ANN ARBOR — Organizers of the Michigan Growth Capital Symposium announced that the event’s name will be changed to the Midwest Growth Capital Symposium beginning in 2019.
Organizers said the change reflects the event’s focus on the entire tech ecosystem of the Midwest, not just Michigan. Next year’s program will also show an increased focus on the tech transfer successes coming out of the region’s Big 10 research universities.
“As the cost of living and operating a startup continues to skyrocket on the coasts, investors and entrepreneurs alike have stepped up their search for alternatives, bringing the Midwest ecosystem the attention it deserves,” said David Brophy, professor of finance at the University of Michigan and founding director of MGCS. “For the last four decades, MGCS has worked to bring national recognition to the region’s best and brightest — but over the years, we’ve begun attracting an audience that goes beyond Michigan’s borders. By changing our name to the Midwest Growth Capital Symposium, we’ll reflect the full complement of startup talent in America’s heartland.”
The MGCS is the longest running venture fair of its kind in the nation, dating back to 1981. It is presented by the Center for Venture Capital & Private Equity Finance and the Zell Lurie Institute for Entrepreneurial Studies, both programs of the University of Michigan’s Ross School of Business, with support from the Michigan Venture Capital Association.
The 37th annual MGCS is taking place this week at the Marriott Eagle Crest in Ypsilanti. For more information, visit www.MichiganGCS.com.