Catalystica’s Year in Review
2017 was one of our busiest year’s yet and we can’t believe it’s almost time to transition into 2018! This past year, our small but highly nimble team hosted 27 large events and managed 2 community brands on an ongoing basis.
2017 was one of our busiest year’s yet and we can’t believe it’s almost time to transition into 2018! This past year, our small but highly nimble team hosted 27 large events and managed 2 community brands on an ongoing basis.
Branch Out Snowshoe Tour (top left); AccelerateAB (top right); Cyber Summit (bottom left); Classroom Champions Champion Chats (bottom right)
In May of 2017, one of our very first clients Startup Calgary, joined the Calgary Economic Development family. Shortly after, Catalystica was contracted to provide program management, community building and marketing support for Startup Calgary on an ongoing basis.
In the summer, we collaborated with the super positive, detail oriented, event whiz, Michelle Moody of Gidget Event Productions, to help us coordinate four of our events. Best decision ever!
2017 was an amazing year and we are excited to share that we’re fully booked for 2018. Stay tuned for more details and follow along with our personal journeys. Happy holidays!
Event Recap: Quantified Farm Conference
The Quantified Farm Conference, presented by Decisive Farming, is an annual conference that connects producers and industry professionals from the across the agriculture industry.
The Quantified Farm Conference, presented by Decisive Farming, is an annual conference that connects producers and industry professionals from the across the agriculture industry.
The 2017 conference hosted over 200 attendees from across Alberta, Manitoba, Saskatchewan and the United States on December 6-7, 2017 at The Rimrock Resort Hotel in Banff, Alberta.
About the Quantified Farm Conference Theme
This year’s conference theme was the Spirit of Farm Innovation. Sessions focused on giving attendees a glimpse into the future of technology in agriculture. Speakers presented topics such precision ag, the future of farm to fork and changes in farm technology.
Social Media Impact
The ‘Twittersphere’ was buzzing about farm innovation using the #QuantifiedFarm hashtag. With 73 unique users, the hashtag reached over 78,000 users and generated over 100,000 impressions.
Over a 28-day period surrounding the conference, visits to Decisive Farming’s Twitter profile increased by 183% and they earned 50 new followers.
Speaker Highlights
Norbert Beaujot, an inventor and founder of Seed Master, kicked off the conference by revealing DOT Power Platform, an autonomous seeder. This keynote was rated by attendees as their favourite!
Another favourite session was the panel led by Trish Myers of Federated Co-op Limited on food sustainability and the future of farm to fork. We learned that producers feel that the word sustainability is more of a “buzz word” crafted by marketers and it doesn’t resonate positively.
Trish Meyers from Federated Co-operatives Limited moderating a panel with Earl Greenhough, Koch Fertilizer; Mike O’Dea, INTL FCStone; and Matt Hamill, Red Shed Malting.
Kevin Swan, VP of Solium who grew up on a beekeeping farm west of Edmonton, presented the closing keynote titled “the mystique of farm innovation.” He shared about the innovation lifecycle and touched on the value of bitcoin and the cryptocurrency markets that will affect every industry, not just agriculture.
Kevin Swan, VP at Solium
“It was great to connect with others and hear how dynamic and diverse farming is. I enjoyed hearing new ideas and engaging speakers.”
Why Attendees Love It
When attendees explain their main reason for attending a conference, we are used to unanimously hearing that they attend to network. This group was different. Quantified Farm Conference attendees were there, first and foremost, to learn something new to take back to their farm or their career supporting ag.
Dan Clarke, Executive VP Business Development & Agronomy at A&L Canada Laboratories
“The conference helped me get out of the daily grind and be reminded of why I love ag so much and get motivated to keep going.”
To wrap up the conference, attendees headed downtown for custom cocktails and distillery tours at Park Distillery. The event was spread out on both levels of the bar, with casual food stations meant for grazing or meeting someone new at the long picnic-style tables (there was even a poutine bar and a s’mores station!) PARK mixed some of the best cocktails in Banff, made with liquor prepared in-house and offered distillery tours throughout the evening.
“I enjoyed the social event at Park Distillery - good leads and networking resulted from it.”
