Event category: Breakouts
Events
November 18, 2021
02:05 PM - 02:45 PM EDT
How To Find Your Investor Soulmate and Raise Your Series A, B and Beyond
You might get the opportunity once in your career to build what can truly be a VC-backed company. What metrics suggest that you have a venture-scalable company? Why do some early-stage ventures fail to grow beyond seed-stage?
In this session you’ll hear learnings from very fast-growing companies that have successfully moved from bootstrapped to VC-backed.
02:05 PM - 02:45 PM EDT
The ABCs of Partnerships in B2B SaaS
The importance of the partnership function is often misunderstood, yet by the end of the decade it is estimated that 2 out of 3 B2B SaaS purchases will flow indirectly. In this panel, you will join partnership experts to learn more about the immense value partnerships can have on your B2B SaaS company, the different types of partnerships that exist, what to look for when selecting partners, and key tactics to activate partnership programs within your organization.
01:15 PM - 01:50 PM EDT
Psst… You’re Missing 20% of Your Market! Why Website and Product Accessibility Makes Cents
Good accessibility standards are good for business and increase your audience size. With 20% of the Canadian population living with a disability, it makes sense to ensure product and website accessibility. Several provinces are mandating that online content be more accessible and many companies are scrambling on how to implement the updates … fast.
Learn what to keep in mind when developing a new product, or how to bring current online content up to speed with digital accessibility expert David Hale.
01:15 PM - 01:50 PM EDT
Don’t Let Rejection Rule You… Let it Fuel You
7 Steps to Leverage Pain to Unlock Personal & Professional Growth
90% of startups fail and the founders behind them often silently struggle with extreme stress, anxiety, depression, and burnout.
While mental health isn’t a topic that’s readily discussed when it comes to entrepreneurship, it is vital to the success of any startup.
In this session, Lloyed Lobo, Co-founder, and President of “Soonicorn” Boast.AI shares 7 steps entrepreneurs can use to turn pain into personal and professional happiness from his experiences as a gulf war refugee, 2x failed startups, and almost dying due to COVID-19.
Specifically, Lloyed will share: understanding and preparing for the types of rejection and failure, tactical strategies for navigating anxiety and stress, how to build a support network, how to share safely and vulnerably, how to disassociate yourself from attachment, how to refocus and re-energize when you’re backed into a corner and best practices for peak mental, physical, and business performance.
11:10 AM - 11:45 AM EDT
Two Year Countdown to Launch Your IPO Rocketship
2021 has been a banner year for public market recognition of SaaS in Canada. The recent rush of IPOs is frothy by any standard. Mark Shulgan, Head of OMERS Growth Equity (OGE), shares his unique insights on scaling businesses from growth to IPO-readiness. An IPO holds companies to a higher standard — for finances, disclosures and delivering to plan, therefore setting it up for a stronger future. It would seem that many of the next generation of SaaS Founders may exit via IPO.
11:10 AM - 11:45 AM EDT
Your DIY Guide to DEI: Taking Strategies for Inclusion from Idea to Action
As companies strive to elevate diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) as an organizational core value, many struggle with how to implement change at a systemic level. DEI practitioners Sage and Sharon will help to unpack this complex challenge and share tactical tips on how to integrate DEI as a functional and integrated part of your business structure by addressing specific issues with processes and systems in the day-to-day of your business, operations, and culture.
10:25 AM - 10:55 AM EDT
How Fellow App Prepared for its $24 Million Series A Fundraise
Canadian companies are raising growth rounds left and right, and it’s so exciting to see Fellow’s $24 million Series A round added to that list. While COVID-19 tailwinds helped the company close a round in just two weeks, Aydin, CEO and co-founder (and 6x SAAS NORTH emcee) credits the company’s intense 30-day preparation process as a huge factor in their success. Take a look inside how Fellow prepared for its Series A fundraise and learn the steps that you can follow too.
10:25 AM - 10:55 AM EDT
Founder Led Marketing
Startup founders often struggle to know when and how to make their first marketing hire. Learn strategies to avoid common timing pitfalls and tips for approaching the hiring process more thoughtfully.
You will learn: the essential elements of marketing to help founders figure out what kind of marketer they need, knowing the right time to add a marketer and when to start planning and how to establish the issues the hire would tackle.
November 17, 2021
02:40 PM - 03:20 PM EDT
Navigating the Capital Conundrum: A Discussion on When, How and Why to Raise Capital to Grow your Business
It is a challenge for bootstrapped entrepreneurs to know WHEN the best time is to raise capital and to evaluate the different capital options available to determine what is best to drive growth. The Canadian tech ecosystem is flush with liquidity at present and lenders, VCs and other investors alike are competing for the best businesses. Hear from lenders and entrepreneurs about their practical experiences navigating these challenging waters and exploring different sources of debt and equity financing opportunities.
