The idea that Wall Street road shows will be changed profoundly by the Internet and new technology seems old. We've been talking about it since at least the retail IPO (IPO news) boom--which seemed to peak with the dot-com boom. But Instinet has revived the idea with its new Meet the Street service, which it is rolling out now as a way for issuers to reach past the traditional sell-side research apparatus and get in front of actual investors. 

When the service is fully running, it will help IR staff reach out to potential buyers and even organize meetings, right down to booking meetings, flights, hotels and transportation. It could even be used to plan roadshows, the company touts. That functionality may well prove to be a hit with companies desperate for research coverage and analyst attention. Right now, the launch is in its inchoate phases, essentially trying to get investors to input their information and companies they would like to meet with. The product was built by a former hedge fund manager, Dan Dykens, who shopped it to Instinet, where he will stay on to manage the product. 

For more:
- here's an article from IR magazine 

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