WASHINGTON, Aug. 21 /PRNewswire/ -- Venture investments in bioscience
startups in the Midwest are on the rise and will get a significant boost
from the Biotechnology Industry Organization's (BIO) Mid-America
VentureForum 2006, scheduled for September 25-27th at the Intercontinental
Hotel in Cleveland, OH.
Through the first half of 2006, Midwest bioscience and health care
companies attracted $287 million in venture capital, up 10% from 2005,
according to the Midwest Health Care Venture Investment Report recently
released by BioEnterprise. For the second quarter alone, companies raised
nearly $160 million, an increase of 36% from last year.
"Health care investments are gaining momentum in the Midwest," said
Baiju Shah, president of BioEnterprise. "The Mid-America VentureForum
provides an outstanding opportunity for coastal venture investors to
connect with Midwest venture firms and to see promising, venture-backed
companies from across the Midwest."
"The Midwest has truly become a region of growth for emerging
bioscience and medical device companies," stated Gary Glausser, Partner at
Birchmere Ventures and Advisory Board member for Mid-America VentureForum.
"The BIO Mid-America VentureForum gives these leading life science
companies the opportunity to reach out to interested investors to form
partnerships and networks that will evolve the bioscience industry even
further."
The BIO Mid-America VentureForum is the Midwest's largest annual
gathering of biotechnology and medical device companies, venture
capitalists, angel investors, and investment bankers from across the U.S.
and Canada. The conference will feature presentations by companies selected
by an advisory board consisting of representatives from the nation's
leading venture capital firms. Currently, 37 companies from 18 states are
scheduled to present.
Registration is complimentary for credentialed news media. Advance
registration is available at
http://www.bio.org/news/pressreg/index.asp?multiEvent=17 through September
15, 2006. Onsite registration is available only to reporters and editors
working full-time for print or broadcast news organizations with valid
media credentials.
For additional information on the BIO Mid-America VentureForum, please
visit http://bma.bio.org/opencms/bma/2006/index.jsp .
The Midwest Health Care Venture Investment Report by BioEnterprise can
be accessed at: http://www.bioenterprise.com/reports/ .
BIO represents more than 1,100 biotechnology companies, academic
institutions, state biotechnology centers and related organizations across
the United States and 31 other nations. BIO members are involved in the
research and development of healthcare, agricultural, industrial and
environmental biotechnology products.
SOURCE Biotechnology Industry Organization
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