Start-ups Face Off at Canada 3.0 2010 Entrepreneurial Showcase
STRATFORD, ON, April 26 /CNW/ - Start-up companies at Canada 3.0 2010 will Face Off with a panel of business experts and angel financiers to address their top business challenges and improve their go-to-market approach. That's just one of the innovations at this year's Canada 3.0 forum, Canada's premier digital media forum slated for May 10-11 in Stratford.
"We have a strong focus on small business innovation at this year's event, given that the entrepreneurial spirit is the lifeblood of new business development in Canada," said Kevin Tuer, Managing Director of the Canadian Digital Media Network, which is organizing Canada 3.0 2010 with the University of Waterloo Stratford Campus.
The Face Off sessions, inspired by CBC's popular "Dragon's Den", will enable small business owners to present to a panel comprised of business leaders including senior executives running their own businesses; mentors from Venture Services from across the country; and angel financiers. The early-stage companies will outline their top three challenges for the expert panel and will leave with insight to apply to their businesses following the Canada 3.0 forum. Attendees will be able to watch the sessions and learn from the experiences of the start-up participants.
Several of the forum's keynote speakers are from start-up companies including: Sarah Prevette, Founder and CEO of entrepreneurship company Sprouter.com; and Joseph Iuso, CEO, & Brian Crozier, Global Business Development, at UseMyBank, a company that rejected $1 million in Dragon's Den funding and has gone on to be a successful venture.
Another innovation for Canada 3.0 2010 is the Soap Box whereby companies can book short presentation slots to 'pitch' the value of their company to forum attendees.
"This exercise encourages each presenter to distill the value of their company into an 'elevator pitch' that they can use when presenting to other audiences. And it means a lot of smaller companies will be better-known by the end of Canada 3.0," explained Tuer.
A Digital Showcase occupying a full hockey arena-sized area at the Rotary Centre in Stratford, will be dedicated to displays by more than 50 digital media-related companies. Forum attendees, including students and the general public, will have the opportunity to tour the showcase and see digital technology innovation at work.
"This is a great opportunity for companies like ours to showcase their offerings and increase awareness with an audience that includes leaders from business, government and academia," said Stephen Bacso, CEO of Waterloo collaborative search start-up company DossierView.
Space in the Digital Showcase sold out well in advance of the forum, demonstrating the keen interest this year in Canada 3.0, Tuer said. Last year's forum attracted close to 1,500 people and the 2010 version is expected to be a strong magnet for all those interested in digital media.
About Canada 3.0 2010
Canada 3.0 2010 is a forum organized by the Canadian Digital Media Network www.cdmn.ca and the University of Waterloo Stratford Campus www.stratfordcampus.uwaterloo.ca intended to advance Canada's strength in digital media. The CDMN will link Canada's digital media expertise and capability from coast-to-coast, enabling collaboration between researchers, implementers and entrepreneurs.
For further information: Media Contact, Shelley Grandy, Canada 3.0 2010, Sr. PR Advisor, (905) 866-2656, [email protected]
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