Tech Venture 2013: It’s a Wrap

     By Joan Siefert Rose, President, CED

The CED Tech Venture Conference 2013 was a great opportunity to get an instant picture of all the energy surrounding the tech community in the Triangle and beyond.  Maybe you were among the 600 people who packed the Raleigh Convention Center last week to scope out companies, trends, and opportunities.  Here are some of the highlights:

Demo Company Organic Transit's ELF

• 48 presenting companies ranging from IT, cloud computing, analytics, cleantech, and medical devices, with two minutes to put their best foot forward in “lightning rounds” designed to encourage further conversation in the exhibit hall.  The companies represented the top performers from CED’s partners, including The Startup Factory, the Blackstone Entrepreneurs Network, NC IDEA and Cherokee-McDonough Challenge grant winners, plus companies based at popular co-working spaces like the American Underground, HQ Raleigh, First Flight Venture Center and Groundwork Labs – all in one place, at one time!
  
  
• ·    Top merger & acquisition execs from Google, Citrix and Red Hat talking about the technologies that interest them, and how to do business with the “big boys”
  
  
• ·     An address from Governor Pat McCrory, recognizing a record 7 North Carolina  companies that have had an initial public offering in 2013
  
  

  

  NC Governor Pat McCory with representatives from Stock Building Supply Holdings, Quintiles, Ply Gym, LipoScience, Heat Biologics, Chimerix, ChannelAdvisor and CED sponsor Ipero. 

  
  
• ·    The first-ever Raleigh gathering of the Angel Capital Association’s southeast regional meeting, bringing more than 100 early stage investors to the Triangle from the Carolinas, Georgia, Tennessee, Florida, Virginia, Kentucky and Louisiana to discuss deal syndication and current trends in raising capital
  
  

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  Opening Keynote Speaker Bob Dorf

  ·    Red-hot companies, including ReverbNation, Bronto Software and StrikeIron, sharing their stories in main stage presentations, and making key contacts in more intimate settings to discuss their business strategies
  
  
• ·    Speakers like lean startup guru Bob Dorf, dwinQ CEO Patrick Sweeney, and Endeca co-founder Pete Bell
  
  
  
  

The CED Tech Venture Conference is our entrepreneurial community coming together to showcase, celebrate, and connect.  Thanks to our steering committee and especially to our co-chairs Steve Wiehe of SciQuest, Mike Elliott of Noro-Moseley Partners, and Jimmy and Michael Goodmon of Capitol Broadcasting.

Let us know what you thought – we’re already planning for 2014.