JumpStart Ventures is introducing Ohio VC Fest, an event to bring together tech founders, investors, corporate leaders and entrepreneurs.
The two-day event will be held at the Marriott Key Tower Downtown Cleveland on Oct. 11 and 12, JumpStart Ventures said Wednesday.
The summit aims to forge connections among investors, entrepreneurs and potential clients to attract capital, create partnerships and accelerate economic growth throughout Ohio, the venture capital division of Cleveland venture developer JumpStart Inc. said.
JumpStart Inc. reorganized its venture capital operations in 2022 to lead Northeast Ohio's efforts to attract and raise more venture capital dollars.
The venture capital summit is expected to highlight technologies and industries that are critical to Ohio's economic vitality, including enterprise software-as-a-service, health care, fintech and manufacturing, JumpStart Ventures said.
"Ohio’s venture capital and startup ecosystems have grown substantially over the past decade," said Ray Leach, CEO of JumpStart Ventures, in a statement. Showcasing and accelerating this momentum at an annual event could increase collaboration across the state and "elevate Ohio as a formidable technology hub," Leach said.
But if the Cleveland area wants its economy to grow like those of Ohio peer cities including Columbus and Cincinnati, it needs more startups and venture capital, according to a 2019 Brookings Institution report.
In addition to workshop and networking sessions, the summit is expected to offer one-on-one meetups among investors and founders.
The vision is to hold the venture capital festival in a different Ohio city each year, JumpStart Ventures said.
The event will be hosted in partnership with other Ohio-based venture investors including Rev1 Ventures and CincyTech, JumpStart Ventures said. Event sponsors include KeyBank and Thompson Hine LLP.
