Startup Grind Madison announced recently it will host a fireside chat with Adrian Fortino of Mercury Fund at 6 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 19 at 100state.

Fortino is the Midwest Director of the fund that invests in early-stage stage software, health tech and science ventures. According to Startup Grind Madison Co-Founder Paul Gerhartz, he was put in touch with Fortino via Troy Vosseller of gener8tor.

“By bringing in big-name speakers like Adrian … it helps change the perception that Madison’s startup community is thriving and helps grow our meetup community,” Gerhartz said. “(Co-Founder) Greg (Hudson) and I are trying to provide a platform for entrepreneurs, investors and others involved in small business to connect, learn from and inspire each other while also showing the world that Madison is the place to be.”

The event begins with an hour-long networking session, followed by Fortino and a short Q&A session.

The goal of the monthly fireside chat series is to bring together community members who share an interest in startups, small businesses and innovation in the Madison area.