Calgary Crowdfunding Bootcamp: Learn Everything

Thursday, December 3, 2015

Essential Education Series (View Photos)

Equity | Debt | Rewards | Fintech | Networking

[restabs alignment="osc-tabs-center" pills="nav-pills" responsive="true" text="More" tabcolor="#1e73be" tabheadcolor="#ffffff" seltabcolor="#e28e0f" seltabheadcolor="#ffffff"]

[restab title="Workshop Overview" active="active"]

WORKSHOP OVERVIEW

Date: Thursday December 3, 2015

Venue:  Dentons (Calgary)

850 - 2nd Street SW 15th Floor, Bankers Court, Calgary, AB T2P 0R8  (map)

Time: 1:00pm – 6:30pm

Registration:  $25 members / $35 non-members / At Door $40+

Light refreshments included.  Add 5% GST.

SOLD OUT!  (Limited tickets available at the Door)

D

 - ESSENTIAL EDUCATION SERIES -

"The regulation of crowdfunding in Canada, the US and globally is dynamic and forever evolving. Dentons is poised to guide the global market in this area." -Jason Saltzman, Partner, Dentons

Calgary Crowdfunding Bootcamp

This is an immersive half day workshop + networking event that covers essential crowdfunding education for companies seeking to raise capital from alternative finance crowdfunding markets, investors, and all other parties interested in understanding innovation trends, opportunities and risks, regulations, best practices and expert perspectives for all crowdfunding models including equity, debt/p2p, rewards and fintech markets and transactions.  Learn from and interact with active practitioners in crowdfunding markets including platforms (funding portals and dealer-brokers), investors, attorneys, accountants, marketing experts, and hear pitches from new and successful issuers. This workshop is designed for those interested in or actively engaged in the process of raising capital online.

Agenda (Half-day + Networking)

 f

Why attend this workshop?

1. Learn Market Insights and Opportunities from Industry Experts:  Global crowdfunding, fintech and alternative finance markets continue to grow rapidly playing a significant role in mobilizing capital and resources to help launch and scale new ventures, social enterprises, small businesses and high growth SMEs.  Has crowdfunding reached an industry tipping point (read UK Crowdcube founder's perspective here)?

• Global crowdfunding markets grew 167% from $6.1 billion in 2013 to $16.2 billion in 2014 due to heightened market activity, increased infrastructure and better integration and support from traditional capital market ecosystems.
• Get the leading research...2015 Global Crowdfunding Industry Report here.
• Learn why financial firms are joining the crowd and how to leverage technology to improve financial transactions.  More deals, wider networks and distribution, automated IR, integrated capital stack, marketing automation/CRM and analytics.
• Find out why private angel investors, VC groups, fund managers and corporate investors are seeking to work with emerging crowdfunding companies, affiliates and partners.

2. Discuss Regulatory Changes that Impact How Small Businesses Raise Capital:  The Canadian crowdfunding industry is poised for growth with several provinces recently adopting new prospectus exemptions that will enable start-ups to raise capital online (subject to certain constraints and compliance):

• On May 14, 2015, six Canadian provinces including British Columbia, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Quebec, New Brunswick and Nova Scotia adopted multilateral CSA notice 45-316, Startup Crowdfunding and Registration exemption that enables up to $500K to be raised per year over two $250K distributions – this financing tool is active in the market today.
• On Oct 19, 2015, the Alberta Securities Commission (ASC) and the Nunavut Securities Office published for 60 day comment Proposed Multilateral Instrument 45-109 Prospectus Exemption for Start-up Businesses, which sets out a proposed prospectus exemption to facilitate capital raising by start-up and early stage companies. While the proposal is largely similar to the adopted multilateral CSA notice 45-316 (above), this exemption would allow a start-up or early stage business to raise up to $1,000,000 (lifetime cap) using a streamlined offering document together with a bluntly worded risk warning.  Investors would be permitted to invest up to $1,500 in a business or $5,000 with the advice of a registered dealer.
• On Nov 5, 2015, Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick and Nova Scotia adopted Multilateral Instrument 45-108 Crowdfunding, which introduces a crowdfunding prospectus exemption for issuers raising up to $1.5M in a twelve month period as well as a registration framework for funding portals.

3.  Essential Education and Networking:  Learn best practices including 'what not to do' from current case studies and expert practitioners.  Discuss your questions with experts and peers.  Connect with peers that can assist your company to tap into emerging capital raising, marketing, financial/business planning and infrastructure services and opportunities.

Who should attend the workshop?