Check Out the Photos on Facebook
Want to see what you missed? Check out the conference photos by Andrew Hardingham on Decisive Farming’s Facebook page.
For more info about Decisive Farming, visit www.decisivefarming.com
Rainforest Alberta: Community Management Recap
Rainforest Alberta is a community of nearly 1,000 people who have agreed to embrace and promote the values and principles that are foundational to build a culture of innovation in Alberta.
It was so exciting for us to help build the foundation of Rainforest and we are excited to watch it continue to grow!
Rainforest Alberta is a community of nearly 1,000 people who have agreed to embrace and promote the values and principles that are foundational to build a culture of innovation in Alberta.
It was so exciting for us to contribute to building the foundation of Rainforest Alberta and we are excited to watch it continue to grow!
How the Movement Began
The Rainforest Alberta movement began when a few key innovators, Brad Zumwalt, Jim Gibson, Cynthia van Sundert, Evan Hu and David Edmonds, wanted to make Alberta a better place to start and grow tech companies. This movement was inspired by a book titled The Rainforest: The Secret to Building the Next Silicon Valley, written by Victor Hwang and Greg Horowitt.
At a first glance, you might think this book suggests that we create replicas of the Valley all over the world. Instead, it encourages cities to create a custom approach to building a culture of innovation based on six attributes:
- Leadership
- Culture
- Frameworks, infrastructure and policy
- Role models
- Activities and engagement
- Resources
Joe Sterling, Partner at Rainforest Strategies, LLP
Rainforest Alberta creates measurable improvements to Alberta’s culture, increases collisions across industries, and supports the growth of companies within the digital economy.
Rainforest Initiatives
The Rainforest continues to grow through five major platforms.
The Rainforest Summit
In September 2016, Rainforest Alberta made its debut hosting the first Rainforest Alberta Summit in Banff. Rainforest Strategies, LLP consultants, Henry Doss and Joe Sterling, came to Banff to help our community measure the current state of our culture of innovation, and create the first draft of the Social Contract. The Social Contract outlines 10 values and principles that are key to building a culture of innovation.
Rainforest Summit at the Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity
Henry and Joe facilitated a full-day session with 60 of Alberta’s top leaders in innovation and technology to provide us with an ecosystem score to benchmark progress. Our first score? 464/1000 (an obvious fail) which is when the goal to reach the 800s by 2020 was set. Since then, Rainforest Alberta has hosted three Summits in Banff and one in Edmonton, bringing sixty new community members together each time to reevaluate our ecosystem score and brainstorm improvements.
Here is a summary of the progressive ecosystem scores. ranked out of 1,000:
- September 2016 | 464
- March 2017 | 562
- September 2017 | 610
Rainforest Lunch Without Lunch
A weekly Lunch Without Lunch (referred to as LWOL) began at Assembly Coworking Space in Calgary after the first Summit. What started as a small gathering currently continues to host 65+ people every week, at least 25% of which are new to the community.
LWOL started as a way to begin building community and speed up connections across industries within Calgary. Jim Gibson, one of the founders of Rainforest Alberta and the primary facilitator of LWOL, used to start each session by having each person who was new to the community introduce themselves by answering three questions:
- Who are you?
- What do you need from the community?
- What are you able to give back?
These questions were asked in order to fill the gaps and connect those who needs something with those who are able to provide it, all while encouraging collaboration over autonomy.
Rainforest Alberta founders, Brad Zumwalt and Jim Gibson, at Rainforest on Campus at the University of Calgary,
We have now hosted over 60 Lunch Without Lunch events across the community including Rainforest on Campus events at the University of Calgary, and other locations including TELUS Spark, The Inc at Innovate Calgary and the Civic Innovation Lab.
Rainforest Alberta Slack Channel
When the community grew legs within such a short amount of time, a Slack community was created to continue facilitating connections. Joining the Slack community requires two things - attending a Lunch Without Lunch and signing the Social Contract.
The Slack community now has almost 800 members and houses discussion around 30 channels with the most popular being ecosystem news, events, entrepreneurs, and introductions. Topics such as blockchain, funding and social enterprise also continue to grow.
