Karsten Wenzlaff, Advisor
August 26th, 2025
Acquisition | June 30, 2025

Image: Freepik AI
On June 30, 2025, Burnaby-based Canadian legaltech firm Clio announced that it entered into a definitive agreement to acquire U.S. firm vLex for $1 billion USD in cash and stock. This is the largest acquisition in Clio's history and one of the most significant software deals ever led by a Canadian company. The deal merges Clio's legal operating system with vLex's AI-powered research platform to create a unified and intelligent legal system.
The combined platform currently serves over 200,000 legal professionals and includes vLex’s multilingual legal database and its AI engine Vincent, already trusted by law firms, courts, and legal associations in more than 110 countries.
The deal is expected to close later in 2025, pending regulatory approvals. Clio was advised by Goldman Sachs, with legal support from Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt LLP, Wilson Sonsini, and Gowling WLG. vLex was advised by J.P. Morgan, with legal counsel from A&O Shearman and Uría Menéndez. See the vLex announcement
Clio’s system simplifies firm operations while vLex’s technology provides legal insight across jurisdictions. Together, imagine a legaltech platform that combines task management, research, drafting, and smart analysis all in one place. By uniting all of these functions, the platform can support small firm use cases all the way to enterprise workflows in a single system.
Jack Newton, CEO and founder of Clio, said this is the beginning of a new era for the company and the legal profession. It didn't happen overnight. For seventeen years Clio has built tools to help law firms run efficiently. Now, jointed with vLex, it can add intelligence that understands legal content. Newton explained this further in a conversation with LawNext.
The times are changing in legaltech. According to the Q2 2025 Emerging Tech SaaS Report from PitchBook (subscription required), vertical SaaS acquisitions have increased by over 40% this year. Companies are integrating domain specific AI into platforms that combine workflow with insight. Clio and vLex are now a clear example of that trend.
vLex’s Vincent AI is capable of analyzing legal documents, audio, and video, and it can also support legal theory testing and custom workflows. These capabilities are essential for trusted, high value use cases in regulated environments, and they are creating an entirely new category of intelligent legal infrastructure.
vLex is backed by Oakley Capital, a UK based private equity firm. Clio's deal is Oakley’s third major legaltech exit in the past two years, pointing to the growing maturity of legal intelligence platforms.
Canadian policymakers should take notice of what's possible when national tech companies are supported in scaling globally. It offers a template for other sectors from finance to insurance to healthcare where regulated services require trusted, explainable AI. The acquisition is showing how these platforms can work in practice across different levels of complexity and jurisdictions.
Clio's deal puts a Canadian company in a leading position in global legal AI, and offers a model for how other high trust sectors could follow. That is how intelligent systems based on the knowledge economy, trusted data, and applied AI are likely to impact professional services in the years to come.
The National Crowdfunding & Fintech Association (NCFA Canada) is a financial innovation ecosystem that provides education, market intelligence, industry stewardship, networking and funding opportunities and services to thousands of community members and works closely with industry, government, partners and affiliates to create a vibrant and innovative fintech and funding industry in Canada. Decentralized and distributed, NCFA is engaged with global stakeholders and helps incubate projects and investment in fintech, alternative finance, crowdfunding, peer-to-peer finance, payments, digital assets and tokens, artificial intelligence, blockchain, cryptocurrency, regtech, and insurtech sectors. Join Canada's Fintech & Funding Community today FREE! Or become a contributing member and get perks. For more information, please visit: www.ncfacanada.org
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Financial Planning | June 27, 2025
Image: Freepik/Rawpixel.com
On June 23, 2025, Winnipeg-based financial technology company, Conquest Planning, announced they had raised $80 million USD ($110 million CAD) Series B financing round led by Growth Equity at Goldman Sachs Alternatives. The round also includes participation from Canapi Ventures, BDC Capital, Citi Ventures, TIAA Ventures, USAA, Portage, and BNY.
Founded in 2018, Conquest provides AI-powered financial planning software used by more than 1,000 organizations across Canada, including RBC, Manulife, Raymond James, and BNY Pershing. The company’s Strategic Advice Manager (SAM) platform has already generated over 1.5 million financial plans.
This new capital injection will fund Conquest’s expansion into the United States and United Kingdom, while accelerating the launch of two product innovations
This investment comes at a time when personalized financial advice is out of reach for many Canadians. NCFA’s recent review of financial planning gaps based on data from the Financial Conduct Authority unveils several underserved segments, including:
These segments often rely on informal advice, lack access to tailored planning tools, or simply avoid engaging with the financial system altogether. Conquest’s scalable and accessible tools have the potential to close some of these gaps.
