Don’t Miss Out on Three Great Learning Opportunities

AcceleratorYYC is focused on providing startups with more opportunities: Learning opportunities to help further skills and knowledge. Networking opportunities to build connections and strengthen relationships. Promotional opportunities to increase their customer base, investor potential, and leadership team. Among many other things.

Next week, we are launching three new events & workshops that all focus on helping you grow and succeed:

 1) The first workshop is Pitching 101, led by Alex Raczenko and co-hosted by AcceleratorYYC and Innovate Calgary. Alex is one of Innovate Calgary’s Entrepreneur-in-Residence and a mentor to founders of AcceleratorYYC. Pitching 101 will be held on Tuesday, February 19 and 26 at 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Improve your pitching skills and gain valuable knowledge from one of the best business coach in the startup community. For more information and to register, click here.

 2) The second workshop is the TeamThink AITF Grant Program Workshop LAUNCHING Wednesday, February 27 from 12 to 3 p.m and repeating on Wednesday, March 7. This workshop is all about filling out the Alberta Innovates Technology Futures (AITF) 15K Voucher Grant. The deadline to fill out the grant is April 2, and it can be a very daunting task. But with coaching from Sandor Kiss, a Marketing and Sales Consultant with TeamThink, filling out the application can be a lot easier. Why miss an opportunity to receive a $15,000 grant for your startup? For more information and to register, click here.

 Pitching 101 and the TeamThink AITF Grant Program Workshop are free for AcceleratorYYC members!

 3) Finally, AcceleratorYYC is re-launching its Startup Slyngshot program on Tuesday, February 19. Classes will be offered every Tuesday and Thursday at 6 to 8 p.m. for four weeks. This will help to accommodate those “entrepreneurs-at-heart” who aren’t just ready yet to quit their day job and go full force into beginning their tech startup.

 Startup Slyngshot is a four stage program that consist of classes ranging from pitching, marketing, funding and more. For more information, including pricing and registration please click here. 

So what are you waiting for? AcceleratorYYC is the co-working space that gives you the opportunities you’re looking for; instead of waiting for opportunities to come to you. To quote, Benjamin Franklin, “To succeed, jump as quickly at opportunities as you do to conclusions.”

Partnership with Innovate Calgary Will Directly Benefit AcceleratorYYC’s Member Startups

Innovate Calgary is the latest community supporter to partner with AcceleratorYYC in its efforts to provide resources for early-stage tech startups in Calgary. The partnership, forged between the advanced tech transfer and incubator organization and the cowork space for tech startups, will provide functional expertise and ongoing mentorship for startup members at AcceleratorYYC.

Having access to resources- including mentorship, connections, and business education— is crucial for early-stage startups. Regularly meeting with Innovate Calgary’s experienced entrepreneurs will only further accelerate their growth,” Pieter Boekhoff, Co-founder, AcceleratorYYC.

“We are very pleased to partner with AcceleratorYYC, says Peter Garrett, Interim President, Innovate Calgary. “Enhancing access to resources and expertise for early-stage startups is extremely important for advancing Calgary’s advanced technology sector.”

Launching today, AcceleratorYYC will host Innovate Calgary’s experienced Entrepreneurs-in-Residence (“EIRs”) for mentoring sessions every other week. An exclusive offering for Innovate Calgary companies will be extended to include startup members at AcceleratorYYC. They will get to meet with business and technology experts Alex Raczenko and Mark Williams to discuss growing revenue; identifying immediate business priorities; strategic and operational challenges; and development and facilitation of business connections.

In addition to providing on-going mentorship, Innovate Calgary will host informational sessions to advance startups on the knowledge they need to know to run a tech business- including licensing, protecting intellectual property, business opportunity assessment, and more! On-going mentorship will build stronger connections between early-stage startups and the advanced tech community currently housed at the Alastair Ross Technology Centre (ARTC).

Alex Raczenko kicks off the new partnership this morning, meeting with three growing startups at AcceleratorYYC!

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For more information:

Innovate Calgary is a full service organization that offers technology transfer and business incubator services to researchers, entrepreneurs and businesses within the advanced tech sector.

Visit http://www.innovatecalgary.com

Contact: khansraj@innovatecalgary.com

AcceleratorYYC 

Contact: jenn@acceleratoryyc.com

Innovate Calgary Speaker Series- Tues, Nov 13

A few of the AcceleratorYYC members and myself attended the first Innovate Calgary Speaker Series discussion yesterday.  ”More than money:Key elements for a successful startup,”  featured John Lowe (Executive in Residence, Innovate Calgary and Founder, Poynt), John Koch (President and CEO of SFN Biosystems) and Trent Johnsen (Co-founder, HookFlash) as panelists and the lovely Victoria MacLean (Co-founder, BeauCoo) as the moderator.

Some great insights from the panel: 

“Ideas are worth nothing unless you can turn it into something tangible.” 

“Control the risk. Understand and mitigate your risk.” For example, you [shouldn’t] sub-contract the big aspects of your business.

“Balance the risk, with your vision.”

“With a startup, you never know what to expect.” 

“Find the smartest people you can to fill your gaps.”

“Build it. Sell it” Build a great product and get the influencers on board (bloggers, media and other opinion leaders).

There was also a shout out to Alberta Technology group that is in the midst of discussions with the Alberta government to allow tax credits for technology investments in startups.

The next session will be held Tuesday, November 13. Read below for more information and to sign up:

Innovate Calgary presents the 7th annual Speaker Series, an opportunity for interactive dialogue on technology commercialization and business incubation. Hear success stories, learn from industry experts and peers, and expand your network. Sessions are held every Tuesday in November.

Sessions are free and open to the public. Space is limited and RSVP is required.

Session #2: Crossing the Valley of Death in Life Sciences: Charting a path from bench to market
Date: Tuesday, November 13, 2012  
Time: 11:30 AM - 1:30 PM (Lunch is provided)
Location: Libin Lecture Theatre, Faculty of Medicine, University of Calgary
RSVP: innovatecalgary.com/SpeakerSeries 

Moving life sciences research to the market is not always a clear path.  Join us for a panel discussion with an experienced group of industry experts on what they consider as key elements for bringing life sciences technologies to market.  

Presenters:

• Dr. Jason Crawford: Senior Director, Scientific Operations, The Centre for Drug Research and Development (CDRD)
• Dr. Joe Tucker: CFO, SolAeroMed Inc.
• Dr. Steven Xanthoudakis: Director, World Wide Licensing and External Research, Merck Research Laboratories

Moderator:
Ryan Radke: President, BioAlberta