More than 50 investors, entrepreneurs and deal advisers will address the issues and opportunities for investors and emerging growth company executives in more than a dozen discussion panels scheduled during the general session of the Growth Capital Expo 2015, April 12-14 at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas. This year’s speaking faculty includes the brightest minds and most seasoned practitioners in the emerging growth capital market, ranging from the most experienced investment banking and legal advisers to private and public emerging growth companies, to some of the market’s most admired investors and entrepreneurs.
The initial list of speakers is available now.
The Expo general session program will take place over April 13-14, adjacent to the Expo networking café and presenting company breakout rooms at Caesars’ spacious conference facilities in the heart of the Las Vegas Strip. Day One will commence with presentations on the state of capital markets activity in the PIPE, registered private placement, and online private placement markets by the top research providers to those markets, Mike Kotecki of Sagient Research and Luan Cox of Crowdnetic.
After their review of capital formation and investment trends, top practitioners in the PIPE and registered placements markets will discuss deal pricing and term sheet trends, including Jack Hogoboom of Lowenstein Sandler, Josh Feldman of Cantor Fitzgerald, Justin Keener of JMJ Financial, and George Santana of Chardan Capital Markets.
Later in the first day the Expo program focuses on two investment strategies that are sweeping through the emerging growth market, patent and intellectual property investment and activism in microcap companies. Fred Fabricant of Brown Rudnick will join Jon Hickman of Ladenburg Thalmann, David Ruder of RPX Corp., and Michael Cohen of MDC Financial Research, to discuss the opportunities and risks for investors and companies pursuing IP investment strategies.
Two seasoned microcap activist investors will join proxy specialists and activist defense advisers on Day One in a spirited debate on the merits and opportunities for shareholder value growth in microcap activist campaigns. Paul Kessler of Bristol Capital Advisors, and Andrew Shapiro of Lawndale Capital will join Jeff Lloyd of Sitrick and Co., Riyaz Lalani of Bayfield Strategy, and Abe Friedman of CamberView Partners in a discussion that promises to be a highlight of the event.
Top securities enforcement litigation and capital markets advisory attorneys Tom Sporkin of BuckleySandler, Nick Morgan of Zaccaro Morgan, and Mark Wood of Katten Muchin will discuss recent events and trends in enforcement and rule making at the SEC and FINRA, including the ongoing crackdown on shell companies, stock promotion schemes, and insider trading by the SEC’s Microcap Task Force, as well as recent rule making on JOBS Act implementation by the agency.
Day Two general session highlights include a discussion of the opportunities in the soon-to-be enacted reforms to Reg A that could revive the microcap IPO market after two decades of decline. Alternative public offerings expert David Feldman of Richardson & Patel will host a discussion of the Reg A+ structure’s advantages for young, high-growth companies seeking capital with Cromwell Coulson of OTC Markets Group and Sam Guzik of Guzik & Associates.
Institutional equity crowdfinance pioneers Chris Tyrrell of Offerboard and Lou Bevilaqua of Digital Offerings will join a panel of funding platform operators and advisers to discuss the challenges and opportunities for emerging growth companies to raise significant capital via online private placements under the newly-liberalized Rule 506 exemption. Sven Weber of SharesPost and Espen Robak of Pluris Valuation Advisors will discuss the issues confronting secondary market investors in Reg D securities, and what needs to be done to increase liquidity for private shares in growth companies.
The general session program will conclude with panels exploring two areas of rapid change impacting emerging growth investment in North America – the ebb and flow of cross-border investment and the excitement surrounding the “Green Rush” into legal marijuana-related investments. Benjamin Tan of Sichenzia Ross Friedman Ference will join Lance Kimmel of SEC Law Firm and Latin American investment advisor Jorge Olson to explore the shifting winds of cross-border investment from and into China and Latin America.
Cannabis-related business investors Doug Leighton of Dutchess Capital and Morgan Paxhia of Poseidon Asset Management lead a discussion of the risks and potential rewards of investing in the exploding legal marijuana market, via public and private companies. Securities attorney and marijuana business adviser Mark Ross of Sichenzia Ross Friedman Ference will host the panel, offering his insights into the growing acceptance by the federal government of this still- controversial industry.
Additional speakers for the Growth Capital Expo’s general session and Public Company Boot Camp will be announced as they are confirmed here and via Twitter @growthcapexpo.
For information:
Brett Goetschius
Program Director
Growth Capital Expo 2015
brett@growthcapitalexpo.com
(888) 895-6807 x2
