Well-known entrepreneur and business publisher Steve Forbes will be the keynote speaker at Prairie Crest Capital’s Annual Ag Tech Investor Conference Nov. 9 in Des Moines, Iowa. The conference is focused on bringing together leaders to highlight the opportunities, challenges and successful investment methods for emerging Ag Tech companies.

Since 1990, Steve Forbes has lead Forbes Inc., a global media company focusing on business, investing, technology, entrepreneurship, leadership and lifestyle. Throughout his years of management, the company launched several new businesses and publications around the globe. The company’s flagship publication, Forbes, is the nation’s leading business magazine, with a circulation of more than 900,000. Forbes combined with Forbes Asia, Forbes Europe and the company’s licensee editions together reach a worldwide audience of more than 5 million readers.

Ag and investment community to gather
Forbes.com has become one of the world’s most influential websites, with more than 60 million visitors a month. Forbes serves as chairman and editor-in-chief of Forbes Media, while also writing editorials under the heading “Fact and Comment” for each issue of Forbes. As a writer and economic prognosticator, he has been honored with the prestigious Crystal Owl Award four times. In addition to running the family business, Forbes campaigned for president in both 1996 and 2000, has authored several books, and served as the chairman of the bipartisan Board for International Broadcasting.

“The time is now to convene the best thought leaders of the agricultural and investment community across the nation and share the opportunities we have to facilitate ag and technology investment,” says Barry Adams, managing partner of Prairie Crest Capital. “We are honored and humbled to have Steve Forbes join us for this conversation and offer his view of the current investment climate.”

Ag Entrepreneurship Week in Iowa
The announcement of this event came during the recently declared Agricultural Entrepreneurship Week. Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds signed a proclamation to mark this time in appreciation and acknowledgement of the value agricultural entrepreneurs provide for the state of Iowa, as well as for the rest of the world.

Reynolds will also speak at the conference. “As a leader of a top-producing agricultural state, we are excited Gov. Reynolds is able to join us for this event,” says Mark White, managing partner of Prairie Crest Capital. “With investment activity in agriculture technology anticipated to grow from $2 billion to approximately $8 billion over the next several years, we look forward to the engaging conversations with all attendees.”

The conference is Nov. 9 at 7 a.m. in Hy-Vee Hall in the Iowa Events Center complex in downtown Des Moines. For details and to register, attendees or companies looking for exposure to investment can visit prairiecrestcapital.com.