If there’s one word that captures the aims of ambitious high-tech companies, it’s scale. It’s about hitting big numbers—whether that’s customers, ARR or valuation—fast. Scale is embedded into the DNA of founders and the VCs backing them with the financial firepower to reach their ambitious goals. Yet tech companies can only scale so much from
This article is a contribution from Ben Gibbons, Partner, Capital Markets & M&A Advisory, RSM Canada. Mr. Gibbons will be leading the Private Equity: State Of The Nation panel at #IC18 on June 6, 2018. The market for private equity firms has never been as competitive as it is today. Not only are the opportunities
On April 18 (2018), the Canadian Venture Capital and Private Equity Association (CVCA) hosted its second annual CVCA Exchange event in Toronto. The event takes a deep dive into the latest private capital data and expert panelists spotlight notable trends in private equity, venture capital, limited partner and regulatory environments. This article captures some of
CVCA Infobase 2.0 Database On Hockeystick Platform On Track To Be Launched June 2018 Hockeystick has released the largest open database of Canadian startups and investors. Its database provides first-of-its-kind visibility into the country’s innovation economy with an excess of 8,000 entities already in the system, including companies and early-stage funders: angel groups, accelerators, government
The #BCTECH Summit team is excited to announce the 50 startups that will be pitching at this year’s Investment Showcase, an exclusive event happening May 15th at the #BCTECH Summit. These BC tech companies have been chosen as the most investable startups in their sector by our Selection Committee, a group of top-tier VCs and angel investors. Companies
Raising money to get a new business off the ground is one of the most challenging obstacles an entrepreneur must overcome. Generally, initial capital is contributed from an entrepreneur’s own resources or family and friends. However, additional funding is often required to help operate and develop the business. Further, a startup company’s financing needs will
Changes to the reporting standards for revenue from contracts took effect on Jan. 1, 2018, and they have the potential to change a good acquisition into a bad one—or vice versa. Most of the changes come from the International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS), whereby Canadian publicly traded companies must comply starting Jan. 1, 2018 (see
From climate change to human rights, PEI’s Graeme Kerr highlights the issues driving the ESG agenda at private equity firms. There is a quiet environmental, social and governance revolution going on among general partners. That was apparent from a recent survey of GPs by Capital Dynamics, which found that 28 percent of GPs said the
The practice of considering environmental, social and governance (ESG) issues in investing has evolved significantly over the past two decades, reflecting greater public and stakeholder interest in sustainability, shifting regulations and the impact of social media. More than ever before, managing ESG issues requires collaboration and communication within companies and industries, and between businesses and
Diversity was a hot button issue for much of the tech world throughout 2017. Companies like Google, Uber, Apple and others regularly made headlines, showing us what can go wrong when organizations fail to make employee diversity and inclusion a priority. While last year it was important to bring these mistakes to light, this year
