Greater Saskatoon Chamber of Commerce | May 5, 2014

Leading the Way:
Saskatchewan's Emerging Equity Crowdfunding Environment

Wednesday, May 28^th, 2014

Delta Bessborough

7: 30 am - Registration & Continental Breakfast
8:00-9:30 am - Equity CF Forum
10:00-11:30 am - To Equity CF or Not to Equity CF? Presentation

Saskatchewan is the first and only Canadian province to have approved an equity-crowdfunding specific exemption from securities law to raise capital. As Canada's entrepreneurial hot spot, Saskatchewan leads the way in this newest niche in the financing continuum. If you're an entrepreneur seeking capital, an angel investor interested in equity crowdfunding, or a service-provider wondering how the equity CF industry might benefit you … this is the event to attend!

Discussion Topics:

• Regulatory briefing: What are the proposed regulations, timeline and next steps?
• What are the challenges of our current capital raising markets and what solutions are coming?
• Are we doing enough collectively as a 360 eco-system to remain competitive in today’s global markets?
• How will crowdfunding spur business and economic growth, employment and innovation?
• Do these regulations provide significant protections for investors?
• What are the legal issues and proposed solutions that revolve around Crowdfunding transactions?
• Market pulse: what is happening on the ground in the Crowdfunding industry? (Issuers, investors, portals, and providers)
• What are the current provincial crowdfunding exemptions (Saskatchewan) & proposals and how do they differ?

MODERATOR:

Suzanne Paschall

Saskatchewan Ambassador, National Crowdfunding Association of Canada (NCFA)

FEATURED SPEAKERS:

Alixe Cormick

Founder, Venture Law Corp., Vancouver

Alixe is the founder and CEO of Vancouver-based legal firm, Venture Law Corporation and is an Advisory member for the National Crowdfunding Association of Canada. Alixe has assisted over 150 companies listing on stock exchanges and trading board in North America. She is a recognized and active thought leader on exempt securities and crowdfunding. She is also an active Angel Investor.

Dave Wild

Chair, Financial Consumer Affairs Authority (FCAA)

Dave Wild has been a leader in the transformation of marketplace regulation in Saskatchewan. He was appointed Superintendent of Pensions in 1992 and Chair of the Saskatchewan Securities Commission in 2001. In 2003, he became Chair and CEO of the Saskatchewan Financial Services Commission, which merged the province’s financial services regulators into a single agency. Recognizing that that existing rules for selling a stake in a company can be expensive, complicated and time consuming for small businesses or start-ups, FCAA made a bold move to allow equity crowdfunding in Saskatchewan in December 2013. Equity crowdfunding is intended to help fill the fundraising gap for these businesses so that they can compete in the market. FCAA is pleased that other provinces are contemplating similar rules.

Chris Masich

Associate, McKercher LLP

Chris Masich is an associate at Saskatchewan-based law firm McKercher LLP. Chris maintains a general corporate & commercial law practice and assists private and public companies with a broad range of commercial transactions including equity financings and security matters. Chris shares a keen interest in crowdfunding with fellow associate, Joseph Gill, and sees the unique opportunity it offers innovative Saskatchewan businesses.

Les Schaevitz

CEO, Holistic Funding Systems Corporation, Owner/Operator

Les Schaevitz is an entrepreneur from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania who became enchanted with the Saskatchewan equity crowdfunding model due to its incredible simplicity and consummate free-market orientation. While working to equity crowdfund iPosition LLC, his own states-side high technology startup, he became totally frustrated with the delays and complications bedeviling the US equity crowdfunding model. Les started to look around the world for alternatives…the best of which he found in Saskatchewan which, it turned out, did not have an operating portal. Even though he would not be permitted to finance iPosition via his own SK portal, he decided that the opportunity to do the first SK equity crowdfunding portal was irresistible. Les is a staunch advocate for a “holistic,” entrepreneur centric approach to equity crowdfunding which essentially treats this sort of financing as a real IPO, just on a micro-scale. Les is a graduate of the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania (W74).

Wayne Watt

Owner and Principal, Liquid Capital Prairie Corp.

As an entrepreneur in the alternative capital financing business, Wayne has been interested in the potential for equity crowdfunding from its earliest days.
Wayne also represents the investor's perspective on the panel, as an active member of the Saskatchewan Capital Network of angel investors. He's the owner and principal of Liquid Capital Prairie Corp., a factoring company that buys account receivables from businesses to give them an immediate infusion of cash. Wayne also owns Liberty Tax Service in Saskatoon, an income tax preparation firm.

Blair Knippel

Partner, Deloitte LLP and Chair, Saskatchewan Capital Network

Blair has been with Deloitte since 1988, working extensively with a variety of clients and has been fortunate to work with several top regional Technology, Media & Telecommunication (TMT) businesses throughout his career as Deloitte’s TMT and CleanTech leader in Saskatchewan and Manitoba. He works in conjunction with TMT, CleanTech and other practitioners across North America to bring leading-edge tax and business ideas to clients and has been extensively involved in advising on the various business aspects of receiving crowdfunding, crowdsourcing and sourcing start-up funding. As a result, he is a sought after advisor for companies in the Saskatchewan entrepreneurial ecosystem. Blair is currently chair of the Saskatchewan Capital Network, a director for the MOSO Conference and continues to work with the private, investment and government sectors to bring angel tax credits to Saskatchewan. Previously, Blair co-chaired Saskatoon’s Science City Committee and was president of the Greater Saskatoon Chamber of Commerce.

TICKETS: $20 + GST

ADDITIONAL "TO EQUITY OR NOT TO EQUITY" SESSION

How do you assess whether or not equity CF is right for you at this time? If it is, what do you need to have in place to be prepared for your first campaign? Taunya Woods-Richardson of The Kolo Project’s Let’s Talk Money teams up with VentureLaw Corp’s Alixe Cormick to deliver a power-packed session on getting your financial house in order to prep for your equity CF raise. FREE with your Forum ticket!

TO RSVP for this additional session, please contact: Taunya Woods-Richardson at talktous@thekoloproject.ca

Register for this event --> Now!!

The National Crowdfunding Association of Canada (NCFA Canada) is a cross-Canada crowdfunding hub providing education, advocacy and networking opportunities in the rapidly evolving crowdfunding industry. NCFA Canada is a community-based, membership-driven entity that was formed at the grass roots level to fill a national need in the market place. Join our growing network of industry stakeholders, fundraisers and investors. Increase your organization’s profile and gain access to a dynamic group of industry front runners. Learn more About Us or contact us at casano@ncfacanada.org.