Ryerson University creates Canada's first university-led angel investment network

    TORONTO, Nov. 19 /CNW/ - Ryerson University President Sheldon Levy today
announced the establishment of Canada's first university-led angel investor
network, the Ryerson Angel Network (RAN), to finance and mentor innovative
student-and alumni-initiated companies.
    Established in collaboration with the National Angel Capital Organization
(NACO), which will provide funding, training, and best practice investment
strategies, the Ryerson Angel Network will consist of approximately 20 angel
investors and will be administered through the newly formed Ryerson
Entrepreneur Institute (REI).
    Home to one of the country's largest entrepreneurship degree programs
with nearly 15 per cent of the student population actively engaged in
entrepreneurial-focused degrees or courses, research, mentoring programs or
workshops, Ryerson University is recognized for fostering entrepreneurship and
innovation, producing entrepreneurial-minded students and is a leader in
entrepreneurial finance research.
    "The formation of Canada's first university-based angel network marks an 
  extraordinary time in the history of bringing the country's research and
innovation to market," said Levy. "Ryerson is proud to lead the way in
initiating this new model of entrepreneurial financing."
    As part of the increasing growth of entrepreneurship research and studies
at Ryerson, the Ryerson Entrepreneur Institute was recently established to
oversee RAN and to provide research, education, resources and funding programs
to students and alumni starting up or expanding new businesses, non-profit
organizations or community programs. Steven Gedeon, Professor of
Entrepreneurship and Strategy at Ryerson's Ted Rogers School of Management,
has been appointed Director of REI.
    W. Daniel Mothersill, President of the National Angel Capital
Organization, was recently named a Distinguished Visiting Professor at
Ryerson. "There is a widening gap in the availability of capital for seed-and
early-stage enterprises due to the retreat of venture capital investment,"
said Mothersill. "The creation of university-led angel networks in Canada will
increase the quantity, quality, and success of angel investments and provide
angels with the opportunity to invest in high-quality early-stage companies,
while also supporting and mentoring the next generation of business leaders."
    Alan Shepard, Ryerson's Provost and Vice President Academic, is today
speaking to executives from the angel investment community at the NACO
Co-Investment Summit in Toronto. Said Shepard: "The creation of RAN will make
a dramatic difference in the lives of Ryerson University students and alumni
by greatly expanding their access to management coaching, relationship capital
and angel investment capital. This model can also be adopted by other Canadian
universities to increase their innovation activity."
    SpeechBobble Inc., an Internet intelligence company that monitors,
tracks, and analyzes consumer conversations about brands from over 150 million
sources, is the first enterprise to qualify as a high-potential investment
opportunity for the Ryerson Angel Network. SpeechBobble co-founder Ryan Chong
is a recent alumnus of Ryerson's Ted Rogers School of Information Technology
Management. Since its inception 14 months ago, the enterprise has grown to
employ seven employees and has received $550,000 in capital.

    About Angel Investors:
    Angel investors are accredited individuals who invest personal assets in
exchange for equity in a start-up company (pre-revenue or in early stages of
revenue generation). Because most angels are serial entrepreneurs with proven
successes, they provide: crucial growth capital between seed and venture
capital; invaluable management support, industry-specific advice and contacts;
and vital experience building high-growth companies.

    Ryerson University is Canada's leader in career-focused education,
offering more than 95 PhD, master's, and undergraduate programs in the Faculty
of Arts; the Faculty of Communication & Design; the Faculty of Community
Services; the Faculty of Engineering, Architecture and Science; and the Ted
Rogers School of Management. Ryerson University has graduate and undergraduate
enrolment of 24,000 students. With more than 64,000 registrations annually,
The G. Raymond Chang School of Continuing Education is Canada's leading
provider of university-based adult education.

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The National Angel Capital Organization presents a Canadian Angel Capital Top 10 Award to Dr. Paul Lem, CEO of Spartan Bioscience. Awards were the result of balloting by the investors attending the First Canadian Co-investment Summit. (CNW Group/National Angel Capital Organization)

For further information: MEDIA CONTACTS: Kathleen Powderley, On behalf
of Ryerson University, (cell) 416-803-5597, (office) 416-699-5665,
[e-mail]; Joyann Callender, Public Affairs, Ryerson University,
(office) 416-979-5000 ext. 7161, [e-mail]