The introduction of SAM Bytes aims to bring quality financial planning to families who are not currently served by human advisors. This is especially relevant for households navigating complex financial decisions, such as starting a business or expanding a family.
Demand is growing for platforms that provide affordable, real-time, and personalized advice built on real data and delivered in plain language. For NCFA members working on financial inclusion, wealth building, and life stage transitions, Conquest Planning is one to watch.
The National Crowdfunding & Fintech Association (NCFA Canada) is a financial innovation ecosystem that provides education, market intelligence, industry stewardship, networking and funding opportunities and services to thousands of community members and works closely with industry, government, partners and affiliates to create a vibrant and innovative fintech and funding industry in Canada. Decentralized and distributed, NCFA is engaged with global stakeholders and helps incubate projects and investment in fintech, alternative finance, crowdfunding, peer-to-peer finance, payments, digital assets and tokens, artificial intelligence, blockchain, cryptocurrency, regtech, and insurtech sectors. Join Canada's Fintech & Funding Community today FREE! Or become a contributing member and get perks. For more information, please visit: www.ncfacanada.org
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Crowdfunding | June 25, 2025
On June 24, 2025, the eufyMake E1 UV Printer officially became the highest funded project in Kickstarter history; raising over $61 million from more than 17,000 backers, surpassing the previous record of $41.7 million. The compact printer offers plug and print functionality and can print on a wide range of materials including metal, leather, and glass. Pricing at $499 helped attract broad consumer interest during its 30-day campaign window.
According to the release, the campaign launched on April 29 and exceed $10 million in the first 14 hours, and then became Kickstarter's all time funding leader in less than a month. This is a monstrous achievement and moment to celebrate for non-investment crowdfunding in 2025.
In recent years, most attention in alternative finance has shone a spotlight on equity crowdfunding, token sales, and hybrid fintech models. Yet the record breaking and live E1 crowdfunding campaign shows that reward-based crowdfunding can still raise significant funding at global scale when a product fits the market.
Kickstarter campaigns offer backers early access to physical products without offering ownership. This lowers legal and regulatory barriers, making the model especially attractive for consumer hardware, creative tools, and design-led products.
For Canadian entrepreneurs, makers, and platforms, the E1 campaign is a reminder that product-led innovation can still be funded directly by users, backers, and supporters. A strong value proposition, clear use case, and professional campaign execution with digital-first product marketing can still generate global momentum on reward-based platforms.
Canadian companies that are not yet ready or suitable for venture equity funding or tokenization may find reward crowdfunding a valuable first step to validate demand, generate working capital, and build a user base. Interested in snagging one of these incredible printers? There's 66 hours to go. Be part of a record breaking campaign: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/ankermake/eufymake-e1-the-first-personal-3d-textured-uv-printer
The National Crowdfunding & Fintech Association (NCFA Canada) is a financial innovation ecosystem that provides education, market intelligence, industry stewardship, networking and funding opportunities and services to thousands of community members and works closely with industry, government, partners and affiliates to create a vibrant and innovative fintech and funding industry in Canada. Decentralized and distributed, NCFA is engaged with global stakeholders and helps incubate projects and investment in fintech, alternative finance, crowdfunding, peer-to-peer finance, payments, digital assets and tokens, artificial intelligence, blockchain, cryptocurrency, regtech, and insurtech sectors. Join Canada's Fintech & Funding Community today FREE! Or become a contributing member and get perks. For more information, please visit: www.ncfacanada.org
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Canada-Africa | June 24, 2025

Image: Freepik AI
Canada’s development finance institution, FinDev Canada, has partnered with DEG (Germany), OeEB (Austria), and ILX (Netherlands) to provide a USD 100 million syndicated loan to Access Bank in Nigeria. This investment will directly support micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) and promote women’s economic empowerment.
MSMEs provide about 86% of jobs in Nigeria but still face major financing challenges. This loan facility will allow Access Bank to expand financial and non-financial services to underserved groups, including rural businesses, agribusinesses, and women-led enterprises. FinDev Canada is contributing $25 million USD towards this initiative to help increase access to credit, training, and market opportunities.
At least 30% of the loan proceeds are earmarked for women-owned businesses. Access Bank will offer reduced interest rates, business education, and networking support. This is FinDev Canada’s second investment in Access Bank (their first was a $50M loan facility in July 2024) and is fully aligned with the 2X Challenge, an international framework launched at the G7 Summit in 2018 promoting women’s participation in economic growth.
