What is the Midlands Venture Forum?
Why was the Midlands Venture Forum established?
You say that the Midlands Venture Forum provides the connection to Venture Capital. How does the organization do this?
Tell me what your organization does.
When was the Midlands Venture Forum started and why?
Please describe some of the changes and challenges in the past 5 years for entrepreneurs in Nebraska?
How have those changes impacted the Midlands Venture Forum?
In the past, the entrepreneurial marketplace has been underserved in Nebraska, what type of services will the Midlands Venture Forum provide to help this market?
What are the challenges for the industry in the next 3-5 years? (These could be government regulations, financing, finding companies to move to Nebraska, etc)
What have been some of the most memorable or unusual companies the MVF has been involved with and WHY were they memorable or unusual?
What goals do you have for the Forum?
Who are your members? What geographic area do you do business in?
What do you consider MVF’s market niche?
You call the organization the Midlands Venture Forum. How is that different from a traditional venture capital firm or a TIPS group?

Q: What is the Midlands Venture Forum?
A: The Midlands Venture Forum is a Nebraska non-profit corporation comprised of volunteers dedicated to:

• Foster education, business development and success of high growth companies;
• Keep investor resources in the Midlands;
• Promote growth and economic stability;
• Contribute to the overall success of the region’s economy by broadening the tax base, creating jobs and diversifying the types of businesses that exist in the midlands.

Midlands Venture Forum membership is open to all entrepreneurs, investors, service providers and other interested parties who can facilitate the opportunity of “capital formation” in the Midlands.

Q: Why was the Midlands Venture Forum established?
A: The Midlands Venture Forum was established from an apparent need in the business community for an organization to support the entrepreneurial spirit and activity. Entrepreneurial activities have always been an integral part of the economic success in the Midlands. As the competition for resources (money and people) escalates within the business community, the Midland Venture Forum has become the primary vehicle that enables entrepreneurs, investors and service providers to collaborate.

Q: You say that the Midlands Venture Forum provides the connection to Venture Capital. How does the organization do this?
A: Our number one priority is to educate and create regional support for entrepreneurs in the Midlands. That’s what we do. Support touchstones come from many different resources including venture capital firms, private investors, private “angel” investors, and service providers. Each of these resources has a significant role in the venture capital connection and collaboration process. Additionally important to the connection process is continuing educational programs. As a mainstay of the Forum's initial efforts, the organization provides high quality education programs about high growth opportunities, essential business processes and the availability of capital and resources.

Q: Tell me what your organization does.
A: We help facilitate connection to the capital marketplace. Through monthly meetings and periodic educational workshops, the Forum helps, educates, and informs entrepreneurs. These meetings provide a venue for business people to come together and for entrepreneurs to present their business plans, go-to-market strategies and investment requests. In the future, the Forum hopes to hold more smaller meetings and seminars that address specific topics of importance.

Q: When was the Midlands Venture Forum started and why?
A: The group was formed in December of 2000 and held its first networking /educational dinner in March of 2001.

Q: Please describe some of the changes and challenges in the past 5 years for entrepreneurs in Nebraska?
A: Some of the changes and challenges in Nebraska we’ve noticed are perceived low accessibility to regional venture funding and identification of capital sources for start-up companies and entrepreneurs. Plus, another challenge for entrepreneurs in Nebraska was a lack of a common forum or resource to learn about, and to gain exposure to, the private equity market. Midlands Venture Forum was organized to help entrepreneurs fill the void.

Q: How have those changes impacted the Midlands Venture Forum?
A: Frankly, these changes have only heightened the need for the Midlands Venture Forum to assist entrepreneurs in their efforts to grow their businesses in the region; to expand their exposure to investors, thus, decreasing the trend of “brain-drain” in the region, creating a more robust economy and thriving job outlook in the long-term.

Q: In the past, the entrepreneurial marketplace has been underserved in Nebraska, what type of services will the Midlands Venture Forum provide to help this market?
A: Entrepreneurs are telling us that they need help in three areas: educational program, networking, and access to the capital marketplace. The Midlands Venture Forum is the resource to provide the networking and forum for entrepreneurs to interact, as well as, connect in a private, face-to-face manner with the capital marketplace where potential deals may be discussed, explored, and taken to the next steps.

Q: What are the challenges for the industry in the next 3-5 years? (These could be government regulations, financing, finding companies to move to Nebraska, etc)
A: The challenge for the industry in the next 3-5 years is making sure there is a cooperative effort in the Midlands between various governmental agencies (including multiple states and federal agencies), private enterprise, and various civic and social groups (such as Chambers of Commerce and private Foundations) for maximum return on investment.

Q: What have been some of the most memorable or unusual companies the MVF has been involved with and WHY were they memorable or unusual?
A: As you might envision, entrepreneurs are creative individuals. Most entrepreneurs are trying to improve upon a legacy business. Some of our more memorable companies have been sports entertainments companies, biotech companies, corn-product related companies, as well as many service companies. The breadth of entrepreneurs is only limited by the creativeness of the Midland mind.

Q: What goals do you have for the Forum?
A: Our goals are to offer high quality education, networking, and opportunity to our constituents. In return we hope that our constituents choose to keep their business in the Midlands.

Q: Who are your members? What geographic area do you do business in?
A: Our members consist of including venture capital firms, private investors, private “angel” investors, service providers and entrepreneurs. Currently, our service area extends from Grand Island, Nebraska, on the west to Des Moines, Iowa, on the East and from Sioux City, Iowa, on the north to Kansas City, Missouri on the south. We anticipate that the successes we achieve will ripple throughout the area. It is for those reasons, that we are taking a regional perspective to our planning and activities. Our future plans include involving businesses and investors throughout Nebraska, Eastern Iowa and South Dakota.

Q: What do you consider MVF’s market niche?
A: Quite simply, our market niche is private business in a cooperative network.

Q: You call the organization the Midlands Venture Forum. How is that different from a traditional venture capital firm or a TIPS group?
A: The Forum is not a capital source of funds, yet we help to facilitate the access to capital from a network of qualified and interested investors. We are more than a TIPS group because we provide educational venues specific to business growth and transition coupled with exposure to a wealth of information and contacts that enhance business growth, development and knowledge.