NCFA Canada | Craig Asano | Feb 12, 2014

Event Host:

The National Crowdfunding Association of Canada

Sponsored by:

Registration Details:

Date: Friday February 21, 2014

Time: 12pm – 1pm EST

Format: Moderated panel discussion (online webinar)

Price:  Free for members; Optional donation for Non-members (or Join today…)

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Notes:

* A webinar link (TBD) will be emailed to everyone who registers for this webinar with detailed instructions on how to join and participate.

* If you have specific questions that you would like addressed by a panel of crowdfunding experts, please email them ahead of time to casano@ncfacanada.org.

* This webinar is part of a series of webinars sponsored by NCFA Canada and partners.

* There are a limited number of tickets available.

Who Should Attend?

This is an educational webinar for those interested in staying current with financial trends, market updates/innovations and equity crowdfunding regulations targeting portals, SMEs, startups, angel investors, VCs, accountants, lawyers and other industry providers.

Webinar Overview:

Ever since the Jobs Act was announced in 2010, equity crowdfunding has gained interest from all industries – so much in fact that “crowdfunding” searches on Google recently outnumbered that of “venture capital”. We’ve seen the success of well-known campaigns such as the Pebble Watch and the economic benefits in terms of GDP; however, where is this exciting movement/industry/trend heading? Join NCFA Canada and special guests as we discuss growing trends and the future outlook for global crowdfunding in 2014, including discussion topics as:

• Market Updates:  How is crowdfunding disrupting traditional sources of funding in industries including venture capital, social enterprise and government?

• How have technological trends such as social media, mobile, and cloud computing impacted the growth of crowdfunding? (i.e. FundRazr’s cFaaST Technology)

• The evolution of debt and equity crowdfunding in the US, including title II and title III models

• Emerging equity crowdfunding regulations in Canada and future outlook

Agenda:

12:00 - 12:45pm EST:  Panel Discussion

12:45pm - 1:00pm EST:  Q&A

* May extend Q&A time permitting

Moderator:

This discussion panel will be moderated by Craig Asano, Founder and Executive Director of NCFA Canada and includes diverse perspectives from the following industry experts, including crowdfunding portal operators, entrepreneurs, consultants, and lawyers:

Speakers:

Daryl Hatton, Founder/CEO of FundRazr, Canada's largest crowdfunding platform, has 30 years of industry experience and a passion for building companies from the ground up.  One of his earliest ventures had a successful NASDAQ IPO in 1999.  Over $200 million in software and services have been sold from products directly related to Daryl's vision.  He serves as a board member and mentor to a number of start-ups and works as a social media product advisor to PayPal.  FundRazr was named Most Promising Start-up at the 2013 BCTIA Technology Impact Awards.

Christopher Charlesworth holds an MBA from the Joseph L. Rotman School of Management, The University of Toronto, and an Honours Bachelor of Political Science from The University of Western Ontario. Christopher worked as a management consultant in Indonesia, Canada, and the United States across several practice areas, including financial services, marketing, and social media. As Co-Founder of HiveWire Christopher supervises the deal-flow and sales pipeline, and is also responsible for strategic partnerships. He publicly advocates for the wider adoption of crowdfunding within the Canadian context.

Alixe Cormick  is the founder of Venture Law Corporation in Vancouver, BC and concentrates her legal practice in the areas of initial public offerings, follow-on offerings, reverse takeovers, capital pool corporations, qualifying transactions, mergers & acquisitions, secondary listings and exempt market financings.  Alixe has assisted over 150 companies list on stock exchanges and trading boards in North America, registered four broker dealers in Canada and has acted as outside legal counsel to three Canadian mutual funds. She is also an active angel investor and speaker at several conferences in Canada discussing the legal aspects of crowdfunding.

Myles Harding is the President of Inline Reference Check, the premier pre-employment screening and background checking company in Canada.  Formed in 1997, and with over 35,000 completed files, Inline Reference Check’s veteran staff perform in depth, professional, reference, retention, exit interviews and due diligence at the highest level of service.  Inline Reference Check specializes in Reference Interviews, Criminal Record Checks, Credit Inquiries, Education Verification, and Employment Verification throughout North America.

