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
Webinar Saskatchewan (Aug 21, 2013): Crowdfunding 101 – What It is and Where To Start
NCFA Canada Ambassador | Suzanne Paschall | July 26, 2013
CROWDFUNDING WEBINAR:
Join SEDA and Grow Our Region for this live webinar presentation to learn about crowdfunding and how it can benefit your business and community.
Date: Wednesday, Aug 21, 2013
Time: 1:00pm - 2:00pm
Where: Online (Registration)
Sponsor: SEDA (Saskatchewan Economic Development Association)
Presenter:
Suzanne Paschall is Editor in Chief and Owner of Indie Ink Publishing in Saskatoon, which has been experimenting with crowdfunding to mitigate risk, improve the cash flow of book production, and to build advanced marketing buzz and audience for indie authors and their books. To date, Indie Ink has launched two campaigns for their Spring 2013 titles: The New Rockstar Philosophy and Eating Myself Crazy.
In this presentation, participants will learn:
- What is crowdfunding and what it can achieve your business or community
- The three most common and legal types of crowdfunding
- Examples of crowdfunding in Saskatchewan
- Lessons learned in launching a crowdfunding campaign
Suzanne Paschall
Editor in Chief, Indie Ink Publishing
You won't want to miss this webinar presentation. Special guest speaker, Suzanne Paschall is a member of the National Crowdfunding Association of Canada and a local Saskatchewan ambassador for the NCFA.
Register for this live Webinar --> here
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 Halifax (Aug 7, 2013): Crowdfunding > What it is and how to benefit from it
NCFA Canada | Andy Osburn | July 25, 2013
CROWDFUNDING EVENT
Where: Volta - Halifax Startup House, Halifax, Nova Scotia
When: Wednesday, August 7, 2013 @12pm - 1pm (ADT)
Join crowdfunding experts, Andy Osburn and Julia Rivard, for an open and engaging discussion regarding the current state and future of crowdfunding. The discussion will cover the various types of crowdfunding, the future for equity crowdfunding in Canada and Nova Scotia and their own experiences in building crowdfunding platforms.
Speakers:
Julia is partner at Norex. Julia and her partner Leah Skerry have launched Pursu.it, a crowd-funding platform for Canadian Athletes which has raised over 100,000 for athletes in less than eight months. The platform is now being built to license out to other organizations who want to run their own crowd-funding campaigns and will be available this fall.
Andy is CEO at Equals6 and Atlantic Advisor to the National Crowdfunding Association of Canada. Recognizing that many students today face serious financial roadblocks to education, Equals6 has launched a new crowdfunding service to help its members pay for school. Students can create online scholarship campaigns that include contribution levels as low as $10 and rewards for campaign backers. Students can easily promote their campaigns through Equals6 and social networks.
Register for this Crowdfunding Event on Eventbrite now --> here
Event Toronto (July 13, 2013): HiveWire Crowdfunding Workshop [NCFA Member Discount]
hosted by HiveWire on July 13, 2013
Event Details:
Event: Crowdfunding Workshop Start: July 13, 2013 9:00 am End: July 13, 2013 4:00 pm Venue: Centre For Social Innovation (4th Floor, Alterna room) Address: 215 Spadina Avenue, Toronto, ON,M5T 2C7, CanadaRegister here to receive 10% NCFA Member Discount
Description:
Interested in using crowdfunding to help raise funds for your business, organization, or project? Deciding to create a crowdfunding campaign is truly only the beginning of an intensive process. We’ll provide you the crowdfunding essentials alongside proprietary information that you need to plan, execute, and successfully see your crowdfunding visions through to completion. You will learn the practical information, strategies and tips to help you reach your fundraising goals. In addition we’ll give you a set of tools that can help you achieve best practice in your crowdfunding campaign. Crowdfunding is not easy, but with our assistance you can conduct the careful planning and rigorous execution that you need to achieve success.
This is an interactive workshop where you have a chance to share your own ideas and receive feedback and guidance. You will leave with an understanding of the crowdfunding industry, have all the tools and knowledge you need to execute a successful crowdfunding campaign, and have fresh ideas as to how you could better leverage crowdfunding. You will leave with the confidence, knowing you are ready to make your campaign a success!
