NACO has launched a new Angels & Dreams Fellowship in collaboration with our business accelerator and incubator members, connecting entrepreneurs to a rich ecosystem of industry leaders and investors. Fellows gain direct access to the NACO network—opening doors to investors, customers, and critical growth opportunities.
As reported in BetaKit, “the six-month program, which was announced at Toronto tech conference Elevate Festival on Oct. 3, matches Canadian founders with mentors that are relevant to their business and sector, drawing from a pool that includes senior leaders at companies like Interac, Loblaw Digital, National Bank, Porter Airlines, and WestJet, among others.”
During the announcement at Elevate Festival, Michele Romanow shared insights on how shows like Dragons’ Den (Canada’s Shark Tank) have infused a culture of entrepreneurship and inspired the dreams of company builders. Watch on YouTube here.
How can you get involved?
NACO network members can nominate entrepreneurs from a wide range of sectors, including:
- Space, Mining, and Oceans
- Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG) and Retail
- Automotive and Sustainable Transport
- Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Next Gen Computing
- Smart Cities, Real Estate, and the Future of Living
- Advanced Robotics, IoT, and Hardware
- Health and Advanced Therapies
- Frontier Innovations and Clean Tech
Please complete this form to nominate up to 3 entrepreneurs by November 28th, 2024.
Members on the Move 🚀
Alberta, Manitoba, Saskatchewan
Alberta IoT Association presented “Farm To Fork” at Alberta AgTech Innovations.
Cultivator posted a recap of their 2024 Startup Summit.
Innovate Calgary is hosting an XR Open House, exploring cutting-edge technology with demos, networking and interactive sessions.
Intergen is hosting Wine Wednesday Christmas Cocktail with Whitney Rockley and Remi Schmaltz.
Manitoba Tech Accelerator participated in MbTech Week, a highlight in Manitoba’s tech ecosystem.
North Forge Technology Exchange was awarded the Technology Councils of North America (TECNA) 2024 Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Award.
Platform Calgary is sponsoring Innovation Week, culminating in the Launch Party, spotlighting Calgary’s Top 10 most promising Startups of 2024.
The51 hosted a roundtable sponsored by NACO on designing cap tables.
Atlantic Canada
Genesis Centre announced the appointment of Ed Martin as President and CEO.
Invest Nova Scotia announced the four start-ups selected to participate in their most recent cohort for GreenShoots 2024-2025.
Island Capital Partners is actively investing from Fund II.
Propel celebrated awarding the 2024 Gerry Pond Sales Award to Tracktile.
British Columbia
Accelerate Okanagan recently published their Okanagan Tech Sector Economic Impact 2023 Report.
Alacrity Canada launched the Fulbright Canada Entrepreneurship Initiative (FCEI) in collaboration with Fulbright Canada and Startup Science.
Angel Forum Society is hosting 55th Edition of their Vancouver Forum in December.
Beeloud hosted an online and in-person hackathon with Build AI.
Frontier Collective hosted a diverse, international audience at this year’s Frontier Summit, a three-day immersive experience.
Listen to the latest episodes from the HaloHealth podcast.
Karman Line Acceleration hosted their annual Partners Appreciation event.
Launch Academy CEO, Ray Walia, has been inducted into the BC Innovators Hall of Fame.
Spring Activator hosted the Toronto instalment of the Raise + Rise: Connection Series for Black Women Founders.
Spring Collective is hosting Measuring Impact: Strategies For Angel Investors as part of their monthly webinar series.
Zen Launchpad hosted Data Centres in a Heterogenous Computing Era: Challenges & Opportunities.
Northern Ontario
Northern Ontario Angels hosted Venture North Pitch in collaboration with NORCAT Innovation.
Northwestern Ontario Innovation Centre (NOIC) hosted Pitch It 2024!
Southern Ontario
Accelerator Centre is hosting an Aerospace Innovation Showcase.
Archangel announced a $2.1M investment in Tenomix, a Canadian MedTech, through Phoenix Fire, an Archangel fund.
Capital Angel Network hosted MASHUP24 with 251 founders, investors and leaders.
China Canada Angel Alliance is continuing their China Angels Mentorship Program (CAMP), a joint initiative with Ontario Centres of Excellence.
