Sponsorship Invitation Letter

Third Annual Virginia Technology Capital Access Forum 2005
The Hotel Roanoke and Conference Center
October 10-11, 2005

Virginia Tech and the NCTC invite you to be a sponsor of Virginia's Technology Capital Access Forum 2005 (VTCAF) in Roanoke, VA. This important event, Virginia's third annual state-wide technology capital access forum, is scheduled for October 10-11, 2005 at the Hotel Roanoke and Conference Center.

The primary goal of VTCAF is to afford selected early and mid-stage technology companies the opportunity to present business plans to a varied audience of venture capitalists, angels, and other capital providers. The event will also provide numerous networking opportunities for informal interaction between companies seeking capital and prospective investors.

VTCAF is an annual, super-regional event that is geared to attract technology companies and capital providers here on a recurring basis. Last year's VTCAF keynote speaker was Jeff Taylor, the founder of Monster.com, a company that represents the quintessential story of how an idea can transform an entire industry. The opening dinner was attended by more than 250 business leaders. Thirty-nine companies competed for ten available presentation slots on the second day of the forum. More than 35 representatives from 20 capital providers, ranging from institutional venture capital firms to private equity funds to angel investors to banks, attended. A conservative estimate of the institutional venture capital represented at the 2004 forum exceeds 3 billion dollars.

This year's event will be even bigger and better. We will be kicking it off with our keynote speaker, Rich Karlgaard. He is the publisher of Forbes magazine and writes his Digital Rules column about technology, entrepreneurship, regional economic development, and the future of business and work. He authored Life 2.0, a 2004 Wall St. Journal and Amazon bestseller about economic prosperity in America outside of urban hubs. Mr. Karlgaard is also an accomplished entrepreneur, having received the Northern California Entrepreneur of the Year Award, given by Ernst & Young.

VTCAF has positioned this region as the hub of a statewide effort to foster economic development involving emerging technology companies. In doing so, the forum implements a significant component of the 5th Planning District's Regional Economic Strategy. Early indications are that VTCAF will contribute significantly to high-technology economic development efforts in our region for years to come. Genomatix Corporation, one of the ten presenting companies at the first year's event, relocated its operations from Cincinnati to Blacksburg and Roanoke. Presenters from last year's event have had discussions with capital providers and have obtained funding.

To build on VTCAF's momentum, this year the calls for company participants have gone out months earlier than in years past. This will increase the pool of potential business plan presenters, and enable companies to be grouped based on development stage and capital requirements.

This year's event will closely follow the format of prior years. The tentative program consists of the following elements:

VTCAF 2005 participants will comprise a virtual "Who's Who" of the key players on the Virginia technology scene, including venture capital executives, angel investors, business owners, entrepreneurs, service providers, economic development professionals, elected officials and others who are driving Virginia's technology economy.

This is a special invitation to your organization to join the efforts of Virginia Tech and the NCTC by sponsoring this year's event. Each sponsorship package has been carefully designed to identify the sponsor as an active participant in the transformation of Virginia's technology-led economy. Sponsors will receive excellent name recognition and positioning in this year's enhanced publicity campaign. Details on sponsorship opportunities are provided below.

Please print all materials and complete and sign the sponsorship form confirming that you would like to participate by supporting this important forum. Completed forms can be faxed to Kelly Obenauer, Virginia Tech Program Development, at (540) 231-9886. (Phone: (540) 231-3144 in case of transmission problems; full contact information on Sponsorship Registration form, attached.) Since some sponsorship opportunities have already been taken and last year's sponsors have a preference, we urge you to act quickly. Due to conference material print deadlines, we must receive your agreement forms and fees no later than June 30.

If you have any questions regarding VTCAF or sponsorship, please feel free to contact either of the following:

• Sponsorship Invitation Letter
• Sponsorship Information
• Sponsorship Agreement
• Sponsorship Registration