Lyn Blanchard is President of Creekstone Consulting Inc., a management consulting company that supports clients in the areas of strategic planning, alliance creation, business development and financing. She is a frequent speaker and author on topics associated with innovation, crowdfunding and entrepreneurship. Her passion is to help companies grow to the next level of success.  Lyn is the creator of “Krush – Crowdfunding with Heart”. A mentor, advisor and active entrepreneur, Lyn has a passion to help small businesses and start-up companies make their dreams a reality. With her experience and insights in raising capital, Lyn has developed tools, templates, insights and processes to help entrepreneurs get the funds they need to succeed.

Please email questions you'd like to address to the panel ahead of time to casano@ncfacanada.org

 Register for this Webcast --> 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 | Prezi or contact us at casano@ncfacanada.org.

Communitech | Events | Jan 13, 2014

Titan Learning - All about crowdfunding

Tannery Event Centre
151 Charles Street West
Kitchener, ON
Wednesday, February 5, 2014
8:00 AM - 10:00 AM

It’s a growing global phenomenon that has allowed entrepreneurs to raise the capital they need to start new ventures and launch new products. Come hear about the ins and outs of crowdfunding in Canada from renowned experts at our next Titan Learning event.

Speakers will include:

Ayah Norris, Canadian Marketing + Community, Indiegogo

Ayah Norris leads Marketing and Community in Canada for Indiegogo, the international crowdfunding platform. Ayah helps lead crowdfunding growth in Canada through discovering and supporting campaigners, building partnerships, and engaging communities through events, workshops, and social media. Ayah is also Co-Creator of The INSIGHT Project, an award-winning, crowdfunded digital media platform sharing the stories of grassroots, creative game-changers.

John Wires, Founder, Wires Law

Lawyer and entrepreneur John Wires has been an advisor to the National Crowdfunding Association (“NCFA”) since its inception. In 2013, John opened Wires Law, a corporate commercial law firm that delivers legal services to entrepreneurs and small and medium sized business across Canada. John has been covered in the Globe and Mail, Toronto Star, CBC News, TechVibes and the Canadian Bar Association’s National Magazine on Crowdfunding in Canada.

Titan Learning events feature experiences and outlook from those in the know. They’re brought to you by Communitech’s Titans of Technology.

AGENDA

8am – Breakfast and registration

8:30am – 9:45am -  Presentations

10am – Event Ends

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 | Prezi or contact us at casano@ncfacanada.org.

Tie Toronto | Pat Shaw | Nov 5, 2013

TiE Institute - Wednesday, November 6th (6-9PM) session How to fund your venture, what do Investors look for, sources and type of funding, crowd funding opportunities. Also learn about Ashoka"s Changemaker"s challenge
Topic: How to Fund your social enterprise
- What do investors look for?
- What are different sources of funds for Social Enterprise?
- Understand different Types of Funding available to ventures.
- Learn about crowd funding opportunities.

Date and Time: Wednesday, November 6, 2013 from 6:00 to 9:00 pm (Pizza/Sandwich provided)

Venue: Courtesy: Gowling Lafleur Henderson LLP, 16th Floor, 1 First Canadian Place, 100 King Street West, Suite 1600, Toronto, Ontario M5X 1G5 (Google Map)

Registration - Registration is mandatory

For In-Person session - Register Here For Nov 6

For Webcast - Register for Webcast Nov 6

Speaker(s)
- Adam Spence, Founder CEO-SVX, Associate Director, Impact Investing. MaRS
- Charles Tsai, Director of Learning Networks, Ashoka Canada
- Jonathan Hera, Fund Manager, Impact Investing, RBC
- Patrick Shaw, Vice Chair, National Crowd funding Association of Canada

Session Overview:

One of the main reasons for the failure of new ventures is under-capitalization by aspiring entrepreneur starting. Raising money is most important and intrinsic part of entrepreneurship. Till the business reaches break-even point, infusion of funds is required for survival and thereafter it may be required for growth or till it is sustainable.

Beyond bootstrapping, the main options are to borrow from friends and family, obtain grants, borrow from a bank, or seek equity funding including from angels, a venture capital. The accessibility to these options also depends on the nature and stage of development of new venture. It is important to understand sources of funds - What does investor look for? How to value your venture? What is the documentation involved? and accordingly pursue a strategic funding roadmap.

There is rapidly emerging alternate source of crowd funding. In addition to getting seed capital from supporters the entrepreneurs are able get valuable intelligence from their backers. The move to make available early equity funding from crowd sourcing in Canada is very strong after it was permitted south of the border.

In earlier sessions, we have covered Business Models, Budgeting, Forecasting, Financial Plan.

This session focuses on financing issues facing new, young, social business ventures.

