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.
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.