Nucleus Calgary
Communitech in Waterloo, a poster child for acceleration and technology, says that a culture of innovation needs a pact, a posse and a place. The Social Contract is our pact, and the LWOL and Slack community creates our posse. The only thing missing was place. With the help of Mark Blackwell, Brad Zumwalt, one of the original founders of Rainforest Alberta, spearheaded the search for a place. Nucleus Calgary, sponsored by Cenovus Energy for the next two years, now exists as a community hub at the Oddfellows Building.
Foyer at Nucleus Calgary, sponsored by Cenovus Energy
Nucleus Calgary is intended to be a place where founders, funders, government, researchers, mentors and supporters can be co-located to create a central hub to help entrepreneurs build and grow companies.
Community Initiatives
Other amazing initiatives have sprung up from a dedicated group of volunteers including PivotTECH, a full day conference set out to help Calgary’s unemployed and underemployed workforce transition into a tech-focused career and contribute to the digital economy.
Learn more about Rainforest Alberta and join the community
Visit www.rainforestab.ca to learn more and attend a Lunch Without Lunch.
Check out the Year in Review newsletter from Rainforest Alberta here.
Event Recap: Cyber Summit 2017
The 2017 Cyber Summit theme was based on the following quote by William Gibson: “The future is already here, it’s just not very evenly distributed.” The goal of the conference was to improve access to connectivity and computing resources in underprivileged communities.
The Cyber Summit is an annual multi-day conference organized by Cybera, SRnet and MRnet that brings together 200 education, research and IT professionals from across Western Canada. The conference was held November 8-9, 2017 at the Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity.
About the Cyber Summit
The 2017 Cyber Summit theme was based on the following quote by William Gibson: “The future is already here, it’s just not very evenly distributed.” The goal of the conference was to improve access to connectivity and computing resources in underprivileged communities. The conference sessions addressed innovation and technology, and what we need to do to help communities keep up with this rapid pace of change.
Social Media Impact
Social media helps build a community that extends beyond the conference. Conference attendees shared content on Twitter using the hashtag #CyberSummit17. The social media lounge, sponsored by WBM Technologies, gave attendees a chance to play Nintendo Classic, try on props and take fun photos, as well as charge their phones using custom branded SOS Charging Solutions stations. We couldn’t resist trying out the photo booth!
“The social lounge was a great idea! It was nice to have a place to unwind for a few minutes between sessions or take a peer for a quick discussion.”
Over a 28 day period, Cybera’s Twitter account earned 22 new followers and profile visits increased by 57%. Tweets posted by Cybera over this period resulted in 48.1K impressions, an increase of 69%.
By the way - the ladies in the photo above (Meagan Hampel and Laura Hutchinson) are our partners in crime from Cybera. We had an absolute blast working with them (as you can tell).
“The Catalystica team helped us put on one of our most highly-rated annual conferences yet, ensuring that every detail was handled. For myself, it was great to have event organizers who I could trust and didn’t have to check up on. They took a lot of the stress out of the event organization for me, and were able to come up with new and creative ways to promote the conference. Highly, highly recommend.”
Speaker Highlights
At some of our events, we have to work hard to keep our cool - especially when we are hanging out with down-to-earth “tech stars” such as Huda Idrees, Founder & CEO of Dot Health; and Greg Wyler, Founder & Executive Chairman of OneWeb.
Did you know that Dot Health was recently recognized as one of the Top 20 Most Innovative Companies in Canada?
And Greg Wyler from One Web was voted FierceWireless’ most powerful executive in telecom for 2017? Very cool!
Why Attendees Loved It
We’ve discovered that holding conferences outside of Calgary’s city limits instantly changes the energy and overall vibe. The Cyber Summit was hosted at the Banff Centre located on Tunnel Mountain in Banff. The Banff Centre has an intimate campus feel as a one-stop-shop for all conference activities. If you haven’t dined at the Vistas Dining Room with panoramic views of the rocky mountains, we HIGHLY recommend it.
Oh ya - and the dress code was mountain casual, which meant jeans, plaid and puffy vests. It will be hard to go back to regular conference attire now!
“A small, intimate, well run event. The proximity of the facilities was very convenient and the setting was relaxing.”
For those who wanted to make the most of their time in Banff, there were two pre-conference workshops: Introducing Virtual Reality to the Classroom co-hosted by the University of Lethbridge and Lethbridge College and a Smart Cities workshop hosted by SensorUp.
