Event unites Mountain State-based entrepreneurs with access to venture capital and angel investors

MORGANTOWN, WV / ACCESSWIRE / April 26, 2022 / Vantage Ventures, the leader of a series of initiatives to support founders building innovative technology companies to West Virginia, today unveiled the lineup of startups participating in its second Investor Pitch Day, being held this afternoon at the Vantage offices on the campus of West Virginia University.

Vantage's pitch day program represents a significant step forward in West Virginia's progress as a startup state. There is a concerted effort underway - largely being led by Mountaineers (former or current) such as John Chambers, the former executive chairman and CEO of Cisco and founder of JC2Ventures, Brad Smith, the former CEO of Intuit and recently named president of Marshall University, and Ray Lane, formerly of Oracle and Kleiner Perkins and Founder of GreatPoint Ventures - to transform West Virginia into a haven for sustainable, inclusive innovation across all industries. Today's pitch day marks one of the first times West Virginia-based entrepreneurs will have the opportunity to present their startups to a network of accredited investors and venture capitalists representing in excess of $400 million of capital, without having to leave the state.

Five startups will present at the event, including:

• Nickel Finance, Inc., a socialized, philanthropic mobile payments and loyalty app,
  
• OrionBlockSystems, Inc., a blockchain cybersecurity hardware and software developer,
  
• Parthian Battery Solutions, which repurposes electric vehicle batteries into energy storage systems,
  
• UMuseUs, a social media platform providing venues and resources for musicians and music lovers, and
  
• SwifTAG Systems, which develops functional and efficient laboratory management systems

"The Vantage Ventures pitch day is a clear symbol of the momentum we're building in our mission to transform West Virginia into a startup state," said Sarah Biller, executive director of Vantage Ventures. "It's no small feat to garner genuine investor interest in our region, and we're confident that their time will be rewarded when they have a chance to view the competitive, capital-efficient solutions that our entrepreneurs have developed. West Virginia received the least amount of venture capital funding of any state over the last five years. We believe this pitch day is a welcome step in changing that course."

Vantage Ventures, an initiative to scale innovative technology companies in West Virginia, has been building momentum in attracting entrepreneurs and startups to the state. In June, the leading artificial intelligence (AI) platform for enterprise partners, DataRobot, which has a $6.3 billion valuation, announced that it was opening an office at the Vantage Ventures offices in Morgantown and hiring West Virginians. Earlier this month, cobalt-free electric battery startup SPARKZ announced its intention to open a research and development facility in West Virginia, with Vantage's assistance.

About Vantage Ventures

Housed at the John Chambers College of Business and Economics at West Virginia University, Vantage Ventures provides a bold new generation of entrepreneurs with a systematic and repeatable process to transform their world-changing ideas into scalable businesses. Vantage Ventures leverages its network of mentors, talent, capital allocators, academics, and committed industry partners, including entrepreneurs and the innovation engines of large companies, to forge a new path of economic growth. It is backed by globally influential technology leaders, Fortune Class companies, venture investors, and an unexpectedly cool R1 Institution. For more information, visit: https://vantageventures.io or follow Vantage Ventures on Twitter: @VantageWV, Instagram: @VantageVentures, and LinkedIn.

Media Contact:

Kyle W. Kempf
Caliber Corporate Advisers
kyle@calibercorporate.com
888.550.6385 ext.19

SOURCE: Vantage Ventures