Private Equity
Fonds locaux de solidarité FTQ (FLS), 85 Québec regional investment funds sponsored by Montréal-based Fonds de solidarité des travailleurs du Québec FTQ, announced a second consecutive record year in which they backed 251 projects with investments totaling $6.8 million. Since its creation in 1991, the FLS network has invested $97 million in 3,106 projects. Businesses can obtain venture capital and other financing of up to $100,000 from FLS for start-up, export, acquisition, growth or modernization projects.
2 min read · 30 September 2013
BMO Private Bank, a division of BMO Financial Group, announced that it has become a funding partner of C100, a Silicon Valley-based non-profit organization that supports Canadian technology entrepreneurship through mentorship, partnership and investment. BMO's sponsorship will include working on a number of C100 initiatives, including the Accelerate Series and 48 Hours in the Valley. Hummer Winblad Venture Partners' managing director and C100 co-chair Lars Leckie is the author of peHUB Canada's most recent "Memo from the C100."
3 min read · 18 September 2013
VeloCity, a program that facilitates startup development and funding opportunities for students at the University of Waterloo, announced it has introduced 30 new startup enterprises to the Velocity Garage this fall. Since the program's establishment in 2008, it has supported the launch of over 45 companies, several of which have been backed by venture capital firms or acquired by major technology businesses. Examples include Kik Interactive, BufferBox, which was acquired by Google in 2012, and Thalmic Labs.
5 min read · 13 September 2013
C100K, the London, U.K.-based organization established to support Canadian entrepreneurship, has announced the final list of company startups attending its first ever "48 Hours in London" on Sept. 25-26, 2013. They are: CmaeOn, Jostle, Wifarer, Datacratic, Ooomf, Beaucoo, Mobovivo, Gnowit, BusBud and FundRazr. The upcoming event, which will bring together Canadian startups with "the cream" of the U.K.'s technology and venture capital sectors, is modeled after "48 Hours in the Valley," the flagship program of the affiliated Silicon Valley-based C100.
3 min read · 10 September 2013
A new report released by the National Angel Capital Organization (NACO) found that the deal-making of angel groups in Canada increased in 2012. Based on the activity of NACO members, angel groups invested a total of $40.5 million in 139 companies last year, up from $35.7 million invested in 71 companies in 2011. Angels invested over half of their dollars in IT sectors, with life sciences and clean-tech accounting for the balance. The report notes that 75 percent of angel groups were formed in the last five years, and that the majority of these groups have less 50 members.
2 min read · 10 September 2013
Relay Ventures announced this week that they will be unveiling their new "VC Mobile", an Airstream mobile office, during TechCrunch Disrupt this September 10th in San Francisco. Relay's mobile office will help meet the needs of aspiring entrepreneurs.
2 min read · 05 September 2013
The Business Development Bank of Canada (BDC) attributes recent high levels of activity in its venture capital, subordinate financing and other divisions to increased demand from small and medium-sized businesses. During fiscal 2013 ending March 31, BDC authorized $145.3 million in venture capital investments, and provided clients with $4.3 billion in loans and subordinate financing. In the same period, BDC paid a dividend of $68.6 million to its sole shareholder, the Canadian government. It plans to make an additional payment of $59.6 million in fiscal 2014.
4 min read · 30 August 2013
C100K, the London, U.K.-based non-profit organization established to support Canadian entrepreneurship, is launching its first ever "48 Hours in London" on September 25-26, 2013, peHUB Canada has learned. The event, which will bring together 10-12 Canadian company founders to participate in mentoring sessions, networking and related activity, is similar to "48 Hours in Valley", the flagship program of the affiliated Silicon Valley-based C100. Speakers at the London event will include angel investor and entrepreneur Sherry Coutu and journalist and entrepreneur Tyler Brûlé. C100UK bills itself as a "gateway to European markets."
1 min read · 14 August 2013
500px said Wednesday that it has raised $8.8 million in Series A funding. Andreessen Horowitz and Harrison Metal led the round. Other investors included Creative Artists Agency, Rugged Ventures, Dustin Plett and ff Venture Capital. In addition to the news about the funding, it was announced that Michael Dearing, founder of Harrison Metal, has joined the 500px board as a director. Based in Toronto, 500px is a photo-sharing platform.
4 min read · 07 August 2013
Waterloo-based commercialization hub Communitech Ltd. announced the fine tuning of its $30 million startup accelerator Hyperdrive to give more help to early stage technology companies. Changes include an extension of Hyperdrive's program to six months to provide support to companies that need to transition into sales and marketing and greater use of tools. Since its creation last year, Hyperdrive has in its first two cohorts admitted 18 companies, which have raised a total of $3.7 million.
3 min read · 02 August 2013
