CONNECTpreneur Holiday Networking and Pitch Extravaganza

The Big Idea CONNECTpreneur Holiday Networking & Pitch Extravaganza!

December 13, 2022

Hosted by CONNECTpreneur and Refraction, The Big Idea CONNECTpreneur Holiday and Pitch Extravaganza will be the best business networking event of the Season.

Come out and CELEBRATE innovation, get INSPIRED, and MAKE DEALS at this fun, high-energy evening of entrepreneurship and early stage investing!

Featuring incomparable CEO and Investor Networking, plus 10 promising early stage companies!

Full house of investors, entrepreneurs, CEOs, CXOs, and business leaders!

This will be our 50th consecutive SOLD OUT in-person event with over 11,000 attendees over the last 11 years.

Over 70% of previous attendees surveyed say that CONNECTpreneur is the "Number One" tech and investor event in the Mid-Atlantic region.

This UNIQUE EVENT is like NONE OTHER in our region, because of the high quality of our attendees, speakers and presenters. The networking is unprecedented!

Program Highlights:

- The region's top business leaders, CEOs & Founders, private investors, angels & VCs

- ROCKET PITCH SHOWCASE of promising Emerging tech companies

- 20+ EXHIBITORS including leading VC firms and angel groups, as well as presenting companies and sponsors

- Heavy NETWORKING sessions

- Music provided by the Hally Shoenberg Trio, one of the nation's top jazz ensembles

- Appetizers, beer and wine, and other refreshments

- After Party celebration with desserts and refreshments after the main event

CONNECTpreneur is a bi-monthly networking mashup, which has been attended by over 12,000 business leaders over the past 11 years.

All attendees MUST BE pre-registered due to venue capacity. Attendance is capped at 400 attendees. We expect another SOLD OUT crowd, so there will be NO on-site registration.

For more information on previous CONNECTpreneur events, presenters, speakers, etc. or to download program books from our previous events, please visit our website at connectpreneur.org.

Please "Like" us on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/Connectpreneur

Follow us on Twitter and Instagram @connectpreneur

And visit our Website at connectpreneur.org

For info on SPONSORSHIP, please email us at sponsors@opus8.com

If you want to be considered as a PRESENTER/EXHIBITOR, please email srallison@opus8.com

DATE: Tuesday, December 13, 2022

AGENDA:

5:00 - 6:30 pm - REGISTRATION / NETWORKING - Valo Park Atrium

6:30 - 6:45 pm - WELCOME REMARKS - Valo Park Auditorium

TIEN WONG, Founder and Host, CONNECTpreneur

ESTHER LEE, CEO, REFRACTION

JULIE COONS, CEO, Northern Virginia Chamber of Commerce

JENNIFER TAYLOR, CEO, Northern Virginia Technology Council

6:45 - 7:45 pm - COMPANY SHOWCASE / ROCKET PITCH - Valo Park Auditorium

(Presenters will be announced on December 7)

Companies will be introduced by:

ANTHONY MILLIN, Founder and Chair, NEXT, Powered by Shulman Rogers; Venture Partner, Third Sphere

LING ZHANG, Managing Director, FORVIS

7:45 - 8:45 pm - EXPO AND NETWORKING - Valo Park Atrium

Wine & Cheese Reception in the Atrium featuring the music of the Halley Shoenberg Trio

8:45 - 1030pm - AFTER PARTY - Refraction, 8th Floor

PREVIOUS INVESTOR PARTICIPANTS (partial list):

Revolution Ventures, Carlyle Group, Kinetic Ventures, Sterling Partners, Core Capital, Grotech, UPDATA, Novak Biddle, New Atlantic Ventures, Edison Ventures, SWaN & Legend Venture Partners, Venturehouse, Boulder Ventures, TDF Funds, Ballast Point Ventures, Multiplier Capital, Saratoga Investment Corp., Maryland Venture Fund, New Markets Venture Partners, True Ventures, 500 Startups, Amplifier Venture Partners, DFW Capital Partners, Farragut Capital, NextGen Angels, CIT GAP Funds, TEDCO, BluVenture Investors, Leeds Novamark, 1776, Private Access Network, CAV Angels, K Street Capital, Select Venture Partners, RLMcCall Capital, ID Private Equity, Cranbrook Capital, Baltimore Angels, Pennington Partners, Acceleprise, Blue Marlin Partners, US Boston Capital, VentureCross Partners, Berman Enterprises, Dingman Angels, Neuberger & Co. Ventures, McLean Capital, Angel Venture Forum, Brilliant Keypoint Investments, Paras Ventures, NextSteps Capital, Noblestar Capital, Hercules Technology Growth Capital, Grindstone Partners, Exhilirator, New Vantage Group, New Dominion Angels, National Capital Companies, Enhanced Capital, MTECH Ventures, Mosaic Capital, Opus8, Blue Heron Capital, Duncaster Investments, Private Capital Network, Next-Stage Development Group, Lancaster Angel Network, Decisive Investment Group, Harrell Partners, Ruxton Ventures, MD Center for Entrepreneurship, Fortify Ventures, Conscious Venture Labs, and Keiretsu Forum.

