State Controller John Chiang and Meg Whitman, a former CEO of eBay and a Republican gubernatorial hopeful, will make presentations Sept. 24 at the 4th annual Central California Venture Forum at the Veterans Memorial Building in downtown Clovis.
The daylong event brings together public policy leaders, angel- and venture-capital experts, central San Joaquin Valley entrepreneurs, business owners and community leaders. The goal is to provide an assessment of the current economic climate and information about raising capital to create and sustain enterprises in spite of the recession.
The Venture Forum, which begins at 8:30 a.m. and concludes at 5 p.m., is a collaboration among the Lyles Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship at California State University, Fresno, the city of Clovis and the Central Valley Fund.
Chiang’s luncheon address will focus on “Can California Be Fixed?” while morning keynote speaker Whitman will discuss “Entrepreneurship and Private Capital: Lessons for the Central Valley.” Fresno Mayor Ashley Swearengin will offer opening remarks.
“This conference provides the only venue in the Central Valley for the best growth companies to demonstrate that they are great candidates for private equity investment,” said Dr. Timothy M. Stearns, executive director of the Lyles Center. “A number of leading angel investor groups, venture capital funds and commercial banking institutions use the forum as an important measuring stick for what’s occurring in the region.”
The forum also will feature a Valley Entrepreneur Showcase in which five new or early-stage businesses present to a panel of investors, competing for best in show, based on investment potential. The winner will present to the prestigious Keiretsu Forum in the San Francisco Bay area.
Panel discussions will cover “How to Raise Investment Capital,” “The Central Valley Economy” and “Bulletproof your Business,” among others.
Registration, which includes lunch and an afternoon reception, costs $60 before Sept. 1 ($75 after). Students can register for $25 through the Lyles Center. Seating is limited.
Information is available by contacting Nancy Kobata, 559.294.2045
nancyko@csufresno.edu, or Betsy Hays, 559.916.6844/
betsyhays@sbcglobal.net
Related link:
Forum agenda, registration
