Athenian Venture Partners Co-Sponsors Fifth Annual BioVenture and Innovation Showcase

PRLog (Press Release) - May 15, 2012 - WHAT:   Athenian Venture Partners, a venture capital firm specializing in investments in information technology and healthcare companies in Ohio and across the United States, is co-sponsoring the Fifth Annual BioVenture and Innovation Showcase on Thursday, May 24 in Athens, Ohio at Ohio University. Athenian founded the event in 2007 in conjunction with Ohio University’s Edison Biotechnology Institute (EBI). Attendees from a broad spectrum of technology sectors, including biotech, IT and energy, will learn how to license and commercialize their own innovations, as well as how to secure investment and become involved with Ohio economic development.

WHY:   Investment in biotechnology rose to $54.8 million in the first quarter of 2012, up 13 percent from the last quarter of 2011 and energy was the third most invested sector in Q1 2012, with 58 deals, according to the most recent MoneyTree Report. Meanwhile, the amount of capital invested in IT companies in 2011 was 14 percent higher than in 2010, according to Dow Jones VentureSource. With the funding available to biotechnology, energy and IT companies growing, entrepreneurs need to learn how to take their ideas to the next level to create a viable product roadmap and gain investor attention.

   The BioVenture and Innovation Showcase will bring together inventors, entrepreneurs and investors to discuss tips to commercialize technologies and acquire funding. The showcase will feature a keynote presentation from David Wilhelm, CEO, New Harvest Ventures. Wilhelm will pull from his experience as a full-time entrepreneur and investor to discuss how participants can learn from his path to success to create their own. In addition, Wilhelm is nationally recognized as a successful political strategist.

WHO:    Athenian Venture Partners works with the next wave of IT and biotech entrepreneurs as a strategic partner invested in making a long-term commitment to turning an entrepreneur’s idea into a high growth, commercially scalable enterprise. Athenian’s partners pull from their own industry experience to build companies, secure additional funding and yield successful exits.

Established in 1984, the Edison Biotechnology Institute (EBI) is an interdisciplinary research institute of Ohio University. EBI has a dual mission: basic discovery research and development of new technology, and the transfer of technology to the private sector for economic benefit in Ohio.


WHEN:    Thursday, May 24, 2012
   10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. EDT

WHERE:    Ohio University
      Margaret M. Walter Hall
      Athens, Ohio

About Athenian Venture Partners
Athenian Venture Partners identifies and cultivates intellectual capital in two of the most dynamic market segments: Information Technology and Healthcare. The Athenian team takes a thoughtful approach to investing, doing the rational work upfront with accountability to both its investors and its portfolio companies. With a presence in California, Massachusetts and Ohio, Athenian Venture Partners spans the most interesting technology and healthcare communities to create new investment opportunities others may miss and deliver proven results for the long term.

Athenian Venture Partners Press Contact:
Ashleigh Egan
212.255.0080, ext. 12
aegan@articulatecomms.com