Over $300,000 available to Manitoba's most promising startups at Venture'Challenge 2016
Three startups each will be awarded over $100,000 at this year's Venture'Challenge competition, in a pilot project being run by Innovate Manitoba.
Past Venture'Challenge winners have gone on to raise significant risk capital to fuel their growth and have garnered both national and international recognition.
This year, those that place in the top three will each have access to an additional $100,000 award to support their development.
"Wow! This kind of funding would have gotten us where we needed to go much faster," said Declan MacDonald, founder of PriceRazzi, first place winner at last year's Venture'Challenge. "It's not easy trying to raise money for an early stage start up – investors want to see results before they will commit. This level of support will allow a start up to fund itself in the very early stages, so it can demonstrate those early results."
"We're seeing something amazing happening with Manitoba startups," said Jan Lederman, President of Innovate Manitoba. "From the very early stages, the quality of startups coming through our programs has increased significantly. Those who progress through the Venture'Challenge are getting more successful at finding their markets and raising risk capital, allowing them to scale to size more quickly."
Read more... >
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Launchpad Startup Skills Bootcamp in Winnipeg May 13-16, 2016 is your entry into the 2016 VentureChallenge.
The LP Bootcamp is for serious entrepreneurs, offering 3.5 intense days of bootcamp presented by experienced national and international investors and serial entrepreneurs. It is designed to help transform your business strategy and prepare investor-friendly investor business plans and crisp investment pitches. At the end of the Bootcamp, six participating companies will be selected to compete in the 2016 Venture'Challenge, with the top three each gaining access to $100,000 in capital.
Learn more and register... >
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Pembina Valley Entrepreneur Boot Camp April 4 – 5, 2016
Looking to grow your business? Need risk capital? Want expert advice on your next steps? Want to learn how to pitch your business? Join us next month in Morden-Winkler to learn how to be a successful startup founder.
Learn more and register... >
Thanks to our Pembina Valley Boot Camp Sponsors!
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Westman Entrepreneur Boot Camp
April 6 – 7, 2016
Returning for the third year to the Westman area, IM is looking forward to working again with its fabulous partners and Westman entrepreneurs. The 2015 Boot Camp featured a strong cohort of startups, a number of whom went on to hit significant growth milestones in the months following.
Learn more and register... >
Thanks to our Westman Entrepreneur Boot Camp Sponsors!
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PKBW GROUP SIGNS ON AS VISIONARY HERO FOR MANITOBA STARTUPS
Innovate Manitoba is pleased to welcome PKBW Group Chartered Accountants and Business Advisors as its newest Visionary HERO Sponsor of our bootcamps and competitions for startups. "We love the Innovate Manitoba programs for their rigour and quality. Startups come through them with a realistic understanding of the journey they face, but also equipped with tools to meet the challenges" said Kevin Ploegman, Partner at PKBW. "The relationship is a perfect fit for us!"
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THANKS TO BRENT WENNEKES
Innovate Manitoba and its board of directors extends a sincere thank you to Brent Wennekes for the contributions he has made to Innovate Manitoba in his role of Vice President, Programs and Communications.
Read on >
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FREE LEGAL ADVICE FOR STARTUPS
The Desautels Centre at the Faculty of Law, University of Manitoba has launched the Startup Clinic to provide free legal advice for early stage ventures. The Clinic will host office hours weekly where third year law students, with support from lawyers at Pitblado LLP and Thompson Dorfman Sweatman LLP, will provide advice and assistance on a range of legal issues faced by startup entrepreneurs.
Startup Clinic website >
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FREE ACCESS TO TOP-TIER MARKET RESEARCH FOR STARTUPS
We make it easy for you to access market research that will help move your business forward. Innovate Manitoba's Market Intelligence program provides eligible startups with free access to thousands of proprietary reports from top-tier research firms and advice from experienced industry analysts. Last year, 18 startups accessed this program, which provided them with over $840,000 worth of relevant market research.
Learn more >
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PITCH'DAY COMPETITOR, TRAPTAP, PREPARING TO LAUNCH KICKSTARTER CAMPAIGN
TrapTap, co-founded by Venture'Challenge alumni Bryce North and Dustin Refvik, together with Adam Tsouras and Gord Parke are gearing up for their March 15 Kickstarter campaign launch. TrapTap is a smartly designed device that you put anywhere in your car to be warned of speed traps, school zones, and red light cameras. Check out the video and enter to win a free TrapTap and get notified of the launch, which will have limited numbers of devices at early bird pricing.
Learn more >
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SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT TECHNOLOGY CANADA LAUNCHES NEW $40M FUND
Does your technology produce energy efficiency and conservation; carbon dioxide utilization, methane reduction, or cleaner energy production and usage projects? If it does, this non-dilutive, non-repayable, grant funding may be right for you. STDC is seeking more funding opportunities on the Prairies.
Learn more >
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FOR A FRACTION OF THE PRICE, ANGEL INVESTORS PAY HUGE DIVIDENDS
The Globe and Mail Report on Business recently published an op-ed penned by NACO's Co-Chairs, in which they promote the growth and professionalization of Canada's Angel investment community through government initiatives.
Read on >
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Partner and Community Events
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LET'S SCALE THIS THING! BEST PRACTICES FOR GOING FROM STARTUP TO SCALE UP
March 9, 2016 from 6 – 8 p.m.
Red River College – Princess Street Campus Room P107 in Winnipeg
Learn best practices for taking your startup to scale with keynote speakers Marshall Ring, CEO Manitoba Technology Accelerator, Jay Meyers, CEO of Bold Innovation Group and Wade Barnes, President and CEO of Farmers Edge.
More information >
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DOING BETTER DEALS: TOOLS FOR INVESTORS & ENTREPRENEURS
March 23, 2016 from 1:30 p.m. – 4:30 p.m.
Inn at the Forks, Winnipeg
This half-day forum features keynote Mike Volker discussing deal terms, deal structures and tax effective strategies that make sense for both the investor and entrepreneur. Mike also will shed light on doing licensing deals with post-secondary institutions. Mike's talk will be followed by two moderated panel discussions featuring experienced local investors and startup founders who have raised investor financing.
Learn more and register >
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AFFAIRS ÉCLAIR (FRANCOPHONE RAMPUP WEEKEND)
April 1 – 30, 2016
Université de Saint-Boniface, Winnipeg
An all-French environment to startup your company in 55 hours! Come on Friday at 5 pm to pitch your business idea and form a team for the weekend
Learn more and register >
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CANADIAN FINANCING FORUM
March 22 – 23, 2016
Vancouver, B.C.
CFF brings together the west coast’s largest gathering of corporate development leaders from some of the most active acquirers in IT and Cleantech, active US and Canadian VC firms, and M&A professionals.
Learn more and register >
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WORLD TRADE CENTRE FREE TRAINING/SEMINARS
Various dates
Winnipeg
Learn about various subjects to help you succeed in business, including: Government Procurement, HR priorities, Provincial Sales Tax, Supply Chain Management, Twitter and more.
More information >
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