Startups solicited investments ranging from $20,000 to more than $5 million. VCs in the house represented the West Coast, Boston, Austin and points in between. BioVentures director Mike Douglas expects funding to find its way to “2 or 3″ firms that pitched this week.

Venture capitalists from across the country will meet up in Little Rock this week for a showcase of the best UAMS has to offer in terms of new technology commercialization.

President Obama consistently has cited innovation as vital to the country’s economic health. Does his budget proposal prove he can walk the walk?