“Great event! The pace was nice, not too overwhelming so was able to absorb and have the opportunity to chat with other attendees. Really enjoyed the discussions around challenges in Alberta, complimented by a global perspective.”
We’ll let you in on a secret: We also get that end-of-day, brain-still-spinning from information overload feeling. That’s why we loved the Cyber Summit reception and banquet that featured (dun-dun-dun) TRIVIA NIGHT hosted by Calgary Corporate Challenge trivia master, Doug Caspar!
Check Out the Photos on Facebook
Want to see what you missed? Check out the workshop and conference photos by Nathalie Terekhova on Cybera’s Facebook page.
For more info about Cybera, visit www.cybera.ca
Event Recap: Valhalla Private Capital Unveil
It was hard to keep our lips sealed before the big reveal of Valhalla Private Capital. Luckily, we didn’t have to keep the secret for long! Just over a month later, we hosted over 250 attendees for two brand launch events in Edmonton and Calgary.
It was hard to keep our lips sealed before the big reveal of Valhalla Private Capital. Luckily, we didn’t have to keep the secret for long! Just over a month later, we hosted over 250 attendees for two brand launch events in Edmonton and Calgary.
About Valhalla Private Capital
At first, we felt like Valhalla was a secret for us too. We were patiently waiting to see the finished logo and website and we couldn’t wait for the brand unveil (we didn’t even know what Valhalla meant!).
Knowing that VA Angels, BaseCamp, The Seed, OKR Financial and Vario Ventures were the masterminds behind Valhalla, we knew this team meant business. Valhalla Private Capital is a corporate finance firm offering five services including: angel investing, global entrepreneurship, investor/entrepreneur educational programs, investment funds and M&M advisory services.
The Edmonton Unveil at the Art Gallery of Alberta
We launched in Edmonton in one of our favourite venues in the province - the Art Gallery of Alberta - on Tuesday, August 15, 2017. It is incredibly Instagram-worthy thanks to the high ceilings, floor-to-ceiling windows and skylights. As one of Edmonton’s not so hidden charms (have you seen it from the outside!?), it was the perfect place to launch a big brand like Valhalla.
The Calgary Unveil on the 26th Floor of The Edison
We continued the celebration on Wednesday, August 16 with the Calgary community on the 26th floor of The Edison, a newly renovated tower managed by Aspen Properties. The Edison is Valhalla’s new office and future home to RocketSpace. Although the building was in the midst of renovations, Aspen Properties helped us transform this blank slate to fulfill our vision. Our favourite part aspect of this building is that it is DOG FRIENDLY! Unfortunately dogs weren’t formally invited to the unveil…
The Brand
Executing events requires a “tribe”, which is why we were so excited to work with our favourite design firm, Trout + Taylor, the creative minds behind Valhalla’s new brand! We worked with them to create a stamp-able passport to help attendees get to know each Valhalla pillar and service offering better. Throughout the event, attendees tried a unique cocktail and appetizer at each booth and got to learn more about the Valhalla team.
We can’t thank our event partners enough, including Azra & Oak who helped us capture photos at both events. Be sure to check out the Edmonton and Calgary Facebook albums for more pictures!
Learn More About Valhalla
Want to learn more? Check out the official announcement explaining how Valhalla began and what’s next for this awesome team.
Event Recap: Branch Out Bike Tour 2017
There is something special about Branch Out Neurological Foundation’s annual Bike Tour. It’s not just the picture-perfect view staying at Panorama Mountain Resort or working with Branch Out’s Executive Director, Crystal Phillips. There’s more to it than that. This event brings together a superfit, generous, enthusiastic crowd of Branchies. Yes, we’ve made that a word.
There is something special about Branch Out Neurological Foundation’s annual Bike Tour. It’s not just the picture-perfect view staying at Panorama Mountain Resort or working with Branch Out’s Executive Director, Crystal Phillips. There’s more to it than that. This event brings together a superfit, generous, enthusiastic crowd of Branchies. Yes, we’ve made that a word.
