Sue Britton, Advisor, Corporate Innovation & Partnerships
September 26th, 2018
Sue Britton is CEO & Founder of FGS (FinTech Growth Syndicate) – Canada’s leading FinTech innova[...]
Category Archives: NCFA Supported Events
JUST LAUNCHED: 4th VanFUNDING 2018 Vancouver Conference: CONVERGE – Building Bridges and Capital with Emerging Blockchain, Fintech and AI Innovations on November 29-30, 2018
NCFA Canada | Team VF2018 | Oct 5, 2018
VANCOUVER, Canada - (Oct 5, 2018): The National Crowdfunding & Fintech Association of Canada announces VanFUNDING 2018: CONVERGE, the leading 4th Annual financial technology and capital conference held in downtown Vancouver.
The expanded #VF2018 offers world-class education, funding and networking opportunities delivered via keynotes, TEDx-style presentations, panels, workshops, executive round tables, investor pitching, meeting exchanges and mentoring. #VF2018 will cover Fintech, Blockchain, Crypto, Artificial Intelligence, Crowd and Distributed Finance, Regtech, Payments, Digital banking, Identify and Security, International Trade, Alternative Investing and Innovation Finance and more, from a diverse range of perspectives.
This year’s theme, CONVERGE, immerses participants and builds bridges across the most disruptive emerging technologies, capital market innovations and key stakeholders that are powering new global markets, new decentralized models, new forms of computer intelligence, new IP, new infrastructure and new alternative investment opportunities toward the vision of a Web 3.0.
#VF2018: CONVERGE will feature 1.5 days of immersive educational content, 50+ speakers, dragon’s den pitching program and a multitude of networking and partnership opportunities. New to the program this year is a unique storytelling style that attendees will experience culminating into the co-creation of the first fintech digital pop-up magazine issue.
“We are witnessing unprecedented change that is already affecting our daily lives - how we interact with financial services, generate digital wealth, invest, evaluate, consume, vote, and store, transfer and purchase anything of value.” Craig Asano, Founding CEO, NCFA
If you are a fintech innovator, an investment professional or a company actively raising capital, or a key decision maker/stakeholder in technology and digital finance, #VF2018 is a must attend event bringing together fintech leaders, investors and emerging innovators from start-ups to scale-ups to government regulatory bodies and policy makers who have a vision for the future of finance.
PITCHING and SPEAKING APPLICATIONS now open.
Links:
VanFUNDING 2018
Speaking Applications Now open
Pitching Applications (Submit by Nov 4)
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, 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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Gowling WLG | Shaela W. Rae | October 17 2018 Black market. Dark web. Illicit. Underground market. Illegitimate. Illegal. Organized crime. All words used to describe the illegal cannabis industry, until October 17, 2018 that is. Once it is legal to buy, possess or use cannabis for recreational purposes the discussion around the use of cannabis and how to procure it changes from hushed words in a corner to an open conversation in public. But is the public ready to embrace a substance that has been seen as illegitimate and "bad" for so long? If the experience in the US can be relied upon, the answer is "yes". According to investment bank Cowen & Co., the cannabis industry is expected to reach sales of approximately US$75-billion by 2030, up from US$6-billion in 2016, as the drug is more socially accepted. In the US today cannabis is illegal on a federal level as it is classified as a Schedule 1 narcotic, but cannabis is legal in 30 states for medicinal purposes, and in 9 states and Washington, DC, for recreational use for adults over the age of 21. See: Canabis Company True Leaf Raises $14 Million in Cross Border US – ...
Read More
International Monetary Fund | Release | Oct 11, 2018 The International Monetary Fund and the World Bank Group today launched the Bali Fintech Agenda, a set of 12 policy elements aimed at helping member countries to harness the benefits and opportunities of rapid advances in financial technology that are transforming the provision of banking services, while at the same time managing the inherent risks. The Agenda proposes a framework of high-level issues that countries should consider in their own domestic policy discussions and aims to guide staff from the two institutions in their own work and dialogue with national authorities. The 12 elements (see table) were distilled from members’ own experiences and cover topics relating broadly to enabling fintech; ensuring financial sector resilience; addressing risks; and promoting international cooperation. “There are an estimated 1.7 billion adults in the world without access to financial services,” said IMF Managing Director Christine Lagarde. “Fintech can have a major social and economic impact for them and across the membership in general. All countries are trying to reap these benefits, while also mitigating the risks. We need greater international cooperation to achieve that, and to make sure the fintech revolution benefits the many and not ...
Read More
Investment Executive | James Langton | Oct 12, 2018 Money laundering and tax evasion are key concerns Canadian policy-makers initially took a hands-off approach to cryptoassets. Now, in the wake of a bitcoin boom-and-bust and continuing growth in the cryptoassets market, policy-makers are taking a second look at the emerging phenomenon. In 2015, the Standing Senate Committee on Banking, Trade and Commerce issued one of Canada’s first reports examining the emerging cryptocurrency industry; that report recommends that policy-makers keep an eye on the space. Since then, the cryptoassets market has continued to grow. According to a report from the Bank of Canada (BoC), the global market capitalization for cryptoassets “grew rapidly” in 2017 and the daily transaction volume now is more than 75 times higher than it was in early 2017 – i.e., more than $25 billion a day. At this point, the BoC report states, traditional financial services institutions don’t have much, if any, direct exposure to cryptoassets, but the report cautions that these institutions could become exposed due to their clients’ trading in cryptoassets or through exchange trading in crypto-based derivatives. “Cryptoasset markets are evolving quickly and could have financial stability implications in the future if their size ...
Read More
NCFA Canada | Oct 13, 2018 Ep13-Oct 13: Road to Fintech IPO: Capital Networks, Scalable Solutions, Putting People First About this episode: On this episode, NCFA show host Manseeb Khan sits down with Ali Pourdad the CEO of Progressa who recently closed out an $84 million dollar round. They talk about P2P loans, loan services operating within the blockchain and why being people first business matters. Enjoy! (see Transcript) Host: Manseeb Khan, NCFA, Fintech Fridays show host Guest: ALI POURDAD, Co-founder and CEO, Progressa (LinkedIn) Bio: Ali Pourdad has been CEO of Progressa since its inception in 2013. Under his leadership the Company has raised over $40 million of investor capital and invested over $2.0 million dollars in its proprietary "Powered by Progressa" decision engine for Canadian Enterprise partners looking to enhance collections strategy in a positive way. The company has grown to over 110 employees in Vancouver and Toronto. Ali has decisively positioned Progressa for its next generation of growth by recently executing on several initiatives, including creating one of Canada's most popular Exempt Market Bond Offerings and securing an $11.4 million Series A financing . Prior to co-founding Progressa, Ali worked in both corporate restructuring and audit & assurance, ...
Read More
Beam Platform | Alec Gordon | Aug 24, 2018 THE PROBLEM The tech industry has gotten a rude awakening this year. Following a few high profile instances of data misuse, European Union has struck down the law and put everyone who sells into Europe (or deals with anyone who does) on notice. Since introduction, GDPR was meant to show both corporations and their users that better clarity around data collection/preservation is the necessary step forward, one that will lead to a fairer digital society, and ultimately benefit all those involved. And in order to do that, the companies themselves must take matters into their own hands by building new tools to let data flow back to the user. The customers demand it, and equally deserve to have control over their digital footprint. In the end this is an EU bill with global ramifications, and we should all be paying attention. By now you most of you have gotten dozens of emails on “updates to privacy policy” and other notices of forthcoming compliance. This is a welcome reminder that it is you, the user, who’s the focal point GDPR. After decades of computer and telephone use, the companies with whom we ...
Read More
Competition Bureau | Oct 10, 2018 Speech Remarks by Interim Commissioner of Competition Matthew Boswell Global Series 2018 October 10, 2018 Ottawa, Ontario Thank you. I’m pleased to be here to speak with you today. Thank you Makan, for your thoughts on these important issues. They are particularly relevant to businesses, the legal community, academia and governments around the world and to all of you who are gathered here today. Every day we see the world evolving at a rapid pace, thanks to innovation. Development of new technologies, ways of doing business and the creation of new products have the potential to open up new areas of science, medicine and technology. Small steps lead to bigger steps. And here in Canada, we have to be ready for both the challenges and opportunities that this is bringing to all of us. Let’s understand what we are up against. Every year, innovation in the top industrialized countries is tracked by leading authorities on the subject. And here’s what they report about Canada in 2018. On the plus side, Canada performs better than some others in four big areas: Human Capital and Research, Institutions, Infrastructure, and Market Sophistication. See: Canada’s ‘innovation economy’ has ...
