Over 670 active investors joined online and in-person at Microsoft for high-quality deal flow, thought leadership, innovation, ideas and networking. Investor interests in the presenting companies surged to a record 1,637
Seattle, WA - March 21, 2024 — The first Investor Capital Expo of 2024 took place on March 14 and 15 at the Microsoft Campus. The premier gathering of angels in the Pacific Northwest brought exciting deal flow, valuable connections and exclusive thought leadership to over 670 active investors including angel investors and family offices. Presenting companies showcased promising breakthroughs on their path to growth and generated significant buzz, with each garnering an average of over 70 interested investors.
Winners of the Most Valued Company and Most Valued Member awards were also announced. The momentum was an encouraging start to the spring fundraising season. Here's a roundup of all that took place at the Keiretsu Forum Northwest and Rockies Investor Capital Expo!
Keiretsu Forum Northwest and Rockies Chairman Nathan McDonald set the ball rolling on March 14, delving into the recent growth and huge capital potential of family offices. For the opening session, an exclusive Family office-only breakfast saw investors engage with the NextGen of entrepreneurship and investing. Following breakfast was the launch of the exclusive Keiretsu Power Matching Exchange, the Family Office Forum panel discussions, keynotes and brief company presentations. The day was marked by game-changing ideas, one-on-one investor-founder meetings and meaningful exchange of market insights.
The thought leadership offered great value to online and in-person attendees. The first keynote speaker, Mick Wiskerchen took the stage and spoke about scaling and exits. Then, Matthew Le Merle dove into opportunities in the blockchain space, followed by Ron Diamond's talk on the changing world of family offices. On the Keiretsu Family Office NextGen Outlook Panel, investors Craig D'Cruze and Amanda Reed talked about empowering the next generation of family offices. A little later, the Family Office Investment Outlook Panel, featuring Martin Tobias, Ron Weissman, Katherine Hill Ritchie and Reg Athwal looked back on their individual journeys and the current market perspective in family office investing. Rounding off the day, Connie H.A. Morgan passed down five generations of experience in securing future opportunities.
Day Two of the Expo raised the energy level and attendance, featuring 16 emerging companies seizing their chance and presenting cutting-edge innovations in sectors like med-tech, life sciences, consumer, finance and more to hundreds of active investors.
Founders brought their vision and ideas to the fore and interacted with angel investors, institutional investors, and family offices through slides and Q&As. The overwhelming response resulted in a tally of over 1,637 indications of investment interest across both days.
The Investor Capital Expo showcased an exceptional roster of keynote speakers on day two as well, including Ron Weissman's talk on the angel market outlook and Katherine Hill Ritchie's look at seeking high-growth potential innovations. Keiretsu Forum member and active investor Yinan Qiu was honored as the Most Valued Member not just for his but also GRIT and transparency, but also for his remarkable contributions to the community and the quality of his participation in due diligence and support of portfolio companies.
The grand finale came when it was finally time to award the Most Valued Company (as voted by investors using the Votegrity platform) at the Investor Capital Expo. Taking home the honors was LumiThera, winning the MVC award for its work on photobiomodulation to correct vision loss. The first runner-up was radiation tech treatment company TibaRay and battery innovation company Soteria was the second runner-up!
"As we inspire the next generation of investors and focus on the fundamentals, the Investor Capital Expo 2024 has proven to be a catalyst for innovation, fostering an environment where investors converge to shape the future," said Brianna McDonald, President of Keiretsu Forum Northwest & Rockies.
With the energy and enthusiasm that the Investor Capital Expo generated, the foresight and vision on offer on-stage and in the audience, and the ideas that were shared, it's evident that the fundraising ecosystem in the seed and growth stage remains in good hands. The next Investor Capital Expo takes place in August.
About Keiretsu Forum Northwest & Rockies
Keiretsu Forum Northwest & Rockies is a region within the global Keiretsu Forum investor network. It includes chapters in Vancouver (Canada), Denver/Boulder, Bellevue, Seattle, Salt Lake City/Boise, and Portland. Keiretsu Forum Northwest & Rockies has more than 400 members and has invested over $500 million since its founding in 2005. For more information, visit www.k4northwest.com
