Investors, entrepreneurs and experts to convene in Miami for “Latin America: The New Mainstream”
MIAMI (Sept. 24, 2010) – Leading venture capitalists, international business experts and entrepreneurs will convene in Miami this November for the first venture capital conference of its kind to focus on Latin American enterprises.
The 2010 Americas Venture Capital Conference, presented by Florida International University’s Eugenio Pino and Family Global Entrepreneurship Center, will take place on November 17-18, 2010 at FIU’s College of Business Complex, Modesto A. Maidique Campus, 11200 S.W. 8th Street, Miami. The theme of the inaugural conference is “Latin America: The New Mainstream.”
“The Latin American focus is a first for an American venture capital conference, and Miami is the ideal place to bring the parties together,” said Conference Chair and Director of the Pino Center Irma Becerra-Fernandez. “(With the Americas Venture Capital Conference, we will take an important step in building a global community to support Latin American ventures.”
Keynote speakers include Gustavo A. Cisneros, chairman of the Cisneros Group of Companies; R. Marcelo Claure, founder, chairman, president and CEO, Brightstar Corporation; Constancio Larguia, founder and CEO, Weemba, and co-founder, Patagon.com; and Don Browne, president, Telemundo Communications Group, Inc.
“The outstanding level of commitment our conference has received in its first year from venture investors, sponsors, and entrepreneurs has demonstrated how important it is to convene this type of gathering for those doing business in Latin America,” Becerra-Fernandez said.
In addition to keynote presentations, panel discussions and networking sessions, 15 innovative ventures will present business plans to venture capitalists and other potential investors.
Included in the panel discussions:
- Nationally-recognized venture capitalists will speak on what to expect in Latin American emerging markets and how to manage investment risks, finding investors and advisors, and structuring exit strategies;
- Academic and governmental economists will present research on emerging trends in Latin American business sectors;
- Experts in logistics, law, corporate governance, and other sectors will share time-tested insights into how to grow business through exports and imports.
The program and a complete list of speakers is available at the official conference website.
The conference is designed for businesses, financiers and service providers who are conducting or exploring business in Latin America, as well as those who are already established in the area.
“In addition to a wealth of contacts, conference participants will walk away with invaluable insights into the rewards of Latin American venture investment,” Becerra-Fernandez said.
The fifteen innovative ventures selected by a committee to present at the conference are established businesses with headquarters in Latin America/Caribbean or South Florida and primarily conduct business in the region. These businesses span seven sectors identified as having the highest projected growth rate in Lain America: agriculture and water quality; biotechnology; pharmaceutical and health; consumer products; energy and green technologies; information, communication and web technologies; and metals and mining. Presenting ventures will compete for three prizes, each with a value of $10,000.
“International business and entrepreneurship are at the core of our mission,” said Executive Dean of the FIU College of Business Administration Joyce J. Elam. “We look forward to hosting this dynamic group of prestigious, talented and involved individuals, and we hope this conference will be a milestone in Latin American venture development.”
Registration for the two-day conference is USD $395.00 per attendee before October 8, 2010, and USD $495.00 after October 8, 2010. The conference fee includes admission, meals, networking breaks, and a closing reception.
Americas Venture Capital Conference is organized by the Eugenio Pino and Family Global Entrepreneurship Center at Florida International University. For more information on the conference, please call 305-348-7156.
MEDIA COVERAGE
- “FIU launches Americas Venture Capital Conference,” MiamiHerald.com, November 20, 2010
- “Proyecto para curar el cáncer gana premio emprendedor en Americas Venture Capital Conference,” Revista Summa, November 19, 2010
- “Gustavo Cisneros Joins with International Business Leaders to Launch FIU Entrepreneurship and Venture Capital Forum,” VancouverSun.com, November 16, 2010
- “South Florida startups defy odds, create jobs,” MiamiHerald.com, November 15, 2010
- CNN en Espanol interviews Irma Becerra-Fernandez in regards to the Americas Venture Capital Conference, November 2010
- “Capital Sources: Venture capitalist conference focuses on the Americas,” Daily Business Review, November 10, 2010
- “Fueling innovation: FIU enterprise conference focuses on Latin America,” MiamiHerald.com, November 8, 2010
- “YellowPepper Selected by the Americas Venture Capital Conference as a Finalist for Most Innovative Company in Latin America Award,” PS Newswire, October 20, 2010
- “FIU Confab to Highlight Latin American Entrepreneurship,” Business Leader South Florida, October 8, 2010
- “FIU’s Pino Global Entrepreneurship Center to Host First Americas Venture Capital Conference,” Business Wire, October 5, 2010