The workshop will specifically cover on the following aspects:

- What is a social impact investor? How are they different?
- What kinds of investments do social impact investors make?
- Where do most social enterprises get financing for start-up, establishment, growth and expansion?
- Sources of finance grants, Angels and Venture Capital
- How is debt finance different?
- How new SVX initiative helps entrepreneurs?
- What do investors look for and how to attract investors?
- Crowd-funding - the opportunities and future.
- About Ashoka and the launch of Ashoka"s Changemakers Challenge

Speaker(S)

Adam Spence
Adam Spence has led the development of the SVX as founder and CEO. For more than 10 years, Adam has focused his work on driving social, economic and environmental justice through community development, education, social innovation and public policy change, as an advocate, researcher and social entrepreneur.

At MaRS, Adam helped found the MaRS Centre for Impact Investing and the School for Social Entrepreneurs - Ontario. He was executive director of the Ontario Association of Food Banks (OAFB) for five years, a community animator for the skilled trades in Hamilton, ON, and led the Ontario Undergraduate Student Alliance (OUSA). In these positions, he successfully grew revenues, developed enterprise programs and successfully advocated for public policy change, including low-income grants for post-secondary students and Ontario"s Poverty Reduction Strategy.

Adam was awarded the Queen"s Jubilee Gold Medal in 2002, and in 2012 he was named one of McMaster University"s 125 People of Impact, an honor given to McMaster staff and alumni who have made the greatest impact over the past 125 years.

Charles Tsai
Charles Tsai is the Director of Learning Networks for Ashoka Canada. He leads a three year initiative to engage 30 colleges and universities in strengthening support for changemaking and social innovation. Through a series of national initiatives - including events, campaigns and special projects - Learning Networks will catalyze collaboration and learning across innovation ecosystems, locally and nationally.

A former reporter and producer for CNN, Charles ventured into the social sector in 2005 when he started Global Youth Fund, a charity based in Vancouver. In 2008, he joined Ashoka to launch global campaigns supporting young social entrepreneurs. He has mentored hundreds of young changemakers through Global Youth Fund and Ashoka"s Youth Venture. Charles writes about social innovation at SocialCreatives.org and Huffington Post.

Jonathan Hera
Jonathan manages the RBC Generator, a $10MM fund dedicated to investing in and supporting small enterprises that positively support social and environmental change within Canada.

Prior to joining RBC"s Social Finance Initiative, Jonathan worked on market development of the SVX at the MaRS Centre for Impact Investing. Prior to this, Jonathan served as Director, Investor Relations, of Sarona Asset Management. In addition, he held an Advisory Committee role with the GIIN"s ImpactBase. Before his time with Sarona, Jonathan worked with the World Bank"s CGAP on a third party microfinance initiative and with MEDA on capital raising and internal control systems development for a microfinance institution in Paraguay.

A Course Director at the Schulich School of Business, Jonathan is a CFA Level II Candidate and speaks proficient Spanish and German. He holds an International MBA from the Schulich School of Business at York University, received a BA in Political Science and Italian from McGill University and earned a Nonprofit Leadership Diploma from the University for Peace, Costa Rica.

Patrick Shaw
Patrick Shaw is the Vice-Chair of National Crowd Funding Association of Canada. It is a national organization established to provide a forum and network for all businesses, industries and stakeholders across Canada interested in crowd funding. The place where professionals developing this new access to capital collaborate and share best practices, learn from peers, and make a difference in the growth of their start-up, social initiative, or business expansion in Canada. ncfacanada.org

As Executive Director of the YTA Pat is a community builder working to bring together members of the tech community throughout the Greater Toronto Region in support of a strong and healthy tech ecosystem.

Pat was president of the 1200 member Toronto he has been a member of the Institute of Corporate Directors of Canada, and he has served as a member of the York Region Human Services Planning Coalition.

Source:  here

University of Alberta | via Marty Gunderson | Nov 5, 2013

Crowdfunding Hangout

Tuesday, November 5 from 10 to 11 a.m., Google Hangouts

Our Google+ Hangout On Crowdfunding includes panelists who have successfully crowdfunded their projects, an industry expert and board member of a national crowdfunding organization, and a representative from a Canadian crowdfunding platform. They are going to introduce their organizations and their projects, explain what crowdfunding is, what it meant to their projects and provide advice on crowdfunding based on their experience or what they discovered for their industry. We want to wrap up with update on the status of their projects so you can keep watching their progress or find additional resources.

Attend this google hangout