Arkansas Venture Forum to Return

Speaking of investment capital, you may have heard that the Arkansas Venture Forum is coming back to Northwest Arkansas. That traditionally means the influx of about 300 to 350 people for dining, lodging and shopping.

We hear forum organizers are looking to package the dates sometime in October and probably tie in a Thursday and Friday leading up to a Saturday Razorback game.

The entity is a division of Arkansas Capital Corp., which started the forum in 2001.

The second AVF conference was held at the Fayetteville Town Center. Since then, it has resided in Little Rock. The one in October will be the fifth conference.

The event is an attempt to increase the public’s awareness of the need for venture capital and enterprise development. It’s also an opportunity for growing companies to make presentations in a bid for capital.

Venture capitalists from Arkansas and surrounding states have attended past conferences representing more than $500 million in capital.

No word on where the forum will be held, but Benton County is always attractive when people are looking for money.