• Start-ups and SMEs seeking to raise seed/growth capital and expand their networks
• Private angel investors, VC groups, fund managers, corporate and retail investors
• Entrepreneurial and innovation networks seeking to raise capital and commercialize ventures including incubator/accelerators, entrepreneurs, start-ups, high impact SMEs
• All other parties interested in new venture development opportunities, small business growth, financial technology and equity financing including government, media journalists, industry and funding specialists
• Those interested in networking with emerging market channels and high growth sectors

The National Crowdfunding Association of Canada (NCFA Canada) is a cross-Canada non-profit actively engaged with both social and investment crowdfunding stakeholders across the country.  NCFA Canada provides education, research, leadership, support and networking opportunities to over 1300+ members and works closely with industry, government, academia, community and eco-system partners and affiliates to create a strong and vibrant crowdfunding industry in Canada.  Learn more About Us or visit ncfacanada.org.

[/restab]

[restab title="Agenda + Speakers"]

Speakers:

Craig Asano, Founder and Executive Director, NCFA Canada

Craig has amassed over 15+ years of experience as a marketing strategist, software technologist and start-up entrepreneur in technology, finance, manufacturing and real estate sectors. He is a leader, advocate and development professional of interactive web, data, CRM, campaign management, BI and marketing automation and new venture development projects.  He is actively involved in developing the Canadian Crowdfunding industry and works with crowdfunding leaders and key stakeholders across the country to develop a vibrant marketplace.  He has has spearheaded multiple programs and initiatives such as the inaugural 2015 Canadian Crowdfunding Summit, National Ambassadors outreach program, and NCFA Canada’s advocacy efforts to advance equity-based Crowdfunding regulations in Canada.

o

Richard Stadlwieser, Executive Director, Access to Capital, Economic Development and SMEs Division, Economic Development and Trade, Government of Alberta

As Executive Director in the Government of Alberta, Richard leads staff and teams in providing excellence in policy, program, and industry partnership development expertise. In the private sector, he has over 15 years domestic and international executive/senior leadership experience developing enterprises in Canada, Southeast Asia and China.  Currently, as Acting, Executive Director, Access to Capital, Economic Development and SMEs Division, his efforts focus on enhancing Alberta's research, innovation, commercialization and venture capital ecosystem to create new opportunities for growth of knowledge based companies and employment in Alberta.

h

Jason Saltzman, Partner, Dentons

Jason Saltzman practices corporate finance and securities law, with an emphasis on securities offerings, mergers and acquisitions, private equity and venture capital transactions, as well as all other aspects of corporate and securities law.Jason works with both established and emerging companies world-wide, primarily in the mining, technology, life science, cleantech (including renewable energy, water tech and ag tech), industrial, mid-tech and digital media and entertainment sectors. He assists issuers, investment dealers, and institutional and private investors on complex equity and debt financing transactions, ranging from start-up investments, venture capital and private equity investments, to larger public offerings and project finance.

Sam focuses his practice on the areas of buyouts and recapitalizations, securities transactions, mergers and acquisitions and private equity/emerging companies. His public company transactional experience includes public equity and debt offerings, exchange offers and initial public offerings.

Sebastian Elawny, Partner, Dentons

Sebastian received his Bachelor of Law degree in 2006 from the University of Manitoba and is currently a member of the Tax Group in the Calgary office. Sebastian’s practice covers a wide range of areas including international tax planning, domestic and cross-border mergers and acquisitions, public and private corporate reorganizations, public offerings for both issuers and underwriters, and dispute resolution between clients and the Canada Revenue Agency.

ff

f

Sean Ballard, Director of Innovation, ATB Financial

f

f

Neetu Sidhu, Manager, Alberta BoostR

Neetu Sidhu has a diverse background in marketing, social entrepreneurship and startups. She is passionate about design, innovation and making a positive impact. In addition to starting her own company, she has worked with various startups across North America, spanning tech, education and design. She currently leads Alberta BoostR, a rewards-based crowdfunding platform from ATB Financial, designed for both emerging and established Alberta entrepreneurs. Beyond providing an online channel for entrepreneurs to raise funds, get marketing/exposure, insights/feedback and build a crowd, Alberta BoostR also provides crowdfunding coaching, promotes businesses through ATB channels and holds live pitch events.

g

Bret Conkin, CEO/Founder, Crowdfund Suite

Bret is Chief Evangelist of CrowdfundSuite, a Consultancy for Alternative Finance Services. Crowdfundsuite helps platforms, funders, broker/dealers, real estate developers, service providers and entrepreneurs profit from the Crowd Economy via strategy, platform development, partnerships, capital raising, marketing and distribution. A visionary in alternative funding, Bret has helped raised over $40M for clients, started Canada’s first crowdfunding platform in 2008 and then helped FundRazr become a top 10 global platform. Bret is an Ambassador to NCFA Canada and blogger for Investopedia, Techvibes, IT Business and CrowdfundInsider.

