In this interview with TechBullion, Charlie Napolitano, the Managing Director of Events for DealFlow Events, talks about the Deal Flow microcap conference, why it was launched, what makes it special and what to expect from The Microcap Conference in Atlantic city this 2024.
Please tell us more about yourself?
I’m Charlie Napolitano, Managing Director of DealFlow Events since 2016. I live on Long Island with my beautiful wife and two children.
What is DealFlow Events, what is the aim and what unique services do you provide?
DealFlow Events has been producing professional conferences for 20 years, covering various capital market topics such as microcap investing, SPACs, Reg A, venture debt, shareholder activism, and PIPEs. Our strength is bringing together the key players in these respective spaces to share their stories, educate, network, and advance their businesses.
What types of events does DealFlow Events host and why Atlantic City?
DealFlow believes in the value of personal connection, and so most of our events are held in person. Since we primarily target different sector of the finance and investment community, many of our events are held in New York City. We’ve chosen Atlantic City for The Microcap Conference as a way to incorporate entertainment and enjoyment into the event, without requiring a great deal of travel. Having said that, we have held events in other parts of the US as well as London and other international cities.
Why did DealFlow decide to launch a microcap conference? As an independent event producer, how is this different from the investment banking events? Can you provide some examples of the business and investment topics covered at your events?
For the most part, investment banks are the ones bringing together microcap companies and investors. In discussion with many of these stakeholders who have attended our other events, such as The SPAC Conference, we’ve seen an opportunity to create a different type of gathering. Don’t get me wrong, the existing events serve an important purpose. However, as an independent conference producer, we can open the event to a wider audience, as well as incorporate our strengths in the way of additional content, such as keynote presentations and panel discussions, as well as extended networking and entertainment.
So, we’ll have at least 75 microcap companies presenting – and at the rate they’ve been signing on, we could top 100. And at the current rate of registration, we should have 400-500 qualified investors in attendance. Plus well over 100 others allied to the field who provide valued services such as accounting, law, and insurance firms.
The Microcap Conference will also have more than 40 speakers covering a broad range of topics such as Navigating the Microcap Universe, Preparing and Executing a Microcap IPO, Fund Protocols & Concerns for Adding Microcaps to Portfolio, Impact of Ongoing SEC Crypto Legislation on Governance of Involved Microcap Companies, and Navigating Regulatory Limitations When Raising Capital.
Could you give us an overview of the virtual events industry and how DealFlow Events adapted to the current virtual event landscape?
During the pandemic, DealFlow Events pivoted and produced a limited number of virtual events and webinars. However, we hold fast to our belief that nothing can replace the value of face-to-face, in-person gatherings when it comes to doing business. We hear it from the investment community as well as from our sponsors. And so, we remain dedicated to producing unparalleled live gatherings. Still, we will at times include a livestreaming of the mainstage presentations, as well as provide video recordings after the conference for those who could not attend but want the content.
What sets DealFlow Events apart from other event organizers in terms of networking opportunities and how do attendees benefit from participating in your events, whether virtual or in-person?
Our primary focus is always on the program. We cover the topics that keep people up at night, often niche topics that address their concerns. Some of our events are on somewhat narrow capital market topics that other conference producers don’t cover.
We strive to create engaging conversations both on stage in panel discussion, as well as afterwards during organized networking. Speaking of networking, while we do fill the program with industry leaders that others want to learn from, we make them accessible to the audience and ensure there is ample time for one-on-one discussion where serendipitous discovery often takes place.
Are your events open to individuals at all stages of their careers, or are they primarily targeted towards seasoned professionals? who are some notable thought leaders or experts that have spoken at past DealFlow Events?
Everyone is invited to attend a DealFlow event. Because the topics can be somewhat narrow and highly technical, we tend to attract the more seasoned professional looking to learn and meet others. However, newcomers do come to learn about a topic and to understand the relevance to their work. We do occasionally invite a widely known individual to present at a conference such as the economist Peter Schiff. More likely, we have the rockstars within their respective sectors that everyone in the space knows. We often have speakers and panelists from well-known organizations such as Ernst & Young, Latham & Watkins, Morgan Stanley, Deloitte, Deutsche Bank, Oppenheimer, Nasdaq, Bloomberg, and DLA Piper.
Could you give us a walkthrough of your 2024 events timeline, what do we expect and what other information do you have for our readers today?
At present we have five events planned, with another one or two under consideration.
- The Microcap Conference: January 30 – February 1, Atlantic City, NJ
- Venture Debt Conference: March 6, New York City
- Activist Investor Conference: March 21, New York City
- The SPAC Conference: June 11-12, Westchester, NY
- The Reg A Conference: June 13, Westchester, NY
Visit www.DealFlowEvents.com for more information about our 2024 events.
