Karsten Wenzlaff, Advisor
August 26th, 2025
Karsten Wenzlaff is a Crowdfunding and Fintech Expert from Germany. He is Secretary-General of Digit[...]
Category Archives: NCFA Supported Events
Event Alberta (Sep 25, 2014): Let’s Talk: Crowdfunding 101 [YLL]
Let's Talk Money Bootcamp | Suzanne Paschall | Sep 24, 2014
Event Details
Regional Business Accelerator
Thursday, 25 September 2014 from 1:00 PM to 4:00 PM
Lloydminster, AB
About the Bootcamp:
There has been a lot of hype around crowdfunding, especially here in Saskatchewan with the proposal of Canada’s first ever equity based model to be piloted in our own province.
Learn where and how to set up your campaign and start raising money from the crowd. You’ll review the major crowdfunding models, and take a look at the successful campaigns and strategies behind them.
More importantly you’ll get started on your own campaign strategy, including a budget, rewards array and marketing pitch.
Instructor: Suzanne Paschall, Editor in Chief and Founder of Indie Ink Publishing and Saskatchewan Ambassador of the NCFA (National Crowdfunding Association of Canada)
About the Host: The Regional Business Accelerator is here to coach, connect and mentor small businesses in the region to reach their full potential. If you are currently in business, looking to start a business or grow your business, we are here to help. www.smallbusinessinformation.ca
About Let's Talk Money Bootcamps: Let's Talk Money has delivered over 50 financial fitness bootcamps to over 800 Saskatchewan entrepreneurs over the past 18 months. Our goal in doing this is to provide one of our most valuable resources, our SK Entrepreneurs, with the information, tools and practical training needed to break-down the financials barriers impeding their success.
Interested in hosting your own Let's Talk Money Bootcamp, contact us at talktous@thekoloproject.ca
Register for this Crowdfunding event --> Now
The National Crowdfunding Association of Canada (NCFA Canada) is a cross-Canada crowdfunding hub providing education, advocacy and networking opportunities in the rapidly evolving crowdfunding industry. NCFA Canada is a community-based, membership-driven entity that was formed at the grass roots level to fill a national need in the market place. Join our growing network of industry stakeholders, fundraisers and investors. Increase your organization’s profile and gain access to a dynamic group of industry front runners. Learn more About Us or contact us at casano@ncfacanada.org.
ScribbleLive Event (Sep 19 @1pm, 2014): How to run a dynamite crowdfunding campaign
Globe and Mail | Katherine Scarrow | Sep 10, 2014
You’ve read about how early stage companies leverage personal assets to fund their businesses.
In the past five years, crowdfunding sites have changed the rules, allowing companies to reach a wider audience of supporters and help validate ideas before they are fully realized.
“We want to inspire a generation and tell them that we can still believe that one day we will achieve our dreams,” says Karl Pineault, co-founder of Free Spirit Hostel.
Not every campaign succeeds, however. In fact, 80 per cent of Indiegogo projects fail to raise more than a quarter of their goal, according to 2013 results from its search engine. So why do some crowdfunding campaigns flourish while others flounder?
Checkout: Canadian Crowdfunding Directory
On Friday, Sept. 19 at 1 p.m. (ET) we will hold our first microbusiness live discussion focused on crowdfunding tips and put reader questions to our participants: Karl Pineault and Laurent Champagn of Free Spirit Hostel and Daryl Hatton, founder and CEO of FundRazr, Canada’s largest reward-based crowdfunding portal.
We’ll consider the importance of crafting a compelling message and setting realistic goals, as well as the kinds of incentives to offer funders or investors.
If you’d like to join the conversation, simply click on the ScribbleLive box below. Mobile users may want to click here for an easier-to-read format.
Continue to the source article --> here
BCCTC Crowdfunding Seminar (July 23, 2014): Igniting Entrepreneurship in Canada
British Canadian Chamber of Commerce | Idalia Obregon | July 23, 2014
By Ken Mark, freelance writer specializing in international trade and investment. Email: ken.mark@rogers.com
Craig Asano, addressed a joint breakfast session on the current status of crowdfunding in Canada co-sponsored by the BCCTC, the Danish-Canadian Chamber, the Canada-Finland Chamber and the Swedish Canadian Chamber on July 17th, 2014. Asano is the founder and executive chair of the National Crowdfunding Association of Canada (NCFA Canada).
While crowdsourcing taps into the wisdom of crowds, crowdfunding taps into their wealth. More formally, it is the pooling of small amounts of capital from a large number of people through the internet and social media to fund social projects or business venture.
