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Posted on Wed, May 9, 2012 : 1:50 p.m.

CEO Podcasts: Conversations on Economic Opportunity, Jan Garfinkle

By Paul Krutko, SPARK

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Founder and Managing Director Arboretum Ventures

Ann Arbor SPARK CEO Podcasts: Conversations on Economic Opportunity capture the flavor of my one-on-one conversations with over one hundred key economic leaders in the region, including private sector CEOs, elected and appointed public sector leaders, and the executive leadership of key non-profit and academic institutions. The podcast series is designed to not only highlight that expertise, but also make it available to others who could benefit from the wisdom those business leaders can share.

Venture capitalism plays a huge role in creating an encouraging environment for entrepreneurship. Access to venture capital allows businesses to grow, take risks, and innovate.

Arboretum Ventures is a venture capital firm specializing in the healthcare sector. They invest throughout the United States, but with a special interest in the Midwest. More than simply a financial resource, they are a collaborative, value-added investor actively engaging their companies in strategy, operations, recruiting, fundraising, and exit planning.

Jan Garfinkle founded the firm in 2002 and has been actively investing since. She utilizes her educational background in biomedical engineering, extensive medical device operating experience and industry connections to select and nurture outstanding companies. Jan led Arboretum's investment in HandyLab and served on the Board of Directors for five years until the company was acquired by Becton Dickinson. She has also led Arboretum's investments in CardioMEMS, Uptake Medical, BAROnova, Vasonova, Esperion, NXThera, Life Magnetics, Sonitus Medical and Cereve, among others.

In the course of our conversation, Jan discusses the impact that venture capital has had on the Ann Arbor economy. We discuss the positives surrounding the economic climate in the Midwest - including how much money can be saved by investing and keeping a company in Michigan, how much more bang for the buck venture capital firms can see by investing in Midwest companies, and the access to talent in the Ann Arbor region.

Check out more CEO Podcasts: Conversations on Economic Opportunity with Ann Arbor SPARK CEO Paul Krutko on the Ann Arbor SPARK website!