Read More
Crowdfund Insider | Cali Haan | Oct 9, 2018 Vancouver-based cryptocurrency exchange QuadrigaCX has been defending itself in court for the release of $28 million dollars in customer funds frozen by the Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce (CIBC) since January, the Globe and Mail reports. According to court documents filed by CIBC in the Canadian province of Ontario, the action to freeze the accounts was taken because the bank says, “it was unable to determine who owns the funds,” and would like the court to take possession of the money and distribute it to either QuadrigaCX, their payments processor Custodian Inc, or to the 388 affected Quadriga customers, the Globe and Mail writes. Entrepreneurs in the relatively new crypto sector industries complained for some time about bank non-cooperation. See: International Anti-Money Laundering Standards for Crypto Expected in October The cryptocurrency press in South America has reported on numerous account closures by banks against crypto exchanges on the continent, some of which are now being contested in courts by, among others, exchanges like Walltime in Brazil. Sources within the Toronto crypto entrepreneur scene say they have suffered persistent problems with getting their businesses banked in the city- even at credit unions- and have ...
Read More
Crunchbase News | Alex Wilhelm | October 8, 2018 Meet Nubank, a fintech shop out of Brazil that just raised $180 million from Tencent at a valuation of $4 billion. Forget the fact that the round is half secondary. It’s an enormous transaction, and in more normal times, it would cause a big stir. However, the capital event highlights something notable about Tencent: the China-based company’s investment cadence is staggering. Tencent is disbursing cash at a far faster rate than Alibaba, another Chinese tech shop that isn’t famous for parsimony. Tencent’s Early Christmas Tencent has been on a check-cutting bing recently, getting through eight investing rounds in September. Those ranged from a $1.5 billion deal with Lianjia (real estate services), a $450 million round for MissFresh E-Commerce (mobile grocery sales), to the comparatively staid $90 million Series B for WeShare (fintech something or other). October is looking similarly hot. Tencent is at four deals so far, and the month isn’t even half done. Here’s the list: October 1. Miniso’s 1 billion rmb Series A. October 4. Voyager Innovation’s $175 million private equity round. October 5. Bilibili’s $317.6 million post-IPO equity event. October 8. Nubank’s $180 million Series F (half secondary). Regarding Nubank, TechCrunch’s Jon Shieber has the ...
Read More
Peter Diamandis | Blog | Oct 8, 2018 Governments are one of the last strongholds of an undigitized, linear sector of humanity, and they are falling behind fast. Apart from their struggle to keep up with private sector digitization, federal governments are in a crisis of trust. At almost a 60-year low, only 19 percent of Americans reported that they could trust their government “always” or “most of the time” in a recent Pew survey. And the U.S. is not alone. See: Immersive 2-day Blockchain Developer Training Course (Nov 10-11, Toronto): Decentralized Application Development The Edelman Trust Barometer revealed last year that 47 percent of the world population distrust their nations’ institutions. Even in Canada, only 26 percent of surveyed Canadians consider regulators and government officials to be credible. In many cases, the private sector — particularly tech behemoths — are driving greater progress in regulation-targeted issues like climate change than state leaders. And as decentralized systems, digital disruption, and private sector leadership take the world by storm, traditional forms of government are beginning to fear irrelevance. However, the fight for exponential governance is not a lost battle. Early visionaries like Estonia and the UAE are leading the way in digital governance, empowered by ...
Read More
NCFA Canada | Oct 5, 2018 Ep12-Oct 5: Building Blockchain Products & Decentralized Solutions for Enterprise and Startups About this episode: On this week's episode of the Fintech Friday$ podcast our host Manseeb Khan sits down with Mathieu Glaude the CEO and president of Northern Block. They talk about having a sovereign digital identity, the excitement behind stable coins and why supply chain in blockchain shouldn't be overlooked. Enjoy! Host: Manseeb Khan, NCFA, Fintech Fridays show host Guest: MATHIEU GLAUDE, President and CEO, Northern Block (LinkedIn) Bio: Mr. Glaude is the President and CEO of Northern Block, a Toronto-based blockchain product development company building decentralized applications, enterprise solutions and developer tools for blockchain ecosystems. Mr. Glaude brings extensive expertise to product development in the enterprise technology space. Prior to Northern Block, he worked for Capital One Bank where he led many large scale customer-facing software development initiatives. Additionally, he owns a private equity fund focused on making early stage investments in the blockchain and emerging technology sectors. Subscribe and tune in each Friday to check out the latest movers and shakers in fintech. Listen to more Fintech Fridays podcasts here Transcription of Interview Manseeb Khan: Hey this is Manseeb Khan and you are tuning into a brand-new episode of fintech Fridays. Manseeb Khan: Today I have ...
Read More
Gowling WLG | Shaela W. Rae | October 17 2018 Black market. Dark web. Illicit. Underground market. Illegitimate. Illegal. Organized crime. All words used to describe the illegal cannabis industry, until October 17, 2018 that is. Once it is legal to buy, possess or use cannabis for recreational purposes the discussion around the use of cannabis and how to procure it changes from hushed words in a corner to an open conversation in public. But is the public ready to embrace a substance that has been seen as illegitimate and "bad" for so long? If the experience in the US can be relied upon, the answer is "yes". According to investment bank Cowen & Co., the cannabis industry is expected to reach sales of approximately US$75-billion by 2030, up from US$6-billion in 2016, as the drug is more socially accepted. In the US today cannabis is illegal on a federal level as it is classified as a Schedule 1 narcotic, but cannabis is legal in 30 states for medicinal purposes, and in 9 states and Washington, DC, for recreational use for adults over the age of 21. See: Canabis Company True Leaf Raises $14 Million in Cross Border US – ...
Read More
Read More
International Monetary Fund | Release | Oct 11, 2018 The International Monetary Fund and the World Bank Group today launched the Bali Fintech Agenda, a set of 12 policy elements aimed at helping member countries to harness the benefits and opportunities of rapid advances in financial technology that are transforming the provision of banking services, while at the same time managing the inherent risks. The Agenda proposes a framework of high-level issues that countries should consider in their own domestic policy discussions and aims to guide staff from the two institutions in their own work and dialogue with national authorities. The 12 elements (see table) were distilled from members’ own experiences and cover topics relating broadly to enabling fintech; ensuring financial sector resilience; addressing risks; and promoting international cooperation. “There are an estimated 1.7 billion adults in the world without access to financial services,” said IMF Managing Director Christine Lagarde. “Fintech can have a major social and economic impact for them and across the membership in general. All countries are trying to reap these benefits, while also mitigating the risks. We need greater international cooperation to achieve that, and to make sure the fintech revolution benefits the many and not ...
Read More
Read More
Investment Executive | James Langton | Oct 12, 2018 Money laundering and tax evasion are key concerns Canadian policy-makers initially took a hands-off approach to cryptoassets. Now, in the wake of a bitcoin boom-and-bust and continuing growth in the cryptoassets market, policy-makers are taking a second look at the emerging phenomenon. In 2015, the Standing Senate Committee on Banking, Trade and Commerce issued one of Canada’s first reports examining the emerging cryptocurrency industry; that report recommends that policy-makers keep an eye on the space. Since then, the cryptoassets market has continued to grow. According to a report from the Bank of Canada (BoC), the global market capitalization for cryptoassets “grew rapidly” in 2017 and the daily transaction volume now is more than 75 times higher than it was in early 2017 – i.e., more than $25 billion a day. At this point, the BoC report states, traditional financial services institutions don’t have much, if any, direct exposure to cryptoassets, but the report cautions that these institutions could become exposed due to their clients’ trading in cryptoassets or through exchange trading in crypto-based derivatives. “Cryptoasset markets are evolving quickly and could have financial stability implications in the future if their size ...