It is important since focuses on SME’s , the backbone of the Canadian economy which account of 55% of employment and 50% of National GDP. Small-cap firms and start ups are constant need of capital often less $1.5 million but they constantly face barriers.
The enable them to spur business and economic growth, employment and innovation, unlock new sources of capital and support for underserviced
communities, while strengthening grass-root groups in the start-up, SME community and connecting them with upstream capital markets, angels and venture capital firms.
View presentation slides from the seminar
Success stories are emerging. In the United Kingdom there is the Funding Circle, an online marketplace for small business loans. Launched in 2010 and it ha the support of large VCs (i.e., Union Square Ventures) and prominent British entrepreneurs. To date, it has facilitated £183 million pounds of small loans involving 60,000 members.
In Canada, the crowdfunding poster child is Pebble Smart Watch started by Waterloo U. engineering student, Eric Migicovsky. His initial goal was to raise $100,000. But thanks to the viral success of pre-selling 69,000 watches, he raised more than US$10 million on the American portal, Kickstarter.
A public sector star is Calgary’s Invest YYC launched in January 2013. It raised $650,000 across 47 projects for an average of $13,892 per project. Some of proceeds were used in flood relief in Calgary last summer.
In conclusion, crowdfunding enables start-ups, SMEs, to unlock a new sources of capital (that is efficient, transparent, cost effective to get businesses, expansion and other projects off the ground. It spur creativity, innovation and helps validate ideas and research. It also fosters networking, mentorship and support
Investors gain by accessing more deals be removing geographic boundaries through electronic and social media links. Crowdfunding simplifies
Portfolio management and helps diversify risk. It can help build investor networks, and ‘lead investor’ syndicates. It can also yield more online transaction data points so participants can make earlier and informed decisions.
Continue to the full article --> here
Toronto Event (July 17, 2014): Crowdfunding – Igniting Entrepreneurship in Canada!
European Union Chamber of Commerce | Marie Larsson | July 3, 2014
Speaker:
Executive Director & Founder
National Crowdfunding Association of Canada (NCFA Canada)
Crowdfunding is an innovative way to access start up funds for new projects and companies. It shifts the capital-raising landscape for smaller operations and enables them the to by-pass traditional money-lenders in favor of making direct connections with potential investors
Breakfast seminar on Thursday, July 17, 2014, 8 am - 10 am
at Miller Thomson LLP, 40 King St W, Toronto, ON M5H 3S1
Tickets (include breakfast & HST): $25 members, $35 non-members
Register for this event --> Now
The National Crowdfunding Association of Canada (NCFA Canada) is a cross-Canada crowdfunding hub providing education, advocacy and networking opportunities in the rapidly evolving crowdfunding industry. NCFA Canada is a community-based, membership-driven entity that was formed at the grass roots level to fill a national need in the market place. Join our growing network of industry stakeholders, fundraisers and investors. Increase your organization’s profile and gain access to a dynamic group of industry front runners. Learn more About Us or contact us at casano@ncfacanada.org.
Event Halifax (June 19, 2014): Business Over Breakfast: Crowdfunding for Start-Ups
Innovacorp and NCFA | June 16, 2014
A lot of people can’t stand crowds, but most folks are a little more welcoming when the crowd is gathered to provide their start-up with the financing it needs to launch or to reach its next milestone.
Our Business Over Breakfast on June 19 at the Technology Innovation Centre in Dartmouth will focus on equity crowdfunding in Nova Scotia. We’ll cover the various types of crowdfunding, how to determine whether it’s right for your start-up, pitfalls for the funders and the funded, the future of equity crowdfunding in Canada and Nova Scotia, and some crowdfunding stories from the region.
Andy Osburn, Founder and CEO, Equals6 (www.equals6.com) | Atlantic Director, National Crowdfunding Association of Canada (ncfacanada.org) – Andy is a seasoned entrepreneur with over 20 years of experience in software engineering and start-up technology ventures. His latest start-up, Equals6.com, is the market-leading student social recruiting platform, connecting students with the three things they need most: funding, career opportunities and mentoring. Prior to co-founding Equals6, Andy was CEO and CTO at Diaphonics, a voice biometric technology company. He previously held various technical and operational roles with the Royal Canadian Navy, primarily in the area of combat control systems. He is also a Certified Information Systems Security Professional and a Certified Information Systems Auditor and is certified in the Governance of Enterprise IT.
