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The St.
Louis region hosts the first InvestMidwest Venture Capital Forum
this month, May 23 and 24 at the Ritz-Carlton, bringing together
more than 250 of the country's leading venture capitalists, investors,
bankers and accounting and legal professionals for presentations
by emerging growth businesses seeking venture funding. The goal
of InvestMidwest is to provide access to capital for "deal ready,"
privately held companies and to promote overall greater entrepreneurship,
business growth and expansion in the Midwest. The story on page
48 talks about this important civic initiative as well as the
increasing venture capital funds that emerging businesses in this
region are already receiving.
InvestMidwest,
endorsed by the National Venture Capital Association and presented
by the Missouri Venture Forum, the RCGA and Technology Gateway
Alliance, will further the region's booming entrepreneurial activities.
The State of Missouri more than doubled its investment in start-up
companies last year, totaling more than $283 million. Our goal
is to increase this amount to $1 billion by the end of 2001.
InvestMidwest
speakers include Michael Marks, chairman and CEO, Flextronics;
Watts Wacker, Futurist and co-author of "The 500 Year Delta" and
"the Visionary's Handbook;" and Thomas M. Wendel, chairman, president
and CEO Bridge Information Systems, Inc., and the subject of this
month's cover story. Wendel is speaking at the InvestMidwest breakfast
at 8 a.m. May 24.
Bridge,
is an outstanding example of the companies and entrepreneurial
founders this region breeds. Bridge Information Systems along
with Bridge's other principal operating units, BridgeNews, Bridge
Trading, Savvis and Telerate is the largest provider of financial
information and related services in North America and the second
largest in the world.
Bridge
has helped redefine this rapidly changing industry, offering financial
professionals and individual investors alike the industry's most
complete range of products
with the most complete coverage and functionality. Bridge's information
products include a wide range of workstations, web-based applications
and digital datafeeds that provide comprehensive market data,
in-depth news and powerful analytic tools.
Another
focus of this issue of St. Louis Commerce Magazine is the
region's center city revitalization efforts. Loft Living, on page
54, explores the growing demand for residential lofts and the
projects underway on Washington Avenue and Laclede's Landing.
Locust
Reborn, on page 68, highlights the unique and creative spaces
that are redefining this downtown business district. The restoration
of these buildings is certainly important to the overall plan
to revitalize downtown as well as the growth of high-tech companies.
Investment
in our architecture and our entrepreneurs is vital as we create
a robust regional economy.
Richard C.D. Fleming
President and Chief Executive Officer
St. Louis Regional Chamber and Growth Association
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