I like what you are trying to achieve.

Many other Cities around the world have the stated ambition to become the Silicon Valley 0f France/Germany etc etc.

For the moment most of them are not succeeding very well; as in my opinion they don't or are unwilling to re structure their fiscal policy and investor incentives in order to compete with Silicon Valley.

In my opinion the Calgary economy is driven by oil. Since the Oil industry is booming.

a) Local Government coffers are full so there is no great pressure on local politicians to create new industries other that in the Energy sector.

B) Canadian Taxes are very high. This is not encouraging to Angel Investors since it increases the risk potential; comparative to Silicon Valley.

C) Canadian Fiscal policy encourages "new wealth" to take a TAX Holiday
offshore. Perhaps you should organize your seminars in either Barbados or the Bahamas.

D) Offshore wealth will seek the highest potential returns in the most liquid markets. The Calgary Stock Market is more resource driven and not very liquid. Silicon Valley has NASDAQ which is technology driven.

I agree that Calgary like French,German, British cities have the potential to become the next Silicon Valley, provided that they RE STRUCTURE their incentives.

I wish you luck and hope you succeed.

Your Quote:
"I have been reading a lot about the investing environment in Canada, and how it is hurting the startup and innovation sectors of our economy."

"Why should people be moving to Silicon Valley when Calgary has the potential to become Silicon Valley North? "

The idea behind Funding Camps are not just for Calgary, they are for any city looking to help push startup initiatives. Just like BarCamp, DemoCamp, and StartupCamp. In this case, it is about funding and money rather than ideas and concepts.

I just use Calgary as an example because there is a strong connection between Cambrian House and Calgary, and I'm from Calgary as well. :) I know that Raleigh, North Carolina is another city that is in the same boat as Calgary. Same for Austin, an oil town trying to go high tech.

Having never run a BarCamp or the like, can anyone provide some advice?

Can't really give any advice but I can say that it's a great idea. I do have a few questions though. How long would the camp last for? Describe the environment to me? What would be some of the events that take place?

This is phenomenal. Personal meetings have always been the better way to make a presence and get recognized, and this seems like it would get people that need each other together in a laid-back atmosphere. Now you just need to find investors that will attend. Any ideas on a specific location?

Looking forward to hearing more daraddishman

Rouguestartv: DemoCamps typically run 2-4 hours. BarCamps run 1-2 days, same for Startup Camps. I pictured that FundingCamps running for 2-4 hours, similar to an angel investor brunch. I suppose you could expand them to a day long event if they got popular.

Chalibeaus: One of the big things with this idea is getting local evangelists to push the events in local hot-spots. Since I'm moving back to Calgary in August, I was thinking I'd push it there. I picture starting at a pub or coffee shop. Maybe Vicious Circle or the Rose and Crown? :) Local hot spots and the like.

Scoobie: Thanks!

A couple of people have asked about the environment, so here's what I was thinking...

Funding Camps would be called together a couple months in advance, and you would RSVP on a wiki, just like BarCamps typically. Each person coming would flag if they want to pitch, or bring an investor friend, or both. After that things usually get put together at the event. Normally a person spearheads the event, and helps get all the kittens herded and the action going.

They are laid back, social, and all about being fun as well as informative.

Hey - I think both Stirr and Founders and Funders are two things starting up right here in Calgary. If you want to get involved in any of the current stuff going on, we sould talk!

Also, the next DemoCamp is May13th, will you be in Calgary by then?

Sadly I am missing the next DemoCamp. I was hoping to arrange a trip back ( business and pre-moving setup ) but that's not going to happen in time for the 13th.

We all know I love these sort of events ;)

:D

I've checked out some of the websites for your events in the past rayrayangel. Some friends of mine hung out at a few of them, and we all spent a couple hours getting our friends to increase the value of vcwear.com

"Attendance would be a minimal cover of $20 per person, half of which would be used for the cost of a venue, half would go into that Funding Camp 'Funding Pot'. During the Funding Camp the attendees vote on who presents the best startup company, and they are awarded the 'Funding Pot' at the conclusion of Funding Camp."

Interesting concept. $20 might present some friction. And the resulting pot might be too small. At least that's me extrapolating from my Calgary DemoCamp experience.

DEFINITELY participating in DemoCamp / BarCamp type events presents untold opportunities, as you never know what you'll see or who you'll meet. VCs and angels frequent such events.

Adding money collection, voting (private?), money hand-off to such an event seems like it would be more trouble than its worth. People show up late. You want someone asking for $ (usually to grant access to a public space)? I'd rather have some curious people see a democamp going on, walk over and watch the proceedings than be barred and ask for $.

(I don't think its a terrible idea... certainly reasonable suggestion. I think DemoCamp is better model though.)

Good point Gordon. Nobody likes to pay for things. Hmmm.

Well, it could always be run as a sponsored event, and half the money from sponsorship goes to paying for the event, half goes to a prize of some sort. Voting presents challenges as well. Hmm. I'll have to think about the money side of it.

It might be interesting. To have some type of virtual expo of booths.

i have to say i do love the premise of this idea. And I'm going to have to disagree with Gordon.

I think it is a great idea to charge money for it, I just don't know if $20 is enough to tell you the truth. I think the $50 price line with 80% going back to the winner or top two would really pull people in.

