Purpose

Coming together to advance opportunities for promising Arkansas companies, the Arkansas Venture Forum provides educational and networking resources designed to accelerate the successful development of Arkansas's entrepreneurial community. Arkansas Venture Forum aims to:

1. Bring together all of Arkansas's resources that can be helpful in advancing promising Arkansas companies and cultivating an environment of information exchange.
2. Present a select group of Arkansas's emerging companies to Conference attendees.
3. Attract attendance of established venture capital firms.
4. Provide educational seminars to entrepreneurs
5. Assist in attracting equity capital and private equity angel investors
6. Assist in the formation of private equity groups
7. Provide a statewide yet local forum for the guided as well as informal exchange of ideas, experiences, resources and collaboration between entrepreneurial entities in Arkansas.

Testimonials

Great Opportunity to Connect

"The [Arkansas Venture] Conference is a great opportunity to connect with local business and community leaders."

Andrew Ruben, Vice President of Corporate Strategy/Sustainability
Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.

Bravo

"Economic growth comes from small business, and the Arkansas Venture Forum Conference has done more than anything else since its inception to foster the kinds of exposure, networks, capital and assistance that entrepreneurs of Arkansas need. Bravo to Tim McFarland, Watt Gregory, Mike Smith, Les Lane and Arkansas Capital Group for making sure this gets better every year."

Grey Williams
Dextera Corporation

First-Rate and Informative

"The Arkansas Venture Forum helped me understand the possibilities we have within Arkansas. The presentations were first-rate and informative. The opportunity to meet people and learn exceeded my expectations."

Steve Hankins
Next Steps 4 Your Business

A Public Forum for Discussion

"The Arkansas Venture Forum is not only an opportunity for companies to connect with investors but is also a public forum for discussion of Arkansas' strengths and weaknesses regarding the availability of capital."

C. Sam Walls, CEO
Arkansas Capital Corporation

Positive Impact on Statewide Economic Progress

"This was a great event, and I wish all Arkansans could realize the kind of positive impact it could have on our statewide economic progress."

Bob Dodson, CEO
Lynndale Systems (2006 AVC Presenting Company)

An Honor

"We are honored to be part of Arkansas' Emerging 21st Century Growth Economy."

Dan Sanker, CEO
CaseStack

A Great Learning and Networking Environment

"The 2006 Arkansas Venture Forum Conference created a great learning and networking environment. We were privileged to experience the mentoring process for presenting companies, which was outstanding both from the process and people standpoints. Members of the Forum, sponsors and volunteers should take great pride in the professionalism shown at the event."

W. Steven Carter, CEO
Elder Stay At Home, Inc. (2006 AVC Presenting Company)

A Dynamic, Solutions-Driven and Multidisciplinary Gathering

"Fayetteville Downtown Partners appreciated the opportunity to rub elbows with the individuals and companies leading Arkansas' knowledge-based sector of the state's economy. As an innovative, entrepreneurial nonprofit that works on a wide variety of issues, we recognize the absolute necessity of a dynamic, solutions-driven and multidisciplinary gathering such as the 2006 Arkansas Venture Conference. This event offered a cornucopia of possibility and was an invaluable resource for our organization."

Daniel Hintz, Executive Director
Fayetteville Downtown Partners