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 Screening (Oct 8, 2013): Crowdfunding film DAY JOB DOC Toronto Premiere
Dayjobdoc.com via Fidelity Format | Murray McKercher | Posted on Sep 16, 2013
THE FILM
Day Job Doc is a film that follows the gruelling process of three start-up companies in Toronto’s Extreme Startups Accelerator. The film explores the real life stories of these entrepreneurs as they build their idea into a startup company – each facing their own set of unique challenges over the intense 12-week program.
In the heart of Toronto where many start-ups are born, Jeremy Potvin, (CEO of Shifthub), Jayesh Parmar (CEO of Picatic), and Nima Garidideh (CTO of Venio) reveal their stories of hardships, sacrifice, and perseverance as they realize that chasing their dream requires a 24/7 commitment. Located in the heart of Downtown Toronto, we are excited to host the TORONTO PREMIERE screening of Day Job Doc at the TIFF Bell Light Box.
Join us for a fun-filled evening of entertainment and popcorn, with the city’s most talented and aspiring individuals who are passionate about chasing their dreams. Do you have what it takes to make this 24/7 commitment to building an idea?
Related: NCFA Canada Hangout: Crowdfunding and Films (featuring David Chan, Director, Dayjobdoc)
WHY?
Behind every great product or service are individuals with big aspirations and the courage to see them through. We’ve created this film to share their inspiring stories and reveal the [unglamorous] truth – hardships, sacrifice, and perseverance – behind this demanding journey. We are optimistic that in our fast-paced, attention starved world, where we have become obsessed with ‘the end result’, that we have not forgotten the most important part of creation: the process itself. Our hope is that we inspire people to chase their own dreams, no matter how difficult or daunting the journey seems.
EVENT DETAILS
October 8, 2013
6:00PM – 7:00PM // Doors Open
7:00PM – 8:30PM // Day Job Doc Premiere Screening + Q&A
8:30PM – 11:00PM // After Party*
We look forward to seeing you there!
*** BUY NOW & SAVE 20% ON EARLY BIRD TICKETS. AVAILABLE FOR A LIMITED TIME ONLY UNTIL SEPTEMBER 22. 2013. ***
* NCFA Members 20% Discounted Ticket
Source: http://www.dayjobdoc.com/events
Event Toronto (Sept 19, 2013): TechCONNEX Crowdfunding Seminar
via TechCONNEX | Pat shaw | Posted on Sept 9, 2013
Event Details:
Date: Sept 19, 2013
Time: 8:00am – 10:30am
Location: MCC- 7271 Warden Avenue, Markham ON L3R 5X5 (Google map)
Registration: NCFA Member – $50.85 (CAD)
Overview:
Crowdfunding is one of the newest and most innovative forms of funding for businesses today. It is an area with huge potential for growth of those businesses that access the interest and imagination of “the crowd”.
Crowdfunding is an avenue for entrepreneurs, start-ups and SMBs to solicit working capital from non-accredited investors. Many investors in “the crowd” will be from family, friends, Angels and Venture groups, pre-existing networks, mentors, and former colleagues.
As an attendee you will:
- Learn about the dramatic growth of the Crowdfunding market
- How to promote value and visibility for your idea or solution
- Develop an extensive understanding of the most effective ways to achieve Crowdfunding goals
- Learn the fundamental elements of an effective Social Media marketing campaign to support your goals
- Learn about the legal, legislative, financial and compliance aspects of Crowdfunding
- Learn about Crowdfunding business practices and insights from Canadian success stories
- Prepare to network your way to a successful campaign
Presenters:
Craig Asano is the Founder and Executive Director of the National Crowdfunding Association of Canada, Canada’s dynamic and inclusive Crowdfunding advocate. NCFA Canada works closely with industry partners, technology platforms, academia, affiliate groups and business associations to create a strong and vibrant crowdfunding industry and voice across Canada.
Other presenter to follow (TBD)
Click here to Register Now
About TechCONNX
Take advantage of the strength and network of our 30-year history; with a reach extending throughout the Greater Toronto Area (GTA). With over 200 member companies, TechConnex provides a unique opportunity to interact with many senior people who have experienced challenges similar to yours. LEARN MORE
Google Hangout with Documentary Filmmakers on Startups and Crowdfunding
NCFA Canada by Sunny Shao | September 9, 2013
Hear the background story to upcoming documentaries Startup Community (directed by Taylor Jackson) and Day Job Doc (directed by David Chan), including key factors that played a role in their crowdfunding campaigns on Indiegogo.
Earlier this summer, we heard about an Indiegogo campaign that exploded past its goal of $10,000 in less than three full days since the funding campaign was launched. The campaign was for Taylor Jackon's documentary project Startup Community, a film about what makes the Waterloo Region different from others in the tech community. Starting out as more of a personal interest project, the film became an overnight success once it went live on Indiegogo on June 8, 2013.
