Big Venture Capital Conference Today! What Do You Know About VCs?

The day that we have been waiting for has finally come. Today will be the continuation of Jamaica’s efforts to establish its venture capital market, and it promises to be an exciting day as the Development Bank of Jamaica’s Venture Capital conference is finally here! Being promoted for some weeks now (as a major conference with financial heavy-weights), this conference will offer a BIG opportunity to prospective startups (young companies), government officials, investors and the private sector to network, air their views and put their shoulders behind getting this sector started once and for all.

So now that we are here, one of the first questions is, what is venture capital?

What is Venture Capital?

Based on our trusted source Wikipedia :),

Venture capital (VC) is financial capital provided to early-stage, high-potential, high risk, growthstartup companies. The venture capital fund makes money by owning equity in the companies it invests in, which usually have a novel technology or business model in high technology industries, such as biotechnology, IT and software.

In essence, if you have a big idea, that you strongly feel will be wildly successful, and you’re willing to give up ownership of a part of the company, then there are companies and persons who will invest in your business and idea… but remember, venture capitalists tend to like novel ideas. It’s all about big risk, big return.

Where Is The Biggest Part Of The Industry?

According to Yaneek Page’s article in the Sunday Gleaner

The Ernst & Young Global Venture Capital Insights & Trends Report 2013 indicates that venture capital investment remains strongest in the United States and Europe. Other countries with thriving venture capital funding include Israel, China and Brazil — although the report noted they saw major declines in 2012.

In fact, just last week The Economist wrote about the venture capital market in the United States and compared it to Europe, highlighting the stature of the US as a leading VC market, but also Europe’s status as a quickly growing competitor.

Why Would I Need An Investor?

Venture capitalists have deep pockets, strong connections, and big influence. If you are able to get the backing of any major venture capitalist it is big approval for your idea and a strong encouragement to support your product. Some of fastest growing US startups were funded by venture capitalists e.g. twitter, facebook, dropbox etc.

The Game-Changing Conference

Now that you know a little more about venture capital (more to come), we hope you’re getting excited about this conference.

This is it. Do or die. Win or Loose. This conference is going to set the wheels of change in motion and we sincerely hope for the best for Jamaica’s financial landscape.

DBJ Venture Capital Conference – September 9, 2013

There’s a lot to be said about venture capital and venture capitalists but we hope that these qualified speakers will put to rest some of the fears and misconceptions that exist about the impossibility of Jamaica creating such a market, and also highlight some of our immediate next steps.

We would really love for the environment to be created for start-ups to receive the funding they require.

Local speakers should include Finance & Planning Minister Dr Peter Phillips; Audrey Richards, DBJ project consultant; Mariame McIntosh – partner, Portland Private Equity; Jeffrey Hall, chief executive officer, Jamaica Producers Group; and Christopher Berry, executive chairman, Mayberry Investments Limited, among others.

Some of the international presenters are: Patricia Freitas; Susana Garcia-Robles, principal investment specialist, Multilateral Investment Fund (MIF), early stage financing group, Washington, DC; and Cate Ambrose of the Latin American Venture Capital Association.

What question do you have about venture capital?