Attendees at the Nov. 9-11 Wisconsin Early Stage Symposium will use a top-ranked virtual platform to experience presentations, watch company pitches, compete for “door” prizes and network among themselves.
The vFairs software-as-a-service platform adopted by the Wisconsin Technology Council for the annual conference was recently ranked No. 1 in its class, according to Webbiquity. The conference is being held virtually due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Registration is now open.
Attendees will enter through an animated “lobby” with navigation to conference events, sponsor booths, chat rooms and more. Those who register for the Early Stage Symposium will be able to compete for prizes, vote on major company presentations and return to recorded panel discussions and speaker remarks for up to three months after the conference.
A virtual briefcase allows attendees to store anything they see in the virtual environment and download it once the event ends.
Exhibitor booth representatives can engage with visitors via text, audio or video chats in real time. This interaction can happen via a group chat or through a one-on-one chat window if privacy is preferred. The booths can also host images, brochures, data sheets and play videos to help attendees feel almost like they’re attending in person.
“We’re proud to offer this highly ranked platform to those who may have attended the Early Stage Symposium live in the past, as well as those who will join us virtually for the first time,” said Tom Still, president of the Wisconsin Technology Council.
General registration is now open by clicking here!
The Early Stage Symposium is a leading forum for young companies that want to pitch to investors. Investor Intros will feature scheduled one-on-one meetings with interested investors on Nov. 9. The Elevator Pitch Olympics will take place live on Nov. 11 with 90-second presentations by younger companies who will be scored and get immediate feedback from investors. Companies chosen for Tech Council Investor Network Presentations will utilize AirDeck to create their pitch decks and they will be available to attendees in advance.
Here are investor groups so far participating in the Early Stage Symposium: 4490 Ventures, Atlene, Baird Capital, Bascom Ventures, Bold Coast Capital, Brightstar WI Foundation, Capital Innovators, CMFG Ventures, Cream City Venture Capital, Dundee VC, Golden Angels Investors, Great North Labs, HealthX Ventures, Hyde Park Ventures, Idea Fund of La Crosse, Inventure Capital, Iron Forge, Lancaster Investments, Lewis & Clark Ventures, Lightbank, Lightship Capital, M25 Capital, Madison Development Corporation, MaSa Partners, Matchstick Ventures, Midwest Wealth Ventures, N29 Capital, NVNG Investment Advisors, Open Prairie Ventures, Oshkosh Corp., Plymouth Growth Partners, Rock River Capital Partners, Sandalphon Capital, Silicon Pastures, Stateline Angels, TASC Ventures, The Ardent Group, Titletown Tech, Tundra Angels, Venture Investors, Winnebago Capital Partners, Winnow Fund, Wisconn Valley Ventures, Wisconsin Economic Development Corp., Wisconsin Investment Partners, WISC Partners and Ziegler.
The conference will also feature:
- A variety of insightful keynote speakers, including recently announced entrepreneur and viral influencer Jon Jacques and targeted panel discussions featuring leading entrepreneurs, investors and others tied to the tech and investor sectors
- Previously announced presentations on a new Wisconsin partnership involving the international Creative Destruction Lab; the Epic Health Research Network; the bioindustrial surge in Wisconsin; and Midwest investors discussing the potential of Wisconsin.
- 7th annual “Triple E” award winner Lorrie Keating Heinemann to be recognized
- Virtual sponsor exhibit hall showcasing more than 40 innovative Wisconsin companies
The Tech Council produces the conference. Sponsors so far include: 100state, Aberdean, Advanced Materials Industrial Consortium, Alliant Energy, American Family Insurance, American Transmission Co., AT&T, Aurora Health Care, Baird Capital, Baker Tilly, BDO, C.D. Smith Construction, City of Fitchburg, Concordia University Wisconsin, CUNA Mutual, Dane County Regional Airport, Dedicated Computing, DeWitt, Exact Sciences, Findorff, First Business Bank, Fluno Center, Godfrey & Kahn, Google, HealthX Ventures, Husch Blackwell, Idea Fund of La Crosse, Insperity, Kimberly-Clark, KW2, M3 Insurance, Madison Gas & Electric, Makin’ Hey Communications, Marshfield Clinic Health System, Michael Best, Mobile 22, Morgridge Institute, N29 Capital Partners, Neider & Boucher, Northwestern Mutual, One City Schools, Oshkosh Corp., Quarles & Brady, Reinhart Boerner Van Deuren, RSM US, Signature Bank, Skyward, State of Wisconsin Investment Board, Summit Credit Union, board member Susan Healy, TASC, University Research Park, UWM Research Foundation, UW-Madison Computer Sciences, UW-Madison Office of Business Engagement, Venture Investors, Versiti, WEA Trust, Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation, Wisconsin Center for Manufacturing Productivity, Wisconsin Economic Development Corp., Whitewater University Technology Park, WIPFLi and Ziegler.
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