Credit Suisse and Michigan Sizzle!

Keyword for this post:
Business plans for Venture Capital

Credit Suisse's three-year management of the Michigan Economic Development Corp.'s two venture capital funding operations is drawing to a close, but the firm's role in boosting the state's VC industry will last for another few years.

Credit Suisse is managing another $75 million - a piece of the $300 million Invest Michigan Growth Capital Fund - designated for Michigan investments.

The global investment firm is soon expected to make the final investments from MEDC's VC programs - the $95 million Venture Michigan Fund and the $110 million 21st Century Investment Fund.

And, to top it all off nicely, Credit Suisse's Michigan connections played a central role in drawing the 2009 Credit Suisse Private Equity Conference on Small & Emerging Manager and In-State Investments. The conference, previously held in Houston and Los Angeles, will take place April 21 at Wayne State University's MacGregor Hall in Detroit. This conference alone is expected to draw over 300 investors from outside of Michigan and may prompt some major investments.