Roth Capital Partners, the Newport Beach-based investment banking firm, completed its 30th annual flagship investor conference with 4,710 in attendance, similar to a year ago.
“It went very well,” Chief Executive Byron Roth said at the event’s conclusion. “The content is always the thing that I worry the most about, making sure that it’s informative and entertaining.”
The four-day event at the Ritz Carlton in Dana Point promotes small and midcap publicly traded companies and private firms seeking to raise capital. It’s usually well-attended by institutional investors, venture capitalists and executives from around the country.
Executives from about 500 companies made presentations, including Orange County-based firms like San Clemente-based Glaukos Corp. (NYSE: GKOS), Irvine-based Tilly’s Inc. (NYSE: TLYS) and Anaheim-based Willdan Group Inc. (Nasdaq: WLDN).
Nationally known companies, including Fitbit Inc. (NYSE: FIT) and Cypress Semiconductor Corp. (Nasdaq: CY) also gave presentations. About 50 private companies were trying to raise capital, Roth said.
The event also had dozens of panels discussing new industries, such as cannabis, new rules, including Regulation A+, that help smaller companies go public, and the changing retail industry.
One panel on blockchain technology was moderated by an 18 year old named Josh Abbot; Roth said it was impressive to see a New York City high school senior so involved in the industry.
“Everyone in my business gets asked about bitcoin,” Roth said. “The reality is no one knows much. No one understands the valuation.”
Another panel on artificial intelligence featured Dan Goldin, former chief administrator of NASA, and Chad Steelberg, chief executive of Costa Mesa-based Veritone Inc. (Nasdaq: VERI).
The conference also raised funds for the Orangewood Foundation and Challenged Athletes Foundation through events like a 40-mile bike ride to Camp Pendleton and former NFL star Ricky Williams’ promotion of a yoga session with his “cannabis-based wellness products.”
Roth Capital also promoted locally based restaurant chains, such as Wahoo’s Fish Taco and In-N-Out Burger, which had food trucks outside concert venues.
Roth Capital’s conferences are famous for bands playing at evening shows. This year’s lineup included Pat Benatar and the Big & Rich country music duo. Roth called the latter’s concert “one of the best we ever had.”