About the Branch Out Bike Tour
The Branch Out Neurological Foundation funds research for technologies and non-pharmaceutical approaches for neurological disorders including MS, Autism, Alzheimer's, concussions and epilepsy. The Branch Out Bike Tour started 7 YEARS AGO as Branch Out’s first, and now largest, fundraiser and has since raised over one million dollars.
The Bike Tour is organized by a committee of volunteers who dedicate hours of time (and energy - phewf) for months leading up to the event to make sure that it’s a success. In addition, there are 50 day-of volunteers who offer support. Events are much more fun when you have a talented crew to back you up!
“There were so many things that contributed to the great atmosphere - from the awesome volunteers, to the fun aide stations, to the other riders who were all so encouraging- the whole weekend had an awesome vibe!”
Why Branchies Love It
Branchies are incapable of having an okay time. They go ALL out. From rocking costumes that most people wouldn’t dream of wearing for a 100km ride, to late night 90’s dance parties that can’t stop, won’t stop, the Bike Tour makes giving back fun for everyone.
“The people and the atmosphere are truly incredible! Whether you’re a seasoned rider or newbie, it’s the best time you’ll have. Can’t wait for next year!”
Fundraising
Outside of the high fives and good times, there is a powerful feel good vibe to every Bike Tour. One of the committee members, Leslie McMillan, joined to support the cause after losing her mother to a neurological disorder. Leslie went above and beyond to put together Branch Out’s largest silent auction to-date, helped us host our first live auction and balloon pop, all while raising over $40K to earn the title of top fundraiser.
This year, 227 riders raised over $350,000.
“Throughout the day I had several conversations with people where they were able to express their passion for this cause, how it’s not just a fun ride through the mountains, why they are involved, etc... the collection of those conversations, that was my favorite part.”
“I had to pinch myself after our Branch Out Bike Tour event this year. It really did happen, a flawless event! You helped us raise over $200,000 and receive the best feedback results from participants, who raved about the support, safety and organization of the event. Very excited for our next adventures together, you’re keepers!”
Check out the Facebook Photos
Want to see what you missed? Check out the Facebook photos by Siber Tiger Productions, Prairie Moon Photography & Arno Hoogveld here.
Click here for photos from the 2016 Bike Tour.
Event Recap: AccelerateAB 2017
AccelerateAB really is the entrepreneurs’ conference, capturing a side of our innovation ecosystem that might not be seen otherwise. It’s the only time that entrepreneurs, mentors, investors, government and service providers from across the province come together to celebrate innovation and technology.
If you have ever seen us in action at the end of a conference, we may be quick to say, “That was our FAVOURITE event!” (cue eye-roll). Every pitch event, fundraiser and conference gives us a unique rush of adrenaline as we watch different communities come together to celebrate, learn and connect. We dare you to try and leave without feeling inspired!
Photo by Pinstripe Productions
About AccelerateAB
AccelerateAB really is the entrepreneurs’ conference, capturing a side of our innovation ecosystem that might not be seen otherwise. It’s the only time that entrepreneurs, mentors, investors, government and service providers from across the province come together to celebrate innovation and technology.
15 local Alberta startups experience a multi-stage mentorship program and bring their “A” game to the stage to pitch in front of 400 attendees. With an extensive support network built behind them, these entrepreneurs thrive both at and after AccelerateAB.
“We have a lot of great startups in the province and we are finding ways to leverage a lot of great people and companies to help those startups be successful.”
Why the Roundtable Companies Love It
From the storytelling workshop and pitch practice hosted by The Agency and PwC, to the private Roundtable sessions, these 15 companies get to connect with Alberta’s top mentors and supporters.
Working within this ecosystem, we love to find ways to showcase local founders. We felt like proud parents watching companies like Gifty, SpikeBee and Interface Fluidics pitch on stage for the second or even third time as they continue to gain more support and exposure at each event.
“AccelerateAB was an amazing opportunity for professional development and gaining personal life experience. In just 4 hours, I was able to gain years of experience as a business professional and apply them to my entrepreneurial career. ”
Photo by Pinstripe Productions
Social Media Impact
AccelerateAB has a very active online community that follows the conference each year through the #AccelerateAB hashtag, keeping the buzz high before and after the conference.
