Open Prairie Ventures Announces New Office in Kalamazoo

Venture capital firm Open Prairie Ventures announces the opening of its new offi
ce in Kalamazoo, Michigan. In partnership with Southwest Michigan First, Open Pr
airie Ventures offers investment opportunities to agricultural companies in Sout
hwest Michigan.
Effingham, IL - April 29, 2011 (PR Solutions) -- Open Prairie Ventures, a leadin
g venture capital firm providing equity to early-stage agricultural technology a
nd medical device companies throughout the Midwest, is pleased to announce the e
xpansion of its operations to Kalamazoo, Michigan. Open Prairie will be taking s
pace within the Southwest Michigan First offices as the two firms work together
to aggressively bring investment opportunities to Southwest Michigan. The move
will formalize a partnership between the two entities, which have worked togethe
r during the past five years. Open Prairie and Southwest Michigan First have par
tnered to develop new companies such as Vestaron, a Kalamazoo-based agricultural
company developing the next generation of insecticides for the environmentally
conscious 21st century.
Open Prairie was founded in 1999 and is headquartered in Effingham, Illinois wit
h additional offices in Kansas. In September 2010, Open Prairie closed its secon
d fund with $30 million of capital.
"Michigan has a vibrant ecosystem for early-stage investments in the focus secto
rs for Open Prairie and access to top-tier management talent. We look forward t
o the expansion of our firm's footprint in the region with the opening of our ne
w office. The ability to establish solid investment opportunities in the state
led us toward the creation of a long-term presence in Michigan," said Jim Schult
z, Partner in Open Prairie Ventures. (http://www.OpenPrairie.com)
"This partnership is a natural progression of Southwest Michigan First's efforts
to establish the necessary investment cycle for a sustainable innovation econom
y in Southwest Michigan. By creating the pool of capital necessary to bring high
potential investment opportunities, we can increase deal flow and create new co
mpanies, which in turn generate tech transfer," said Ron Kitchens, Chief Executi
ve Officer of Southwest Michigan First and General Partner of the Southwest Mich
igan First Life Science Fund.
About Open Prairie Ventures:
Open Prairie Ventures is an early-stage venture capital firm investing in promis
ing life science and agricultural technology companies. Open Prairie applies bo
th its capital and team expertise to focus on companies with efficient capital u
sage and disruptive technologies. With offices in Illinois and Kansas City, Open
Prairie's national reach and unique access to investment opportunities througho
ut the Midwest region allows the firm to build a diverse portfolio of high-growt
h technology companies. For more information, visit http://www.OpenPrairie.com o
r call 217.347.1000.
About the Southwest Michigan First Life Science Fund:
The Southwest Michigan First Life Science Fund is a $75 million limited partners
hip venture fund interested in early stage life sciences opportunities in Southw
est Michigan that have demonstrably viable technologies and are committed to est
ablishing a presence in the Region. The fund's primary goal is to spur economic
development and retain intellectual capital within the area. More information
about the Southwest Michigan First Life Science Fund can be found at http://1cli
k2.com/SWMFLifeScienceFund
About Southwest Michigan First:
Southwest Michigan First is the catalyst stimulating growth across the Kalamazoo
Region. Nationally recognized for its groundbreaking Community Capitalism appr
oach to economic development, Southwest Michigan First is a private, non-profit
corporation fully committed to its mission of jobs and wealth creation. Whether
you're a site selector, an investor, an entrepreneur or part of an existing com
pany looking to grow, Southwest Michigan First has the resources and expertise t
o assist you in identifying and surpassing your company's goals. For more inform
ation, visit http://www.SouthwestMichiganFirst.com
Press Contacts:
Ron Kitchens
Chief Executive Officer
Southwest Michigan First
241 E. Michigan Avenue
Kalamazoo, MI
49007
269.553.9588
Press1@addtraffic.net
Jim Schultz
Managing Partner
Open Prairie Ventures
400 East Jefferson
Effingham, IL
62401
217.347.1000
openprairie@addtraffic.net
http://www.OpenPrairie.com
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