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CED Accepting Presenter Applications for the 26th Annual Venture Conference

November 4, 2008

Research Triangle Park, N.C. (November 4, 2008) – The Council for Entrepreneurial Development (CED) proudly announces the launch of the application process for their 26th annual Venture Conference. The conference will take place on April 22-23, 2009 at the Pinehurst Resort in Pinehurst, NC. The first application deadline is December 19, 2008. Final application deadline is January 30, 2009.

In the last four years, Venture presenting companies have raised over $732.31 million in venture capital. This year, CED searches for the same caliber of high growth businesses from North Carolina and across the Southeast looking to raise initial or subsequent rounds of private equity capital. The applicants selected will present their ideas in front of hundreds of venture capitalists, angel investors and other financiers from around the country. CED’s Venture 2009 will also include expert industry speakers, networking opportunities and exclusive investor-only events amidst one of North Carolina’s premier golf club resorts.

“CED’s Venture Conference has consistently been the best run conference on the east coast,” says Jeff Reedy, CEO and president of Overture Networks Inc. “We have been honored to make it through the rigorous selection process and found their advisory approach to preparation to be very helpful to create the most impactful presentation. The conference is a great networking venue and helped us close several fundraising efforts.”

Overture Networks Inc., a leading developer of converged packet access platforms, has closed several rounds of funding after presenting at CED’s Venture Conference. After presenting in 2004, Overture Networks closed a $6 million financing round and after presenting in 2006, they completed a $7.5 million third round of financing.

“Our goal at Venture 2009 is to showcase the very best in investment opportunities from across North Carolina and the Southeast,” said Steve Nelson, general partner with Wakefield Group and chair of CED’s selection committee for the conference. “We welcome any and all innovative and emerging growth companies to apply to present at this exceptional event.”

Because selection is highly competitive, companies are encouraged to submit their applications as early as possible so that they will have the opportunity to receive full consideration. A selection committee of qualified investors selected by CED will review each application. Selection of the presenting companies is competitive and based on the selection committee’s assessment of the company’s written application.

To complete the application online or for more information on the conference, please visit
www.cednc.org/conferences/venture/2009/presenters/.

About the Council for Entrepreneurial Development
The Council for Entrepreneurial Development (CED) is a private, non-profit organization founded in 1984 to identify, enable and promote high-growth, high-impact companies and accelerate the region’s entrepreneurial culture. Headquartered in the Research Triangle Park, CED is the oldest and largest entrepreneurial support organization in the nation with more than 5,000 active members representing over 1,100 companies. CED provides know-how, networking, mentoring and capital formation resources to new and existing high-growth entrepreneurs through annual conferences, programs and web-based resources. For more information, visit www.cednc.org.

For more information, contact Cassandra Cranston at ccranston@cednc.org or 919.226.0460.

Written by Marc DeWalle · Filed Under Blog, Startups 

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