Vancouver Entrepreneurs Forum

We are pleased to announce our speaker lineup for our upcoming event, "Co-Founder & Advisor Speed-Dating."

The first speaker in our lineup is Tim Swanson. Tim has 20+ years of consulting and recruiting experience in North America, Japan, and China in Biotech, Clean Tech, Finance, Banking, e-commerce, and Information Technology. He has also been helping Global Fortune 500 Companies, Rapid Growth and Emerging Start-ups structure their teams and hire the people they need to build their business and commercialize their products & services.

Don't miss this exhilarating night as you navigate the room looking for a potential business partner or industry leader to help provide guidance for your venture.

Come with your call-to-action and leave with a plan to have a follow-up meeting with the high-value connections made.

Date: Tuesday, April 9, 2024
Time: 5:00 pm - 8:00 pm
Location: UBC Robson Square

🎙️ Apply to pitch: https://ow.ly/UoeB50QVZgy

🎟️ Tickets available here: https://ow.ly/oTiQ50QVZgG

We invite all founders to apply to pitch at our next event, "Co-Founder & Advisor Speed Dating"!

This 100-second Lightning Pitch offers an exhilarating opportunity to showcase your company and connect with potential partners.

Applications are now open until March 23rd, 2024.

Your applications will be carefully evaluated by members of the VEF board, which includes investors and industry experts. Please note, space is limited, and the selection process is competitive.

Don't miss this chance to take your venture to the next level! Apply now and secure your spot in this exciting event.

Date: Tuesday, April 9, 2024
Time: 5:00 pm - 8:00 pm
Location: UBC Robson Square

🎙️ Submit your application to pitch here: https://ow.ly/nZSg50QVYek

🎟️ Tickets available here: https://ow.ly/FBfU50QVYq8

Attention all solo Founders seeking Business or Technical Co-founders and Advisors!

We're thrilled to invite you to pitch at our upcoming VEF event: Co-Founder & Advisor Speed-Dating on April 9, 2024.

Our 100-second Lightning Pitch offers an exhilarating opportunity to showcase your company and connect with potential partners.

Applications are now open from March 8th to March 23rd, 2024, for our Speed-Dating event on April 9th.

Please submit your application here: https://ow.ly/YZMj50QRvHO

Your applications will be carefully evaluated by members of the VEF board, which includes investors and industry experts.

Please note, space is limited, and the selection process is competitive.

Don't miss this chance to take your venture to the next level! Apply now and secure your spot in this exciting event.

We're delighted to share our next event, Co-Founder & Advisor Speed-Dating!

For this event, we are bringing something a little different to the VEF. Join us for this networking and pitch event for those looking to grow their teams!

If you are a solo founder and you are seeking a Business or Technical Co-founder, this event is for you!

If you are looking to build out your Advisory Board, this event is for you!

Expect a fun night of quick pitches and speedy conversations as you navigate the room looking for a potential business partner or industry leader to help provide guidance for your venture.

What’s the goal? Conversation starters and network building. Come with your call-to-action, leave with a plan to have a follow-up meeting with the high-value connections made

Apply to pitch! Think a VEF 100 second Lightning Pitch, but you are seeking a co-founder or advisor, rather than investment.

Applicants will be evaluated by members of the VEF board, including investors and industry experts.

Event Details:
Date: Tuesday, April 9, 2024
Time: 5:00 - 8:00 pm
Location: UBC Robson Square

Stay tuned for more speaker announcements in the upcoming weeks!

🎙️ Submit your application to pitch at the event here: https://ow.ly/Hy1W50QPbUJ

🎟️⭐ Get your pre-discount tickets here: https://ow.ly/wZSs50QPbUF

This past Tuesday we got our community together and we were so encouraged to see such a huge turnout! As Michelle Sklar aptly put it, VEF is truly “by the community for the community.” 🤝

Our event, Meet Your Next Investor, was completely sold out! We saw a packed venue with 245 attendees, highlighting the exciting, vibrant community we have fostered.

Throughout the event, 15 different investors ranging from non-dilutive to funders to VCs presented their funds to a diverse group of Vancouver entrepreneurs. This role reversal was invigorating, offering a fresh perspective that thoughtfully presented an innovative approach to networking.

