Developing Funding Opportunities in Montana

Entrepreneurs can record their pitches at http;//www.FundingMontana.com with a Webcam or upload an existing video. The site hosts the first month of a VideoPitch subscription for $1, after which the entrepreneur is charged $34.95 for each month that his VideoPitch is posted on FundingMontana.com.

On Thursday, Tauer gave an example from New Mexico in which every $4 of venture capital from private sources is matched by $1 of government money.

"The idea is, let’s try to turn our incentive discussion instead into an investment discussion," he said.

“There are not enough people who have the money doing this” type of higher-risk, higher-return investing in the Spokane area yet, nor are there as many great investment opportunities bubbling to the surface yet as he’d like to see, Leatha says.

“It’s sort of venture capital with a conscience,’

he legislators, regulators, entrepreneurs and potential funders need to come together and come up with a cohesive program to implement a full-fledged funding program that helps entrepreneurs develop their models and then find the best funding solutions. Without it, the ability of Montana to compete in a new economy world is going to be compromised.

"As discussed, fundraising has been particularly challenging. After contacting 64 potential investors and advisors on behalf of the Fund, including each of the pension plans in the region and surrounding states, endowments, consultants, large corporations, banks and high net worth investors, Credit Suisse has received no indications of interest to date." Michael Arpey, Managing Director, Co-Head of the Customized Fund Investment Group Credit Suisse First Boston

An academic study, underwritten by the Cato Institute, explores the issues related to states raising venture capital to attract entrepreneurs or building an entrepreneurial community to attact venture capital.

To the extent that constitutional limits are placed on states’ abilities to compete to produce business-friendly policies, to that extent state politicians will feel free to impose burdens on businesses that are captives without alternatives. Entrepreneurial federalism puts useful pressure on states and localities to heed this axiom: Capital goes where it is welcome and stays where it is well treated.

The state of Washington was one of 34 states that signed a brief to the court supporting Ohio’s position.

“This is an opportunity for states to showcase their efforts to support the new businesses and entrepreneurs who drive the new economy,“