Session

Panel Session: Building International Co-investment Networks

Overview - Co-investment was on everyone’s mind at this spring’s major Angel conferences (ACA, EBAN Congress). Angel deals that depend on further rounds of capital will more often succeed if Angel groups worldwide learn to co-invest. This panel features leaders in this space who are growing co-investment linkages that may become tomorrow’s global network of Angels.

Featured Panelists:
Cathy Favre - Manager, Newfoundland and Labrador Angel Network
Ed Alfke - Entrepreneur (Founder, Rent-a-Wreck) and Angel investor
Randy Thompson - General Partner, Argon Venture Partners

Lunch Keynote

Keynote Speaker:
Permjot Valia - Entrepreneur and host of the BusinessAngelBlog.com (UK)

Topic: How EIS Has Worked in the UK to Boost Angel Investment: A Personal Perspective from a UK Based Investor

Panel Session: Sustainability of Angel Groups - Models for Growing and Maintaining World-Class Investment Groups

Overview - Veteran and novice Angel group members alike will benefit from sharing the best practices, war stories, and dos-and-don’ts of group development won by those managers who have “been there, and done that.”

Featured Panelists:
Rob Koturbash - Managing Director, Maple Leaf Angels (Toronto)
Joe Kremer - Director, Wisconsin Angels
Frank Peters - Chairman, Tech Coast Angels, and host of theFrankPetersShow.com

Panel Session: Tools and Techniques for Launching Sidecar Funds

Overview - This session will describe the steps required to launch a successful sidecar fund that will support Angel investments. The panelists, having themselves done so successfully, will impart the lessons they learned in the process.

Featured Panelists:
Iain Robb - Partner, Gowlings
John Huston - Manager, Ohio Tech Angels
Ian Sobieski - Managing Director, Band of Angels (CA)
Mike Volker - Director, University/Industry Liaison Office at Simon Fraser (BC)

Panel Session: Engineering Killer Exits

Overview - A topic sure to be of great interest to every Angel, as the ultimate goal of any Angel investment is to see a significant return. The panelists herein have been successful (often many times over) in securing such returns, and can tell Angels of their vital role in preparing their companies for a monetization or liquidity event.

Featured Panelists:
Owen MacNeil - Entrepreneur and Angel investor
Austin Hill - Entrepreneur and Angel investor
Marnie Walker - Entrepreneur and Angel Investor

Panel Session: Universities, Technology, and Commercialization

Overview - Featuring a discussion, led by representatives from major Atlantic Canadian universities and government agencies, of how Angels and universities can work together to commercialize Canada's significant accumulation of world-class university research and innovations. Angels’ support for bringing these to market could result in even more high-value, world-class companies to employ and inspire Canadians.

Featured Panelists:
Tony Rahilly - Director General, NRC Industrial Research Assistance Program (Canada)
Ron Layden - Executive Director Industry Liaison and Innovation at Dalhousie University (NS)
David Foord - Director, Intellectual Property at University of New Brunswick
Brent Decker - Business Analyst, Genesis Centre at Memorial University (BL)