|
||
|
eBay Investing in Startups
eBay is investing in international startups.
[email this story]
Posted by R. Ouellette on 02/27
Taxonomies of Social Networks
Early & Associates is offering free webinars on the Taxonomy of Social Networks. The topics covered include:Introduction to Social Network Analysis (SNA)
[email this story]
Posted by R. Ouellette on 02/24
Revolution in VoIP
 There is a revolution taking place in the VoIP industry. An open source solution, Asterisk by Digium, is offering the functionality only seen before in proprietary systems. The Internet is once again proving the axiom that information wants to be free - this time by accelerating the time it takes for a high-end technology to become available to anyone with a computer. The US market is reacting to this product as a number of small, low overhead companies launch their own VoIP services in competition with the larger players. Asterisk
[email this story]
Posted by R. Ouellette on 02/24
Green Adhesives?
 Ecosynthetix is a Canadian company at the forefront of the green adhesive technologies industry. I met the two local entrepreneurs behind the company last night at the Schulich/MIT Enterprise Forum. CEO John van Leeuwen explained that Ecosynthetix is ready to revolutionize the packaging market that has traditionally used petroleum based adhesives in its cardboard products. The company's solutions will significantly reduce the environmental impact of paper packaging through the use of nanotechnology based adhesives derived from water soluble starch. Ecosynthetix is definitely a company worth watching as environmental products gain traction in the marketplace. It also will benefit from the need to decrease our dependence on oil-based products.
[email this story]
Posted by R. Ouellette on 02/23
MIT/Schulich Enterprise Forum Tonight
 Tonight the Schulich Enterprise Forum Presents: Record Year for Public Venture Capital + 3 Successful Ontario Capital Pool Company Presentations In 2005, TSX Venture Exchange saw growth in all aspects of operations: - Financings up 46% Tim Babcock, Manager of Listings for the Toronto Office, will the provide details on the final results for the year. He will also discuss market trends, particularly in Ontario and with the Capital Pool Company Program. Moderator: Tim Gallagher, President Inflection Capital Inc.
[email this story]
Posted by R. Ouellette on 02/22
Staying On Top Of Trends
 Micromarkets are spawning thousand of new consumer products every month. Having trouble keeping up with the latest trends? Trend Watching has the answer. With more than 8,000 contributors from around the globe, Trend Watching is a one-stop resource for the latest news and analysis on consumer trends from Miami to Mumbai.
[email this story]
Posted by R. Ouellette on 02/21
2nd TorCamp is Big Hit With Local Entrepreneurs
 About 100 people came to the TUCOWS office at King and Dufferin streets last night to network and hear six presentations from local tech start ups. The evening's TorCamp presenters were: DrProject: a classroom-friendly branch of Trac Torcamp, organized by David Crow, is the Toronto chapter of the very successful BarCamp series. What is BarCamp? "BarCamp is an ad-hoc un-conference born from the desire for people to share and learn in an open environment. It is an intense event with discussions, demos, and interaction from attendees."
[email this story]
Posted by R. Ouellette on 02/21
Are Toronto VCs Missing the Boat?
 US Venture Investment in tech-based start ups is back with a vengeance. Were even starting to see articles about 21 year olds with no experience getting millions of dollars in capital as a result of bidding wars. Go figure. In Toronto though it's business as usual. Take chances on new technology? Not on your life, unless, of course, the US shows the way first. There has got to be a better way of funding entrepreneurship in Canada. I wonder if something like an income trust structured fund might be the answer. Is anyone out there doing this? The eighties gave Canada the infamous R&D investment fiasco where, in some cases, street people suddenly became worthy of huge investment right-offs. We've learned our lesson since then though. Outside of the soon to end Labour Funds is there another government incentive that will fund local entrepreneurship?
[email this story]
Posted by R. Ouellette on 02/20
BarCamp Toronto, Feb 20th
 David Crow is sponsoring the Toronto version of BarCamp February 20th at the TUCOWS' office at 96 Mowat Street. For more information on this great "bootcamp" for entrepreneurs go to http://barcamp.pbwiki.com/TorCamp/
[email this story]
Posted by R. Ouellette on 02/15
MeasureMap Bought By Google
 The latest Web2.0 acquisition has been orchestrated by - you guessed it - Google. MeasureMap is an easy to use tracking and reporting system that shows bloggers just how many people are visiting their sites, where they're from, what they look at, and other blog metrics. Simple idea + Good execution = money in the bank for the people at Adaptive Path. There was no report on the value of the purchase.Canada has a number of small firms working on products like this but without a strong Angel market our best ideas are either exported to the US or are left to wither on the vine. When will we catch on to the opportunities innovative young companies generate locally?
