With a record of success that we are happy to share, Bright Buffalo Niagara invites you to look at the individual Entrepreneurs and Professionals who ascribe a part of their success to the shared success of our programs. To view success stories, click here.

Entrepreneurs & Company Representatives

• "The Forum facilitated the opportunity to both present and network with angel and venture capitalist investors from across New York State, Canada, and beyond... Since that time [2009] these individuals and venture groups have invested over $10 million into the company. I contribute the totality of our funding to a cumulative effect resulting from attending all of these types of investor-entrepreneur programs."
  - Venture Forum Attendee, Entrepreneur affiliated with Vnomics - 2012 Venture Forum
  
  
• "The best forum I have ever been to."
  - Venture Forum Attendee, Entrepreneur affiliated with Top Down Conservation - 2012 Venture Forum
  
  
• "... It was a wonderful experience in which I am truly grateful for. Thank you."
  - Entrepreneur, ChefKey - 2012 Venture Forum
  
  
• "[We] met an individual at the Forum who has joined as a managing partner."
  - Venture Forum Attendee, Timberfish - 2012 Venture Forum
  
  
• "We talk weekly to one major group who is exploring investment with us."
  - David Napper, President, Expose Retail Strategies - 2012 Venture Forum
  
  
• "One lead I met at the Bright Forum is now working for me as a consultant to raise funding."
  - Charles Akers, PhD, CEO, Isolation Sciences, LLC
  
  
• "There are companies that have presented that aren't large enough to hire their own engineering staff, so we've become a resource to get their innovation to the next milestone in product development."
  - Kim Grant, Business Development Manager, Applied Sciences Group, Inc.
  
  
• "[The Forum] helped solidify some potential investor leads, fill out our advisory board, and add credibility to our story."
  - Christine Montag, COO, Ladybug Teknologies, Inc.
  
  
• “I do not think people in the area realize what we have here. Coming from the healthcare arena, I was so impressed with the drug creation taking place here. I thought I was lucky being in Boston with the Harvard folks, but there are certainly many big brains and ideas here! It was a great day for our company and we met a plethora of people that can be resources for us. Thank you again for opening my eyes even wider to what is happening in this great city and the great people here.”
  - Deborah Robbins, VP Marketing and Sustainability, RubberForm Recycled Products, LLC
  
  
• For FloodWatch, the Forum results far exceeded hoped for expectations. We had three different groups express interest in investing in FloodWatch and since the Forum, it appears an additional group will be taking the next step with us as well."
  - John Slocum, CEO, FloodWatch, LLC
  
  
• "We had renewed contact with several groups that have an interest in funding our organization, and we established a potential business collaboration with another company as a result of our attendance."
  - Michael Zwick, PhD, MBA, CEO, AndroBioSys, Inc.

Investors & Professionals

• "Success is all about making the right connections with investors, advisors, and customers. The Bright Forum has been a catalyst in making... those initial connections."
  - Eric Leinberg, President, InfoPreserve - 2012 Venture Forum
  
  
• "As we build a stronger entrepreneurial ecosystem in Buffalo Niagara... the Bright Forum connects investors with entrepreneurs who have urgent business needs."
  - Scott Stenclik, President, Superior Group - 2012 Venture Forum
  
  
• "You get all of the investors in upstate New York in one place, as well as all of the people involved in the investment process... companies, the entrepreneurs, the universities, and the money. Get it all in one place -- everyone gets to talk to each other."
  - Richard Honen, Partner, Phillips Lytle - 2012 Venture Forum
  
  
• "One [of the businesses] I really thought was pretty amazing is Silicon Wolves... The fourth-largest supercomputer in the state is sitting right here in this building, which is pretty impressive. They are able to deliver that supercomputing at a much lower rate, so that is a business idea that will make money - and it is one that will continue to help more companies."
  - Kirstin Gillibrand, United States Senator for New York - 2012 Venture Forum
  
  
• "This provides a terrific means to capture the value of WNY in one setting."
  - Buffalo Niagara Angel Investor
  
  
• "Excellent event. I was glad to attend and made some excellent contacts as well as revisited exciting relationships. I look forward to next year."
  - Kevin Centofanti, CFA, Senior Managing Director, Brooks, Houghton & Company, Inc.
  
  
• "Great opportunity to network. Currently working with a contact from the Forum on a potential business partnership. Good opportunity for both of us."
  - Jan Reicis, Principal, Reicis & Associates
  
  
• "I met some individuals from Canada that are active in angel investing and are also company owners. I also helped facilitate key introductions between some of my Canadian client companies with individuals here in the Buffalo area."
  - Alan Rosenhoch, Business Development Specialist, Buffalo Niagara Enterprise