UnConference connects startups, investors

At the Capital UnConference, startups won’t need to worry about winning over an audience.

Instead, they will need to tailor their company pitch for particular investment groups, a format that the organizers consider more useful for both types of parties involved.

The fourth Capital UnConference takes place Sept. 30 at the Entrepreneur Center in Nashville, with about 40 companies and 40 investors expected to participate so far. Companies are pre-matched with investors and have up to 10 half-hour meetings during the day.

The events, which were launched by law firm Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough, first began in spring 2013 and have helped direct $35 million to 20 participating companies.

In March, the event was held in Washington, D.C., drawing close to 100 investors and 70 companies, three of which attracted capital.

“The goal is to create an efficient and concentrated opportunity for companies to have relevant meetings with investors and vice versa,” said founder Jason Epstein, a partner and business lawyer at Nelson Mullins.

It’s not speed dating, he said, because the matches are based on the size of investment an investor seeks to make and the industry it is looking to invest in. This year, investors will also be able to preview the companies and have the option of adding or eliminating company meetings.

The companies come from across the Southeast, and the size of the investment they are seeking ranges from angel rounds to growth equity dollars, as high as $5 million. Most companies are tech related, with many in the health care sector, given Nashville’s strong health care presence.

Reach Jamie McGee at 615-259-8071 and on Twitter @JamieMcGee_.