MSU Billings School of Business to Host Starting Angel Organizations

Montana Angel Initiative Comes to Billings

Entrepreneurs play an increasingly important role in Montana’s economic development because entrepreneurs drive business innovation across all sectors. Governor Schweitzer recognizes that entrepreneurs in Montana face many common challenges, including developing business acumen and making connections with experts and mentors. But often the greatest challenge is raising capital. Angel investors are stepping in to fill the gap for many startups with emerging technologies that are frequently viewed as too risky for banks and other financing.

Dr. Gary Young, Dean of the MSU Billings School of Business http://www.msubillings.edu/cob/ , is partnering with Liz Marchi, Fund Coordinator for the Frontier Angel Fund http://frontierangelfund.angelgroups.net/, Montana’s first organized angel fund and the Governor’s Office of Economic Development in this effort. The goal is to provide education about angel investing to public officials, economic development professionals, business leaders and accredited investors.

Dr. Young is a strong advocate of the entrepreneurial economy and understands the important role that early investors play in business development. “We are pleased to bring this unique opportunity for education about angel investing to our campus and to our community. I believe in the capacity in our region for building an effective angel network to serve our growing entrepreneurial culture” says Dr. Young.

Collaboration with Montana’s University system and business schools is critical to the effort. The curriculum materials and instructor will be provided by the Angel Capital Association in association with the Kauffman Foundation, the largest foundation in support of entrepreneurship in the US. Marianne Hudson, Executive Direction of the Angel Capital Association and the Angel Capital Education Foundation http://www.angelcapitalassociation.org is scheduled to be the lead instructor for Starting Angel Organizations in Billings which is scheduled for Thursday, November 13th at Montana State University Billings, McDonald Hall.

Expectations are that strong private sector partnerships be formed for sponsorships of community seminars. First Interstate Bank, Tease Law and Big Sky Economic Development have joined The Montana Department of Commerce, Dorsey & Whitney Law Firm, University of Montana Business School, MSU –Billings College of Business, Heutmaker Law, Glacier Venture Fund, the Montana World Trade Center as sponsors of this seminar series.

Dr. Paul Polzin with the Bureau of Economic Research will present a community assessment of the Billings community to get some idea of the number of angels that might be in the area. The full day seminar will explore best practices in forming, structuring and sustaining an angel organization in the local community.

“Montana is ripe for this initiative” says Evan Barrett, Chief Development officer for the State. “We have more and more high net worth individuals willing to invest locally and we are seeing an ever increasing growth in entrepreneurial activity in bio science, energy and information technology.”

For more information contact Liz Marchi, [email protected], 406-883-4044. Attendance is limited and registration is required.