23 Sep VC forum to showcase women-led life science companies
Eighteen companies seeking investors have been selected by Springboard Enterprises to make pitches for venture capital at AllThingsLifeSciences 2009 in Madison next week. The forum is part of a two-day entrepreneurial program which also includes a seminar for aspiring entrepreneurs – Equity Matters: The Route To NASDAQ, and is also a part of a three city road show that continues on to San Francisco and New York City. Phenomenelle Angels Fund is co-hosting the event along with the support of the Wisconsin Department of Financial Institutions and the Wisconsin Department of Commerce.
“Springboard is a great source of deal flow for any savvy investor, angel group or venture fund. The companies and CEOs that were recruited are highly qualified and serve large and rapidly growing markets,” said Lauren Flanagan, Managing Director, Phenomenelle Angels Fund. “Our fund has been a catalyst for the development of an ecosystem that fosters women’s entrepreneurship. The addition of the Springboard programs in Madison offers a terrific source of deal flow for regional investors and new opportunities to grow the economy.”
Springboard Enterprises educates, showcases and supports women entrepreneurs as they seek capital and build their businesses. They’ve showcased 380 women-run companies at forums helping them raise more than $1.4 billion in equity, grants and corporate investments. Seven of the companies have gone on to be publicly traded. This forum is the first time Springboard has held a forum focused exclusively on life sciences companies. Phenomenelle Angels Fund I, LP is an early stage fund that invests in women and minority owned or managed businesses in Wisconsin and the Midwest.
Of the over one hundred companies from across the U.S. and abroad that applied to take part in the forum, four of the companies chosen to present hail from Wisconsin. The four companies are EraGen Biosciences of Madison, Eso-Technologies of Hartland, Quintessence Biosciences of Madison, and Stemina Biomarket Discovery also of Madison.
“Today’s innovations in life sciences are nothing less than miraculous and we’ve recruited some of the most promising investment opportunities to offer investors here in Wisconsin,” said Kay Koplovitz, Springboard’s chairman.
Secretary of the Department of Financial Institutions Lorrie Keating Heinemann will open the two day program with a keynote on “The Capital Landscape”, while Lieutenant Governor Barbara Lawton is one of the featured speakers on day two. Among the list of panelists speaking about their own entrepreneurial experience will be Toni Sikes, founder of The Guild/Artful Home and Jan Eddy, founder of Wingra Technologies.
The event will be held at UW Madison’s Fluno Center for Executive Education on Sept. 30 and Oct. 1. Registration information can be found at Springboard Enterprises.