Although you may wonder why people spend so much time looking down at their phone at the conference, a sense of community builds around these conversations and extends well beyond our screens.
#AccelerateAB was trending on Twitter during the conference! For more social media stats, check out the report from CMO4Hire.
Community Support
Thank you to the sponsors and community partners that supported AccelerateAB this year! From their involvement as mentors at the private Roundtable sessions, to the insight provided on-stage, we truly couldn’t have done it without them.
The extensive support from AccelerateAB Community Partners and Sponsors was a true reflection of how our province has come together to pick our economy up and show Alberta what innovation can do for our community!
Photo by Pinstripe Productions
Ecosystem Impact
AccelerateAB featured keynote speakers Alexander Manu, strategic innovation practitioner; Cathy Han, Founder & CEO of 42 Technologies; and Bruce Croxon, Co-Founder of LavaLife and former dragon on CBC Dragon’s Den. Between the inspirational keynotes, workshop presenters and panelists, AccelerateAB attendees acquired new knowledge a fresh perspective on our innovation ecosystem.
“Fall in love with the problem, not the solution. Culture is not what you do, but how you do it. Solve a real problem! There’s never been a better time than right here, right now.”
Photo by Pinstripe Productions
Be sure to check out the Calgary Herald article on how Alberta’s technology sector is finally in the spotlight!
“The Catalystica team is extremely professional and cool under pressure – a skill always admired in our industry. The A100 was truly pleased with the organization of our yearly AccelerateAB Conference. There is nothing I gave them that they weren’t able to take on. We are so pleased to have Catalystica in our province’s tech innovation ecosystem.”
Check out the Facebook Photos
Want to see what you missed? Check out the photos on AccelerateAB's Facebook page here.
Click here to see the photos from AccelerateAB 2016.
Event Recap: The Accelerator Demo Day
Launching The Accelerator’s first Demo Day event was an extra special experience because it was built from a support community for local founders!
Demo Day was a full-day experience on Tuesday, March 14, 2017. The day began with Private Investor Pitch Sessions at Dentons, and finished with the public Demo Day at Studio Bell.
Launching The Accelerator’s first Demo Day event was an extra special experience because it was built from a support community for local founders!
About The Accelerator
The Accelerator launched in Fall of 2016 to provide curriculum, services, seed money, mentors and connections for technology startup founders. Demo Day was designed to provide an exciting environment for these founders to showcase everything they have learned in 5-months at The Accelerator and connect with investors that can help them continue to build momentum.
Demo Day was a full-day experience on Tuesday, March 14, 2017. The day began with Private Investor Pitch Sessions at Dentons, and finished with the public Demo Day at Studio Bell.
Private Investor Pitch Sessions at Dentons
The Private Investor Pitch Sessions were hosted at Dentons, one of The Accelerator’s key partners.
The entrepreneurs that participate in The Accelerator’s program are pre-seed and seed startups looking to connect with investors. At Dentons, each founder privately pitched their company to several investors and startup advisors who provided actionable feedback and support, while getting a first glance and some of Calgary’s up-and-coming technology companies.
The Accelerator Demo Day at Studio Bell
The Accelerator’s inaugural Demo Day took place at Calgary’s architectural masterpiece, Studio Bell - Home of the National Music Centre.
The startups from Batch #1 pitched to an audience of 200 people and they CRUSHED it! With “Eye of the Tiger” playing between each pitch, these founders were able to relax and shine during what, for many, was their first time pitching on-stage.
“The pitches were excellent, energetic and to the point. 3 minutes was ample and the presenters looked professional. Giving the presenters such a high-end facility really capped a well run evening.”
The event brought together several local investors, mentors, fellow entrepreneurs and community supporters who were all very excited to watch these companies pitch and continue to support them on their entrepreneurial journeys.
Batch 1 of The Accelerator
We had a blast watching these startups tell their story in 3 short minutes and look forward to seeing them make their mark in Calgary’s startup community.
The Accelerator Demo Day Pitch Winner
If you have had a chance to speak with Irfaan Premji, Founder of Gifty, you won’t be surprised that this extremely gifted and well-spoken entrepreneur won the award for “Best Pitch” at Demo Day. The main piece of feedback that Irfaan received during the Private Investor Pitch Sessions is that he will need to be mindful that people may find his technology too easy to use!