Content:
The Fundamentals:
- Crowdfunding Overview
- Market Overview
- Platform Selection
- Campaign Best Practices
- Data insights
- Case Studies
Campaign Content and Preparation:
- The Story Arc (What/When/Why/How you communicate)
- Making your video
- Designing rewards that matter, stand out, and work
- Budgeting for your campaign
- Choosing your target Raise
- Testing your campaign
- Assessing your network strength
- Case Studies
Marketing your campaign:
- Planning your marketing campaign
- Prepping your networks
- How to leverage your networks
- Communications plan: How to market along your story arc (social media, frequency, transparency)
- Strategies to leverage your social media network
- Marketing beyond social media
- How to turn backers into champions
- Real world events
- Time management & workflow during your campaign
- Tracking & Iterating your marketing plan
- Case Studies
Tools you get to take home:
- Campaign excel spreadsheet tools
- Crowdfunding: The Document.
Register for the event here to receive 10% NCFA Member Discount
Montreal Event (July 11-13, 2013): International Start-up Festival
International Start-up Festival via NCFA Ambassadors SeedingFactory | by Heri Rakotomalala
Welcome to Startupfest 2013!
For the third year in a row, the International Startup Festival is bringing together aspiring founders, groundbreaking innovators, and veteran entrepreneurs from around the world. Happening July 10th-13th in Montreal, it’s the global startup community’s chance to share thoughts, do business and have a blast!
Check Out the Crowdfunding Tent (#12) Hosted by SeedingFactory
NEW this year
This year, Startupfest is bringing you TWO extra days of startup fun.
July 10th — the past two years we’ve kicked off the first day of the festival with an evening launch party. This year we’re switching it up: we’re giving you a FULL DAY of activities before the launch. Don’t forget to register for our Lean Workshop and our Accelerator Rally happening on the Wednesday!
July 13th – Anyone and everyone is welcome to come connect at our FREE Open House initiative on Saturday, July 13th from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. For the first time, we’ll be opening our doors to the public after the festival takes place!
What else do we have planned?
Still in the historic Old Port on Montreal, the event will be taking place in a new, larger location at the Montreal Science Center (featuring an outdoors “Startupfest Village”!).
For the first time we’re bringing over 50 speakers to the event!
The hugely popular Tent Expo is back!
Check out the Crowdfunding Tent (#12) Hosted by SeedingFactory
Event Montreal (Jul 2, 2013): Crowdfund Night #3 – Creatives Edition
Seeding Factory | Posted by Heri Rakotomalala | Jun 24, 2013
NCFA Canada Ambassadors, Seeding Factory, are hosting a number of Crowdfunding related events this summer including Crowdfund Night #3!
NCFA Canada Members Click to Receive a 30% discount
What’s Crowdfund Night?
Crowdfunding is the next big thing for all doers and makers. Crowdfund Night is a unique event in Montreal you need to attend if you want to learn and share about that revolution. Industry experts and successful crowdfunders will share hands-on advice on how to prepare and manage a crowdfunding campaign to kickstart your project.
Who should attend?
- Artists (filmmakers, musicians)
- Hackers & Developers
- Entrepreneurs
- Individual investors
- Small Business Owners
- Lawyers
Venue
Crowdfund Night 3 will be hosted at Notman House, in the very heart of Montreal. It’s easily accessible by car and by metro (200m from Saint Laurent station).
EVENT DATE: Tuesday, July 2nd (6:00pm - 8:00pm EDT)
6.00 : REGISTRATION
Refreshment served
6:30 : INTRODUCTORY TALK
First equity crowdfunding round by a Canadian company in the United States.
GIL MICHEL GARCIA, WAFU INC. (Linkedin / Twitter)
WAFU is a Montreal-based food company developing, producing and distributing a line of Japanese dressings and Japanese mayos. In June 2013 WAFU has closed the first ever accredited investor equity crowdfunding by a Canadian company in the United States via CircleUp, a leading U.S. equity crowdfunding platform for accredited investors.
6.30 : KEYNOTE
Tips and advices from the most crowdfunded Canadian project ever ($700,000+)
FRANCOIS ALAIN, SAUROPOD STUDIO (Site Web / Twitter)
Sauropod Studio is a three man team based in Montréal, Canada. Established recently after the two founders graduated from game design studies in 2010, the studio managed to raise $700,000+ thanks to an incredible Kickstarter campaign in 2012 to release their first video game, Castle Story.
