"CRISIS" For THE VENTURE CAPITAL COMMUNITY

Recent reports show a 'crisis' for the venture capital community due to a severe shortage of exit options, as both the IPO market and M&A avenue has significantly narrowed. Given this, it is essential for today's early stage investors to identify strategies to support viable companies during this turbulent time period.

CREATING OPPORTUNITY IN CHALLENGING TIMES

Historically, this conference has been supported by members of the venture capital community and industry organizations such as the NVCA*National Venture Capital Association and the ESVCA*Early Stage Venture Capital Investing Conference to address pressing issues and identify emerging investment opportunities. It is now an imperative for early stage VCs to share leadership insights on these critical issues which are impacting the VC market:

Preparing for an exit and working through the non-existent IPO window

Growth financing strategies to raise the B round and secure additional rounds of financing

Business concepts to keep young companies afloat during challenging times and overall ways to mitigate risk

THE CHANGED FACE OF EARLY STAGE

Uniting over 300 early stage venture capitalists, the IBF Early Stage Venture Capital Investing Conference provides best practices, case studies, in-depth interviews, and keynote presentations by top-tier early stage fund managers who will share strategies regarding the changing Silicon Valley investment model.

PROGRAM CHAIRMAN MESSAGE

Vincent Occhipinti
Managing Director, Woodside Fund
Chairman, Early Stage Venture Capital Alliance *ESVCA

Dear Early Stage Venture Investing Colleague:

There is now a great opportunity for early stage venture investors committed to build companies which will sustain and advance innovation.

For the past nine years, Woodside Fund has participated in the IBF Early Stage Venture Capital Investing Conference, a conference designed to address current trends, provide significant observations and offer best practices to identify the markings of successful early stage start-ups.

As the Chairman of this annual event, I am pleased to highlight this year’s program. This year’s 9th Annual Early Stage Venture Capital Investing Conference is taking place October 21-22, 2008, at The Fairmont Hotel in San Francisco, CA and will serve as the premier gathering for over 300 seed and early stage venture investors.

This two-day conference covers a range of topics regarding the key developments facing the early stage venture investing community today.

TOPICS TO BE ADDRESSED:

	Early Stage Venture Capital Investing: New Rules For The Riskiest (and most profitable)
	Venture Game
	The Limited Partner Perspective On Early Stage Venture Capital
	Overcoming The Toughest Milestone: Getting Early Stage Companies To The Next Round Of
	Financing
	Ensuring The Competitive Future Of A Young Company: Growing Start-Ups Early On To
	Become Global Leaders
	Managing Growth And Expectations On Exits
	Dodging Debacles: Business Concepts To Keep Out Of Trouble During Turbulent Times
	Tapping University And National Labs For Deal Flow And IP
	On Angels’ Wings: The Growing Importance Of Angel Investors
	Fund Structures For Early Stage Investments

Audience Profile:

Venture capitalists, corporate investors, institutional investors, private equity investors, limited partners, angel investors, investment bankers, CEO’s and CFO’s of emerging growth companies, university & national laboratory technology transfer officers, and corporate M&A executives

To register, please contact Cathy Fenn, Registrar, at (516) 765-9005 ext. 210 or cathy@ibfconferences.com

For more information, speaking and sponsorship opportunities at this year’s conference, please contact Christina Riboldi: (516) 765-9005 ext. 180 or christina@ibfconferences.com