Wayne Brown Institute to Host First Ever Investors Choice Southeast Venture Capital Forum in...

Business Editors

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. & SALT LAKE CITY--(BUSINESS WIRE)--March 18, 2004

April 19-20, 2004 event to provide

venture capital opportunities for companies

The first ever Wayne Brown Institute Investors Choice(R) Southeast Venture Capital Forum

In conjunction with co-hosts the Alabama Information Technology Association, the Biotechnology Association of Alabama, the Birmingham Venture Club and TechBirmingham, the Wayne Brown Institute will provide opportunities for high-tech companies from around the United States to participate in the venture capital fund-raising process.

"In the 20-plus years that the Wayne Brown Institute has been in operation, our alumni companies have successfully raised a total of more than $1.2 billion in private equity," said Brad Bertoch, president of the Wayne Brown Institute. "The Investors Choice Conference has been a staple in venture capital fund-raising in Utah for 20 years now, and we've seen great success with our events in Hawaii as well. We're very pleased to now bring the same resources to Birmingham in an effort to help drive the venture capital process in the Southeast."

The conference schedule includes such events as an investors-only Porsche driving experience at the Barber Motorsports Park or a golf outing at the Greystone Golf and Country Club, as well as a reception at the Barber Vintage Motorsports Museum on April 19. Individual company presentations and one-on-one meetings with companies will follow on April 20.

"We're very pleased that the Wayne Brown Institute and its co-sponsors here in Birmingham have decided to host the Southeast Venture Capital Forum in Alabama," said Mike Alder, managing director of Redmont Venture Partners. "Birmingham is home to a number of growing high-tech and biotech companies and is also a large national banking center. It's the perfect location for seedling companies to find the investment dollars they need and blossom into companies that will not only further establish the Southeast as a viable region for doing business, but also contribute positively to the greater community."

Interested parties can register for the two-day event online at https://waynebrown.verite.com/events/register/?action=dsp_info&event_i d=64 (Due to the length of this URL, it may be necessary to copy and paste this hyperlink into your Internet browser's URL address field.) or by calling 801-595-1141. Registration begins at $395 per person for one-day admission to the conference, with an additional $135 for the golfing event and $100 for the Gala Reception. Also, qualified investors may participate in a half-day event at the Porsche Driving School for $1,000. The cost of registration for the one-day conference drops to $295 for any additional conference attendee(s) from the same firm.

"Like many other places, the Southeast has an abundance of small companies trying to gain funds in order to establish themselves and have a better chance at success," said James Childs, president of the Birmingham Venture Club and general partner of Bradley Arant Rose & White LLP. "Despite years of reduced investments, there is actually a lot of money out there in the hands of investors who are looking for the right opportunities. The Southeast Venture Capital Forum provides companies primarily in the Southeast with a high-profile opportunity to meet up with these individuals and organizations and show them that they are practical prospects for new investment dollars."

More information about the Wayne Brown Institute and the Investors Choice Southeast Venture Capital Forum is available online at www.venturecapital.org or www.sevencap.org, or by calling 801-595-1141.

About the Wayne Brown Institute

Located in Salt Lake City, the Wayne Brown Institute is the oldest, most successful nonprofit venture capital accelerator in the world and was formed in 1983 by Dr. Wayne S. Brown. It seeks to educate early-stage companies through mentor-based training in the methods of becoming attractive, viable investments for venture capitalists, while creating value-added relationships between entrepreneurs, capital providers and key professionals specializing in equity-backed business. The Wayne Brown Institute is nationally recognized for its expertise in understanding and applying the venture capital funding processes of Silicon Valley to areas that are capital constrained.

About the Alabama Information Technology Association

The Alabama Information Technology Association is the voice for the Alabama information technology (IT) industry and a conduit for communication regarding important IT issues. It is a nonprofit organization that hosts programs and events aimed at connecting those individuals and companies that need financing with those that have capital.

About the Biotechnology Association of Alabama

The Biotechnology Association of Alabama was formed in 1997 by biotechnology executives and community leaders to provide a united effort and industry voice for the emerging biotech industry. Since that time the organization has grown to encompass more than 250 members representing biotech companies, service and support providers and individuals from across the United States.

About the Birmingham Venture Club

Since 1985, the Birmingham Venture Club has focused on the goal of creating an atmosphere that encourages entrepreneurial development and investment. By educating interested persons about the purpose and benefits of venture capital, stimulating investment capital for ventures that are developed in the Birmingham community and creating networks for the exchange of information between investors, entrepreneurs and professionals, the organization is working to accomplish that goal.

About TechBirmingham

TechBirmingham's mission is to lead, support and coordinate the startup, attraction, growth, retention and expansion of technology-based businesses, investments and jobs for the city of Birmingham and the surrounding region.