Christene H. Hirschfeld, Partner, BOYNECLARKE (www.boyneclarke.com) – Christene’s practice focuses on business and intellectual property law. She is often invited to speak on intellectual property as well as business-related issues such as financing and privacy. Christene's name has been included in the The Best Lawyers in Canada publication since its first edition in 2006 and she has been given Distinguished Attorney rating from Martindale-Hubbell. In 2013, she was named the Best Lawyers’ 2014 Halifax Information Technology Law - Lawyer of the Year, and was also a recipient of a 2013 Lexpert Zenith Award - Celebrating Women Leaders in the Legal Profession.
Abel Lazarus, Securities Analyst, Nova Scotia Securities Commission (NSSC) (www.nssc.gov.ns.ca) – In his role with NSSC’s corporate finance branch, Abel conducts reviews of offering materials and continuous disclosure filings. Previously, he was an investigator with NSSC’s enforcement branch, reviewing and investigating complaints relating to violations of Nova Scotia’s securities laws. Prior to joining NSSC, Abel’s experience included conducting various internal reviews for the Halifax Regional Municipality; working with PwC’s financial advisory services group to conduct forensic accounting, due diligence, valuation and insolvency engagements across various industries in Canada, the Caribbean and the U.S.; working in private industry to perform due diligence reviews and various accounting and corporate finance functions.
Greg Phipps, Manag
ing Director of Investment, Innovacorp (www.innovacorp.ca) – Greg is an investment, finance, and operations professional with extensive start-up and business building experience. He has over a decade of venture investment management, 17 start-ups and 50 equity investment transactions under his belt. At Innovacorp, he is responsible for sourcing investment opportunities, due diligence, and deal structure, closing and governance. He also provides hands-on business guidance to Innovacorp’s investment portfolio companies. For 11 years prior to joining Innovacorp, Greg served as the Atlantic region’s director of venture capital for BDC Venture Capital.
Thursday, June 19, 2014
9:00 am – 10:00 am (light breakfast from 8:30 am – 9:00 am)
Technology Innovation Centre
1 Research Drive, Dartmouth
Note: There's ample – and free – parking at this location!
We're expecting a crowd (baha!) for this hot topic. Make sure you RSVP to Charmaine at ccoke@innovacorp.ca or 424.8674 x 1502 by Monday, June 16.
The National Crowdfunding Association of Canada (NCFA Canada) is a cross-Canada crowdfunding hub providing education, advocacy and networking opportunities in the rapidly evolving crowdfunding industry. NCFA Canada is a community-based, membership-driven entity that was formed at the grass roots level to fill a national need in the market place. Join our growing network of industry stakeholders, fundraisers and investors. Increase your organization’s profile and gain access to a dynamic group of industry front runners. Learn more About Us or contact us at casano@ncfacanada.org.
Toronto Event (Jun 17, 2014): National Crowdfunding Association Networking Night
NCFA Canada | Craig Asano | June 6, 2014
Event Hosts
Join host National Crowdfunding Association of Canada and sponsors Optimize Capital Markets, Inline Reference Check, GreedyGiver and FuelLocal.com for an inaugural networking night and social mixer in the heart of the financial district in Toronto.
Event Details
Date/Time: June 17, 2014 from 6:00PM - 9:00PM
Venue: O Resto Lounge Restaurant & Bar & Cafe
Address: 7 King St E, Toronto, ON M5C 3C5 (map)
Registration and ticket prices
$15 Members - Early Bird (limited number)
$20 Members - Standard price
$25 Non-Members (consider joining NCFA Canada today here)
Only a few tickets remaining!
Notes:
- All ticket prices include venue entrance and 1 free drink (apps will be served). $5 pints and mojitos available all event.
- Participation in live event twitter contest (with prizes) also included
- Ontario HST 13% extra
- Limited number of tickets available
Hashtag #NCFALive
Network with Industry Experts
Mingle with industry experts over cocktails and strategize crowdfunding tactics that will propel your business venture or organization's vision to the next milestone. Enjoy the networking vibe and participate in one of Canada's fastest growing sector.
Interested in connecting with portals and consultants to learn the art and science behind the 'secret sauce' of successful Crowdfunding? Want to know the latest discussions topics on equity crowdfunding around the country? Looking to figure out what all the hoopla is about?
Don't worry we've got it covered. So grab some business cards and join our growing crowd in a comfortable setting! Twitter contest for drinks and prizes. $5 quality pints and mojitos all event long.
Who is this event for?
This event is for NCFA members and non-members interested in networking, sharing, collaborating and connecting with crowdfunding experts, advisors, providers, portals, dealers, start-ups, creators, leaders, small-to-mid-size businesses, investors, angels, talent scouts and VCs.