Why crowdfunding is a gamebreaker in the Canadian media industry?
CATALINA BRICENO, CANADA MEDIA FUND (Linkedin / Twitter).
Catalina is Director of Industry and Market trends at Canadia Media Fund. They recently developed a microsite to promote crowdfunding in Canada following a previous high level report analysis on the topic.
7.10 : FIRESIDE CHAT
From Kickstarter to the Oscar red carpet
ARIEL NASR, WRITER & DIRECTOR at NATIONAL FILM BOARD of CANADA (Linkedin / Twitter)
An interactive discussion with Ariel Nasr, Oscar nominee in 2013 for his last production, ”Buzkashi Boys“, partly funded on Kickstarter . Ariel work focuses on documenting contemporary Afghan society. He’s also Director of award-winning documentaries “The Boxing Girls of Kabul” and “Good Morning Kandahar” (National Film Board of Canada).
7.30 – 8.00 pm : NETWORKING + FREE CONSULTATION
Talk to other crowdfunders and build great connections!
Grab the opportunity to schedule a free 15-min consultation with Bruno and/or Heri from Seeding Factory to get valuable advice and insights for your next campaign. Click here to schedule now
NCFA Canada Members Receive a 30% Discount
Event Toronto (June 11, 2013): Crowdfunding for Canadian Start-ups, Entrepreneurs, Charities & Enterprise
NCFA Canada | Posted on May 30, 2013
EVENT SPONSORS
Hosted by: National Crowdfunding Association of Canada
Venue Sponsor: Digital Media Zone
F&B Sponsor: FundRazr
EVENT DETAILS
Date: Tuesday, June 11, 2013
Time: 3:00 PM to 6:30 PM (EDT)
Place: 10 Dundas St. E. 6th Floor Toronto, ON M5B 2G9 (Digital Media Zone)
* Get there early Max capacity 60-80 (SOLD OUT - Members please see WAITLIST)
* This is a free event for NCFA Canada members (Join Today!)
Register for this event now
SESSION #1 (3:00 - 3:45pm) CANADA CAN CROWDFUND!
Is Crowdfunding right for you? Hear from the leading Canadian Portal team that has answered that question over 25 million times - that is $25 million raised so far! Hear directly how to strategize, plan, launch and execute a successful crowdfunding campaign including how to use perks and incentives. See examples of successful campaigns and learn why they worked. Tap into Canadian crowdfunding markets to launch your idea or fund your start-up or charity or crowdpower your enterprise.
Presenter: 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, his current passion, has been named as a finalist for Most Promising Start-up at the BCTIA Technology Impact Awards.
SESSION #2 (3:45 - 4:30pm) CROWDFUNDING EXPERTS PANEL
Discussion Panel: The National Crowdfunding Movement. What are Crowdfunding options and where will you see Made In Canada solutions. What's going on in the industry? Hear about Enterprise applications in Corporate Canada, crowdfunding use in Social Enterprise, and the NCFA's advocacy efforts for equity-based authorizations with Canadian Security Commissions.
Moderator: Craig Asano, Founder and Executive Director of NCFA Canada
Craig Asano 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. Craig has amassed 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, business intelligence and new venture development projects. He’s an exceptional start-up incubator with strong business, analytical and organizational expertise.
Panel Speakers:
Brian Koscak is a Partner at the law firm of Cassels Brock & Blackwell LLP located in Toronto, Ontario and practices in the area of corporate and securities law. Brian is the Chairman of the Exempt Market Dealers Association of Canada, a national non-for-profit organization representing exempt market dealers, issuers and compliance professionals across Canada. Brian is also a member of the Ontario Securities Commission’s Exempt Market Advisory Committee which is considering new ways to raise capital in Ontario, including through equity crowdfunding.
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.
Chad McMillan is the President and Director of Canada Gold based out of Vancouver and Toronto. Chad has over 8 years experience in the public markets, having worked with several junior issuers in a variety of capacities including executive management, mergers & acquisitions, and communications. He currently operates private consulting and new media startup firms Animus Ventures Inc. and NewRock Market Advisors, and is a Director of Canada Strategic Metals Inc. (tsx.v: CJC), a junior resource exploration company headquartered in Quebec.
