The Early Stage East (ESE) 2005 Venture Conference held on May 11&12 at the Hyatt Regency Philadelphia at Penn's Landing attracted 400+ investors, entrepreneurs, and service providers and more than $6 billion dollars!

Investors and money managers from 75 venture funds and financial institutions, representing 14 states on the East Coast, viewed 24 of the best emerging early stage companies on the East Coast. ESE attracted 25 new venture funds to the conference! Companies represented industries including medical devices and instruments, chemicals and advanced materials, enterprise software, and industrial biotechnology and electronic materials.

Cerionx, a patented cleaning technology with wide application in life science research located in Pennsauken , New Jersey , received two awards at ESE: People's Choice and Best Exhibiting Company. Apangea, a research-based online subscription tutorial service that combines intelligent tutoring software with human tutors located in Indiana , Pennsylvania , received the Company Most Likely to Receive Funding Award.

In addition, ESE hosted two panel sessions, "The State of Early Stage Investing," and "The Limited Partner Perspective" discussing the state of investing for early stage companies and issues that a limited partner experiences. As well, Daymond John, CEO and co-founder, FUBU, captivated the 400+ crowd with his entrepreneurial experience in becoming the one of the leaders in the fashion industry. Daymond commented that entrepreneurs must be "tenacious," and it was his tenacity that branded FUBU as the much celebrated global lifestyle brand and a pioneer in the industry.

The ESE 2005 Venture Conference was successful in matching entrepreneurs with investors, creating new business opportunities on the East Coast. ESE has entered a new year with a fresh vision, and continues to expand the largest venture capital organization focused on early stage companies on the East Coast!

ESE: New Year - Fresh Vision - Bright Opportunities