Read More
Read More
NCFA Canada | Oct 13, 2018 Ep13-Oct 13: Road to Fintech IPO: Capital Networks, Scalable Solutions, Putting People First About this episode: On this episode, NCFA show host Manseeb Khan sits down with Ali Pourdad the CEO of Progressa who recently closed out an $84 million dollar round. They talk about P2P loans, loan services operating within the blockchain and why being people first business matters. Enjoy! (see Transcript) Host: Manseeb Khan, NCFA, Fintech Fridays show host Guest: ALI POURDAD, Co-founder and CEO, Progressa (LinkedIn) Bio: Ali Pourdad has been CEO of Progressa since its inception in 2013. Under his leadership the Company has raised over $40 million of investor capital and invested over $2.0 million dollars in its proprietary "Powered by Progressa" decision engine for Canadian Enterprise partners looking to enhance collections strategy in a positive way. The company has grown to over 110 employees in Vancouver and Toronto. Ali has decisively positioned Progressa for its next generation of growth by recently executing on several initiatives, including creating one of Canada's most popular Exempt Market Bond Offerings and securing an $11.4 million Series A financing . Prior to co-founding Progressa, Ali worked in both corporate restructuring and audit & assurance, ...
Read More
Read More
Beam Platform | Alec Gordon | Aug 24, 2018 THE PROBLEM The tech industry has gotten a rude awakening this year. Following a few high profile instances of data misuse, European Union has struck down the law and put everyone who sells into Europe (or deals with anyone who does) on notice. Since introduction, GDPR was meant to show both corporations and their users that better clarity around data collection/preservation is the necessary step forward, one that will lead to a fairer digital society, and ultimately benefit all those involved. And in order to do that, the companies themselves must take matters into their own hands by building new tools to let data flow back to the user. The customers demand it, and equally deserve to have control over their digital footprint. In the end this is an EU bill with global ramifications, and we should all be paying attention. By now you most of you have gotten dozens of emails on “updates to privacy policy” and other notices of forthcoming compliance. This is a welcome reminder that it is you, the user, who’s the focal point GDPR. After decades of computer and telephone use, the companies with whom we ...
Read More
Read More
Competition Bureau | Oct 10, 2018 Speech Remarks by Interim Commissioner of Competition Matthew Boswell Global Series 2018 October 10, 2018 Ottawa, Ontario Thank you. I’m pleased to be here to speak with you today. Thank you Makan, for your thoughts on these important issues. They are particularly relevant to businesses, the legal community, academia and governments around the world and to all of you who are gathered here today. Every day we see the world evolving at a rapid pace, thanks to innovation. Development of new technologies, ways of doing business and the creation of new products have the potential to open up new areas of science, medicine and technology. Small steps lead to bigger steps. And here in Canada, we have to be ready for both the challenges and opportunities that this is bringing to all of us. Let’s understand what we are up against. Every year, innovation in the top industrialized countries is tracked by leading authorities on the subject. And here’s what they report about Canada in 2018. On the plus side, Canada performs better than some others in four big areas: Human Capital and Research, Institutions, Infrastructure, and Market Sophistication. See: Canada’s ‘innovation economy’ has ...
Read More
Read More
Crowdfund Insider | Cali Haan | Oct 9, 2018 Vancouver-based cryptocurrency exchange QuadrigaCX has been defending itself in court for the release of $28 million dollars in customer funds frozen by the Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce (CIBC) since January, the Globe and Mail reports. According to court documents filed by CIBC in the Canadian province of Ontario, the action to freeze the accounts was taken because the bank says, “it was unable to determine who owns the funds,” and would like the court to take possession of the money and distribute it to either QuadrigaCX, their payments processor Custodian Inc, or to the 388 affected Quadriga customers, the Globe and Mail writes. Entrepreneurs in the relatively new crypto sector industries complained for some time about bank non-cooperation. See: International Anti-Money Laundering Standards for Crypto Expected in October The cryptocurrency press in South America has reported on numerous account closures by banks against crypto exchanges on the continent, some of which are now being contested in courts by, among others, exchanges like Walltime in Brazil. Sources within the Toronto crypto entrepreneur scene say they have suffered persistent problems with getting their businesses banked in the city- even at credit unions- and have ...
Read More
Read More
Crunchbase News | Alex Wilhelm | October 8, 2018 Meet Nubank, a fintech shop out of Brazil that just raised $180 million from Tencent at a valuation of $4 billion. Forget the fact that the round is half secondary. It’s an enormous transaction, and in more normal times, it would cause a big stir. However, the capital event highlights something notable about Tencent: the China-based company’s investment cadence is staggering. Tencent is disbursing cash at a far faster rate than Alibaba, another Chinese tech shop that isn’t famous for parsimony. Tencent’s Early Christmas Tencent has been on a check-cutting bing recently, getting through eight investing rounds in September. Those ranged from a $1.5 billion deal with Lianjia (real estate services), a $450 million round for MissFresh E-Commerce (mobile grocery sales), to the comparatively staid $90 million Series B for WeShare (fintech something or other). October is looking similarly hot. Tencent is at four deals so far, and the month isn’t even half done. Here’s the list: October 1. Miniso’s 1 billion rmb Series A. October 4. Voyager Innovation’s $175 million private equity round. October 5. Bilibili’s $317.6 million post-IPO equity event. October 8. Nubank’s $180 million Series F (half secondary). Regarding Nubank, TechCrunch’s Jon Shieber has the ...
Read More
Read More
Peter Diamandis | Blog | Oct 8, 2018 Governments are one of the last strongholds of an undigitized, linear sector of humanity, and they are falling behind fast. Apart from their struggle to keep up with private sector digitization, federal governments are in a crisis of trust. At almost a 60-year low, only 19 percent of Americans reported that they could trust their government “always” or “most of the time” in a recent Pew survey. And the U.S. is not alone. See: Immersive 2-day Blockchain Developer Training Course (Nov 10-11, Toronto): Decentralized Application Development The Edelman Trust Barometer revealed last year that 47 percent of the world population distrust their nations’ institutions. Even in Canada, only 26 percent of surveyed Canadians consider regulators and government officials to be credible. In many cases, the private sector — particularly tech behemoths — are driving greater progress in regulation-targeted issues like climate change than state leaders. And as decentralized systems, digital disruption, and private sector leadership take the world by storm, traditional forms of government are beginning to fear irrelevance. However, the fight for exponential governance is not a lost battle. Early visionaries like Estonia and the UAE are leading the way in digital governance, empowered by ...
Read More
Read More
NCFA Canada | Oct 5, 2018 Ep12-Oct 5: Building Blockchain Products & Decentralized Solutions for Enterprise and Startups About this episode: On this week's episode of the Fintech Friday$ podcast our host Manseeb Khan sits down with Mathieu Glaude the CEO and president of Northern Block. They talk about having a sovereign digital identity, the excitement behind stable coins and why supply chain in blockchain shouldn't be overlooked. Enjoy! Host: Manseeb Khan, NCFA, Fintech Fridays show host Guest: MATHIEU GLAUDE, President and CEO, Northern Block (LinkedIn) Bio: Mr. Glaude is the President and CEO of Northern Block, a Toronto-based blockchain product development company building decentralized applications, enterprise solutions and developer tools for blockchain ecosystems. Mr. Glaude brings extensive expertise to product development in the enterprise technology space. Prior to Northern Block, he worked for Capital One Bank where he led many large scale customer-facing software development initiatives. Additionally, he owns a private equity fund focused on making early stage investments in the blockchain and emerging technology sectors. Subscribe and tune in each Friday to check out the latest movers and shakers in fintech. Listen to more Fintech Fridays podcasts here Transcription of Interview Manseeb Khan: Hey this is Manseeb Khan and you are tuning into a brand-new episode of fintech Fridays. Manseeb Khan: Today I have ...
Read More
Read More
Startup Canada Roadshow (Sep 12-Oct 2): Canadian Export Challenge
Startup Canada | Victoria Lennox | Aug 21, 2018
This Fall, Startup Canada, in partnership with UPS, Export Development Canada, and the Trade Commissioner Service are showcasing and supporting the global ambitions of 2,500 borderless businesses across Canada. Entrepreneurs, investors, industry leaders, service providers, and those interested in taking their business global are invited to attend the 1-day accelerator featuring keynotes, panels, and workshops, followed by a pitch competition and networking reception.
