Bend Venture Conference Recruits Noted Authority on Angel Investing; Results of National Study on Angel Investing to be presented at October 14th Conference.

BEND, Ore. -- The Bend Venture Conference, to be held at the Tower Theatre on Friday Oct. 14, provides an outstanding opportunity for highly qualified seed and early-stage companies that are seeking equity investment to interact with angel investors and venture capital firms from across the Pacific Northwest and Northern California.

Angel investing is the single largest contributor of outside equity investment to new ventures in the United States -- larger than the entire formal venture capital industry and touching more than twenty times the number of new ventures. "The addition of Dr. Rob Wiltbank, of Willamette University, to the agenda at this year's conference is a remarkable success. I know that our attendees will find great value in hearing the results of Professor Wiltbank's national study of angel investing practices and performance," said Erick Petersen, Chair of the 2005 Bend Venture Conference.

"My results suggest that angel investors focusing on the earliest stage investment opportunities, actually experience fewer failures, and that angel investor returns are quite comparable to formal venture capital based returns," said Rob Wiltbank, Assistant Professor of Strategic Management for the Atkinson Graduate School of Management at Willamette University. "New venture investing is one of those rare situations where everyone wants the same thing, getting smart money into great opportunities. Entrepreneurs, angel investors, venture capitalists and economic centers all benefit from effective cooperation towards that goal. I look forward to sharing the results of my research with investors, entrepreneurs and service providers from across the region at this year's Bend Venture Conference," added Wiltbank.

Companies from both the high and low-technology business sectors that are actively seeking funding and partnerships will attend the conference, and the top six hand-picked companies, will present their business plans and receive feedback from both a panel of experienced investors that focus on early-stage investments, and the audience. The application deadline for early stage companies interested in presenting is September 16.

"Last year's Bend Venture Conference was an incredible experience," said Bill Taylor, president of PV Powered, a presenting company at the 2004 Bend Venture Conference. "We were exposed to many influential people who not only helped us to secure financing, but also exposed us to new vendors, talent and the opportunity to improve our business plan and our pitch. Overall, it was an excellent opportunity and I know that any start-up company would benefit from the experience."

Tim Boyle, president and CEO of Columbia Sportswear Company, will deliver the keynote address at this day-long event. In addition, three Central Oregon companies will share their success stories. To attend or for more information, visit the Bend Venture Conference Web site at BendVC.com. Early registration is $149, which includes a continental breakfast, lunch and a post-conference reception. Companies and entrepreneurs interested in presenting can also apply at BendVC.com.

The Bend Venture Conference is presented in association with Economic Development for Central Oregon and the Oregon Entrepreneurs Forum. Title sponsors include Compass Commercial Real Estate and Bank of the Cascades. Additional sponsorships are available by contacting Teresa Fehrenbacher at 541-385-7988 or [e-mail].