There are any number of formal networking events organized for
the express purpose of putting angel investors in direct contact
with capital-hungry entrepreneurs. For example, MIT Enterprise
Forums, which are held in some 14 cities across the United States
and five additional international cities, take the form of a
business-plan presentation--followed by a critique of both the plan
and presentation--to professional investors, who are often
institutional venture capitalists. But there's plenty of time
before and after the program to network, see and be seen, pass out
cards, and find leads.
Other formats include panel discussions, breakfast workshops,
cocktail receptions and brown-bag seminars. Sponsors range from
chambers of commerce and professional consulting organizations to
universities and state economic development organizations. There
are also venture fairs, which give entrepreneurs direct contact
with angels in a "walk the midway"-type arrangement. You
need to be careful with fairs, however. Many such events are
organized to put companies in front of institutional venture
capitalists. If you don't qualify for that kind of
investment--and very few small businesses do--you'll find
trying to get a slot to be a frustrating and generally unproductive
use of your time.
To find your venue, call the nearest chamber of commerce and ask
if they have a venture group. If you need to locate a chamber near
you, call the U.S. Chamber of Commerce in Washington, DC, at
(202)659-6000 or visit its Web site at http://www.uschamber.org. If you
want to find out if there's an MIT Enterprise Forum scheduled
for a city near you, call the MIT Enterprise Forum headquarters at
(617)253-0015 or visit its Web site at http://web.mit.edu/entforum/
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