Register now - space is limited.
Global entrepreneur-led companies are invited to apply to pitch their companies and gain free access to this 1-day accelerator here.
Learn more about the Canadian Export Challenge --> here
The National Crowdfunding & Fintech Association of Canada (NCFA Canada) is a cross-Canada non-profit actively engaged with fintech, alternative finance, blockchain, cryptocurrency, crowdfunding and online investing stakeholders globally. NCFA Canada provides education, research, industry stewardship, services, and networking opportunities to thousands of members and subscribers and works closely with industry, government, academia, community and eco-system partners and affiliates to create a strong and vibrant crowdfunding and fintech industry. Join Canada's Fintech & Funding Community today FREE! Or become a contributing member and get perks. For more information, please visit: ncfacanada.org
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Gowling WLG | Shaela W. Rae | October 17 2018 Black market. Dark web. Illicit. Underground market. Illegitimate. Illegal. Organized crime. All words used to describe the illegal cannabis industry, until October 17, 2018 that is. Once it is legal to buy, possess or use cannabis for recreational purposes the discussion around the use of cannabis and how to procure it changes from hushed words in a corner to an open conversation in public. But is the public ready to embrace a substance that has been seen as illegitimate and "bad" for so long? If the experience in the US can be relied upon, the answer is "yes". According to investment bank Cowen & Co., the cannabis industry is expected to reach sales of approximately US$75-billion by 2030, up from US$6-billion in 2016, as the drug is more socially accepted. In the US today cannabis is illegal on a federal level as it is classified as a Schedule 1 narcotic, but cannabis is legal in 30 states for medicinal purposes, and in 9 states and Washington, DC, for recreational use for adults over the age of 21. See: Canabis Company True Leaf Raises $14 Million in Cross Border US – ...
Read More
International Monetary Fund | Release | Oct 11, 2018 The International Monetary Fund and the World Bank Group today launched the Bali Fintech Agenda, a set of 12 policy elements aimed at helping member countries to harness the benefits and opportunities of rapid advances in financial technology that are transforming the provision of banking services, while at the same time managing the inherent risks. The Agenda proposes a framework of high-level issues that countries should consider in their own domestic policy discussions and aims to guide staff from the two institutions in their own work and dialogue with national authorities. The 12 elements (see table) were distilled from members’ own experiences and cover topics relating broadly to enabling fintech; ensuring financial sector resilience; addressing risks; and promoting international cooperation. “There are an estimated 1.7 billion adults in the world without access to financial services,” said IMF Managing Director Christine Lagarde. “Fintech can have a major social and economic impact for them and across the membership in general. All countries are trying to reap these benefits, while also mitigating the risks. We need greater international cooperation to achieve that, and to make sure the fintech revolution benefits the many and not ...
Read More
Investment Executive | James Langton | Oct 12, 2018 Money laundering and tax evasion are key concerns Canadian policy-makers initially took a hands-off approach to cryptoassets. Now, in the wake of a bitcoin boom-and-bust and continuing growth in the cryptoassets market, policy-makers are taking a second look at the emerging phenomenon. In 2015, the Standing Senate Committee on Banking, Trade and Commerce issued one of Canada’s first reports examining the emerging cryptocurrency industry; that report recommends that policy-makers keep an eye on the space. Since then, the cryptoassets market has continued to grow. According to a report from the Bank of Canada (BoC), the global market capitalization for cryptoassets “grew rapidly” in 2017 and the daily transaction volume now is more than 75 times higher than it was in early 2017 – i.e., more than $25 billion a day. At this point, the BoC report states, traditional financial services institutions don’t have much, if any, direct exposure to cryptoassets, but the report cautions that these institutions could become exposed due to their clients’ trading in cryptoassets or through exchange trading in crypto-based derivatives. “Cryptoasset markets are evolving quickly and could have financial stability implications in the future if their size ...
Read More
NCFA Canada | Oct 13, 2018 Ep13-Oct 13: Road to Fintech IPO: Capital Networks, Scalable Solutions, Putting People First About this episode: On this episode, NCFA show host Manseeb Khan sits down with Ali Pourdad the CEO of Progressa who recently closed out an $84 million dollar round. They talk about P2P loans, loan services operating within the blockchain and why being people first business matters. Enjoy! (see Transcript) Host: Manseeb Khan, NCFA, Fintech Fridays show host Guest: ALI POURDAD, Co-founder and CEO, Progressa (LinkedIn) Bio: Ali Pourdad has been CEO of Progressa since its inception in 2013. Under his leadership the Company has raised over $40 million of investor capital and invested over $2.0 million dollars in its proprietary "Powered by Progressa" decision engine for Canadian Enterprise partners looking to enhance collections strategy in a positive way. The company has grown to over 110 employees in Vancouver and Toronto. Ali has decisively positioned Progressa for its next generation of growth by recently executing on several initiatives, including creating one of Canada's most popular Exempt Market Bond Offerings and securing an $11.4 million Series A financing . Prior to co-founding Progressa, Ali worked in both corporate restructuring and audit & assurance, ...
Read More
Beam Platform | Alec Gordon | Aug 24, 2018 THE PROBLEM The tech industry has gotten a rude awakening this year. Following a few high profile instances of data misuse, European Union has struck down the law and put everyone who sells into Europe (or deals with anyone who does) on notice. Since introduction, GDPR was meant to show both corporations and their users that better clarity around data collection/preservation is the necessary step forward, one that will lead to a fairer digital society, and ultimately benefit all those involved. And in order to do that, the companies themselves must take matters into their own hands by building new tools to let data flow back to the user. The customers demand it, and equally deserve to have control over their digital footprint. In the end this is an EU bill with global ramifications, and we should all be paying attention. By now you most of you have gotten dozens of emails on “updates to privacy policy” and other notices of forthcoming compliance. This is a welcome reminder that it is you, the user, who’s the focal point GDPR. After decades of computer and telephone use, the companies with whom we ...
Read More
Competition Bureau | Oct 10, 2018 Speech Remarks by Interim Commissioner of Competition Matthew Boswell Global Series 2018 October 10, 2018 Ottawa, Ontario Thank you. I’m pleased to be here to speak with you today. Thank you Makan, for your thoughts on these important issues. They are particularly relevant to businesses, the legal community, academia and governments around the world and to all of you who are gathered here today. Every day we see the world evolving at a rapid pace, thanks to innovation. Development of new technologies, ways of doing business and the creation of new products have the potential to open up new areas of science, medicine and technology. Small steps lead to bigger steps. And here in Canada, we have to be ready for both the challenges and opportunities that this is bringing to all of us. Let’s understand what we are up against. Every year, innovation in the top industrialized countries is tracked by leading authorities on the subject. And here’s what they report about Canada in 2018. On the plus side, Canada performs better than some others in four big areas: Human Capital and Research, Institutions, Infrastructure, and Market Sophistication. See: Canada’s ‘innovation economy’ has ...
Read More
Crowdfund Insider | Cali Haan | Oct 9, 2018 Vancouver-based cryptocurrency exchange QuadrigaCX has been defending itself in court for the release of $28 million dollars in customer funds frozen by the Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce (CIBC) since January, the Globe and Mail reports. According to court documents filed by CIBC in the Canadian province of Ontario, the action to freeze the accounts was taken because the bank says, “it was unable to determine who owns the funds,” and would like the court to take possession of the money and distribute it to either QuadrigaCX, their payments processor Custodian Inc, or to the 388 affected Quadriga customers, the Globe and Mail writes. Entrepreneurs in the relatively new crypto sector industries complained for some time about bank non-cooperation. See: International Anti-Money Laundering Standards for Crypto Expected in October The cryptocurrency press in South America has reported on numerous account closures by banks against crypto exchanges on the continent, some of which are now being contested in courts by, among others, exchanges like Walltime in Brazil. Sources within the Toronto crypto entrepreneur scene say they have suffered persistent problems with getting their businesses banked in the city- even at credit unions- and have ...