[email this story]
Posted by R. Ouellette on 02/15
37 Signals’ New Start-up Model
In just two years the start-up, 37 Signals, has become a model for how to build products and revenue in the exploding Web2.0 environment. Their approach bypasses the complexity of the enterprise model choosing instead to focus on niche products. Their products include the wildly successful "Basecamp," an Internet-based project management system."I think the idea of enterprise software is dead. Enterprise software is kind of a dirty word--big bulky things that never work, were never delivered on time, and are too expensive," Jason Fried, 37 Signals' founder, said.
[email this story]
Posted by R. Ouellette on 02/11
Venture Capital Rising Again
US venture capital firms raised $22.16bn in 2005, which represents a 19 per cent increase over the $18.66bn raised in 2004. It also makes 2005 the largest fundraising year since 2001, according to VentureOne.
[email this story]
Posted by R. Ouellette on 02/11
Wireless Products Are Hot Investments in ‘05
 Wireless towers in use from http://www.cybergeography.org Wireless News Factor proclaims that the big winner in 2005 was the wireless sector. No specific technology predominated. According to the MoneyTree Survey by PricewaterhouseCoopers, Thomson Venture Economics, and the National Venture Capital Association, the sector attracted $366 million in the fourth quarter. "Investors in 2005 looked to the Internet again to fuel innovative business models. According to the MoneyTree report, which defines the Internet sector as comprised of companies with business models that are fundamentally dependent on the Internet, investments made in those companies grew slowly over the last three years and totaled $2.9 billion in 2005. This increase is due in part to the interest in Web 2.0 companies, or those that have found a way to build a sustainable business online, says Kate Mitchell, managing director with BA Venture Partners. The buzz around Web 2.0 companies and technologies is expected to sustain itself through 2006."
[email this story]
Posted by R. Ouellette on 02/11
Idea Bank - Margaret Atwood on Green Entrepreneurship
By Margaret AtwoodBloodless organic flowers grown on tops of warehouses. Given that: - Pollution and pesticides are a problem - Flowers grown in many countries have no pesticide standards - More pollution is caused flying the flowers here - There are many flat-roofed warehouses and business buildings - Flat roofs heat up horribly - More pollution is caused cooling the buildings in the summer - Green roofs cut down on cooling and heating costs and thus cut pollution Therefore: Someone could make a nice business combining the installation of green roofs and the using of the space to grow organic local flower varieties. No good in winter, but the building would still benefit from improved insulation. Once the roofs were in place, the building could actually rent the space for growing, thus profiting twice.
[email this story]
Posted by R. Ouellette on 02/06
Global Trade Corp Poised for Rapid Growth
Global Trade Corporation is a Toronto based application service provider and software development company. Its proprietary solutions target the multi-billion dollar global trade services industry. Corporations in the global trade market require secure access to multiple banks as well as risk mitigation and document management solutions. GTC's @GlobalTrade Platform enables exporters, importers, their banks and trade service providers to cost-effectively manage global trade finance.Founded by CEO Jacob Katsman, former Financial Director of Midland Metals and CTO Nick Pachnev, former Financial Manager of Lada Canada, GTC is becoming a significant force in the trade services market. With recent high-profile sales in Europe, GTC is rumoured to be considering a buyout offer from a European company. GTC is currently searching for first-round investment under $5 million USD.
[email this story]
Posted by R. Ouellette on 02/02
|
Local News
The Ontario government is doing something truly unique and laudable says John Albright of JLA Ventures. Last week Ontario's Ministry of Research and Innovation announced a new $205-million fund to help stimulate the province's early-stage ventures.
According to a University of Laval Professor, Canada's Labour Sponsor Funds kill innovation rather than create it. Read the press release here. MediaScrape lands new venture round of $3.2 million. Chris Dingle has been appointed President and Chief Technology Officer. Mr. Dingle was the founding CTO of 24/7 Real Media which sold recently to WPP for $637 million. University Technologies International (UTI) - IGNITE - announces the closing of two first-round financings for two IGNITE companies, Profero Energy Inc. and Circle Cardiovascular Imaging Inc. Kleer Inc. based in California but with a plant in Ottawa landed a $28 million round for its wireless audio product development. The Ottawa Citizen ran this story a few days ago. We've been saying this for years now. When will the public sector make it easier for investment in the province's tech sector? Rick Nathan of the Canadian Venture Capital Association has an optimistic view of the current credit crunch. MSBi Capital announces the addition of two new partners François Gauvin and John Elton. Celtic House Venture Partners of K-W invested in Dublin-based RedMere last week. Rogers Media and CTVglobemedia Inc. announce that Rogers Broadcasting will acquire certain Canadian conventional and specialty television services from CTVglobemedia Inc.
Syndicate
|
Services
Stories By
Syndicate
Link Roll
Entrepreneurship
Funding Organizations
Industry Movers
Key Blog References
Web 2.0
|