Backtrack to summer of 2012, where David Chan and his team at Fidelity Format embarked on their first feature film - Day Job Doc - a documentary that follows the grueling process of three start-up companies in Toronto’s Extreme Startups Accelerator. The film explores the real life stories of entrepreneurs Jayesh Parmar (CEO of Picatic), Nima Gardideh (CTO of Venio) and Jeremy Potvin (CEO of Shifthub) as they build their idea into a startup company over the intense 12-week program. While Day Job Doc's crowdfunding campaign didn't enjoy the same success that Startup Community did, the team learned valuable lessons throughout the process and shares their insight about what they would do differently next time.
"What makes some film and video crowdfunding campaigns stand out from all the other campaigns?"
That's the million-dollar questions that many crowdfunders and project owners always wonder, but there is no straightforward answer and no "secret sauce" revealed in this video (sorry to disappoint - anyone claiming to reveal the "secret sauce" will probably also proclaim they can promise you the winning numbers to the lottery). There are, however, many best practices that were followed, as well as hard work and due diligence exemplified by the project owners.
After 'hanging out' with Taylor and David, we learned quite a bit about their journeys and came to some of our own conclusions about what factors contribute to a successful crowdfunding campaign: authenticity, passion and excitement for your project triumphs any marketing pitch; if you support your community and share its values, the community will support you back; there's no such thing as too much marketing for your crowdfunding campaign, but if you're going to embark on the journey, be committed from pre-launch to post-launch and seek out resources or talent that will complement your own.
Watch the interview:
Video Gallery: https://ncfacanada.org/all-video-gallery-custom-page-url/?sort=latest&slg=ncfa-hangout-crowdfunding-documentary-films
Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EEBDt_j8gQA[/youtube]
About Startup Community
Startup Community is a film about what makes Waterloo Region different. We’re talking to local entrepreneurs and finding out how our region made them succeed in a way that no other place could have. We’re talking to people that have helped local non-profits make their first $10,000, built multi-million dollar businesses from their parents’ basements, as well as the people behind 60 million hit YouTube videos. Welcome to life here.
About Day Job Doc
Day Job Doc is a film that follows the gruelling process of three start-up companies in Toronto’s Extreme Startups Accelerator. The film explores the real life stories of these entrepreneurs as they build their idea into a startup company – each facing their own set of unique challenges over the intense 12-week program. In the heart of Toronto where many start-ups are born, Jeremy Potvin, (CEO of Shifthub), Jayesh Parmar (CEO of Picatic), and Nima Garidideh (CTO of Venio) reveal their stories of hardships, sacrifice, and perseverance as they realize that chasing their dream requires a 24/7 commitment.
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 eBrochure | Prezi or contact us at casano@ncfacanada.org.
Workshop Montreal (Sept 11, 2013): SeedingFactory Workshop – Basic Level
NCFA Ambassadors | SeedingFactory | Posted on Sept 6, 2013
Crowdfunding Workshop - Basic Level
Presented by SeedingFactory
Wednesday, September 11, 2013 from 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM (EDT)
Montreal, QC
A unique workshop to gain extensive knowldege about crowdfunding and apply it to your project
Click here to register - NCFA Members receive a 20% discount
Looking to raise funds for your project, but find it a daunting task?
Crowdfunding is really just classic community fundraising meeting new technology tools and is a great way to boost your project budget and profile. Yet, too many doers & makers don’t reach their funding goals due to lack of planning and attention to making the campaign successful.
This workshop based on Seeding Factory's methodology will help you:
- Understand the crowdfunding space,
- Identify how and why your project can benefit from a crowdfunding campaign,
- Learn psychologic, financial and social triggers behind successful campaigns and bypass major mistakes.
Who should attend?
This workshop is for entrepreneurs, creatives, artists (filmmakers, musicians), hackers & makers, activists, inventors, designers, small business owners, and anyone who wants to make their idea a reality.
>> Limited Capacity: 20 people <<
This workshop is a perfect preliminary to the "Advanced Workshop".
Workshop Outline
You will walk away with a clear vision to start crafting your own campaign and the confidence to know how & why crowdfunding works.
Google Hangout with Chimp: Charitable Donations and Crowdfunding
NCFA Canada by Sunny Shao | August 27, 2013
NCFA Advisor Sunny Shao talks to Crystal Henrickson, Community Manager of Chimp, which stands for the Charitable Impact Foundation. Chimp is a website that connects you to all of Canada's registered charities. It's like a charitable bank account, allowing you to manage and amplify your charitable giving while still receiving tax receipts for your donations.
Chimp was founded by John Bromley, whose early exposure to the charitable sector comes from his dad, Blake Bromley, who is one of the world's leading charity lawyers. This appreciation, combined with his background in corporate finance, led John to bring strategic, thoughtful charity to the masses by using the internet and new technologies. John found that many of the current methods that charities were using were causing "donor fatigue", thus he saw a need to create a fund platform that is fun and cause-neutral by design. Through Chimp and John's other startup Peer Giving Solutions, the team's goal is to help donors participate in charity in easier and more meaningful ways.