f

Tabitha Creighton, CEO/Co-founder InvestNextDoor

Tabitha Creighton is CEO and co-founder of InvestNextDoor, a Crowdlending marketplace for small business; where crowdfunding creates returns for local investors supporting local businesses. She brings 18 years of experience to the role, much of it working with small businesses and financial technology. Crowdfunding and alternative finance models for small business are areas that Tabitha has focused much of her recent career, as she sees these as creating a new model of capital access that is sorely needed. Tabitha’s focus has been on developing models of business growth for firms of all sizes, utilizing technology to eliminate barriers and create new ways of solving old problems. In these roles she spent several years at Microsoft advising large and small corporations on how to make technology a strategic part of their business model.

r

Peter-Paul Van Hoeken, CEO/Co-founder, FrontFundr

Peter-Paul is Founder and CEO of Silver Maple Ventures Inc., a financial & social media company based in Vancouver BC focused on supporting start-ups and young ventures in Canada with access to capital through innovative online investment-based crowdfunding solutions.  Peter-Paul has over 15 years of experience in finance, investment management and business consultancy. He worked in Vancouver as director business development with a finance & investment company in the renewable energy space and as finance director of a real estate investment fund. Prior to that Peter-Paul held a number of positions with several global banks in the areas of corporate strategy, corporate & investment banking and he worked as a senior management consultant in The Netherlands. Peter-Paul is a director of the National Board of the Private Capital Markets Association, PCMA (Canada).

R. Stewart Thompson, Founder/CEO, VA Angels

R Stewart Thompson (Randy) is a builder of companies, angel investor and leader of one of Canada’s most active angel group. He is currently invested in twenty two companies and has been working in the startup venture space for 20+ years. Randy is the Founder and CEO of VA Angels, which has led him to be named Angel of the Year in Canada by Startup Canada 2014. VA Angels recently celebrated their 125thth company funded for over $38M in total investments which includes deals in the US, UK and Africa. Randy has also launched two funds, which included Acheson Mobile Investments a 38% IRR in Year 1. As an entrepreneur he has been the founder or founding partner in four entities, and is currently building GenerUS Marketing Solutions, a platform for not-for-profits to raise money. Early in his career he founded Alberta SuperNet and worked as a venture capital advisor to the Province of Alberta. Randy currently works internationally with companies in Puerto Rico and the UK.

d

Arti Modi, CEO, Lending Arch

Arti Modi is the visionary CEO of LendingArch, a disruptive FinTech lending platform produced with proprietary algorithms and future-ready technology. Based in Calgary and with offices in Los Angeles and Stockholm, Arti created LendingArch after feeling frustrated with the current financial eco-system and seeing financially savvy borrowers being marginalized and overlooked by traditional banks. She leads a team of global entrepreneurs, data scientists, credit managers, investment leaders, millennials FinTexperts, creatives and developers who together built a platform that is so streetwise, it limits the banks involvement and accomplishes results for the consumer in a fraction of the time. Recently listed as one of Alberta's Need to Know people, Arti is also Co-Founder of OmniArch, a contemporary investment firm managing over 5000 Canadian investors and over $400 million in portfolio assets. ​Arti is passionate about fostering financial health management for younger generations and has a dedicated innovation team creating tools and resources​ that will help facilitate education, and at the same time, make finance fun for younger generations and their parents.

a

Rubsun Ho, CEO/Founder, Crowdmatrix

Rubsun Ho is Chief Crowdpleaser at Crowdmatrix Inc., an equity crowdfunding platform that will bring efficiency and transparency to the capital raising process for Canadian growth companies. A portfolio company of Extreme Venture Partners, Crowdmatrix plans to launch in late spring, 2015.  Rubsun is also a co-founder and partner of Cognition LLP, a virtual law firm that was created to address the rising costs and inefficiencies of corporate legal services from traditional law firms. Cognition now has over 50 lawyers operating in Toronto, Ottawa and Calgary, and its clients range from growing startups through to some of Canada’s largest companies.  Rubsun began his career as a securities lawyer in the Toronto and New York offices of Stikeman Elliott, one of Canada’s leading business law firms. He left Bay Street to join Wysdom Inc. as VP of Business Development in 1999, where he helped raise US$57 million in financing for the wireless Internet startup. Rubsun has a Bachelor of Commerce from McGill University and a Bachelor of Laws from the University of Toronto.

