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It's not everyday that entrepreneurs get the chance to present their ideas to a panel of venture capital firms and angel investment groups worth more than $10 billion.
The fifth annual Silver and Gold Venture Capital Conference on Oct. 18 and 19 at Reno's Peppermill Casino is the largest venture capital conference of its type in the western region. The event brings together some of the nation's largest and most influential venture capital firms and angel investment groups with more than 30 entrepreneurial companies seeking funding to start or expand their business.
The event is hosted by the Golden Capital Network, the Nevada Center for Entrepreneurship and Technology (CET) , the Nevada Commission on Economic Development (NCED) and is in association with the Sierra Angels.
The Sierra Angels is a group of independent business owners and senior corporate executives based in the Northern Sierra region. They provide primary investment funds to promising local technology ventures.
Bob Goff, an Incline resident who is also the founder of the Sierra Angels and a chairman for the Angel Capital Network, said that in addition to investment groups, the conference also offers entrepreneurs the chance to discuss their business plans and ideas with experts in the fields of business financing, strategy and development.
Goff, a past chairman for the Golden Capital Network (a networking, training and consulting organization for entrepreneurs), helped come up with the idea for the Silver and Gold Conference after noticing a need to link investors with emerging companies in the western U.S.
"Each presenting company is prescreened and coached by experts before they meet with investors," Goff said. "Companies from previous conferences have gone on to raise more than $850 million."
Jon Gregory, President and CEO of the Golden Capital Network, said the conference offers a way for investment groups to see a large number of emerging companies in one setting and creates opportunities for entrepreneurs to interact with and learn about investment groups.
"It's a great opportunity to learn about obtaining angel or capital investment funding for your business," Gregory said.
The conference is critical for what Gregory considers the "emerging geographic markets across the U.S" - places outside of Silicon Valley, like Reno and Sacramento, that are finding ways to compete in an ever-expanding global economy.
"We have a very impressive line up of presenting companies this year, including everything from a karate school to a fuel cell company from Folsom, Calif," Gregory said.
The presentation line up at this year's conference also includes Pria Diagnostics, a privately held medical diagnostics company based in the Bay Area with its Nevada office in Incline Village.
This year's conference will also include a presentation from the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation, a foundation that encourages entrepreneurship across America and focuses on youth education.
"This is our first time presenting at this conference and our program will focus on best practices for investment operations and entrepreneurial education," said Marianne Hudson of the Kauffman Foundation.
Alison Estee, the Executive Director of the CET, said that the conference doesn't guarantee investment funding, but it does help get the ball rolling.
"The conference helps shorten the whole cycle of seeking out investors and ideas," she said. "It's pretty hard for someone with an idea to walk into a capital investment firm and present their business plan. At the conference their ideas can literally be presented to billions of dollars worth of investors in one afternoon."
Reporter Justin Broglio can be reached at (775) 831-4666 or at jbroglio@tahoebonanza.com.
The fifth annual Silver and Gold Venture Capital Conference on Oct. 18 and 19 at Reno's Peppermill Casino is the largest venture capital conference of its type in the western region. The event brings together some of the nation's largest and most influential venture capital firms and angel investment groups with more than 30 entrepreneurial companies seeking funding to start or expand their business.
The event is hosted by the Golden Capital Network, the Nevada Center for Entrepreneurship and Technology (CET) , the Nevada Commission on Economic Development (NCED) and is in association with the Sierra Angels.
The Sierra Angels is a group of independent business owners and senior corporate executives based in the Northern Sierra region. They provide primary investment funds to promising local technology ventures.
Bob Goff, an Incline resident who is also the founder of the Sierra Angels and a chairman for the Angel Capital Network, said that in addition to investment groups, the conference also offers entrepreneurs the chance to discuss their business plans and ideas with experts in the fields of business financing, strategy and development.
Goff, a past chairman for the Golden Capital Network (a networking, training and consulting organization for entrepreneurs), helped come up with the idea for the Silver and Gold Conference after noticing a need to link investors with emerging companies in the western U.S.
"Each presenting company is prescreened and coached by experts before they meet with investors," Goff said. "Companies from previous conferences have gone on to raise more than $850 million."
Jon Gregory, President and CEO of the Golden Capital Network, said the conference offers a way for investment groups to see a large number of emerging companies in one setting and creates opportunities for entrepreneurs to interact with and learn about investment groups.
"It's a great opportunity to learn about obtaining angel or capital investment funding for your business," Gregory said.
The conference is critical for what Gregory considers the "emerging geographic markets across the U.S" - places outside of Silicon Valley, like Reno and Sacramento, that are finding ways to compete in an ever-expanding global economy.
"We have a very impressive line up of presenting companies this year, including everything from a karate school to a fuel cell company from Folsom, Calif," Gregory said.
The presentation line up at this year's conference also includes Pria Diagnostics, a privately held medical diagnostics company based in the Bay Area with its Nevada office in Incline Village.
This year's conference will also include a presentation from the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation, a foundation that encourages entrepreneurship across America and focuses on youth education.
"This is our first time presenting at this conference and our program will focus on best practices for investment operations and entrepreneurial education," said Marianne Hudson of the Kauffman Foundation.
Alison Estee, the Executive Director of the CET, said that the conference doesn't guarantee investment funding, but it does help get the ball rolling.
"The conference helps shorten the whole cycle of seeking out investors and ideas," she said. "It's pretty hard for someone with an idea to walk into a capital investment firm and present their business plan. At the conference their ideas can literally be presented to billions of dollars worth of investors in one afternoon."
Reporter Justin Broglio can be reached at (775) 831-4666 or at jbroglio@tahoebonanza.com.
