SEVC in Charlotte in 2013 - And Almost Sold Out

The 7th Annual Southeast Venture Conference is just around the bend, and in more ways than one. This year, the conference, which hosts some of the most dynamic high-growth companies in the Southeast and highlights early- and growth-stage investment opportunities, is taking place in Charlotte, NC on March 13-14, 2013.

The CED Team caught up with Scott Hedrick, who is leading the conference planning team.



CED Team: What does SEVC mean for the city of Charlotte? Why'd the SEVC team select Charlotte as the host city?

Hedrick: We think its time to highlight the emerging tech scene in Charlotte. Additionally, Charlotte is centrally located in the Southeast and offers a great airport for those coming in from outside the area - these are huge bonuses for a major conference event such as SEVC.

CED Team: Previous SEVC's have attracted 500-600 participants. What do you expect this year? How's registration going, given the current market forces?

Hedrick: We're actually closing registration at 600 people this year, capping the total number of attendees in order to fill the space at the Ritz Carlton in Charlotte. Historically, we've been close to that 600 number every year. This year, there seems to be a lot of hunger in the market this year, so we're anticipating an early sell-out.

CED Team: How early? When's registration going to close, in your opinion?

Hedrick: Maybe this week - we're almost sold out.

CED Team: So, why SEVC? What will make this year the best SEVC yet?

Hedrick: SEVC is a major conference that shines the light on the Southeast region from an investment standpoint. This event is a great opportunity to showcase high-growth companies within the region to those from outside of the region.

We're expecting another strong event this year - with more than 50 companies showcasing at the conference, and a large number of venture funds in attendance. We're really excited to have SAP CEO Bill McDermott joining us as well as Forbes publisher Rich Karlgaard, and a special appearance by The Honorable Pat McCrory, Governor of North Carolina.

CED Team: How will entrepreneurs benefit from the conference? What about investors?

Hedrick: For entrepreneurs, the largest benefit is the networking and the potential connections - primarily to the investment community, but also to other technology executives and those with a vested interest in growing the region's innovation economy.

For investors, it's a "one stop shop" to connect with some of the top companies in the region. Other benefits, for both investors and entrepreneurs, include the lessons learned through our 13 market-timely panels and presentations on the latest trends and best practices for high-growth companies.


SEVC occurs on March 13-14 at the Ritz Carlton in Charlotte, NC. More information and registration information can be found at http://www.seventure.org/.