Register for this event --> Now
About National Crowdfunding Association of Canada
As Canada’s crowdfunding advocate, NCFA Canada works closely with industry, government and academia to build support for Canada’s rapidly growing Crowdfunding community by providing education, advocacy and networking opportunities to a national membership base of 750+ industry stakeholders, small businesses, and investors. NCFA Canada is a community-based, membership-driven entity that was formed at a grass-roots level to fill a national need in the market place. For more information please visit ncfacanada.org.
About Optimize Capital Markets™
Optimize Capital Markets™ is building the Largest Institutional Crowdfunding Marketplace in North America where Institutional and Accredited Investors can discover and trade in Private Investment Opportunities. Typical deals include Infrastructure Projects, Large Real Estate Developments, and Proven Technology Companies. Since launching out of Toronto in September of 2009, Optimize Capital Markets™ has since expanded its operations to include Quebec, Alberta, and British Columbia. For more information please visit www.optimizecapitalmarkets.com.
About Inline Reference Check
Based in Toronto, Inline Reference Check is Canada’s most experienced background checking company. Inline enables knowledge-based companies to make better decisions about their workplace environment. Inline provides management with timely and actionable information sourced from reference and background checks as well as exit and retention interviews. For more information please visit www.inlinereferencecheck.com.
About GreedyGiver
GreedyGiver is a reward and perk-based crowdfunding platform that allows people to raise money for worthy causes, new business ideas,community initiatives and everything in between. GreedyGiver is the only platform that provides a Perks Marketplace™ for crowdfunders, making fundraising a snap! For more information please visit www.GreedyGiver.com.
About Fuellocal
Promoted by Metroland Media, Fuellocal.com is focused on local crowdfunding initiatives across all categories. With our extensive reach we have to connect our communities to people who can make a difference by supporting campaigns in their own back yard.
Please share this event with your colleagues and network.
If you'd like to get involved with this event please contact us at casano@ncfacanada.org.
See you there!
Register for this event --> Now
Event Saskatchewan (May 28, 2014): Leading the Way – Emerging Equity Crowdfunding Environment
Greater Saskatoon Chamber of Commerce | May 5, 2014
Leading the Way:
Saskatchewan's Emerging Equity Crowdfunding Environment
Wednesday, May 28th, 2014
Delta Bessborough
7: 30 am - Registration & Continental Breakfast
8:00-9:30 am - Equity CF Forum
10:00-11:30 am - To Equity CF or Not to Equity CF? Presentation
Saskatchewan is the first and only Canadian province to have approved an equity-crowdfunding specific exemption from securities law to raise capital. As Canada's entrepreneurial hot spot, Saskatchewan leads the way in this newest niche in the financing continuum. If you're an entrepreneur seeking capital, an angel investor interested in equity crowdfunding, or a service-provider wondering how the equity CF industry might benefit you … this is the event to attend!
Discussion Topics:
- Regulatory briefing: What are the proposed regulations, timeline and next steps?
- What are the challenges of our current capital raising markets and what solutions are coming?
- Are we doing enough collectively as a 360 eco-system to remain competitive in today’s global markets?
- How will crowdfunding spur business and economic growth, employment and innovation?
- Do these regulations provide significant protections for investors?
- What are the legal issues and proposed solutions that revolve around Crowdfunding transactions?
- Market pulse: what is happening on the ground in the Crowdfunding industry? (Issuers, investors, portals, and providers)
- What are the current provincial crowdfunding exemptions (Saskatchewan) & proposals and how do they differ?
MODERATOR:
Suzanne Paschall
Saskatchewan Ambassador, National Crowdfunding Association of Canada (NCFA)
Suzanne Paschall is the founder of Indie Ink Publishing, a micro-publisher and content and brand development agency for experts. She worked in PR for two major Canadian universities; owned a strategic communications consulting firm; worked in PR, licensed merchandising in the book trade and advertising in New York, and was a daily newspaper journalist and magazine freelancer in Kansas. She is also author of Birth of a Boom: Lives & Legacies of Saskatchewan Entrepreneurs. She completed her Masters in Continuing Education (Workplace Learning specialty) from the University of Calgary in 2001 and holds a B.Sc. in Journalism & Mass Communication from Kansas State University. She is Saskatchewan Ambassador for the National Crowdfunding Association of Canada, a crowdfunder, and blogs about crowdfunding through Indie's Muse (The ABCs of Crowdfunding).
FEATURED SPEAKERS:
Alixe Cormick
Founder, Venture Law Corp., Vancouver
Alixe is the founder and CEO of Vancouver-based legal firm, Venture Law Corporation and is an Advisory member for the National Crowdfunding Association of Canada. Alixe has assisted over 150 companies listing on stock exchanges and trading board in North America. She is a recognized and active thought leader on exempt securities and crowdfunding. She is also an active Angel Investor.
