“Time to switch. VCs, please move to your next meeting. CEO, founders, stay at your tables. Time to switch,” blared the announcer in a conference room at the Colorado Venture Summit at Sports Authority Field at Mile High on Wednesday.
And yet, people continued their conversations at their same tables.
With the rare opportunity to meet with multiple venture capitalists — and leaders of up-and-coming tech companies — it’s no wonder that the allotted 10 minutes sometimes extended a few minutes longer.
Meeting and networking is what the annual summit is all about. For those who are committed to a full day of one-on-one sessions, they’ll get up to eight 10-minute sessions with either potential investors or tech companies, said David Gold, the summit’s organizer as well as managing director at Access Venture Partners. But there’s also plenty of time for random meetings, plus the evening events.
While Gold plans to do follow-up with participants, it’s difficult to say whether a meeting led to an actual venture investment. But it’s all linked, he said.
“Over 100 new connections between tech companies and VC investors … were made last year,” he said. “Millions in funding has occurred as a result of the summit.”
We’ll try to get an update after this year’s event, which is currently entering the “evening party” phase at The Kitchen Next Door at Union Station. While Wednesday’s event was invitation only for investors and tech companies that already have funding, tonight’s party is open to all tech companies that want to be in the same vicinity as about 60 venture capitalists. More details at ColoradoVentureSummit.com
