John Austin, a Senior Fellow with the Brookings Institution, talks about his recent report: “As the venture capital game gets bigger, the Midwest keeps missing out.”
According to the report, those working to accelerate economic growth in the Heartland must face some stark realities. The Great Lakes region continues to export wealth to coastal economies, even as investment leaders try to equalize growth between the coasts and the Heartland. The region sees only a tiny fraction of venture capital (VC) deals, despite producing one quarter to one third of the nation’s research and development, new patents, and top talent. Great Lakes VC funds are currently seen as too small or too unknown for investors—at a time when VC is funding fewer firms with bigger exits.
In partnership with the Rotary Club of Milwaukee.