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Crunchbase News | Alex Wilhelm | October 8, 2018 Meet Nubank, a fintech shop out of Brazil that just raised $180 million from Tencent at a valuation of $4 billion. Forget the fact that the round is half secondary. It’s an enormous transaction, and in more normal times, it would cause a big stir. However, the capital event highlights something notable about Tencent: the China-based company’s investment cadence is staggering. Tencent is disbursing cash at a far faster rate than Alibaba, another Chinese tech shop that isn’t famous for parsimony. Tencent’s Early Christmas Tencent has been on a check-cutting bing recently, getting through eight investing rounds in September. Those ranged from a $1.5 billion deal with Lianjia (real estate services), a $450 million round for MissFresh E-Commerce (mobile grocery sales), to the comparatively staid $90 million Series B for WeShare (fintech something or other). October is looking similarly hot. Tencent is at four deals so far, and the month isn’t even half done. Here’s the list: October 1. Miniso’s 1 billion rmb Series A. October 4. Voyager Innovation’s $175 million private equity round. October 5. Bilibili’s $317.6 million post-IPO equity event. October 8. Nubank’s $180 million Series F (half secondary). Regarding Nubank, TechCrunch’s Jon Shieber has the ...
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Peter Diamandis | Blog | Oct 8, 2018 Governments are one of the last strongholds of an undigitized, linear sector of humanity, and they are falling behind fast. Apart from their struggle to keep up with private sector digitization, federal governments are in a crisis of trust. At almost a 60-year low, only 19 percent of Americans reported that they could trust their government “always” or “most of the time” in a recent Pew survey. And the U.S. is not alone. See: Immersive 2-day Blockchain Developer Training Course (Nov 10-11, Toronto): Decentralized Application Development The Edelman Trust Barometer revealed last year that 47 percent of the world population distrust their nations’ institutions. Even in Canada, only 26 percent of surveyed Canadians consider regulators and government officials to be credible. In many cases, the private sector — particularly tech behemoths — are driving greater progress in regulation-targeted issues like climate change than state leaders. And as decentralized systems, digital disruption, and private sector leadership take the world by storm, traditional forms of government are beginning to fear irrelevance. However, the fight for exponential governance is not a lost battle. Early visionaries like Estonia and the UAE are leading the way in digital governance, empowered by ...
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NCFA Canada | Oct 5, 2018 Ep12-Oct 5: Building Blockchain Products & Decentralized Solutions for Enterprise and Startups About this episode: On this week's episode of the Fintech Friday$ podcast our host Manseeb Khan sits down with Mathieu Glaude the CEO and president of Northern Block. They talk about having a sovereign digital identity, the excitement behind stable coins and why supply chain in blockchain shouldn't be overlooked. Enjoy! Host: Manseeb Khan, NCFA, Fintech Fridays show host Guest: MATHIEU GLAUDE, President and CEO, Northern Block (LinkedIn) Bio: Mr. Glaude is the President and CEO of Northern Block, a Toronto-based blockchain product development company building decentralized applications, enterprise solutions and developer tools for blockchain ecosystems. Mr. Glaude brings extensive expertise to product development in the enterprise technology space. Prior to Northern Block, he worked for Capital One Bank where he led many large scale customer-facing software development initiatives. Additionally, he owns a private equity fund focused on making early stage investments in the blockchain and emerging technology sectors. Subscribe and tune in each Friday to check out the latest movers and shakers in fintech. Listen to more Fintech Fridays podcasts here Transcription of Interview Manseeb Khan: Hey this is Manseeb Khan and you are tuning into a brand-new episode of fintech Fridays. Manseeb Khan: Today I have ...
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Gowling WLG | Shaela W. Rae | October 17 2018 Black market. Dark web. Illicit. Underground market. Illegitimate. Illegal. Organized crime. All words used to describe the illegal cannabis industry, until October 17, 2018 that is. Once it is legal to buy, possess or use cannabis for recreational purposes the discussion around the use of cannabis and how to procure it changes from hushed words in a corner to an open conversation in public. But is the public ready to embrace a substance that has been seen as illegitimate and "bad" for so long? If the experience in the US can be relied upon, the answer is "yes". According to investment bank Cowen & Co., the cannabis industry is expected to reach sales of approximately US$75-billion by 2030, up from US$6-billion in 2016, as the drug is more socially accepted. In the US today cannabis is illegal on a federal level as it is classified as a Schedule 1 narcotic, but cannabis is legal in 30 states for medicinal purposes, and in 9 states and Washington, DC, for recreational use for adults over the age of 21. See: Canabis Company True Leaf Raises $14 Million in Cross Border US – ...
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International Monetary Fund | Release | Oct 11, 2018 The International Monetary Fund and the World Bank Group today launched the Bali Fintech Agenda, a set of 12 policy elements aimed at helping member countries to harness the benefits and opportunities of rapid advances in financial technology that are transforming the provision of banking services, while at the same time managing the inherent risks. The Agenda proposes a framework of high-level issues that countries should consider in their own domestic policy discussions and aims to guide staff from the two institutions in their own work and dialogue with national authorities. The 12 elements (see table) were distilled from members’ own experiences and cover topics relating broadly to enabling fintech; ensuring financial sector resilience; addressing risks; and promoting international cooperation. “There are an estimated 1.7 billion adults in the world without access to financial services,” said IMF Managing Director Christine Lagarde. “Fintech can have a major social and economic impact for them and across the membership in general. All countries are trying to reap these benefits, while also mitigating the risks. We need greater international cooperation to achieve that, and to make sure the fintech revolution benefits the many and not ...
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Investment Executive | James Langton | Oct 12, 2018 Money laundering and tax evasion are key concerns Canadian policy-makers initially took a hands-off approach to cryptoassets. Now, in the wake of a bitcoin boom-and-bust and continuing growth in the cryptoassets market, policy-makers are taking a second look at the emerging phenomenon. In 2015, the Standing Senate Committee on Banking, Trade and Commerce issued one of Canada’s first reports examining the emerging cryptocurrency industry; that report recommends that policy-makers keep an eye on the space. Since then, the cryptoassets market has continued to grow. According to a report from the Bank of Canada (BoC), the global market capitalization for cryptoassets “grew rapidly” in 2017 and the daily transaction volume now is more than 75 times higher than it was in early 2017 – i.e., more than $25 billion a day. At this point, the BoC report states, traditional financial services institutions don’t have much, if any, direct exposure to cryptoassets, but the report cautions that these institutions could become exposed due to their clients’ trading in cryptoassets or through exchange trading in crypto-based derivatives. “Cryptoasset markets are evolving quickly and could have financial stability implications in the future if their size ...
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NCFA Canada | Oct 13, 2018 Ep13-Oct 13: Road to Fintech IPO: Capital Networks, Scalable Solutions, Putting People First About this episode: On this episode, NCFA show host Manseeb Khan sits down with Ali Pourdad the CEO of Progressa who recently closed out an $84 million dollar round. They talk about P2P loans, loan services operating within the blockchain and why being people first business matters. Enjoy! (see Transcript) Host: Manseeb Khan, NCFA, Fintech Fridays show host Guest: ALI POURDAD, Co-founder and CEO, Progressa (LinkedIn) Bio: Ali Pourdad has been CEO of Progressa since its inception in 2013. Under his leadership the Company has raised over $40 million of investor capital and invested over $2.0 million dollars in its proprietary "Powered by Progressa" decision engine for Canadian Enterprise partners looking to enhance collections strategy in a positive way. The company has grown to over 110 employees in Vancouver and Toronto. Ali has decisively positioned Progressa for its next generation of growth by recently executing on several initiatives, including creating one of Canada's most popular Exempt Market Bond Offerings and securing an $11.4 million Series A financing . Prior to co-founding Progressa, Ali worked in both corporate restructuring and audit & assurance, ...
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Beam Platform | Alec Gordon | Aug 24, 2018 THE PROBLEM The tech industry has gotten a rude awakening this year. Following a few high profile instances of data misuse, European Union has struck down the law and put everyone who sells into Europe (or deals with anyone who does) on notice. Since introduction, GDPR was meant to show both corporations and their users that better clarity around data collection/preservation is the necessary step forward, one that will lead to a fairer digital society, and ultimately benefit all those involved. And in order to do that, the companies themselves must take matters into their own hands by building new tools to let data flow back to the user. The customers demand it, and equally deserve to have control over their digital footprint. In the end this is an EU bill with global ramifications, and we should all be paying attention. By now you most of you have gotten dozens of emails on “updates to privacy policy” and other notices of forthcoming compliance. This is a welcome reminder that it is you, the user, who’s the focal point GDPR. After decades of computer and telephone use, the companies with whom we ...
