ScienceLogic and Tenable Executives Announced as 2019 Chairs

Features TechBUZZ, Plus Expanded Participation by Companies, Global Industry Leaders, and National Capital Sources

The Mid-Atlantic Venture Association (MAVA) today announced its new-and-expanded SURGE conference series. In keeping with a more than 30-year track record and commitment to foster commercial company growth and development, the industry engagement platform will bring together an unparalleled, qualified group of emerging-market companies, middle-market and later-stage enterprises, active investors from across the country, global industry leaders, and top researchers as a means to accelerate company development, technology innovation, and customer problem-solving.

MAVA has continued to expand its long-standing and nationally recognized TechBUZZ program to better reflect mutual interests in supporting technology innovation by bringing industry, companies, capital and researchers together all under one roof. Expansions in recent years have included adding to the platform “Momentum” staged companies (each with a minimum of $2M in ARR), discussions with industry, and, most recently, the addition last fall of top research faculty from across the University of Maryland at College Park. The new SURGE conference series continues this evolution with the addition of a year-long digital platform for competitively selected companies, increased participation from leading growth and emerging companies, investors, industry, and researchers, a new one-on-one investor component, and expanded research discussion topics.

Technology Executives of Leading Companies Named as Co-Chairs

To provide important industry input and real-time perspectives, both critical to elevating the conversations and experience of SURGE attendees, MAVA has tapped the first two executives from its company member ranks to serve as the program’s inaugural co-chairs: David Link, CEO of ScienceLogic, and Steve Riddick, General Counsel of Tenable® (NASDAQ: TENB). Both ScienceLogic and Tenable are on the forefront of their respective industries. ScienceLogic is a global leader in IT Operations Management trusted by thousands of organizations across the globe to provide modern IT operations with actionable insights to predict and resolve problems faster in a digital, ephemeral world. Tenable is the Cyber Exposure company with over 27,000 customers, including more than 50 percent of the Fortune 500 and more than 25 percent of the Global 2000. Tenable’s mission is to help organizations everywhere manage, measure and reduce their cyber risk in the digital era.

Conversations and Connections That Matter

SURGE will provide a one-of-a-kind opportunity for attendees to surface unique market insights through targeted Technology and Application Roundtable discussions. Competitively-selected, early-stage companies will be joined by corporate product team members, active institutional investors, senior growth company executives, and leading university and industry researchers for closed-door roundtables as a key component of the day’s conference. Early discussion focus areas to include: Artificial Intelligence & Machine Learning, Augmented Reality & Virtual Reality, Autonomy & Robotics, Blockchain, Cyber/Security, Data, Energy, Fintech, Internet of Things/Networks, Medtech, Software, Mobility & Transportation, and more. 

“As host of one of the only true independent platforms, we look forward to bringing together the full spectrum of business leaders at the core of commercial company development and technology innovation, all who have their finger on the pulse as to what latest advances globally may help solve an existing problem or provide a new breakthrough solution to an important market or customer problem,” said Julia Spicer, Executive Director of MAVA.

Increased Benefits for Companies Who Apply to Present to Investors in 2019

“With the SURGE expansion, we will continue to provide the consistent and trusted platform for showcasing some of the newest technologies and innovation companies hitting the market by bringing vetted early-stage companies to the table, along with growth and later-stage company executives, corporate product teams, active investors, and leading researchers,” continued Spicer.

The new-and-expanded SURGE conference will open the aperture to a group of up to 50 competitively selected, tech and tech-enabled companies to participate in the day-of conference and lead-up initiatives, allowing for increased representation of both Momentum companies and earlier-stage TechBUZZ companies. Package benefits for selected companies have been expanded to now include one-on-one meetings with investors in a private ‘speed-dating’ session, which is designed to attract qualified institutional investors and corporate venture funds with domain expertise. Selected companies will also participate in the closed-door Technology and Application Roundtable discussions with industry and top researchers, designed to enhance industry knowledge and technology development. All selected companies will receive exclusive access to a new digital platform available later this year, with Momentum companies presenting on-stage at the day-of conference.

Review & Selection Committee Co-Chairs Announced

Integral to the line-up of top early market and emerging companies is the independent Review & Selection process lead by MAVA Investor Members and key professional advisors. The Review & Selection Co-Chairs for the newly announced SURGE conference are Mourad Yesayan, Principal, Paladin Capital; Patrick Conroy, Principal, Revolution Growth; and Tina Moran, Analyst, Route 66 Ventures. Each co-chair represents active investment funds and a committee of more than 20 participating funds and advisors, who oversee the independent review, selection, and coaching process to select this year’s slate of companies to pitch to investors on-site and receive benefits through the digital platform. Rolling applications for companies will be open on Thursday, May 16, 2019.

World-Class Researchers Integral to the Conversation

“As part of last fall’s TechBUZZ program, we partnered with the University of Maryland to include for the first time world-renowned faculty expertise bringing leading edge research into the mix as a crucial part of the day’s conversations. Their participation provided invaluable benefit to our participating companies, investors, and corporates focused on building market-leading, commercial enterprises,” continued Spicer. Leading researchers will again be a critical part of the day-of conference.

Logistics

SURGE 2019 is a leading industry program spanning the full calendar year, with an in-person conference taking place on October 2nd at The Hotel at the University of Maryland in College Park, Maryland. Information about the free Application Process for early-stage companies can be found at surge.mava.org/tb/portal. Additional details surrounding the program can be found at surge.mava.org.

About MAVA

MAVA is a non-profit, member-supported business organization that represents and supports high growth enterprises, capital sources, and corporate industry. The mission of MAVA is to foster the success of the industry leading companies and their C-suite executives doing business nationally and internationally, along with the firms that invest in them. For more than 30 years, MAVA has served the full community of entrepreneurs, companies, innovators, capital sources, suppliers, international partners, and key advisors needed to build successful businesses from start-up to exit.