Almost every semester, the AACE Venture Fund takes trips across the Midwest and beyond to attend conferences, connect with new entrepreneurs and start-up companies, and network with angel investors, venture capital firms, and accelerators. AACE has previously traveled to New York City, Salt Lake City, Chicago, Austin, San Francisco, Boston, San Diego, Kansas City, and St. Louis.
Spring 2023
St. Louis
In April, the fund traveled to St. Louis to participate in Invest Midwest, one of the largest entrepreneurial conferences in the Midwest. The conference hosted companies from three primary industries: life sciences, technology, and food/agriculture. These companies were raising $1M to $20M in funding and projecting revenue of $20M within five years. The analysts sourced over 10 deals from the conference and built relationships with other local angel groups and venture capital funds.
Fall 2021
St. Louis
In November, the Fund traveled to St. Louis, where we engaged with two of our principal portfolios, namely, Elemental Enzymes and Impetus Agriculture. During our stay, AACE facilitated seven pitches at T-Rex and BioGenerator. In addition, we had the privilege of hosting a seminar led by Steve Trampe, a distinguished figure in the St. Louis angel investing community, renowned for his founding roles in seven diverse companies across five industries. The visit culminated with a final meeting at The Yield Lab, where we gained valuable perspectives on the nuances of investing in agriculture and ag-tech within the Midwest.
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