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Competition Bureau | Oct 10, 2018 Speech Remarks by Interim Commissioner of Competition Matthew Boswell Global Series 2018 October 10, 2018 Ottawa, Ontario Thank you. I’m pleased to be here to speak with you today. Thank you Makan, for your thoughts on these important issues. They are particularly relevant to businesses, the legal community, academia and governments around the world and to all of you who are gathered here today. Every day we see the world evolving at a rapid pace, thanks to innovation. Development of new technologies, ways of doing business and the creation of new products have the potential to open up new areas of science, medicine and technology. Small steps lead to bigger steps. And here in Canada, we have to be ready for both the challenges and opportunities that this is bringing to all of us. Let’s understand what we are up against. Every year, innovation in the top industrialized countries is tracked by leading authorities on the subject. And here’s what they report about Canada in 2018. On the plus side, Canada performs better than some others in four big areas: Human Capital and Research, Institutions, Infrastructure, and Market Sophistication. See: Canada’s ‘innovation economy’ has ...
Read More
Read More
Crowdfund Insider | Cali Haan | Oct 9, 2018 Vancouver-based cryptocurrency exchange QuadrigaCX has been defending itself in court for the release of $28 million dollars in customer funds frozen by the Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce (CIBC) since January, the Globe and Mail reports. According to court documents filed by CIBC in the Canadian province of Ontario, the action to freeze the accounts was taken because the bank says, “it was unable to determine who owns the funds,” and would like the court to take possession of the money and distribute it to either QuadrigaCX, their payments processor Custodian Inc, or to the 388 affected Quadriga customers, the Globe and Mail writes. Entrepreneurs in the relatively new crypto sector industries complained for some time about bank non-cooperation. See: International Anti-Money Laundering Standards for Crypto Expected in October The cryptocurrency press in South America has reported on numerous account closures by banks against crypto exchanges on the continent, some of which are now being contested in courts by, among others, exchanges like Walltime in Brazil. Sources within the Toronto crypto entrepreneur scene say they have suffered persistent problems with getting their businesses banked in the city- even at credit unions- and have ...
Read More
Read More
Crunchbase News | Alex Wilhelm | October 8, 2018 Meet Nubank, a fintech shop out of Brazil that just raised $180 million from Tencent at a valuation of $4 billion. Forget the fact that the round is half secondary. It’s an enormous transaction, and in more normal times, it would cause a big stir. However, the capital event highlights something notable about Tencent: the China-based company’s investment cadence is staggering. Tencent is disbursing cash at a far faster rate than Alibaba, another Chinese tech shop that isn’t famous for parsimony. Tencent’s Early Christmas Tencent has been on a check-cutting bing recently, getting through eight investing rounds in September. Those ranged from a $1.5 billion deal with Lianjia (real estate services), a $450 million round for MissFresh E-Commerce (mobile grocery sales), to the comparatively staid $90 million Series B for WeShare (fintech something or other). October is looking similarly hot. Tencent is at four deals so far, and the month isn’t even half done. Here’s the list: October 1. Miniso’s 1 billion rmb Series A. October 4. Voyager Innovation’s $175 million private equity round. October 5. Bilibili’s $317.6 million post-IPO equity event. October 8. Nubank’s $180 million Series F (half secondary). Regarding Nubank, TechCrunch’s Jon Shieber has the ...
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Peter Diamandis | Blog | Oct 8, 2018 Governments are one of the last strongholds of an undigitized, linear sector of humanity, and they are falling behind fast. Apart from their struggle to keep up with private sector digitization, federal governments are in a crisis of trust. At almost a 60-year low, only 19 percent of Americans reported that they could trust their government “always” or “most of the time” in a recent Pew survey. And the U.S. is not alone. See: Immersive 2-day Blockchain Developer Training Course (Nov 10-11, Toronto): Decentralized Application Development The Edelman Trust Barometer revealed last year that 47 percent of the world population distrust their nations’ institutions. Even in Canada, only 26 percent of surveyed Canadians consider regulators and government officials to be credible. In many cases, the private sector — particularly tech behemoths — are driving greater progress in regulation-targeted issues like climate change than state leaders. And as decentralized systems, digital disruption, and private sector leadership take the world by storm, traditional forms of government are beginning to fear irrelevance. However, the fight for exponential governance is not a lost battle. Early visionaries like Estonia and the UAE are leading the way in digital governance, empowered by ...
Read More
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NCFA Canada | Oct 5, 2018 Ep12-Oct 5: Building Blockchain Products & Decentralized Solutions for Enterprise and Startups About this episode: On this week's episode of the Fintech Friday$ podcast our host Manseeb Khan sits down with Mathieu Glaude the CEO and president of Northern Block. They talk about having a sovereign digital identity, the excitement behind stable coins and why supply chain in blockchain shouldn't be overlooked. Enjoy! Host: Manseeb Khan, NCFA, Fintech Fridays show host Guest: MATHIEU GLAUDE, President and CEO, Northern Block (LinkedIn) Bio: Mr. Glaude is the President and CEO of Northern Block, a Toronto-based blockchain product development company building decentralized applications, enterprise solutions and developer tools for blockchain ecosystems. Mr. Glaude brings extensive expertise to product development in the enterprise technology space. Prior to Northern Block, he worked for Capital One Bank where he led many large scale customer-facing software development initiatives. Additionally, he owns a private equity fund focused on making early stage investments in the blockchain and emerging technology sectors. Subscribe and tune in each Friday to check out the latest movers and shakers in fintech. Listen to more Fintech Fridays podcasts here Transcription of Interview Manseeb Khan: Hey this is Manseeb Khan and you are tuning into a brand-new episode of fintech Fridays. Manseeb Khan: Today I have ...
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Toronto Fintech & Funding Networking Event (Jul 11, 2018): 4th Annual NCFA Summer Kickoff!
NCFA Canada | Craig Asano | June 18, 2018
Summer Kickoff Networking - PATIO TIME!
Join the National Crowdfunding & Fintech Association of Canada, Pegasus Fintech Inc., Fintech Growth Syndicate, Nikola Tesla Unite Ltd., Token Funder, Gowling WLG, Equibit Group, Mavennet, partners, affiliates and the Fintech & Funding community in the heart of upscale Yorkville (neighborhood) on the InterContinental's PATIO and Proof Bar for a night of revelry and prime networking mixer. Interested in disrupting the finance industry, raising capital or participating in Canada’s growing alternative finance and fintech sectors? Here's a perfect opportunity to connect with emerging fintech startups (stealth mode) and experts, strategize with partners, pitch investors and mingle with Toronto’s burgeoning fintech, blockchain, AI and crowdfinance ecosystem.
EVENT DETAILS:
Wednesday, Jul 11, 2018
~5:30 PM - 9:00PM+
InterContinental Yorkville (PATIO & Proof Bar)
220 Bloor Street West, Toronto, M5S 1T8 (map)
LIMITED TICKETS - GET'M BEFORE THEY'RE GONE!
$25 Early SOLD OUT!
$35 Standard SOLD OUT!
$50 Late - Last Chance SOLD OUT!
THANKS FOR ANOTHER GREAT EVENT - SOLD OUT!
AND OFFICIALLY KICKING OFF THE SUMMER!
- All include entrance to private event, a complimentary drink, hors d'oeuvres, prizes, entertainment, and prime networking
- Taxes and fees extra. No refunds 7 days before the event (after Jul 4). Ticket transfers ok.
- If it rains the event will take place inside the Proof Bar
- Checkout photos from last year's Summer networking event here
- Inclusive Deals for fintech students, starving start-ups and women founders: email for code: info@ncfacanada.org
- NCFA Members deal: Save 25% https://bit.ly/2IxBi4s (Not a member yet? Join today and save)
All ticket registrations by July 3 will be automatically entered into a July 4th draw taking place 6pm at Yonge and Dundas square at driver/showcase event to WIN 2 VIP tickets:
Congrats to the following multiple winners of the tickets!
Ryan Correia,MD Equivesto Inc.