Lori Kerr, CEO of FinDev Canada:
“We can empower women entrepreneurs, develop underserved markets, and support job creation."
Launching the first ever global Canada-Africa strategy in early March, and now this follow-on loan facility is a clear signal that Canada is expanding it's financial presence in Africa by supporting fintech infrastructure, sustainable finance, and inclusive business frameworks and models. Access Bank currently operates in 24 countries serving over 60 million customers and has a large digital footprint and a track record of innovation.
Recent data from the 2025 Nigeria FinTech Survey Report by Column confirms this growth: over 23% of young Nigerians now use fintech apps for saving, with digital platforms like Opay, Palmpay, and Kuda seeing wide adoption. The 18 to 44 age bracket reports more than 56% saving consistently (most use multiple apps), indicating demand for integrated financial services. This tech-savvy generation is actively budgeting and planning for their financial futures despite economic instability, making Nigeria a high-potential market for digital finance investment.
This deal is aligned with one of the key impacts of the inaugural Canada-Africa Fintech Summit (CAFS) 2025 taking place in Toronto from August 5-8, 2025 to drive practical collaboration between Canadian and African partners across finance and innovation. Nigeria accounts for 28% of Africa’s fintech activity and remains one of the highest growth digital finance markets on the continent.
Mobilizing Canadian capital to support financial infrastructure and innovative start-ups can unlock commercial opportunity. NCFA and CAFS participants attending sessions like “Purpose, Profit, Planet” or “From Strategy to Scale” can use this as a live case study of what cross-border investment looks like when it combines capital, digital access, and market growth at scale. Tickets on sale now
The National Crowdfunding & Fintech Association (NCFA Canada) is a financial innovation ecosystem that provides education, market intelligence, industry stewardship, networking and funding opportunities and services to thousands of community members and works closely with industry, government, partners and affiliates to create a vibrant and innovative fintech and funding industry in Canada. Decentralized and distributed, NCFA is engaged with global stakeholders and helps incubate projects and investment in fintech, alternative finance, crowdfunding, peer-to-peer finance, payments, digital assets and tokens, artificial intelligence, blockchain, cryptocurrency, regtech, and insurtech sectors. Join Canada's Fintech & Funding Community today FREE! Or become a contributing member and get perks. For more information, please visit: www.ncfacanada.org
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Financing | June 24, 2025

Image: Modular Solutions (CNW Group/Tailwind Ventures Inc.)
On June 19, 2025, Modular Solutions announced closure of a big seed round led by Tailwind Ventures, with Clear North Capital and an unnamed strategic partner. Although the total financing amount wasn't disclosed, PitchBook data cited in the press release that it ranked among the top five North American insurtech seed deals, and second‑highest pre‑money valuation since January 2023.
The funds will be used to streamline onboarding and implementation for insurers and brokers. Also to expand the platform's functionality including artificial intelligence and deepen integrations with insurers, managing general agents (MGAs) and brokers.
Braden Bosch, Founder and CEO of Modular Solutions:
"This capital raise marks a pivotal moment for Modular. We have brought an innovative software solution to the market, and with this investment, we can ensure low total cost of ownership and affordability while continuing to optimize and enhance our offering even further."
Darren Engels, Tailwind Ventures CEO:
"Tailwind is delighted to have supported Modular in securing this financing. Braden and the team at Modular are building transformative solutions for an industry in desperate need of innovation, and our capital partners share our conviction that Modular will deliver."
Insurtech sector has been heating up for a while now. Below are a couple of recent insurtech rounds:
AI powered workflow insurtech platforms that reduce friction are getting funded and transforming the insurance sector. Modular Solutions major seed round also highlights Alberta's emerging fintech and insutech ecosystem.
The National Crowdfunding & Fintech Association (NCFA Canada) is a financial innovation ecosystem that provides education, market intelligence, industry stewardship, networking and funding opportunities and services to thousands of community members and works closely with industry, government, partners and affiliates to create a vibrant and innovative fintech and funding industry in Canada. Decentralized and distributed, NCFA is engaged with global stakeholders and helps incubate projects and investment in fintech, alternative finance, crowdfunding, peer-to-peer finance, payments, digital assets and tokens, artificial intelligence, blockchain, cryptocurrency, regtech, and insurtech sectors. Join Canada's Fintech & Funding Community today FREE! Or become a contributing member and get perks. For more information, please visit: www.ncfacanada.org
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