thirty-second presentation -- to the entire audience.

For additional information, visit www.nycventureconference.com. To contact the conference organizers, call (212) 832-7334 or e-mail inquiries to info@nycventureconference.com.

The New York City Venture Capital Conference and Showcase is sponsored by the New York City Economic Development Corporation (EDC) with help from the New York Venture Group. Corporate sponsors include Compaq Computer Corp.; Deloitte & Touche; Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati; Brobeck, Phleger & Harrison LLP; PricewaterhouseCoopers; HR Logic; Grant Thornton; Ambrose; Administaff; and others. Media Partners include The New York Times; Crain's New York Business; Venture One; and Investment Dealers Digest.

EDC is the City's primary vehicle for economic development services. Using its real estate and financing resources, EDC helps develop businesses and create jobs throughout the five boroughs. EDC hosts and sponsors the annual New York City Venture Capital Conference and oversees the City's venture capital investment funds, the Discovery Fund and the Emerging Industries Fund. EDC also manages Digital NYC: Wired to the World, a program of eight high-tech districts throughout the five boroughs.