Eight companies from the Kansas City metro presented their products and services Thursday at this year’s InvestMidwest Venture Capital Forum in St. Louis.

The forum is one of the region’s best ways for early-stage companies to connect with investors. Since it started in 2000, InvestMidwest has helped presenting startups raise more than $1 billion in investment or related deals.

This year, Kansas City was represented by …

• ELIAS Animal Health – Olathe
• Orion BioScience Inc. – Kansas City, Mo.
• Spinal Simplicity, LLC – Overland Park
• JobShakers, LLC – Kansas City, Mo.
• KeyAXS – Leawood
• Patients Voices LLC – Parkville
• Play-it Health – Kansas City, Kan.
• Rex Animal Health – Kansas City, Mo.

All told, 45 companies presented at this year’s forum. Each was seeking investment worth $1 million to $20 million.
“We received over 140 applications from companies that have developed products and services that address many of the global issues making recent headlines, so there was much excitement to hear from the selected presenters heading into this year’s event,” said Chris Walsh, executive director of InvestMidwest.