Irfaan won a one-on-one meeting with Andrea Drager, VP of San Francisco-based VC firm Azure Capital! Congratulations!
Community Reach
As “all-in” event planners, we don’t just coordinate your event. We become a part of your team because we want your event to succeed as much as you do! That’s why we rolled up our sleeves to start building an online community for The Accelerator and Demo Day.
#DemoDayYYC was a hit on Twitter and Instagram! It was trending on March 14 and was still trending well into the morning of March 15.
The Accelerator is building its brand and growing its community!
See you at Demo Day in September!
The next Demo Day will be held in September 2017. Stay tuned! Subscribe to The Accelerator’s mailing list to be notified when tickets go on sale.
Check out the Demo Day photos on Facebook taken by one of our favourite local photographers, Kristyn Harder Photography!
Startup Calgary Launch Party 2016
Launch Party is an annual Startup Calgary program of events that provides Calgary’s tech and tech-enabled startups with a platform to validate their business and gain credibility. In its 7th year of operation, we attracted 46 startup applicants, 16 semi-finalists, 10 top startups, and 700 attendees.
Our first 15 months at Catalystica have been a whirlwind. It feels like just yesterday that we organized our first large-scale networking event. Now, 34 events and 4,000 attendees later, we have hosted our first “sequel” event - Launch Party 2016.
“Launch Party has become the best networking event in the city for tech entrepreneurs” - Ray de Paul Director of the Institute for Innovation and Entrepreneurship, Mount Royal University
About Launch Party
Launch Party is an annual Startup Calgary program of events that provides Calgary’s tech and tech-enabled startups with a platform to validate their business and gain credibility. In its 7th year of operation, we attracted 46 startup applicants, 16 semi-finalists, 10 top startups, and 700 attendees.
A committee selected 16 semi-finalists who received private pitch coaching from local Calgary mentors in order to prepare for Pitch Night which was held on October 18, 2016, during Small Business Week. These companies pitched to an audience of over 250 people, who then voted for the Top 10 that moved on to showcase at Launch Party on November 17, 2016.
From 30 people at pitch coaching to 250 people at Pitch Night, Launch Party grew to fill a room with 700 members of Calgary’s community made up of startups, investors, government, media, and supporters during Global Entrepreneurship Week.
Community Reach
We assist with Startup Calgary’s social media and digital marketing year-round, which is why we get so excited to ramp up for Launch Party! The amount of engagement with Startup Calgary’s Twitter profile leading up to Launch Party can be seen below.
Launch Party’s hashtag #SCLP2016 also got a lot of attention and reached over 420,000 users on Twitter and Instagram in the ten days surrounding Launch Party.
In addition, both Pitch Night and Launch Party were covered by Metro News Calgary in the following articles:
- “Top 10 Calgary startups chosen through Pitch Night” by Aaron Chatha
- “Paperwork and payments highlighted at Startup Calgary Launch Party” by Aaron Chatha
Community Support
This event relies on several engaged community players to pull it off. We worked with 27 sponsors, 30 promotional partners, and 65 volunteers from the local community.
Calgary Impact
Now more than ever, Calgary is focused on diversifying its economy and employing a knowledgeable workforce. Launch Party continues to provide opportunities for members of Calgary’s entrepreneurial community to connect and collide.
Through the awards, presenters, and community supporters, startups gain access to the people they need to validate their business and grow.
“I was very proud to introduce a number of the finalists and other startups to our panel of VCs. Each of our panelists expressed their very positive impressions of the event and the companies in attendance. I would be very surprised if some of those companies did not obtain funding from Microsoft, Vanedge Capital, or Silicon Valley Bank over the next 12 months.” - Frank Turner, Partner at Osler
Why We Love Launch Party (& Startup Calgary!)
Launch Party combines education and support for startups, providing a platform for them to show the Calgary community what they do and gain access to the mentors and connections they need to help grow their business. Launch Party brings together people from all spectrums of Calgary’s startup community. It’s the best way to get your feet wet in the startup community and to reconnect with those you only see a couple times a year.