Dave Wild
Chair, Financial Consumer Affairs Authority (FCAA)
Dave Wild has been a leader in the transformation of marketplace regulation in Saskatchewan. He was appointed Superintendent of Pensions in 1992 and Chair of the Saskatchewan Securities Commission in 2001. In 2003, he became Chair and CEO of the Saskatchewan Financial Services Commission, which merged the province’s financial services regulators into a single agency. Recognizing that that existing rules for selling a stake in a company can be expensive, complicated and time consuming for small businesses or start-ups, FCAA made a bold move to allow equity crowdfunding in Saskatchewan in December 2013. Equity crowdfunding is intended to help fill the fundraising gap for these businesses so that they can compete in the market. FCAA is pleased that other provinces are contemplating similar rules.
Chris Masich
Chris Masich is an associate at Saskatchewan-based law firm McKercher LLP. Chris maintains a general corporate & commercial law practice and assists private and public companies with a broad range of commercial transactions including equity financings and security matters. Chris shares a keen interest in crowdfunding with fellow associate, Joseph Gill, and sees the unique opportunity it offers innovative Saskatchewan businesses.
Les Schaevitz
CEO, Holistic Funding Systems Corporation, Owner/Operator
Les Schaevitz is an entrepreneur from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania who became enchanted with the Saskatchewan equity crowdfunding model due to its incredible simplicity and consummate free-market orientation. While working to equity crowdfund iPosition LLC, his own states-side high technology startup, he became totally frustrated with the delays and complications bedeviling the US equity crowdfunding model. Les started to look around the world for alternatives…the best of which he found in Saskatchewan which, it turned out, did not have an operating portal. Even though he would not be permitted to finance iPosition via his own SK portal, he decided that the opportunity to do the first SK equity crowdfunding portal was irresistible. Les is a staunch advocate for a “holistic,” entrepreneur centric approach to equity crowdfunding which essentially treats this sort of financing as a real IPO, just on a micro-scale. Les is a graduate of the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania (W74).
Wayne Watt
Owner and Principal, Liquid Capital Prairie Corp.
As an entrepreneur in the alternative capital financing business, Wayne has been interested in the potential for equity crowdfunding from its earliest days.
Wayne also represents the investor's perspective on the panel, as an active member of the Saskatchewan Capital Network of angel investors. He's the owner and principal of Liquid Capital Prairie Corp., a factoring company that buys account receivables from businesses to give them an immediate infusion of cash. Wayne also owns Liberty Tax Service in Saskatoon, an income tax preparation firm.
Blair Knippel
Partner, Deloitte LLP and Chair, Saskatchewan Capital Network
Blair has been with Deloitte since 1988, working extensively with a variety of clients and has been fortunate to work with several top regional Technology, Media & Telecommunication (TMT) businesses throughout his career as Deloitte’s TMT and CleanTech leader in Saskatchewan and Manitoba. He works in conjunction with TMT, CleanTech and other practitioners across North America to bring leading-edge tax and business ideas to clients and has been extensively involved in advising on the various business aspects of receiving crowdfunding, crowdsourcing and sourcing start-up funding. As a result, he is a sought after advisor for companies in the Saskatchewan entrepreneurial ecosystem. Blair is currently chair of the Saskatchewan Capital Network, a director for the MOSO Conference and continues to work with the private, investment and government sectors to bring angel tax credits to Saskatchewan. Previously, Blair co-chaired Saskatoon’s Science City Committee and was president of the Greater Saskatoon Chamber of Commerce.
TICKETS: $20 + GST
ADDITIONAL "TO EQUITY OR NOT TO EQUITY" SESSION
How do you assess whether or not equity CF is right for you at this time? If it is, what do you need to have in place to be prepared for your first campaign? Taunya Woods-Richardson of The Kolo Project’s Let’s Talk Money teams up with VentureLaw Corp’s Alixe Cormick to deliver a power-packed session on getting your financial house in order to prep for your equity CF raise. FREE with your Forum ticket!
TO RSVP for this additional session, please contact: Taunya Woods-Richardson at talktous@thekoloproject.ca
Register for this event --> Now!!
The National Crowdfunding Association of Canada (NCFA Canada) is a cross-Canada crowdfunding hub providing education, advocacy and networking opportunities in the rapidly evolving crowdfunding industry. NCFA Canada is a community-based, membership-driven entity that was formed at the grass roots level to fill a national need in the market place. Join our growing network of industry stakeholders, fundraisers and investors. Increase your organization’s profile and gain access to a dynamic group of industry front runners. Learn more About Us or contact us at casano@ncfacanada.org.
