WHAT YOU MISSED AT THE 3 RIVERS VENTURE FAIR
  September 28, 2011

What do you get when you put 34 startups together with more than 600 investors, business leaders and other entrepreneurs, and toss in 14 featured inventors from Pittsburgh universities?

Creative sparks, cutting-edge technologies and, hopefully, lots of venture capital, says Kelly Szekjo, president of Pittsburgh Venture Capital Association, the organization that staged the 3 Rivers Venture Fair that was held last week at the Lexus Club at PNC Park.

While it's too soon to tell how successful this year's event was in terms of dollars raised, many expressed excitement for the technology showcase, a first this year, which featured innovative life science and technology inventions by Pitt and CMU students who gave 3-minute pitches. Among the inventions was Classroom Salon, which turns online reading by students into a communal classroom experience, to Nano-pathology, an optical cancer detection technology...

Read More at: http://www.popcitymedia.com/innovationnews/3rcfr092811.aspx

AT 3 RIVERS VENTURE FAIR, OPTIMISM SHINES BRIGHT FOR NEW INNOVATIONS
  September 23, 2011

One slide. Three minutes.

If entrepreneurship is driven by optimism, there was no brighter place in Pittsburgh than PNC Park on Tuesday and Wednesday at the 3 Rivers Venture Fair. The event, produced by the Pittsburgh Venture Capital Association, provides the opportunity for companies to present their businesses to venture capitalists from across the country in the hopes that their new idea might secure the funding they need to grow.

It was great to speak with a few of the attendees, from companies pitching to the VCs looking to invest, and hear their perspectives of how well Pittsburgh is doing economically. Above all the chatter of “Series Bs” and “convertible notes” was the sense that, even in challenging economic times, innovation moves forward and companies are able to grow...

Read More at: http://www.imaginepittsburghonline.com/2011/09/23/at-3-rivers-venture-fair-optimism-shines-bright-for-new-innovations/

AT VENTURE FAIR, MONEY, NEW IDEAS MEET
  September 22, 2011

In the business world's equivalent of American Idol, undiscovered Pittsburgh inventors tried to give their best performances Wednesday in a luxurious suite at PNC Park.

There was a panel of three judges, contestants that both flourished and flopped in the span of three minutes, an audience that texted in their votes, and even a diminutive host.

Instead of national fame and a recording contract, winners of the University Technology Showcase at the 3 Rivers Venture Fair yesterday got a small cash award, confidence that their ideas could become successful businesses and connections with venture capital investors so essential to startup companies…

Read More at: http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/business/s_758037.html#ixzz1ZHICclOE

3 RIVERS VENTURE FAIR COMES DURING DROUGHT IN STARTUP INVESTMENT
  September 22, 2011

By the time NoWait CEO Robb Meyer made his way to PNC Park on Wednesday for the 3 Rivers Venture Fair, he was on his third attempt to woo investors in three cities over two days.

He flew to Pittsburgh shortly after presenting the company's app -- which helps restaurants reach patrons via text message -- to an angel investors group in New York. Mr. Meyer said meeting investors face-to-face during a time when funds available for startups seemed to be drying up was more than worth the two-day frantic rush.

"You get a lot of broad exposure, there's a high probability of meeting the right people. The fact that there still are fairs, and people attend, shows that just because people are cautious, they're still interested in investing," he said…

Read More at: http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/11265/1176593-28.stm#ixzz1ZHGzWi9X

ENTREPRENEUR IDOL AT THE 3 RIVERS VENTURE FAIR
  September 21, 2011

One slide. Three minutes.

Those were the rules of the Technology Showcase on Wednesday afternoon, kicking off the 3 Rivers Venture Fair. In that brief amount of time 14 would-be entrepreneurs had the opportunity to pitch their ideas to an expert panel of investors and get feedback on their presentation in a friendly atmosphere.

In a fun twist and homage to “American Idol” the pitches were also judged by the audience of about 250 people, who at the end of the show texted in their votes for first, second and third place. The three experts were Rich Lunak, president and CEO of nonprofit seed-stage investor group Innovation Works; Ned Renzi, partner at Birchmere Ventures; and Glen Meakem, co-founder and managing director of Meakem Becker Venture Capital…

Read More at: http://www.bizjournals.com/pittsburgh/blog/innovation/2011/09/entrepreneur-idol-at-the-3-rivers.html

PITTSBURGH STEELERS TEAM PSYCHOLOGIST TO TAKE INVESTORS BEHIND THE SCENES INTO NFL DRAFT STRATEGIES AND DYNAMICS
  August 10, 2011

As the team psychologist for the Pittsburgh Steelers during the past ten years, Dr. Kevin Wildenhaus is usually working behind the scenes at Heinz Field, but this September, he will take center stage at the Lexus Club at PNC Park, the North Shore's other professional sports venue.

Kelly Szejko, President of the Pittsburgh Venture Capital Association, announced today that Wildenhaus will serve as the keynote speaker at the 3 Rivers Venture Fair [3RVF], the organization's flagship event, on September 21-22nd. The 3RVF is among the largest technology investment showcases in the country and attracts more than 600 prominent investors, entrepreneurs and business leaders who travel to Pittsburgh every 18 months to discover high-potential, promising breakthroughs and ground floor investment opportunities in energy, medicine, life sciences, communications, manufacturing and more. 34 carefully screened, capital-seeking companies from six different states have been selected from hundreds of applicants to pitch their prospects for growth and market potential to the influential audience. The list of featured companies will be announced on the event's website on September 7th...

Read More at: http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/pittsburgh-steelers-team-psychologist-to-take-investors-behind-the-scenes-into-nfl-draft-strategies-and-dynamics-127469613.html

KELLY SZEJKO ON CMU PODCAST
  July 8, 2011

President of the PVCA Kelly Szejko recently went on Carnegie Mellon's podcast to talk about the PVCA/3RVF. You can listen to the full podcast here:
http://www.cmu.edu/cttec/i-casts/podcasts/PghVentureCapital.mp3

PITTSBURGH VENTURE CAPITAL ASSOCIATION NAMES KELLY SZEJKO PRESIDENT
  October 4, 2010

The Pittsburgh Venture Capital Association has appointed Kelly Szejko, its executive director for the past 12 years, as president.

The move changes the organization’s management structure of the past 28 years, where a new president was appointed annually. Now, the president post will be ongoing, the executive director post eliminated, and a chairman will be appointed annually.

“Having the same president year after year adds a lot of consistency,” said Alex Paul, president and CEO of Downtown accounting firm Alpern Rosenthal, PVCA’s chairman. “When someone outside of Pittsburgh thinks of PVCA, they’ll call the same person, Kelly, instead of who might be president at the moment. And Kelly has done an incredible job building the organization. This recognizes her achievements and leadership.”...

Read More at: http://www.bizjournals.com/pittsburgh/stories/2010/10/04/story12.html