Mark G. Heesen, President of the National Venture Capital Association (NVCA), will talk about the state of the venture capital industry from both a national and regional perspective. He will discuss where VCs are investing, the decline in the number of venture firms, the exit climate and what is happening in Washington that is important to the venture and entrepreneurial communities.

Mark has advocated for the venture capital industry, entrepreneurship and innovation for nearly two decades, first as NVCA’s head of public policy and, since 1999, as the Association’s president. Under Mark’s leadership, the NVCA has grown in both scope and scale as it relates to its public policy agenda, research initiatives, and member programs. Mark is constantly engaged in legislative and regulatory issues surrounding information technology, life sciences and clean technology investing, providing strategic direction for the NVCA professional staff and managing a board of 26 venture capital practitioners.

Mark has taken a leadership position on behalf of the venture capital industry on issues such as carried interest taxation, financial services reform, the FDA regulatory approval process, highly skilled immigration, patent reform, U.S. competitiveness issues, energy reform, support for basic research funding, and countless other policy issues that impact America’s entrepreneurial ecosystem.

As the primary spokesperson for the venture capital industry, Mark is often called upon by the financial media, NVCA members, limited partners, and regional associations to offer insights and perspectives on trends and developments occurring within the asset class. He is a frequent presenter at industry conferences, a familiar and trusted source in news articles focusing on the venture industry, and a recurrent guest on CNBC and Bloomberg Television.

Prior to his work at NVCA, Mark was an aide to a Pensylvania Governor and was Deputy Director for Federal Funds reporting to the Texas Legislature. Mark received a law degree with an emphasis in taxation from the Dickinson School of Law in 1984.

Agenda

4:30-5 PM  Registration, Networking and Poster Exhibit
5:00-5:15   Three Minute Pitches
5:15-6:10   Featured Speaker
6:10-6:20   Audience Q & A
6:20-7:00   Networking and Poster Exhibit
7:30            Mark Heesen Celebration Dinner (Dinner Registration Required)