In 1999, business attorney Nick Miller came up with the idea of creating a conference to showcase Idaho's most promising start-up technology companies to potential investors. With the help of many volunteers and the support of the Boise Metro Chamber of Commerce, the Intermountain Venture Forum was launched in 2000 with five companies and a small group of investors.

Over the next seven years, IVF grew into a two-day event each fall, ultimately drawing more than 30 regional venture capital firms as well as many angel investors and entrepreneurs. The event was viewed locally as a great success as it showcased Idaho companies to investors and ultimately contributed to outside capital being invested in Idaho companies as well as educating many Idaho entrepreneurs who were trying to raise capital for the first time.

In congruence, similar venture forums were being held in other regional states including Montana, Utah, Colorado, New Mexico and Arizona. All of these events began overlapping, and investors became confused and overwhelmed with requests to attend. In 2006, I joined the board of the newly formed Rocky Mountain Venture Capital Association, and we began planning for one large annual regional venture forum, which will rotate around the region and give national venture capital firms one clear choice to see the best start-ups in the region each year.

For 25 years, Colorado venture capitalists have hosted Venture Capital in the Rockies, a highly successful forum each winter in Beaver Creek. Piggybacking on the success of that conference, I'm pleased to announce the first VCIR Fall, which will take place September 9-11 in Sun Valley.

VCIR Fall '08 will be the largest and most high-profile start-up event ever held in Idaho. Hundreds of venture capitalists from places like Silicon Valley, Boston, Seattle and elsewhere around the country will descend on Sun Valley to hear pitches from the best tech start-ups the Rocky Mountain Region has to offer.

The event will also feature speakers from some of the most recognized technology companies in the world. Senior business and corporate development leaders from HP, Amazon, Yahoo, Google and others will be here in Idaho outlining their respective companies' strategies. Bob Maynard, the nationally recognized chief investment officer of the Public Employee Retirement System of Idaho, will share his insights on the public and private equity markets. There will also be a keynote address and slideshow by Wade Davis, a world-renowned cultural anthropologist and explorer-in-residence at National Geographic.

Locally, HP and the Idaho National Lab have recognized the importance of an event like this for Idaho and have graciously stepped up to be the presenting and platinum sponsors of the event, respectively. Many Idaho service providers to the start-up community are sponsoring the event as well.

As this event will be in Utah next year and won't return for a few years, this is our chance to show the folks in Silicon Valley and Boston what we're made of.

If you'd like to learn more about VCIR Fall '08 or submit your start-up company for consideration to present at the forum, please visit www.vcirfall.com. If you're involved in the start-up tech community, this will surely be an event you don't want to miss. I look forward to seeing you there!

Mark Solon is the founder and Managing Partner of Highway 12 Ventures, Idaho's largest venture capital firm. Starting Up is a series published on Thursdays. The columns grew from discussions between the Statesman and local tech and entrepreneurial leaders and are coordinated by Julie Howard, a specialist for the Idaho Office of Science and Technology. Reach her at julie.howard@commerce.idaho.gov.

Article written by Mark Solon - Idaho Statesman

Edition Date: 07/17/08