EVENT PARTNERS

Refraction

Northern Virginia Chamber of Commerce

Northern Virginia Technology Council

FORVIS

StellaPop

NEXT, powered by Shulman Rogers

Bank of America

New York Life

AEG - Association for Enterprise Growth

Imperia Wealth Management

Baltimore Angels

Startup Grind

Keiretsu Forum

Founder Institute

Dingman Center Angels

Georgetown Entrepreneurship Initiative

Institute for Excellence in Sales

Wharton DC Innovation Summit

Maryland Tech Council Venture Mentoring Services

Mason Enterprise Center at GMU

Center for Advancing Innovation

Ryan & Wetmore

National Association of Business Owners & Entrepreneurs

TESTIMONIALS and MEDIA

PRESS: http://connectpreneur.org/press

"No B.S. that was the best biz networking event I have ever been to."

Darren Womer

CEO, National Capital Companies

"CONNECTpreneur is the region's leading event for bringing together people who will drive our economy forward."

Lyles Carr

Senior Vice President, The McCormick Group

"Not every investor and startup meeting in town is worthwhile. I would run through walls to get to yours though."

Joe Kessler

CEO, Next Stage Development Group

"You pulled off a great conference. I really enjoyed it. Thanks for inviting me!!"

John Backus

Managing Partner, New Atlantic Ventures and PROOF.VC

"Thank you again for the invitation to CONNECTpreneur. It is so incredible to watch the Forum become THE entrepreneurship/investor forum in the Washington, DC metro area, and maybe the entire Mid-atlantic region."

Dennis Defensor

Senior VP, Worldwide Sales, OROCK Technologies

"What a great conference...There was a distinct energy and enthusiasm at your meeting, unlike the usual droll meetings like this. So well done."

John Holaday,

CEO, QRx Pharma

"One of the best events I have ever sponsored!"

Mark Ellenbogen

Partner, BDO

"Great event this week! Great speakers, atmosphere and people! Reminded me of the good ole days!"

Tom Kohn

Professor, American University; Founder, Transactis

"It was amazing. Best event I have ever attended!"

Jill Chodorov, Angel Investor

"I thought you put on a terrific event. I was really impressed with the caliber of people and the format of the event."

Jim Van Eperen, Angel Investor

Director, Raffa Insurance Services

"That was one of the best VC conferences I can remember attending. It had all the positive energy of the boom years, without the unbridled reckless exuberance."

Jim Long

Founder, VentureCross Partners

"Bravo! Great program."

Tony Cord

Partner and Managing Director, Newport Board Group

"It was first class....well done!"

Chad MacDonald

CEO, Connected Services

"Amazing how many high-level people you had..."

Wade Tetsuka

CEO, US Transactions Corp.

"It was very successful! A good combination of networking time, information, and presentation of deal opportunities. The interview approach worked well I thought, and the room was certainly full."

George Harrop

Managing Director, CapitalSource

"It was a really good crowd of operators and investors…rare for these so-called 'forums.'"

David Giannini

Chairman and CEO, CirrusWorks

"Event was great. Quality attendees, good energy – contacts – content."

Bud Morrissette

CEO, Interstate Group Holdings

"it was an outstanding event! Thank you for having us be part of CONNECTpreneur...I feel like I've experienced the best of breed in networking and relationship groups. Nicely done."

Jack Quarles

Co-Author, Same Side Selling

"I thought the event yesterday at Marymount University was absolutely outstanding! The attendance was fantastic and the content was extraordinary. Thank you for curating such a great event. The Vice Chair of the Arlington County Board was extraordinarily impressed. Thank you so much for allowing us to be part of it and we look forward to the event."

Victor Hoskins

President & CEO, Fairfax County Economic Development Authority

FAQs

What are my transportation/parking options for getting to and from the event? 

You can park in the South or West parking garages (see map here). If you park in the South garage, take the elevator to L level to the lobby and follow CONNECTpreneur signs. If you park in the West garage, take the elevator to P2, cross the walkway to the building, and follow signs. If you have any issues, please call Amanda at (571) 565-9104.

How can I contact the organizer with any questions?

You can e-mail CONNECTpreneur Community Manager Skylar Rallison at srallison@opus8.com.

What's the refund policy?

All sales are final and there are no refunds. Any cancellations received before December 1st, 2022 may be credited towards a future CONNECTpreneur Forum.

Do I have to bring my printed ticket to the event?

No. Once you register on Eventbrite, you are good to go! We will send you a couple of confirmation email s in the days leading up to the event.

Can I update my registration information?

Yes

Is my registration fee or ticket transferable?

The “Service Provider” ticket is fully transferable. The Investor/Entrepreneur/CEO ticket is transferable only to another investor, founder or CEO. It is not transferable to a service provider.

How can I apply to present?

If you have a promising early stage company that is raising capital or wanting to make a product announcement, please contact presenters@opus8.com. We have a Committee review process for prospective presenting companies.