f

f

Marty is the president of Quidni Estate Winery and chief consultant for Gunderson and Associations, where he provides advisory services in the exempt market finance industry in Canada.  The emphasis of his practice is providing guidance on creating marketable investment structures, securing distribution and ongoing investor relations.  With numerous successful financings to his credit, Marty has and continues to work with excellent companies interested in raising capital.  Mr. Gunderson has been in the financial services industry for 17 years, and has successful facilitated numerous of large financings in real estate, oil / gas service companies, apartment buildings, and mining He has built a robust network of exempt market dealers, representatives and professional services in the exempt market.

f

Sandi Gilbert, CEO/Founder, SeedUps Canada; COO, Offering Point

Sandi is strategic, visionary entrepreneur focused on developing and deploying technology solutions for the private capital markets. She is the Founder of SeedUps Canada, Canada's first crowdfund investing platform that brings ordinary and sophisticated investors together to invest in early stage companies. Investors can browse deals and execute their investment on-line. She calls it Dragons' Den and e*Trade combined. She is also the COO of OfferingPoint, a technology platform that streamlines the capital raising process for all participants. Investors access an "invitation only" dealroom where they can review deal terms, verify their qualification to invest and execute share purchase agreements. The technology is used by issuers, lawyers, angels and brokers who can monitor the progress of the private placement in real time.

j

Charity Callahan, Partner, C4SkunkWorks

Charity Callahan has over 25 years of experience, with the last 10 years in senior roles as a seasoned entrepreneur and business systems professional. She has lead business development, marketing, product management, operations, distribution, technology, supply chain, new product introduction and quality management functional areas. As a partner in C4Skunkworks, she works with entrepreneurs from concept to exit to get ready to raise capital and use the proceeds to optimize growth. She has worked in the following industries: Technology, Oil & Gas, Food, Distribution, Beverage, Chemical, Laboratory, Electronics, Information Systems, Graphics, Paper and Paper Packaging, Lumber, Co-Manufacturing, Co-packing, Services, and Aviation – Private and Durable Consumer Products.

t

Iain Montgomery, Senior Innovation & Strategy Consultant, Market Gravity

Prior to joining Market Gravity, Iain spent nearly a year travelling in Latin America and making a start on learning Spanish. Before then he was a consultant working on Commercial Due Diligence for Private Equity deals across multiple sectors including construction, energy and education as well as major strategy projects in the travel and support services spaces.

g

Darren Speake, CA, Tax Partner, PwC

Darren provides a broad range of tax services and has worked with multinational and private companies for more than 14 years. He has experience in Canadian corporate and cross-border tax issues, including general Canadian corporate income tax advice, corporate reorganizations, structuring and financing inbound and outbound investments, international tax planning, tax compliance, tax accounting, and advising on Scientific Research and Experimental Development (SR&ED) tax credits and other tax credit claims. Darren has also provided a broad range of tax services to corporations in the technology industry, with an emphasis on software companies. He has supported many emerging Canadian technology companies navigate through tax issues specific to emerging companies including SR&ED tax credits, Ontario interactive digital media tax credits, tax issues arising out of online commerce and structuring the ownership of intellectual property. Darren's also has experience dealing with the international and cross border issues of expanding outside of Canada, Canadian and international tax planning, estate planning for shareholders and income tax accounting.

e

Bruce Swan, CGA, Senior Manager, SR&ED, PwC

Bruce has over 24 years of SR&ED experience both with CRA and in public practice. Bruce provides tax planning, structuring and innovative SR&ED solutions to a wide range of client. Bruce has worked with hundreds of small private companies helping them maximize their potential SR&ED refunds through his innovative solutions. Bruce has authored papers for the Canadian Tax Foundation as well as has presented at the Canadian Petroleum Tax Society, the World Heavy Oil Congress and the Canadian Prairie Tax Conference.

h

g

Denise Weeres, Manager, Legal, Corporate Finance, Alberta Securities Commission  

Denise’s background includes acting as General Counsel to an oil sands company which engaged in a series of small private placements, a venture capitalist financing and the creation of a partnership with a Chinese national oil company which was then followed by a $60 million private placement and a $325 million IPO and listing on the TSX. Denise has also worked as General Counsel at the ASC and prior to that as Manager, Corporate Finance Policy and Listings Officer at CDNX, the predecessor to the TSX Venture Exchange, where she both reviewed business plans, financial statements and other required disclosure of junior companies seeking to list on the exchange and was responsible for developing the comprehensive corporate finance rules applicable to both listed companies and those seeking to list. Prior to that, Denise practised corporate and securities law in Calgary and Vancouver, acting for both senior and junior companies and their underwriters in connection with various public and private financings, mergers and acquisitions.

