STOWE, Vt. -- (October 30, 2008) -- Jeff Bartley, ‘09, BYOBiz entrepreneur, and founder of FanRanter.com. began his search for $350,000 in equity capital with a presentation to over 150 venture capitalists and angel investors from throughout New England.

These investors were gathered for the 16th annual Vermont Investors Forum at the Snowflake Resort. They were there to hear investment pitches from promising Vermont entrepreneurs seeking equity investment. These entrepreneurs had competed for presenter slots at the Forum.

This year's participants ran the gamut of industries from health and wellness, web based, high tech, and food. Karyn Barsa, President of Investor's Circle, a leading national angel investor group, delivered the keynote address.

For Jeff Bartley, the Vermont Investors Forum was an opportunity to introduce his business opportunity and connect with potential investors. When asked what implications this event would have for his business, Jeff Bartley explained:

"The Vermont Investors Forum was a fantastic event! It provided exposure for FanRanter to serious investors and added credibility. But more importantly, the Vermont Investors Forum provided me with the opportunity to sit down with angel investors, and receive advice on my business plan. This helpful feedback from interested individuals is invaluable in strengthening my plan and improving my chances of finding investors," he said.

The Vermont Investors Forum was founded 16 years ago by a group of Vermont investors, entrepreneurs, and service providers. The purpose of the event is to provide an opportunity for companies seeking equity capital to present their companies to leading venture investors. Participants received coaching from the Forum Steering Committee who volunteer their time to help the entrepreneurs optimize their presentations for the audience.

Robert Bloch, Champlain College's BYOBiz Director said, "Raising significant equity capital, especially in this economic environment, is a long hard journey. Jeff made a great impression among the investors at the Forum and this bodes well for his prospects of eventually making FanRanter.com a success. We hope to have more BYOBiz students compete in this type of event in the future".