We would like to extend the biggest thank you to all our speakers and investors who attended and made this event possible.

⭐️ Group One - Non-dilutive & Grants
Sherry Zhao, Regional Director, Pacific, Business Development, MITACS
Stephen Miller, Grants and Incentives Manager, BDO Canada LLP
Omar Mawji, Portfolio Manager, B.C. Centre for Innovation and Clean Energy
Pat Brady, Executive Director, Industry Innovation Programs, Genome BC
Saif Hashmi, Venture Capitalist, BDC

⭐️ Group Two - Early-Stage Funders: Angel, Pre-Seed, Seed Stage
Vivian Wang, Associate, Nimbus Synergies
David Hogarth, Partner, Rhino Ventures
Jesse Wiebe, Community Development Lead & Venture Partner, Startup TNT & TNT Capital
Andrew Lugsdin, Venture Partner, Brightspark Ventures
Olivia Hornby (Shamash), Managing Partner, Spring Impact Capital

⭐️ Group Three: Later-Stage Funders: Series A +
Heather Tanaka, Investment Principal, InBC Investment Corp
Kenndal McCardle, Principal, Pender Ventures
Amy Rae, Partner, Vanedge Capital
Jay Crone, Managing Director, Deloitte Ventures
Brian Martin, Partner, Telus Ventures

Pre-speaker discount tickets for our next event, coming April 9 on sale!
Get yours here: https://ow.ly/jOFc50QHjfM 🎟️

We're very excited to see everyone this Tuesday!

We are pleased to share our last batch of speakers, Group Three: Later Stage Funders: Series A+

Heather Tanaka is an Investment Principal at InBC Investment Corp., a strategic investment fund with $500 million to invest in companies and funds to generate financial returns and achieve economic, social and environmental impact for British Columbia.

Kenndal has extensive investing experience across private and public markets. As a founding member of Pender Ventures, Kenndal is an instrumental member of the team across all aspects of the investment process and portfolio support. His expertise resides in strategy and scaling go to market efforts in hyper growth businesses.

As a partner at Vanedge, Amy is focused on three themes: hard technologies, analytics and computational biology. Amy has been part of the Canadian venture ecosystem for over 20 years and has a successful track record as an investor and operator.

Jay is a Managing Director at Deloitte Ventures where he is responsible for scaling the DV platform across direct and fund investments through deal sourcing, ex*****on, and portfolio company monitoring. Jay has over 15 years of investment banking, tech, entrepreneurial and VC experience as an investor, advisor and board member across a variety of sectors.

Brian is a technology director responsible for leading investments in smart cities, IoT, 5G and security for TELUS Ventures. Brian is an experienced VC investor with expertise in go-to-market for early stage companies.

Don't miss this incredible opportunity for networking!

Join us at Meet Your Next Investor: Reverse Pitch Event this upcoming Tuesday, February 20 at 5:00PM at UBC Robson Square

🎟 Get your tickets here: https://ow.ly/kx1M50QEGLL

We're thrilled to continue sharing the exciting lineup of speakers for next week's event.

Next up, the second group: Early-Stage Funders: Angel, Pre-Seed, Seed Stage

Vivian Wang comes from a multicultural background with extensive operational experience in diverse industries. Fueled by passion for innovation and diversity, thriving on crafting strategic investments and forging meaningful connections. Vivian joined Nimbus Synergies in 2021 as an Investment Associate.

After a career in corporate finance, David brings a wealth of capital markets, valuation, and transaction expertise to Rhino. Always attracted to the dynamism and innovation of high-growth enterprises, David has spent much of his career working with emerging companies in the eCommerce and technology sectors.

Jesse Wiebe has worked as the Community Development Lead for Startup TNT, and he has been instrumental in channelling $9M into Prairie startups, demonstrating a keen ability to spot and nurture potential. His family office has strategic investments in nearly 40 companies and 3 VC funds, with a focus on funding the earliest stages of development. Jesse leads TNT's expansion strategy, which is now focused on launching BC in 2024.

