CONNECTpreneur Networking and Pitch Extravaganza

The Big Idea CONNECTpreneur Networking & Pitch Extravaganza!

September 20, 2021

This is our first IN-PERSON event since Feb, 2020. It's been too long!

Hosted by CONNECTpreneur, the Tower Club, and the Northern Virginia Chamber of Commerce, The Big Idea CONNECTpreneur Fall Forum promises to 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 44th consecutive SOLD OUT in-person event with over 11,000 attendees over the last 9 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

We will be following all state and local Covid protocols

CONNECTpreneur is a bi-monthly networking mashup, which has been attended by over 11,000 business leaders over the past 10 years.

All attendees MUST BE pre-registered due to venue capacity. Attendance is capped at 300 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 presenters@opus8.com

DATE: Monday, September 20, 2020

AGENDA:

5:00 - 6:15 pm - REGISTRATION AND POWER NETWORKING - Atrium, Crescent Lounge & Balconies

6:15 - 6:30 pm - WELCOME REMARKS - Fairfax Room

TIEN WONG, Founder and Host, CONNECTpreneur

JULIE COONS, CEO, Northern Virginia Chamber of Commerce

KARA MAYLE, Regional General Manager, ClubCorp

ESTHER LEE, CEO, Refraction

6:30 - 7:30 pm - COMPANY SHOWCASE / ROCKET PITCH - Fairfax Room

Companies will be introduced by:

ANTHONY MILLIN, Partner and Founder, NEXT, powered by Shulman Rogers

ANGIE O'GRADY, Partner and COO, StellaPop

AEG

FireBot

IntelliSpeX

Novel Microdevices

Qore Health

Real Science Innovations

Reverse Ionizer

Revolution Cooking

SurgiQuality

Verax Research Serrvices

7:30 - 8:45pm - EXPO AND NETWORKING - Atrium, Crescent Lounge & Balconies

Networking Reception featuring live jazz by the Halley Schoenberg Trio

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

The Tower Club

Northern Virginia Chamber of Commerce

NEXT, powered by Shulman Rogers

AEG

First Financial Group

Fairfax County Economic Development Authority

StellaPop

NFP

Montgomery County Economic Development Corporation

SunTrust Bank

New York Life

Baltimore Angels

Startup Grind

Keiretsu Forum

Dingman Center Angels

Georgetown Entrepreneurship Initiative

REFRACTION

Institute for Excellence in Sales

Wharton DC Innovation Summit

Maryland Tech Council Venture Mentoring Services

Founder Institute

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

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 email us at presenters@opus8.com. All presenters also get an exhibit table, which is key during networking sessions before and after the program. We have a Committee review process for prospective presenting companies.

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

There is plenty of parking around the venue. The nearest METRO station is Greensboro in Tysons Corner, VA.

How can I contact the organizer with any questions?

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

What's the refund policy?

All sales are final and there are no refunds. Any cancellations received before September 6 may be credited towards a future CONNECTpreneur Forum. If the event is postponed due to covid protocols, we will credit you towards one of our future CONNECTpreneur events in October (Rockville, MD), December 20 (Tysons Corner, VA), February, 2022 (Johns Hopkins Carey School in Baltimore), etc.

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 emails in the days leading up to the event.

Can I update my registration information?

Yes

Is my registration fee or ticket transferrable?

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

What hotels do you recommend?

The Tysons Corner Marriott is directly across the street from the Tower Club, and the McLean Hilton, Hyatt Regency, and Ritz Carlton Tysons Corner are both < 5 minute drive from the venue.