Trevor Coleman, co-founder and Chief Product Officer, InterAxon Inc., has a passion for designing experiences. His combination of a deeply empathic understanding of customer experience and pragmatic business sense were recognized by Ariel Garten, who was searching for a way to commercialize brain-sensing technology. Trevor also brought with him a background in cognitive science. Since co-founding InteraXon, Trevor has appeared in articles from around the world, including coverage by WIRED and a live appearance on CNN. He has given talks at conferences such as NXNEi and Wisdom 2.0, and has worked with Deutsche Telekom, Proximity/BBDO, Wrigley’s Gum, and more. Trevor’s career has made him an expert in balancing technical, financial and creative priorities. The vast skills he has amassed are put to use in his current role at InteraXon, where he oversees the research, development, marketing and finance teams as the product manager of the first suite of applications for InteraXon’s highly anticipated Muse brain sensing headband.
SESSION #3 (4:30 - 5:00pm) - OPEN MIKE Q&A
Open Mike. What's on your mind? Hear what the community is talking about today!
SESSION #4 (5:00 - 6:30pm) - NETWORKING & DRINKS
Join us for a drink and apps on the Spring Sushi Patio (* same building as event) hosted reception and networking sponsored by Fundrazr and hosted by National Crowdfunding Association of Canada.
*** Thanks for your support and participation ***
Register for this event now
About NCFA Canada:
The National Crowdfunding Association of Canada (NCFA Canada) is a newly formed cross-Canada non-profit with the mandate to be inclusive in providing education, advocacy and networking opportunities in the emerging crowdfunding industry. NCFA Canada is community-based, membership-driven entity that was formed at a grass-roots level to fill a national need in the market place. Members are industry stakeholders (portals, experts, service providers, and enablers), small businesses and entrepreneurs using crowdfunding to fund their initiatives, and investors seeking to learn more and connect with a dynamic and growing crowd. Learn more eBrochure | Prezi or for more information please visit ncfacanada.org.
About FundRazr:
FundRazr is the quickest, easiest and most effective way to raise money online. As Canada’s largest crowdfunding platform, FundRazr has raised over $25M for over 38,000 campaigns in 18 different countries since July 2010. Our advanced social funding technology helps our customers’ campaigns rise above the noise online to raise more money. FundRazr can be used to fund just about any type of project or cause. Crowdfund Anything Anywhere. FundRazr is also set to launch a revolutionary new CFaaS (crowdfunding as a service) application to enable portals, enterprise, universities, networks and incubators to crowd power their communities. Plug Play Fund. For more information please visit fundrazr.com.
Source: NCFA Canada
OSC Consultation (June 11, 2013): OSC Seeks Input from Investors on Investing in Start-ups and Small and Medium Sized Companies
OSC | Press Release Posted May 14, 2013
OSC Seeks Input from Investors on Investing in Start-ups and
Small and Medium Sized Companies
TORONTO – The Ontario Securities Commission (OSC) announced today that it will hold a roundtable on June 11, 2013 to hear from investors and potential investors on investing in start-ups and small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs).
The OSC is considering ways to help start-ups and SMEs raise money by issuing securities, such as shares, without first having to prepare and file a prospectus. A prospectus is a document that includes detailed information about the business and the securities being offered and provides certain rights to investors. One of the options being considered by the OSC is crowdfunding, which would allow businesses to sell securities over the internet. If crowdfunding was adopted, we would need to ensure that there are sufficient protections for investors.
OSC staff are interested in finding out whether people are interested in making these types of investments and, if so, what kind of information they would want to have and how much they would be willing to invest.
People who are interested in investing in start-ups or SMEs or in learning more about crowdfunding should attend on June 11. At this session, OSC staff will give a brief presentation followed by an open discussion with attendees.
The OSC investor roundtable will take place on Tuesday, June 11, 2013 from 9 am to 11 am on the 22nd floor of the OSC’s offices, located at 20 Queen Street West, Toronto, Ontario.
Those wishing to participate in the OSC investor roundtable are asked to rsvp by email at exemptmarketconsultations@osc.gov.on.ca by June 6, 2013.
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| For Media Inquiries: media_inquiries@osc.gov.on.ca | Carolyn Shaw-Rimmington Manager, Public Affairs 416-593-2361Aly Vitunski Senior Media Relations Specialist 416-593-8263Alison Ford Media Relations Specialist 416-593-8307 |
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| For Investor Inquiries: | OSC Contact Centre 416-593-8314 1-877-785-1555 (Toll Free) |
