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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
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