Emily Cornelius, Marketing, Equibit
Draw will take place July 4th at 6pm at Yonge and Dundas Niko race car driver/showcase event.- 2 winners will be drawn and receive 2 x tickets entrance with VIP pit passes for Saturday, July 7 at the Mobil 1 Sportscar Grand Prix sponsored by event partner NIKOCoin
This event is for the Fintech & Funding, Blockchain, AI and Alternative Investing Community
Innovators and investors interested in financial innovation, networking and collaborating with startups, investors, angels, early stage-focused VC's and industry experts and developers in alternative finance, crowdfunding, fintech, payments, cryptocurrency, blockchain, ICOs / STOs, Artificial Intelligence-driven investing and other financial innovation sectors.
- Women founders
- Companies actively raising capital
- Investors and syndicates interested in investing
- Fintech advisors, consultants, and development experts (startups, institutions, researchers, academia, government)
- Financial innovators and developers looking to partner or collaborate
- High growth fintech start-ups (stealth mode) and scale-ups. Private or public.
- Developers looking for opportunities and to connect with businesses
- Funding platforms, dealers, providers and their client networks
- Anyone interested in emerging fintech trends, regulations and industry developments
Those who are crazy enough to think they can change the world usually do - Steve Jobs
Venue (Patio and covered Proof Bar)
Event Host and Partners:
The National Crowdfunding & Fintech Association of Canada (NCFA Canada) is a non-profit actively engaged with cryptocurrency, blockchain, crowdfunding, alternative finance, fintech, P2P, ICO/STO, and online investing stakeholders globally. NCFA Canada provides education, research, industry stewardship, services, and networking opportunities to thousands of members and subscribers and works closely with industry, government, academia, community and eco-system partners and affiliates to create a strong and vibrant crowdfunding and fintech industry. Join Canada's Fintech & Funding Community today FREE, or become a valued contributing member and get perks.
For more information, please visit: ncfacanada.org
Pegasus Fintech, Inc.focuses on supporting innovative solutions in the Financial Services, Technology, Blockchain and Cryptocurrency communities. Pegasus has developed a full-service process for assisting organizations who want to do an Initial Coin Offering (ICO). Together with our team of highly skilled industry professionals and partners we create, with our clients, the necessary business, legal, accounting, technology development, capital and funding strategies, whitepapers, roadmaps, marketing and sales processes to deploy successful and compliant ICOs. Pegasus also has created an integrated network platform, called the Pegasus Matrix, supporting interactivity through Pegasus supported ICO use cases. Pegasus is a partner of Polymath and is the first North American Sponsor Firm of the Gibraltar Blockchain Exchange (GBX).
For more information, please visit: pegasusfintech.com
FinTech Growth Syndicate (FGS) is a business accelerator that accelerates sales, partnering and marketing strategies for new and growing FinTech companies and implements internal or external innovation strategies and projects for financial institutions and technology incumbents. We are deeply connected to the FinTech community and stakeholders and help organizations find partners and build awareness within the FinTech ecosystem.
For more information, please visit: fintechgrowthsyndicate.com
Gowling WLG is an international law firm created by the combination of Gowlings, a leading Canadian law firm, and Wragge Lawrence Graham & Co (WLG), a leading UK-based international law firm. With more than 1,400 legal professionals in 19 cities across Canada, the UK, Continental Europe, the Middle East and Asia, Gowling WLG provides clients with top-tier legal advice at home and abroad in a range of areas. Our clients have access to in-depth expertise and experience in key global sectors, including advanced manufacturing, energy, financial services, infrastructure, life sciences, natural resources, real estate and tech. We see the world through our clients’ eyes, and collaborate across countries, offices, service areas and sectors to help them succeed – no matter how challenging the circumstances. Our culture is, above all, about people and teams, based on our belief in the power of relationships to deliver tangible business results.
For more information, please visit: gowlingwlg.com
Equibit Group is the company that developed the Equibit coin (EQB) and an initial product suite for application of the open-source Equibit network. This decentralized application of blockchain technology enables a worldwide, peer-to-peer equity and debt marketplace. In much the same way that Bitcoin applied digital technology to currency and payments, Equibit eliminates the need for expensive infrastructure and third-party facilitation from depositories or transfer agents. The Equibit network connects issuers with investors directly. Registration, transfer, settlement and investor relations can all be managed securely and digitally within a decentralized environment. With Equibit Group, capital markets meet the blockchain.
For more information, please visit: equibitgroup.com
TokenFunder is a Canadian company building a blockchain-powered venture funding platform and investment market. Our mission is to allow every investor equal access to invest in the best companies. We are a pioneer, the first company to work with the Ontario Securities Commission LaunchPad to launch Canada's first security token offering on the Ethereum public blockchain.
For more information, please visit: tokenfunder.com
Mavennet provides private enterprise blockchain solutions that enable high transaction throughput and interoperability between multiple blockchain platforms. These solutions are powered by Mavennet's core technology stack, Aion for Enterprise, built using foundational components of the public Aion network.
INTERESTED IN GETTING INVOLVED?
Contact us to learn more: info@ncfacanada.org
Also seeking 1-2 Volunteers
SEE YOU THERE!
Photos from last year here
Conference Toronto (Oct 22-23): 11th Annual Canadian Innovation Exchange (CIX)
Canadian Innovation Exchange | Peter Jones | June 8, 2018
NCFA Canada is a proud Community Partner of CIX, Canada's most curated startup investment conference. Invited attendees are founders of Canada's most innovative early- and growth-stage tech companies and global investors and corporates.
CIX takes place over two days, Oct 22-23, 2018, in downtown Toronto.
The 11th annual CIX Top 20 program is now open for submissions. The CIX Top 20 program is Canada's largest national showcase of the nation's hottest and most innovative tech companies. CIX Selection Committee evaluates all submissions and selects 20 to present at CIX, taking place on October 22 & 23 in Toronto.
Register online and use code KICKOFFCIX by Friday, July 20th, or reach out to Joel Pinto at jpinto@brunico.com for further registration inquiries
Visit the CIX website --> now
The National Crowdfunding & Fintech Association of Canada (NCFA Canada) is a cross-Canada non-profit actively engaged with cryptocurrency, blockchain, crowdfunding, alternative finance, fintech, P2P, ICO, and online investing stakeholders globally. NCFA Canada provides education, research, industry stewardship, services, and networking opportunities to thousands of members and subscribers and works closely with industry, government, academia, community and eco-system partners and affiliates to create a strong and vibrant crowdfunding and fintech industry. Join Canada's Fintech & Funding Community today FREE! Or become a contributing member and get perks. For more information, please visit: ncfacanada.org
Toronto Launch event (Jun 4): Stratus Marketplace
NCFA Canada | May 17, 2018
A Hewlett Packard Enterprise and Global Blockchain Technologies Partnership
Hewlett Packard Enterprise and Global Blockchain would like to invite you to attend the unveiling of...
Stratus Marketplace
June 4, 2018
2 to 5 p.m. EDT
At the Adelaide Hotel
Nominate your organization to participate in a proof of concept use of the Stratus Marketplace and learn how it will lead the next major internet evolution.
The website and whitepaper will be available to all subscribers.
Come for the open bar and free Photon Cryptocurrency giveaways!
This event is sponsored by Global Blockchain Technologies and Hewlett Packard Enterprise.
NCFA is happy to be a community partner for this event.
REGISTRATION CLOSED
The National Crowdfunding & Fintech Association of Canada (NCFA Canada) is a cross-Canada non-profit actively engaged with cryptocurrency, blockchain, crowdfunding, alternative finance, fintech, P2P, ICO, and online investing stakeholders globally. NCFA Canada provides education, research, industry stewardship, services, and networking opportunities to thousands of members and subscribers and works closely with industry, government, academia, community and eco-system partners and affiliates to create a strong and vibrant crowdfunding and fintech industry. Join Canada's Fintech & Funding Community today FREE! Or become a contributing member and get perks. For more information, please visit: ncfacanada.org
Convergence of the titans: Nobel Peace Prize Recipient, Irakli Beridze, to Present in Toronto at AiDecentralized Summit (May 22)
AiDecentralized | Jane Boo | May 1, 2018
Convergence of the titans: Today’s top technologies meet in Toronto
Toronto – On May 22, Irakli Beridze, Head of the United Nations Centre for Artificial Intelligence and Robotics (UNICRI), joins an impressive lineup of thought leaders in blockchain and artificial intelligence at AiDecentralized, the first in a series of global summits initiated by the Association for Computing Machinery (ACM).