Creative Destruction Lab announced a strategic collaboration with CIBC, as a participant in CDL’s Putting AI to Work Program.
Entrepreneurship Hatchery published “Making an impact: A Decade of the Hatchery”.
Georgian Angel Network is hosting their annual GAN Angel Investing Winter Summit.
Global Startups Accelerator welcomed 15 new companies to the fourth cohort of the NEA program.
Flora Fertility, a startup that went through Highline Beta’s venture studio, announced a $1.5M pre-seed financing round, led by Highline Beta.
Innovation Cluster Peterborough and the Kawarthas hosted the Levelup Pitch Competition, where eight emerging tech startups compete for a $10,000 cash prize.
Invest Ottawa hosted Canadian – Estonian Digital Transformation and Innovation Exchange.
Keiretsu Forum is hosting their Investor Meeting, celebrating 10 years of supporting entrepreneurs in Canada.
Kingston Economic Development Corporation launched Not-For-Profit Academy, in partnership with The Community Foundation for Kingston & Area.
Millworks Centre for Entrepreneurship hosted the Bridges to Better Business annual pitch competition during Small Business Week.
Mississauga Business Enterprise Centre is hosting Sauga Pitch 2024, Peel Region’s 2024 Flagship Startup Pitch Competition.
NEXT Canada is accepting applications for NEXT AI, one of 3 NEX Canada programs.
OCI announced registration for DiscoveryX is now open.
Pycap Venture Partners announced a $110,000 investment in a cutting-edge emotional wellness startup that uses AI to provide personalized therapy solutions.
SAAS NORTH is returning to Ottawa from November 13-14.
SheBoot is hosting their Grand Finale Pitch Event, an in-person competition for over $300,000 in investment from the 30 women angel investors of SheBoot.
Spark Commercialization and Innovation Centre announced a new partnership with NeuronicWorks, Inc.
TiE Toronto is hosting their annual TiE Spirit Awards Night.
Tree Frog is now accepting applications for Cohort 14.
ventureLAB Innovation Centre is hosting 4th Annual HardTech Summit, in partnership with Regional Municipality of York.
YEDI was recognized at the 75th Anniversary of the British Commonwealth in Westminster Abbey.
YSpace at York U is hosting a series of Founder Fundamentals Workshops.
Québec
Anges Québec announced the appointment of Stéphane Drouin as president and CEO. Welcome Stéphane, we look forward to supporting your work!
Blue Vision Capital announced, Meir Rabkin, Founder and Managing Partner, received Climate Innovator Rising Star Award at the Verdantix Climate Innovation Awards Americas 2024.
TandemLaunch announced initial $27M closing of Ventures IV Fund, representing a significant milestone in their commitment to fostering innovation and supporting entrepreneurs.
Northwest Territories, Yukon and Nunavut
Yukon Venture Angels, one of Canada’s newest angel groups, is interested in engaging with investors in Yukon in their mission to support more “Made in Yukon” success stories.
International
European Business Angels Network (EBAN) celebrated its 25th anniversary at this year’s European Angel Investment Summit. Congratulations to Peter Cowley on receiving the EBAN Lifetime Achievement Award. Thank you for your meaningful contributions to the global angel investor community.
Techstars is accepting applications for Techstars Web3 Accelerator.
In Memoriam
It is with great sadness that we share the loss of Suzanne Sterling on October 28, 2024, in Thunder Bay, Ontario. Her contributions to Northern Ontario Angels and NACO will have a lasting impact on the angel investor community. Our hearts go out to Jeff and family.
Mark your calendar for April 29-30, 2025, as NACO Summit returns to Ottawa. This special gathering will feature the most influential voices shaping our nation’s future.
Take advantage of our early bird discount for significant savings:
- Early Registration: $620 (until November 15th)
- Regular Registration: $1620
With your registration, you’ll be joining an exclusive group of leaders, gaining access to unique panels, networking sessions, and innovative presentations. Purchase your ticket now and secure your seat!
With Canadian elections on the horizon, the innovation economy will take centre stage. We look forward to sharing another remarkable experience with you in 2025.