Working with Kari Gordon, the Executive Director at Startup Calgary, is always a blast! We enjoy supporting her tireless efforts to craft meaningful experiences for Calgary’s startup community. (And we’ve found the trick to getting her to accomplish her to-do-list tasks: digital unicorn emojis!)
“The Catalystica team is fantastic at anticipating client needs and going above the expectations of delivering a quality experience. From conferences to events, social media and marketing they cover all the bases.”
Check out the Facebook Photos
Want to see what you missed? Check out the photos on Startup Calgary's Facebook page.
How to Market Your Startup on a Shoestring Budget
You have a great idea. You know it, your team knows it. But you need EVERYONE to know about it. How are you going to spread the word when you are on a tight budget trying to maximize every dollar? Here are three easy (and effective) ways you can market your startup on a shoestring budget.
You have a great idea. You know it, your team knows it. But you need EVERYONE to know about it. How are you going to spread the word when you are on a tight budget trying to maximize every dollar?
Here are three easy (and effective) ways you can market your startup on a shoestring budget.
1. Develop Your Personal Brand
It was your knowledge, skills, and personality that led you into this business. Your personal brand is the fastest way to build a trusting relationship between your company and your potential clients, users, or customers. Nail. It. Down.
Demonstrate thought leadership.
Know what your area of expertise is and pick the best channel to share it. Are you a social media whiz? Then you better be the first one tweeting when Instagram introduces “stories” and when Twitter removes photos from its character count!
Just like every brand needs a voice, so do you.
Finding your voice takes practice but, once you have it, people will be able to appreciate your sense of professionalism, quirkiness, or whatever it is that you bring to the table. Every word counts.
Literally brand yo’self.
You need to know what colors, fonts, and things describe YOU. If you create your own website to share your expertise, you might want your own logo and colour scheme that can follow you wherever your career takes you.
Know what makes you unique and find a way to share that.
Outside of work, my life tends to revolve around coffee, cute stationery, and travel. Your audience wants to know YOU. That’s what takes your company from a logo to a team of real people.
Personal branding comes down to showing people who you are, and why they should trust the company that you put your blood, sweat, and tears into. People trust people, it’s that simple.
2. Find Partners That Will Help You Promote Your Brand For You
You did the research. You know that there is a group of people out there that want or need your product, service, or expertise! Find the organizations that share similar interests, but aren’t competitors, and turn them into community partners.
Make the relationship mutually beneficial.
Don’t go on your profiles, guns a blazing, and start spamming every inbox you can find hoping that someone, anyone, will say yes. Be strategic. Make a list of organizations that you think would actually benefit from promoting your company. How can you test whether the relationship makes sense? Ask yourself if you would feel comfortable promoting their content too!
Don’t feel comfortable asking for support? Just start promoting.
You don’t need permission. Their content is out there for the world to see, so start sharing it. Show your potential partners that you are invested in promoting their interests and that you see alignment with your brand. It will make asking for support that much easier.
Once you have a few solid community partners, keep those relationships strong. As you promote each other’s content, you will have developed a free brand ambassador.
3. Live Tweet at Events
There are so many different free Meetup groups, workshops, and lunch and learns in our community. Looking to increase engagement with your brand? There really is no better time to be tweeting than at an event that aligns with what you do.
Cut through the noise and tweet to your target audience.
If you send a tweet using an event hashtag or handle, suddenly your posts aren’t lost in the abyss of the entire Twittersphere. Instead, you speak to a smaller, relevant community where people are actually paying attention. You’ve just sent a targeted tweet without paying a cent.
Engage with other attendees.
If you find the pace of live tweeting overwhelming (which it can be) take a few breaks and engage with others who are posting. These are the people you want in your network! Follow the event hashtag and reply, retweet, and follow away. Who knows, maybe you will find a potential customer or community partner!
Find relevant followers quickly.
If you are in the stages of building an audience, this is one of the fastest ways to do it. General hashtags are useful, but you are still likely to attract a few “spammers” who are looking for literally anyone to follow them. If you want real, local followers with a true interest in your brand, engaging in social media conversations at events is a must.
Most free events only run an hour or two and are a great way to maximize the value of your time when resources are tight!
Effective marketing doesn’t have to be expensive! How do you market your startup?
Header photo by Jenn Richardson