A stellar, full-day event designed to connect the AI (artificial intelligence) and blockchain communities, AiDecentralized promises compelling insights into just what’s possible when two revolutionary technologies come together for a common goal. Each is transformative on its own, but together blockchain and AI achieve a synergy that has critical implications for data accountability, security, and oversight.
See: WEF’s Sheila Warren: blockchain is the door to new digital reality
Beridze initiated and managed the first United Nations Program on AI and Robotics and has organized high-level events for the United Nations General Assembly and other international organizations. Renowned for his efforts to enhance understanding of AI’s risk-benefit duality, he advises governments and international organizations on issues related to global security, sustainable development, emerging technologies, and political trends. Prior to joining UNICRI, Beridze undertook missions in politically sensitive areas around the globe as a special projects officer at the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW). In this capacity, he was the recipient of recognition on the awarding of the Nobel Peace Prize to OPCW in 2013.
AiDecentralized Summit May 22 - Reshaping the Future
AiDecentralized takes place on May 22nd in Toronto at the storied Fairmont Royal York. The five-star event features presentations by the experts in today’s two hottest technologies, including ACM Turing Award recipient, Silvio Micali, former Wikimedia CEO, Lila Tretikov, ColliderX and Canadian Blockchain Co-founder, Mark Lijour, and IBM Master Inventor, Neil Sahota.
“The extraordinary challenges that face our global society require extraordinary solutions,” says Irakli Beridze. “AiDecentralized is one of these solutions. By combining the skills, expertise, knowledge, and brain power of the AI and blockchain communities, this summit has the potential to be a real game-changer in our quest to build a safe, prosperous, and happy future.”
ACM, the world’s largest educational and scientific computing society, delivers resources that advance computing as a science and a profession. ACM provides the computing field’s premier Digital Library and serves its members and the computing profession with leading-edge publications, conferences, and career resources.
What happens when the world’s leading society for educational and scientific computing hosts the largest summit to date on today’s two hottest technologies? See for yourself on May 22nd when the Association for Computing Machinery (ACM) delivers the inaugural AiDecentralized summit at Toronto’s storied, Fairmont Royal York.
Read: This ICO for an AI blockchain is the most tech-hype idea of the year
An ACM global initiative, AiDecentralized is a stellar event designed to connect the AI (Artificial Intelligence) and Blockchain communities and provide compelling insights into just what’s possible when the two technologies come together for a common goal. Each is transformative on its own, but together they achieve a synergy that has critical implications for data accountability and oversight.
Transforming all sectors
“AI and Blockchain are poised to reshape our entire society,” says Wonki Min, Chair of the OECD Committee on Digital Economy Policy and a professor at State University of New York, Korea. “Not only do they bring innovative solutions to the IT sector, but they also have the capacity to transform the business models of all economic sectors, including banking, retail, and transportation.”
Professor Min compares AI to other revolutionary technologies, such as the steam engine, electricity, and the Internet. The essential difference, he says, is that unlike previous technologies that replaced human mechanical power, AI replaces and complements human cognitive power.
A way to address vulnerabilities
The danger, according to Min and other experts in today’s digital economy, is the vulnerability of AI in the face of rising cybercrime. In our IoT world, where even an interconnected aquarium thermostat can be used to steal a London casino’s high-roller database, there is clearly a need to safeguard and guarantee the accuracy of our data.
“Some of the issues around privacy, transparency, and ethics could be addressed by fully distributed decentralized Blockchain technology,” suggests Min. “By bringing together experts in the field, AiDecentralized provides an opportunity to share knowledge and information that could help solve the current problems resulting from the rapid adoption of these technologies.”
A stellar line-up
As one of the Summit’s expert presenters, Min will be speaking on the importance of global multi-stakeholder cooperation in maximizing the benefits and mitigating the risks of AI and Blockchain. He joins an impressive list of speakers and panelists, including Nobel Peace Prize Winner, Irakli Beridze; ACM A.M. Turing Award recipient, Silvio Micali; and former Wikimedia CEO, Lila Tretikov.
“AiDecentralized seeks to be a catalyst for new innovative technologies born out of the intersection of Blockchain and AI,” says award-winning futurist and serial entrepreneur Stephen Ibaraki.
At a reception following the event, participants will be able to mingle and share their thoughts with some of the top IT thought leaders in the world.
As an organization, AiDecentralized brings together 870,000 AI practitioners with 280,000 blockchainers and cryptographers from around the world. These communities will come together to explore the possibilities at the intersection of these two technologies.
Register Toronto Experience Now --> AiDecentralized Summit May 22
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The National Crowdfunding & Fintech Association of Canada (NCFA Canada) is a cross-Canada non-profit actively engaged with both social and investment crowdfunding, alternative finance, fintech, P2P, ICO, and online investing stakeholders across the country. NCFA Canada provides education, research, industry stewardship, and networking opportunities to over 1600+ members and works closely with industry, government, academia, community and eco-system partners and affiliates to create a strong and vibrant crowdfunding and fintech industry in Canada. For more information, please visit: ncfacanada.org
CryptoChicks Conference and Hackathon for Blockchain Professionals
CryptoChicks | Release | March 14, 2018
Toronto, Ontario, Mar 9, 2018- Toronto-based non-profit CryptoChicks and online educator BlockGeeks are pleased to invite entrepreneurs, startups, enthusiasts, investors, developers, and students of all genders to the CryptoChicks Blockchain Conference and Hackathon, April 6-8, 2018 at the MaRSDD centre in downtown Toronto.
Since being popularized by Bitcoin, encrypted accountancy ledgers or “blockchains” have taken the finance world by storm. Unmet demand for blockchain developers is high and increasing- blockchains simplify transactions and reduce costs- but, currently, in the industry men outnumber women 92-to-8.
“We believe this hackathon will provide needed exposure to female talent...connecting hackers with employers,” says CryptoChicks cofounder Natalia Ameline.
Speakers, participants, and mentors of all genders will gather alongside teams of females hacking in Business or Developer streams. Industry leaders from around the globe, including Paige Bailey of Microsoft, Amanda B. Johnson of Dash, Dr. C Mohan of IBM, 16-year-old ‘Crypto Price Tracker’ app-developer Harshita Arora and many others, will speak on blockchain matters in AI, healthcare, the developing world, small and large enterprise, investing strategies, ICOs and DAICO’s, hedge funds, fintech, venture capital, crypto economics, social welfare and industry disruption. The opening night panel will feature entrepreneurs Dmitry Buterin and Natalia Ameline, parents of Ethereum inventor Vitalik Buterin, speaking on supporting the next generation of tech pioneers.
Content tailored to blockchain entrepreneurs and startups includes starting a blockchain business, designing an effective token model, running a successful ICO, attracting investors and complying with regulations. Many employers and venture capitalists will be circulating at business pitches, the cocktail meet-and-greet, and the VIP dinner. The first-floor conference and second-floor hackathon, hosting over 100 female (cis and trans) hackers, will be connected to live video feeds. Hacked projects will be judged and awarded on the final day.
This event is made possible thanks to the generous support of sponsors BlockGeeks, Polychain Capital, RBC, Pixel Dreams, Microsoft, IBM, Nobul, RightMesh, ZCash, NeuFund and The Opinion Economy, who will present their ‘CryptoChick of the Year’ award at this event.
Act soon: early-bird ticket sales (3-day conference, including food, for $150.00) end March 15, 2018.
For more information, go to cryptochickshackathon.com.
Company Contact:
Elena Sinelnikova,
CryptoChicks Founder, and CEO
647-546-6461
The National Crowdfunding & Fintech Association of Canada (NCFA Canada) is a national non-profit actively engaged with social and investment crowdfunding, alternative finance, fintech, peer-to-peer (P2P), initial coin offerings (ICO), and online investing stakeholders across the country. NCFA Canada provides education, research, industry stewardship, networking opportunities and services to thousands of community members and works closely with industry, government, academia and eco-system partners and affiliates to create a vibrant and innovative fintech and online financing industry in Canada. For more information, please visit: ncfacanada.org