Andrew Lugsdin has over 20 years in venture capital. His background includes Founding Partner roles at Framework Venture Partners and Unbound Equity. His expertise, honed at the BDC IT Venture Fund, led multiple companies to successful exits. Andrew’s journey spans founding a startup consulting firm, heading sales at a VC-backed company, and engineering at a telecom giant. A McGill University alum, he holds a Bachelor of Science in Physics and Computer Science.

Come for a wonderful meeting of growth and networking at Meet Your Next Investor next Tuesday, February 20 at 5PM at UBC Robson Square.

🎟️ Tickets available here: https://ow.ly/BegZ50QAmzg

Your funders are perhaps one of your most significant partners who will accompany you on your venture building and scaling journey. Our next event is a Founder / Funder reverse pitch event where you can have the opportunity to connect with your next potential investor!

We have a packed lineup of speakers, they will be divided in three groups. The first group is Non-dilutive and grants.

Dr. Sherry Zhao currently serves as the Regional Director, Pacific, Business Development at Mitacs. She leads high-performance teams and cultivates strategic partnerships to drive impacts in the innovation economy.

Stephen Miller is the Grants and Incentive Manager at BDO Canada LLP, a leading provider with over 100 offices in Canada of professional services to clients across a variety of sectors and segments.

Meet Your Next Investor is happening on Tuesday, February 20 at 5PM at UBC Robson Square.

Tickets available here: https://ow.ly/VkcP50QA0m9

We're thrilled to announce early bird tickets for our upcoming event are on sale now!

Are you getting ready to raise your first, second or third round of investment capital? Current venture capital market conditions feeling tricky to navigate? What are investor “must haves”?

Meet Your Next Investor: Reverse Pitch Event is happening on Tuesday, February 20th and you won't want to miss it!

Funders will be in the hot seat pitching, then connect with them directly during the networking breaks. Join us for this Founder / Funder reverse pitch event and connect with your next potential investor!

In this interactive session, we will have investors “reverse pitch” in three groups: Non-dilutive/Grant Funding; Early Stage, meaning Angel, Pre-Seed and Seed, followed by Later Stage, Series A and above firms. During the networking session, each firm will have a boothing table to connect with entrepreneurs directly. If you are an early-stage or growth-focused Startup, this is a do not miss opportunity!

Event Details:
Date: Tuesday, February 20, 2024
Time: 5:00 - 7:30 pm
Location: UBC Robson Square

🐦 Early bird tickets on sale now! ⭐

🎟️ Get your tickets here: https://ow.ly/tgOt50QyvM3

Today is the last day to get your early bird tickets!

We're pleased to highlight another one or our panelists for next week's event: Entrepreneurship Thrives Here: The toolkit entrepreneurs need to lead in today’s economy

Speaker Spotlight: Kathleen Reid, Formerly Founder & CEO of Switchboard PR (acquired by Earns Cliff Strategies), now the new Head of Corporate Communications, AbCellera

Now the new Head of Corporate Communications, Kathleen was the Founder and Managing Director of Switchboard Public Relations, a team of consultants with expertise in communications strategy, media relations, issues management, copywriting, event management and more. Her passion for community, sustainability and entrepreneurship has led Switchboard to have completed successful projects across North America and the UK with innovative clients like Grow, Global Mobile and the BC Tech Association.

This event is brought to you in part by Northeastern University, our Lightning Pitch sponsor for the 2023/2024 season, and host of our November VEF event. We are also grateful to Nimbus Synergies, our drinks sponsor for this event.

Speakers:
Moderator: Matt Carlson, Founder & Executive Managing Director, Floorspace VEF Board Member

Panelists:
Kathleen Reid, Formerly, Founder & CEO, Switchboard PR (acquired by Earns Cliff Strategies), now the new Head of Corporate Communications, Abcellera
Edoardo de Martin, Co-Founder & CEO, Industrio AI
Cory Sivell, Co-Founder & CEO, Retreats and Venues - 1st Place Winner, NVBC Competition

Event Details:
Date: Tuesday, November 21, 2023
Time: 5:00 - 7:30 pm
Location: Northeastern University

Join us next Tuesday! Tickets available here: https://ow.ly/fZoz50Q7UtK

We're thrilled to begin sharing our full speaker lineup for our next event on November 21st! Our first speaker spotlight is Edoardo de Martin, CEO and co-founder of Industrio AI.

