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ENTREPRENEURIAL SUMMIT:
START IT UP (... AND KEEP IT GOING)
Growing a new technology company has its challenges—from financing to commercialization through to globalization. This program includes both a Mini-Venture fair where a few select technology companies pitch for financing and in-depth information sessions for budding and serial entrepreneurs. This day brings together the innovative, the practical, pragmatic and the risk-takers. Join your colleagues and the investment community to explore options, share lessons learned and understand how to avoid the pitfalls that startups often struggle with.
| Tuesday, September 23, 2008 |
| 8:30 –
10:00 am |
The Canadian Opportunity for Social Networking and Web 2.0 |
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| 11:40 am – 12:40 pm |
Venture Fair |
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| 12:30 – 2:00 pm |
Luncheon Keynote: Going
For Gold: Building Innovative
Technology Companies |
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| 2:15
– 3:15 pm |
- CEO-Founder Frustrations
- What Venture Capitalists Wished Entrepreneurs Knew Before
Coming to See Them |
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| 3:30 – 4:30 pm |
- Designing for the Liquidity Event
- Navigating Potholes 101: CEOs Managing in Challenging Times
- Don’t Laugh. They're From
the Government and They’re Here to Help |
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 The Canadian Opportunity for Social Networking and Web 2.0
Vinay Nair
Research Manager, Canadian Enterprise Applications Research, IDC
Tuesday, September 23, 200
8:30 –
10:00 am, Room 718B
The social networking and Web 2.0 revolution is happening whether Canadian organizations are ready for it or not. This session examines their use within Canadian enterprises and discusses the key drivers, inhibitors, and preferences around them. Presenting findings from a recently conducted study, essential guidance will be provided to participants on how best to maximize their position within this rapidly developing market.
This session is a must-attend for Canadian executives looking to understand this market better, and for vendors and consultants that want to position social networking and Web 2.0 product and service offerings to the Canadian enterprise customer. |
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Venture Fair
Tuesday, September 23, 2008
10:15 – 11:15 am, Room 718A
The GTA houses a plethora of talent in the IT sector. This talent has given way to innovative companies that have taken the world by storm. It all starts with an innovative idea, talent to execute, and tons of motivation and resilience to see it through. We are looking for the next generation of disrupter technologies to join us on stage and present their story. To register for an opportunity to have your company included in the venture fair complete the form, and send completed forms to events[at]toronotechweek.com
Join up to eight GTA-based technology companies as they showcase the next generation of disruptive technologies and present short stories of their journey to commercialization.
Each innovator will have approximately eight minutes to present to the audience following which attendees will have an opportunity to vote on the likely success of the new products as well as their favorite. Companies presenting will be chosen based on various attributes, including the uniqueness and disruptive natures of their technologies. Join us for a session that promises to open new doors on how technology will shape our future and meet the people who will make it happen. |
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Don’t Laugh. They're From the Government and They’re Here to Help
Tuesday, September 23, 2008
3:30 – 4:30 pm, Room 718A
This session will focus on how entrepreneurs (new or experienced) can leverage government and non-profits for maximum business gain – both as a source of business and as a source of incentives and support. While the basics of the who and the how of procurement and incentives will be briefly outlined (with support materials and links to much greater detail handed out), the focus will be on lessons learned on how to maximize your relationship with the public sector. What is reasonable to expect, what to do, what not to do. The panel features two successful entrepreneurs who have built software businesses with the public sector as a major customer. They will share the hard-learned lessons they’ve absorbed and will participate in a lively Q&A with the audience. |
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 Going For Gold: Building Innovative Technology Companies
Dr. Ron Dembo
Founder and CEO, Zerofootprint
Tuesday, September 23, 2008
12:30- 2:00 pm., Room 718B
Dr. Ron Dembo is an accomplished academic, businessman, entrepreneur and successful author of several books on risk management. He brings a passion for mathematics, engineering and design to technology to create outstanding businesses. Following a distinguished career at Yale University, he started up Algorithmics Incorporated - growing it organically into the largest enterprise risk software company in the world. From there Dr. Dembo went on to found Zerofootprint, a group of companies that bring enterprise software, risk management and mathematics to bear on climate change. Once again, he got in ahead of the curve.
Join Dr. Dembo as he shares key aspects of his journey, tackling the challenges of convergence, financing and setting up world renowned brands on a budget. |
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CEO-Founder Frustrations
Tuesday, September 23, 2008
2:15 – 3:15 pm, Room 717A
Even in a good economy, founder-CEOs face an enormous number of challenges shepherding their companies from inception through stable growth. Start-ups may cycle through, or tweak, their business model a few times before finding one that works. Or founder-CEOs face challenges raising money or finding and hiring the right people to help their companies keep pace with growth. How are you dealing with your challenges as they arise? What steps have you instituted within your firm so that you can stay ahead of the curve, anticipating challenges?
We will use this panel to explore these (and other issues) that keep founder-CEOs up at night during the first 36 months of a company’s life. |
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What Venture Capitalists Wished Entrepreneurs Knew Before Coming to See Them
Tuesday, September 23, 2008
2:15 – 3:15 pm, Room 717B
Only a miniscule percentage of investment proposals that cross a venture capitalist's (VC) desk ever receive funding – due in part to misperceptions about the uniqueness and the value of the new venture and its competitive positioning. Negotiations around these proposals are fraught with tension as founder/CEOs and VCs bring differing views to the table: is the venture ready for arm’s length funding; what is its value, and what are the expected returns? The result: a large number of unfunded and disillusioned founder/CEOs and frustrated VCs. This panel explores what VCs would say to a room full of founder-CEOs that would help to align their expectations with the VC’s reality. |
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Designing for the Liquidity Event
Tuesday, September 23, 2008
3:30 – 4:30 pm, Room 717A
Learn how to recoup your investment with a successful exit strategy. This session will cover components such as contracts, agreements, shareholders, IPOs, financing structures, and marketing strategies. |
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Navigating Potholes 101: CEOs Managing in Challenging Times
Tuesday, September 23, 2008
3:30 – 4:30 pm, Room 717B
So you have a great idea. You start a company, you get funded, sales pour in, profits accumulate, you make a mint, you exit (jackpot!) and you retire, right? Not so fast. “Navigating Potholes 101: CEOs Managing in Challenging Times“ is a panel in which CEOs of emerging growth companies share their experiences managing through recessions, firings, shareholder disputes & other unspoken truths of running fast growing companies.
- How does one manage risk differently in a soft market? Is it realistic to drive sales through an increase in promotional activity? How are companies tweaking their sales plans? Time to bring on the hiring freeze? If so, what are the implications for a company’s reputation for recruiting when things pick up?
- What happens when a member of your senior team departs? How does one pinch hit during the gap and what’s the message to your prospects/customers and to your investors?
These are just a few examples of both big picture and more gritty issues that are going to be addressed by this panel. |
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