Chimp is associated with all Canadian registered charities and tries to promote thoughtful generosity, allowing users to browse and search by location and cause, and also shows all relevant information about a charity including revenue, expenses and current programs (based on what the charity has reported to the CRA).
"We really want people to have fun on Chimp and we encourage them to learn about the charitable space," says Crystal. "It can be daunting when it comes to giving, since many people know that they want to give, but they don't know what's going to happen with the money, or they are worried about receiving too many promotional materials afterwards. You can give anonymously on Chimp, which alleviates some of the donor fatigue. The best place to start is to think about what has meaning to you first, and then narrow it down by location or cause."
With the crowdfunding industry heating up, Crystal is seeing that the way people are going about collectively pooling money together is shifting - the technology is there to help people fund better, such as with giving groups on Chimp. Groups of people are pooling their money together towards a charity by organizing events and fun initiatives around giving. One example of this is a "vice jar" at Chimp headquarters, where employees contribute money to the online pooled fund every time someone succumbs to their vice. This money is collected in one fund first so that it is secure and transparent for the group to see, and released to the charity after the group has decided on one or more charities to give to. Chimp supports individual or group giving as well as corporate giving.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a2PRxhKGKG4[/youtube]
Chimp is called a donor-advised fund described as a "giving platform" created to manage charitable donations on behalf of an individual, group or organization.
The Charitable Impact (Chimp) Foundation manages the money held in everyone’s Chimp Funds. It’s a registered Canadian charity; that’s why all the tax receipts issued through the website come from this foundation and not the charities that donors give to.
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 eBrochure | Prezi or contact us at casano@ncfacanada.org.
Event Niagara (Sept 27, 2013): Canadian Crowdfunding – Roadmap to Success
NCFA Canada | NCFA Canada Ambassador | August 22, 2013
CROWDFUNDING & SOCIAL MEDIA WORKSHOP
Date: Friday, Sept 27, 2013
Time: 1:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Where: Welland Community Wellness Complex, 145 Lincoln Street - Welland, ON
Presented in Partnership By: Brock University, City of Welland, Niagara College Canada
To register for this free workshop, please call 905-735-1700 ext. 4000 by September 23rd
EVENT DETAILS:
Workshop Agenda:
1:00 - 1:15 p.m. Arrival / Registration
1:15 - 2:15 p.m. Canadian Crowdfunding: Roadmap to Success
2:15 - 2:35 p.m. Nutrition Break
2:35 - 3:35 p.m. Social Media Strategies & Best Practices
3:35 - 4:00 p.m. Closing Remarks & Evaluation
Presenters:
James Cooper is film director, author, and a NCFA Canada Crowdfunding Ambassador. James directed the short film Elijah the Prophet, starring Art Hindle & Melanie Nicholls-King, after successfully crowd funding $21,006 for the film’s budget on Kickstarter. He also authored the ebook Kickstarter for Filmmakers, drawing on his experiences funding Elijah the Prophet. You can learn more about James and his work at www.kickstarterforfilmmakers.com or www.james-cooper.ca.
Janice Arnoldi is a Partner at Arnoldi McPherson Social Media Marketing and a former radio journalist who has worked in corporate communications for Ontario Hydro and the Canadian Chamber of Commerce. She speaks regularly about social media to business organizations and associations, and has taught New Media at the International Academy of Design in Toronto and at Niagara College.
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 eBrochure | Prezi or contact us at casano@ncfacanada.org.
Event Toronto (Sept 5, 2013): Crowdfunding for Beginners
NCFA Canada | NCFA Canada Ambassador | August 19, 2013
Join Craig Asano (Executive Director of the National Crowdfunding Association of Canada) and James Cooper (NCFA Canada Ambassador, film director and author) in this beginner's guide to crowdfunding. Find out what it takes to prepare and launch a successful campaign. This session is great for anyone looking to gain a fuller understanding of what it means to be in the trenches of your own funding campaign.
This seminar is free. To register, call the North York Central Library at 416-395-5613.
CROWDFUNDING PRESENTATION:
Date: Thursday Sept 5, 2013
Time: 6:30 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.
Where: North York Central Library Auditorium, 5120 Yonge Street, Toronto, ON
Presenters:
Craig Asano, Founder and Executive Director of the National Crowdfunding Association of Canada (NCFA Canada), is an entrepreneur and world traveler with great perspective – who understands the importance of crowdfunding and what this innovation can do for the economy of Canada. The NCFA was formed as a non-profit with the mandate to provide education, advocacy and to foster the growing crowdfunding industry.
James Cooper is film director, author, and a NCFA Canada Crowdfunding Ambassador. James directed the short film Elijah the Prophet, starring Art Hindle & Melanie Nicholls-King, after successfully crowd funding $21,006 for the film’s budget on Kickstarter. He also authored the ebook Kickstarter for Filmmakers, drawing on his experiences funding Elijah the Prophet. You can learn more about James and his work at www.kickstarterforfilmmakers.com or www.james-cooper.ca.
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 eBrochure | Prezi or contact us at casano@ncfacanada.org.
