Investor Presentations

Current Venture Capital Articles

4/23/04 Local venture investments heavy in biotechnology - Biotechnology venture investments, which barely registered in St. Louis a few years ago, made up a quarter of the venture money that went to area companies last year.

4/5/2004 President signs bill for more SBA 7(a) loans - President Bush signed legislation Monday that increases the lending authority of the U.S. Small Business Administration's 7(a) loan program by more than $3 billion and lifts the $750,000 cap on the loans.

3/5/2004 UM-St. Louis rounding up $3 million for incubator - The University of Missouri-St. Louis has received $1 million in federal funds from the Small Business Administration to create an information technology incubator that can house up to 12 startup companies.

2/11/2004 Venture-capital fund looks for Midwestern firms - A $30 million venture-capital fund aimed at businesses in Illinois, Missouri and other Midwestern states expects to start picking companies in which to invest within three months, organizers say.

1/26/2004 Study: VC falls in Missouri, rises in Kansas in 2003 - Venture capital dollars pumped into Missouri companies in 2003 totaled less than half the state's 2002 dollar amount, according to a national study on venture capital spending.

12/16/2003 InvestMidwest Venture Capital Forum Issues Call for Applications for May 2004 Forum in St. Louis - InvestMidwest Venture Capital Forum today announced an open call for applicants to present their business plans to an audience of the nation’s top venture capitalists, corporate and private investors, and investment bankers. February 20, 2004 is the application deadline to be considered for participation in the May 5-6 venture capital forum, to be held at the Chase Park Plaza in St. Louis.

11/11/2003 First Network for Angel Investing Groups Formed - The new Angel Capital Alliance, sponsored by the Kauffman Foundation of Kansas City, has been endorsed by 46 angel capital organizations throughout the U.S. and Canada with many other angel groups interested in membership.

10/15/2003 Venture Funds Numbers Dismal: 27% Loss Blamed on Cutbacks of Past 2 Years - The performance of venture capital funds barely rose from historic lows in the past year and significantly lagged public market returns for the same period, according to figures released Tuesday by the National Venture Capital Association.

10/09/2003 Oklahoma Startups Find Place to Pick up Angel Investors - There are angels among us in Oklahoma, and a group of entrepreneurs came calling on them Wednesday at the Oklahoma Venture Forum meeting at the Beacon Club.

10/06/2003 Women business owners can tap mix of financing - A study released last month by the National Women's Business Council found access to capital is the leading concern for women business owners. Here are some the SBA and small-business counselors said are worth considering.

09/07/2003 Tech incubator adds millions to St. Louis economy - Article discusses the Center for Emerging Technologies and the economic impact it has had on the St. Louis economy.

09/05/2003 Biotech Startups Feed off Federal Grants - In the first half of the federal fiscal 2003, St. Louis-area companies in Missouri won 13 Small Business Innovation Research and Small Business Technology Transfer grants. Wayne Harvey, who promotes the programs across the region, expects 2003's total to surpass the 27 grants won in fiscal 2002.

09/05/2003 Olin Cup competition set for entrepreneurs - Article discusses Washington University's Olin Cup competition for business startups to students and entrepreneurs outside the business school. At stake is venture capital funding awards.

08/18/2003 A Growing Industry - Article discusses biotech and life sciences industries that have led the way in venture capital for the past year in St. Louis and how the trend should continue.

08/04/2003 Chlorogen gets venture capital for protein technology - St. Louis-based biotech firm Chlorogen Inc. has secured venture capital funding to develop pharmaceutical proteins in tobacco.

06/30/2003 8 venture capital firms band to form trade group - Venture capital firms operating in the St. Louis area have joined together to form a trade group to help promote the industry

03/17/2003 ‘Irrational conservatism’ rules day for venture capitalists - Article discusses current state of the venture capital market

02/27/2003 Missouri's 2002 venture capital investments drop 54% - Missouri ranks No. 20 for venture capital investments in 2002, according to the new MoneyTree Survey.

01/13/2003 RiverVest, Oakwood, Prolog shine in venture cap drought - As venture investing nationally continues in a downward spiral, three St. Louis startup funds are bucking the trend.

01/15/2003 InvestMidwest seeks applications for May forum - Organizers of the fourth annual InvestMidwest Venture Capital Forum are seeking applicants to present their business plans to the nation's top venture capitalists, corporate and private investors, and investment bankers.

12/02/2002 VC for a down economy: Spinoffs, regional offices begin to replace the tech startup - Curious investors are starting to sniff around a new Kansas law aimed at pumping up the modest amount of venture capital being invested in state-based companies.

11/27/2002 Missouri leads Midwest in Q3 Venture Capital Investments - Missouri led the Midwest region in venture capital investments in the third quarter with more than $80.6 million invested in 10 companies.

08/19/2002 Local VCs See Potential for Biotech Breakthrough, Success Stories, Equity Capital - The St. Louis venture capital community may be on the brink of a biotech breakthrough, but it still faces many challenges before it reaches the prominence of larger venture markets, according to local venture capitalists.

06/19/2002 Venture capital for life sciences needed in Midwest, group says - St. Louis-based Prolog Ventures co-hosted a conference in Chicago Wednesday to discuss ways to bring Midwest-based venture capital funds back to the Midwest, especially for entrepreneurial life sciences.

06/03/2002 Money aside, local companies profit from annual VC forum - Article discusses last year's InvestMidwest Venture Capital Forum.

05/20/2002 Economic tide turns, VCs emerge from the desert - Venture capital firms still hesitant about raising money to start new funds

05/20/2002 VCs seek deals to change business and 'humankind' - A Q&A with Mark Heesen, president of the National Venture Capital Association in Arlington, Va.