Event Coincides with 2011 NVCA Annual Meeting and 150th Anniversary of MIT Exhibition

CAMBRIDGE, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- To celebrate the 65^th anniversary of the venture capital industry and the outstanding entrepreneurs venture capitalists have supported, Xconomy, in partnership with the National Venture Capital Association and the MIT Museum, is organizing a conference to take place on April 6. Xconomy’s VC65: Celebrating the 65^th Anniversary of Venture Capital in America will include more than 500 venture capitalist attendees of the NVCA Annual Meeting, as well as leading company founders, entrepreneurs and academics in the wider innovation community.

The core of the VC65 program will focus on stories of innovation and the lessons learned by leading entrepreneurs and the venture capitalists who have backed them. The conference will also include keynote presentations and discussions focusing on the future of the U.S. venture industry and venture capital in international markets. Featured speakers include: Henry McCance, Greylock Partners; Peter Brooke, Advent International; Bob Metcalfe, Polaris Venture Partners and the University of Texas; Tim Draper, Draper Fisher Jurvetson; Howard Hartenbaum, August Capital; Scott Kupor, Andreessen Horowitz; Robert Langer, MIT; Mick Mountz, Kiva Systems; Theresia Gouw Ranzetta, Accel Partners; and Bryan Roberts, Venrock.

Major sponsors of the VC65 program include the law firm WilmerHale, Silicon Valley Bank, and the Microsoft New England Research & Development (NERD) Center.

“Since the VC industry’s roots were firmly planted in the Boston area and the region’s leading research universities, we are pleased to hold this event at MIT to celebrate and take stock of the legacy of venture capital in America—not just its past achievements, but its future,” said Robert Buderi, editor-in-chief, Xconomy. “Despite undergoing significant changes, the venture capital industry continues to push innovation forward, partnering with entrepreneurs to break new ground in clean technology, life sciences, information technology, and other fields.”

“When Georges Doriot founded American Research and Development Corporation 65 years ago, he never could have imagined the impact his legacy would have on U.S. innovation and economic growth,” said National Venture Capital Association Mark Heesen. “Since that time, venture capitalists have advanced his fine work, funding innovation and empowering entrepreneurs in our country’s most promising industry sectors. We are looking forward to sharing stories, strategies and optimism with hundreds of individuals who are building great companies each and every day. This is a must-attend event for 2011.”

About the National Venture Capital Association

The National Venture Capital Association (NVCA) represents more than 400 U.S. venture capital firms. NVCA’s mission is to foster greater understanding of the importance of venture capital to the U.S. economy and support entrepreneurial activity and innovation. Please visit www.nvca.org.

About the MIT Museum

The MIT Museum's mission is to engage the wider community with MIT's science, technology and other areas of scholarship in ways that will best serve the world in the 21st century.

About Xconomy

Xconomy is an innovative news and events organization based in Cambridge, MA. It is dedicated to providing business and technology leaders with timely, insightful, close-to-the-scene information about the local personalities, companies, and technological trends that exemplify today’s high-tech economy.

CONTACT:

Xconomy
Bob Buderi, 617-252-0700
bbuderi@xconomy.com
or
Schwartz Communications
Davida Dinerman or Anne Lundregan, 781-684-0770
xconomy@schwartzcomm.com

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