After two years, the Council for Entrepreneurial Development’s venture conference is back – and in-person
The CED Venture Connect Summit in Research Triangle Park attracts investors from all over, allowing entrepreneurs in the Southeast the opportunity to connect, pitchdecks in tow. And investors tell us that after two years they can’t wait to start networking.
“This is the first in person CED conference since the pandemic and our entire team is attending,” said Jason Caplain, co-founder of Durham investor Bull City Venture Partners. His team will use the conference “as an opportunity to reconnect with some founders and also look to meet new ones.”
“Also, CED does an amazing job recruiting investors from outside the area to attend,” he said.
Lister Delgado, managing partner of Durham investor IDEA Fund Partners, said the conference isn’t just an opportunity to find startups “that fit our investment profile,” it’s also an opportunity to meet new investors the firm can potentially partner with.
Serial entrepreneur Scot Wingo will also be at the conference, this time to scout for his new firm, the Tweener Fund.
“I’ll be primarily focused on the non-life science pitches, making sure no companies have snuck in under our radar that are either Tweeners or potential future Tweeners we need to keep an eye on,” he said.
Wingo’s firm defines a “Tweener” as a firm with either $1 million in annual revenue or at least 10 people.
The conference starts Wednesday with an invite-only investor dinner, but the real action takes place Thursday on the Cisco Systems campus with pitches from tech startups beginning at 9 a.m.. More than 200 venture capitalists and other financiers are expected to attend.