De Martin has over 25 years of experience in software development, focusing on cutting-edge technologies such as holographic applications and an AI-powered digital twinning platform for agriculture. He formerly held leadership positions at Microsoft, where he increased the size of the Vancouver office from 300 to 1,700 employees. In addition, he served as a General Manager in the Microsoft Dynamics division, overseeing the development of Dynamics 365 Guides and Remote Assist in the mixed reality space.

Our next VEF event is in Celebration of Global Entrepreneurship Week, Entrepreneurship Thrives Here: The toolkit entrepreneurs need to lead in today’s economy

This event is partly brought to you by Northeastern University, our Lightning Pitch sponsor for the 2023/2024 season, and host of our November VEF event.

Date: Tuesday, November 21, 2023
Time: 5:00 - 7:30 pm
Location: Northeastern University

Panelists:
Kathleen Reid, Founder & CEO, Switchboard PR
Edoardo de Martin, Co-Founder & CEO, Industrio AI
Cory Sivell, Co-Founder & CEO, Retreats & Ventures

Moderated by Matt Carlson, Founder & Executive Managing Director, Floorspace

Agenda:
Networking 5:00 – 6:00 pm
Lightning Pitches 6:00 – 6:15 pm
Panel 6:15 – 7:00 pm
Networking 7:00 – 7:30 pm

🐦 Get your early bird tickets now here: https://ow.ly/PyFB50Q6FxP

We're thrilled to share our full speaker lineup for our next event on November 21st! Our first speaker spotlight is Kathleen Reir, CEO and founder of Switchboard PR.

Switchboard is an Earnscliffe Strategies company that helps innovators and impact­-makers -organizations that are on a mission to disrupt the status quo- to create positive change by driving communication strategies

Our next VEF event is in Celebration of Global Entrepreneurship Week, Entrepreneurship Thrives Here: The toolkit entrepreneurs need to lead in today’s economy

This event is partly brought to you by Northeastern University, our Lightning Pitch sponsor for the 2023/2024 season, and host of our November VEF event.

Date: Tuesday, November 21, 2023
Time: 5:00 - 7:30 pm
Location: Northeastern University

Panelists:
Kathleen Reid, Founder & CEO, Switchboard PR (acquired by Earns Cliff Strategies)
Edoardo de Martin. Co-Founder & CEO, Industrio AI
Cory Sivell, Co-Founder & CEO, Retreats & Ventures

Moderated by Matt Carlson, Founder & Executive Managing Director, Floorspace

Agenda:
Networking 5:00 – 6:00 pm
Lightning Pitches 6:00 – 6:15 pm
Panel 6:15 – 7:00 pm
Networking 7:00 – 7:30 pm

Get your early bird tickets now here: https://ow.ly/AtJU50Q6ggl

Get your tickets now for our November event, coming on Tuesday 21st!

In Celebration of Global Entrepreneurship Week, Entrepreneurship Thrives Here: The toolkit entrepreneurs need to lead in today’s economy

Entrepreneurship is vital to Canada’s economic well-being. Startups are largely responsible for innovations that drive technological advancements and economic prosperity for society. The complexities of building and running companies require a unique set of skills to navigate constantly evolving landscapes and often include blazing new trails. The global challenges we face today demand innovation and resilient leadership. Entrepreneurship is not only essential to our ability to be competitive as a nation, and drive innovation forward, but it is critical to our progress as a society.

In this session, you will hear from a group of fearless entrepreneurs what they have learned are some of the most important skills company builders need in their toolkits in order to succeed in today’s temperamental environment.

This event is brought to you in part by Northeastern University, our Lightning Pitch sponsor for the 2023/2024 season, and host of our November VEF event.

Event Details:
Date: Tuesday, November 21, 2023
Time: 5:00 - 7:30 pm
Location: Northeastern University

Pre-speaker discount tickets available now!
Here: https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/entrepreneurship-thrives-here-tickets-741131021837