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Chromatin, Inc., Kim Laboratories, NorthStar Pharma/Northwestern University Medical School, and Ocularis Pharma, Inc. were among more than 50 Midwestern companies selected by venture capitalists from the nation's leading firms who serve on BIO's advisory board. These companies will present their business plans to a national audience of venture capitalists and other potential investors.

Now in its fourth year, the BIO Mid-America VentureForum is the Midwest's largest annual event joining private bioscience and medical device companies in need of funding with venture capitalists, angel investors, and investment bankers from across the United States and Canada.

While deal flow in the Midwest is increasing overall, Illinois accounts for a large portion of the growth through educational programs. According to the April 2006 Battelle Technology Partnership Practice and SSTI report, Illinois ranks fifth in the country with the number of higher education degrees earned in bioscience fields.

"The Midwest continues to generate numerous biotechnology and medical device companies," stated David Miller, President & CEO of the Illinois Biotechnology Industry Organization, known as iBIO. "The BIO Mid-America Venture Forum provides these emerging companies with a wonderful opportunity to seek investment from interested investors."

Workshops and plenary sessions will be held throughout the duration of the conference and will cover topics ranging from investing in cutting-edge technologies to accelerating the regulatory review process. Panelists on two workshops represent Skokie, IL-based businesses. Michael Rosen, Senior Vice President of New Business Development of the Science and Technology Group of Forest City Enterprises, Inc. will join three other panelists on a workshop entitled "Accelerating Healthcare Clusters: Successful, Short-Term Models." Sean Murdock, Executive Director of the NanoBusiness Alliance, will serve as a panelist for an alternative capital sources workshop entitled "The New Bioscience Start-up Investors: Hedge Funds, Foundations, and Angels."

The BIO Mid-America VentureForum is co-sponsored by eight state biotech associations: Omeris (Ohio), Colorado BioScience Association, Illinois Biotechnology Industry Organization, Indiana Health Industry Forum, Iowa Biotechnology Association, LifeScience Alley, Missouri Biotechnology Association, and Wisconsin Biotechnology Association.

BIO represents more than 1,100 biotechnology companies, academic institutions, state biotechnology centers and related organizations across the United States and 31 other nations. BIO members are involved in the research and development of healthcare, agricultural, industrial and environmental biotechnology products.

SOURCE: iBIO