Last week, I had an opportunity to participate in a great event that was hosted by U.S. Rep. Dan Kildee along with his colleagues U.S. Rep. Tim Ryan of Ohio and U.S. Rep. Ro Khanna of California.
The congressmen partnered to bring a delegation of California-based venture capitalists (VCs) to the area, as part of their Comeback Cities Venture Capital Tour. The tour allowed the VCs to go beyond the borders of Silicon Valley to learn about investment opportunities in other parts of the country, particularly the Midwest.
The purpose of the event was to discover more about our entrepreneurial community, understand the community’s strengths and assets and develop relationships. It was an information-packed half-day with these power investors who represent billions of dollars in assets.
The visit featured a tour of the community, a roundtable discussion on technology with leaders from business and community organizations, philanthropy, higher education, government and entrepreneurs; followed by a networking reception at GoodBoy Clothing in downtown Flint. At the end of the day we had dinner, talked about our road to recovery, the resurgence of downtown Flint, recent business investments and redevelopment projects in Genesee County.
I can’t say enough about the importance of getting people, especially investors, to visit the Flint area. We’ve learned that once they personally experience our community, they always have a newfound appreciation for Flint’s and Genesee County’s revitalization. Businesses that may be thinking about or planning to host out-of-town investors and/or customers can reach out to the Chamber. We would be glad to work with you.
I don’t know if any investments will come out of this visit. But I can tell you… when a group of venture capitalists, U.S. congressmen and national media visit our town to learn how our area is rebounding… it’s a good day!
Stay connected to Chamber communications for updates, and more good news.
Tim