Looking For Women Entrepreneurs @ Springboard 2001: Mid-West.

Springboard 2001: Mid-West, scheduled for May 9, 2001 at the Allen Center of Northwestern University’s J.L. Kellogg Graduate School of Management, is the sixth in a series of venture forums designed to accelerate women entrepreneurs’ access to the equity markets.

“As we have seen in other regions, the stakeholder’s meeting generated significant interest and support among Chicago’s investment community, industry influencers and women entrepreneurs,” said Amy Millman, executive director, National Women’s Business Council. “Since January 2000, 125 Springboard presenters have raised $400 million in equity investments for their companies. Over 200 sponsors have supported the forum, and 1,000 investors and service providers have participated in our recruiting, screening and coaching processes.”

“Springboard, through its national initiatives, provides the means for women entrepreneurs and investors to gain access to the equity markets,” said William A. Osborn, chairman and chief executive officer of The Northern Trust Company. “We are very enthusiastic about the financial strength being generated in today’s business environment by an increasing number of women-owned and women-led businesses.”

“The commitment and enthusiasm demonstrated at the launch by the regional business community was phenomenal,” said Hedy Ratner, president of the Women’s Business Development Center, which is hosting Springboard 2001: Mid-West. “This program is a natural complement to the portfolio of education, training, financial and networking programs we offer to women business owners in the Chicago region. We encourage all high growth companies led by women seeking equity investments to submit their applications by the Feb. 16th deadline.”

Presenters will be selected from applicants who register online at http://www.springboard2000.org. The Mid-West forum will showcase companies from Colorado, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, Ohio and Wisconsin. A rigorous three-part selection process will begin in early March resulting in the selection of 25 women-led companies who will present their businesses at the May forum. A Bootcamp is scheduled for March 27, 2001 to provide the presenters with tools and contacts they will need to refine their presentations and to grow their enterprises.

A national initiative, Springboard is presented by the National Women’s Business Council and the Women’s Business Development Center. For more information about Springboard 2001:Mid-West, please visit the Web site at www.springboard2000.org.

Key Dates:

— Feb. 16, 2001 — Online application deadline at www.springboard2000.org

— Mid-March, 2001 — Final selection of women entrepreneurs

— March 27, 2001 — Entrepreneur Bootcamp (hosted by University of Chicago in Chicago)

— May 9, 2001 — Springboard 2001: Midwest (hosted by the Kellogg Graduate School of Management in Evanston, Ill.)

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