Jessie Gill, Manager, Legal Counsel, Corporate Finance, Alberta Securities Commission

Jessie is responsible for leading the ASC’s development of the Start-up Business exemption and, in that regard, has reviewed and considered both the Start-up Crowdfunding exemption adopted in certain other jurisdictions and proposed MI 45-108 Crowdfunding, proposed in certain other jurisdictions. In addition, Jessie handles various applications for exemptive relief and is the ASC lead on a committee comprising staff from securities regulators across Canada, charged with expanding the “passport” system, a system under which market participants can obtain a decision from one securities regulator and have it automatically apply in all other jurisdictions of Canada. Before joining the ASC, Jessie practised corporate and securities law with an international oil and gas company as well as with a Calgary law firm.

Thomas Mo, Founder & President, Alberta Apparel

Thomas Mo has been in sales for almost his entire life. While being very successful in some ventures, and mediocre in others, he’s always knew that running his own show would be the end goal. Having worked in retail, fundraising, Xerox, print services, SAAS environments and Autodesk resellers, Thomas has a diverse background and network to integrate with when it comes to business advise, entrepreneurs, and investing. The idea behind Alberta Apparel was to fulfill a need and idea that didn’t exist in the market yet within Alberta. Thomas has recently been working hard setting up Alberta Apparel and learning on the way through other people, trial and failure, and research. Check out Alberta Apparel's crowdfunding campaign here.

Paige Boudreau, Co-Founder, Escape Capers YYC 

Paige K Boudreau is a writer / producer / director with Memento Pimento Pictures and a co-owner at Escape Capers YYC, Alberta’s only hosted escape room experience. She and her husband (Escape Capers founder, Eric Boudreau) have combined their backgrounds in the film industry with a lifetime of gaming, to create a real life adventure where groups of people have to escape a mysterious locked room. Paige enjoys exploring abandoned places and writes in her spare time. She is originally from Calgary, Alberta. Check out Escape Capers YYC's crowdfunding campaign here.

f

f

Andrew Browne, Co-Founder, TikTiks

Andrew is a co-founder and currently CEO of TikTiks, an app based market place where sports fans can Buy and Sell hockey tickets with each other securely from their phone. He previously held the positions of VP Operations and Development Director for Startup Calgary. While completing the BBA at Mount Royal University, he ran a successful student painting franchise and held the Entrepreneur in Residence Position at the Institute for Innovation and Entrepreneurship. Andrew is passionately curious and always looking for opportunities to create value in the communities he belongs to. Check out TikTiks' crowdfunding campaign here.

More speakers coming soon....!

The National Crowdfunding Association of Canada (NCFA Canada) is a cross-Canada non-profit actively engaged with both social and investment crowdfunding stakeholders across the country.  NCFA Canada provides education, research, leadership, support and networking opportunities to over 1300+ members and works closely with industry, government, academia, community and eco-system partners and affiliates to create a strong and vibrant crowdfunding industry in Canada.  Learn more About Us or visit ncfacanada.org.

[/restab]

[restab title ="Sponsors"]

Hosted By:

Sponsors and Presenting Partners:

Community Partners:

The National Crowdfunding Association of Canada (NCFA Canada) is a cross-Canada non-profit actively engaged with both social and investment crowdfunding stakeholders across the country.  NCFA Canada provides education, research, leadership, support and networking opportunities to over 1300+ members and works closely with industry, government, academia, community and eco-system partners and affiliates to create a strong and vibrant crowdfunding industry in Canada.  Learn more About Us or visit ncfacanada.org.

[/restab]

[restab title="Register Now"]

How to Register

Tickets to the Calgary Crowdfunding Bootcamp may be purchased by registering your tickets directly below. 5% GST will be added at checkout and you will receive an email confirmation with your ticket(s)

Haven't been to an NCFA Canada event before?

Click to view our previous events:  here

Early bird registration for CCS2016 Now Open (save 37%)!

The National Crowdfunding Association of Canada (NCFA Canada) is a cross-Canada non-profit actively engaged with both social and investment crowdfunding stakeholders across the country.  NCFA Canada provides education, research, leadership, support and networking opportunities to over 1300+ members and works closely with industry, government, academia, community and eco-system partners and affiliates to create a strong and vibrant crowdfunding industry in Canada.  Learn more About Us or visit ncfacanada.org.

[/restabs]