Press Release

Angel investors converge in Tucson for first-of-its-kind summit

McGuire Center for Entrepreneurship co-hosts summit as part of Innovation Day at UA

TUCSON, Ariz. — March 21, 2008 — Angel investors — affluent individuals who invest personal capital in startup ventures — will be on the UA campus Monday and Tuesday for the inaugural Southwest Angel Summit, organized in conjunction with Innovation Day at UA by the Eller College of Management's McGuire Center for Entrepreneurship and the Desert Angels of Tucson.

"We have over 20 angel investors coming in from California, Nevada, New Mexico, and Arizona," said Bob Morrison, executive director of the Desert Angels and mentor-in-residence of the McGuire Entrepreneurship Program. "Their contributions to regenerating economies and stimulating growth are significant, and we are pleased to provide a venue for them to come together and discuss regional priorities and opportunities for collaboration."

The investors will meet informally today, and then participate in events surrounding Innovation Day at UA on Tuesday. "It's especially exciting to connect these high-level investors to innovating faculty researchers at The University of Arizona," said Sherry Hoskinson, director of the McGuire Center. "But we are also pleased that they will be reviewing our entrepreneurship students' ventures."

The investors will evaluate the student ventures showcased at the Innovation Day tradeshow Tuesday and then invite selected teams to make formal presentations. The day will culminate with an awards presentation and a reception for the angel investors, entrepreneurship students, faculty, and friends. For the students, the event is the first segment of the McGuire Center / CB Richard Ellis Spring Venture Development Showcase, which continues April 4 with the semi-final round of the students' new venture competition, and concludes April 18 with the championship round.

For more information about the McGuire Center / CB Richard Ellis Spring Venture Development Showcase, download the PDF.

Visit http://innovation.arizona.edu/ for Innovation Day at UA information.

The Eller College of Management at The University of Arizona is internationally recognized for pioneering research, innovative curriculum, distinguished faculty, excellence in entrepreneurship, and social responsibility. U.S.News & World Report ranks the Eller undergraduate program #12 among public business schools and five of its departments are among the top 25 — Entrepreneurship, MIS, Marketing, Management and Organizations, and Accounting. The MPA program in the School of Public Administration and Policy ranks in the top 50. Financial Times ranks the Eller MBA full-time program #27 in the U.S. and #57 in the world, and Forbes ranks the program among the top 50 nationwide. The College leads the nation’s business schools in generating grant funds for research. In addition to a full-time MBA program, the Eller College offers an evening MBA program, and the Eller Executive MBA. The Eller College of Management supports more than 5,100 undergraduate and 600 graduate students on the UA campus in beautiful Tucson, Arizona.

Press Contact:
Linda Herrick, Eller College Public Relations and Events Coordinator
520.626.2590, news@eller.arizona.edu