On April 11, 2007, BISNIS/U.S. Foreign Commercial Service in partnership with the Council for Trade and Economic Cooperation (USA-CIS) organized a Financing Deals and Investing in Eurasia international seminar, which brought together over 200 attendees from the United States, Russia, Ukraine, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and other CIS countries.

The main objectives of the seminar were to introduce and inform companies of the latest financial programs, initiatives and mechanisms to mitigate risks and support U.S. exports and investments in Eurasia, to create an open forum for discussion, and provide direct access to banks and bankers from the region.

The seminar comprised three main panels – U.S. government agencies (U.S. Department of Agriculture, Overseas Private Investment Corporation, U.S. Export-Import Bank, U.S. Trade Development Agency, the Advocacy Center), private equity funds and venture capital firms (Firebird Management, SigmaBleyzer, Ansher Fund Management, Marchmont Capital Partners), and commercial banks from Europe and Eurasia (Societe Generale, Vnesheconombank of Russia, International Bank of Azerbaijan, Bank TuranAlem of Kazakhstan).

The featured speakers of the event raised compelling opportunities and spoke of strategic changes and their perspectives on the region's financial environment. Alexander Danilov, representative of Vnesheconombank Russia in the U.S., for example, stated that Vnesheconombank will join with two other banks to create a new Russian Bank for Development under a law soon to be passed by the Russian Parliament. Kendrick White of Marchmont Capital Partners described the current economic environment and suggested that private entrepreneurs must secure expansion financing to survive and grow, making venture capital investors an increasingly attractive Financial Class. Michele Smith of OPIC described investment in her company's future projects in Eurasia, and these projects amount to nearly $5 billion dollars in investments.

The networking and discussions awakened more interest and strong encouragement for development of existing projects as well as the establishment of new projects in the CIS region and Russia and new international ventures in the United States.

The seminar offered real advice and strategy to those looking towards Russia and the CIS for investment options as well as options for those in need of capital.