The $50 gets you a chance to network with people that are serious enough about their startup to put a little money where their mouth is, it lets you pitch these people and get quality feedback from those who know what to look for, and say you get 50 - 75 people at each event... that's $2000 - $3000 in the pot. For $50 if I knew my startup idea had a chance at getting $2000 I'd be in there in a heartbeat.

Lets take that a step further and say you get local businesses to also sponsor this, offering either money, equipment or business services/discounts to the winners. This suddenly becomes a pretty enticing $50 "investment".

Agree with Gordon, it should be run as a sponsored/multi-sponsored event.
I'd also make sure to invite reporters from the local media.

Here is something to keep in mind. You charge a price to weed out people who aren't serious ;)

I have to agree with rayray and mccon on that one. There could be a middle ground though. You could charge some attendees and bring some heavy hitting people in with sponsorship money. That way you can have a pretty balanced mix of people just starting out and seasoned people as well...

What about free to attend, fee to pitch?

One of the things I want to avoid is turning into just another investor brunch. A big part of this is fostering a community where people are getting together to just yack about starting up companies, and bouncing ideas around in a social setting with not just idea thinkers, but investors as well.

I worry that if it is free to attend, fee to pitch that would sort of damage that feeling. Sponsorship is a good way to go, but that too can damage the feeling. NOt as badly in my opinion, since DemoCamps and BarCamps are often sponsored by some company of individual.

There seem to be two conflicting issues here:
1) Building a community of people around an event.
2) Money.

Isn't that always the crux? Heh.

I like your ideas. I think you will really need to define if it's about the funding or about the fostering of a community where "people are getting together to just yack about starting up companies...." You will need to describe yourself well enough to attendees that people get the concept.

So are we listening to pitches and deciding where to put our money or are we networking...

Or maybe we are focused on pitches for 75% of the time and then we are networking so that investors and those pitching can have some time to meet and talk more personally. It's the person as much as the idea, right?

I tend to be quite focused and probably wouldn't appreciate an event where the organizers are unsure of their main intent. I also avoid meetings that don't have well-defined agendas.

The idea itself it great. Here in Vancouver the Small Business Centre puts on events like this (or at least they used to) along with business plan contents and so forth. They are already well connected to those trying to start up companies and those looking to invest.

EthicalConsumer: I wonder if that is a disconnect between the startup and investor social circles? One enjoys participation in BarCamp free-form un-conferences, the other likes to participate in structured clear cut events?

Do we have many angels/investors/startup pros around to comment on that?

Or is it just a matter of defining things tightly and pulling in the right people?

Quote:"Do we have many angels/investors/startup pros around to comment on that?

Or is it just a matter of defining things tightly and pulling in the right people? "

Hi Daraddishman, In order to make it easier to respond; perhaps you could indicate:

a) How much financing you would hope to attract (approx) per "Idea/project; " at an event such as you proposing?

"Pots of $3,000/$5,000" were mentioned in the above comments.

I of course agree that LUCK is always a factor, however I can't see a project with this type of funding attracting the "Blue Chip" investment community, nor raising $millions ?

b) Have you considered a presentation structure , or is it every person for their selves?

As you are aware "Investment Roadshows" are normally very structured events., and can cost anything from $200,000 to $1,000,000 to fund. On top of this the local "Bird dogs/Brokers" get a percentage of the Funds raised from the clients which they bring. ONLY one deal is presented at each Roadshow, it is the local Brokers function to bring potential investors who are interested in the specific type of deal that is being presented.

The clients expect a professional presentation-Financial projections thru exit stratgedies.

My experience with Angel funding is with regards to the Theatre. The formula is pretty much the same as for an Investment Roadshow.

Perhaps you could Clarify your precise expectations, this will make it easier to respond.

Good Luck.

The whole way to attract the "Blue Chip" investment community would simply be to add on a more private higher restrictions section once the smaller pot section theory is tested and proven.

Hi Kevin,

Please consider the following scenario.

a) You are using equity in the deal in order to raise funding.

b) If you give away too much early in the game for small money. You may end up as a very minority shareholder later in the game; i.e. when you approach either Venture Capitalists or other Funding options, such as doing an IPO.

c) Your initial shareholders who got in for small potatoes may turn un-friendly; especially if they chance being diluted; in further capital raises.

My preference would be to raise sufficient in order to complete the business plan initially.

Hummm, why not upscaling with a scale of rates?
For example people that join early each $1 they contribute they get the same value as the user that put in $2 later in the game when the idea had a prototype and a lot of work done. That or some percent rate higher. Be upfront and it should work. It would also be an incentive for users to invest early in the game.

Hi Kevin,

I wish it were so. However with regards to obtaining finance; lenders usually follow the "Golden Rule"

"The Guy with the Gold makes the rules"

The point isn't to bring in the blue chips. The point is to build up the startup environment in a borderline market ( ie: anywhere but silicon valley ). Funding Camp is about getting people together to pitch and talk and socialize in a fairly mellow setting.

I think that is the big key to what I was initially talking about. That's where I'm having the big conflict right now: reconciling the money and the socializing.

Barcamps and Democamps are all freeform events, you show up and the thing gets put together on the fly by the attendees. From what people are saying, investors may not like that environment, and so it would just be startup people. That sort of defeats the purpose. :)

I really want to avoid the typical startup roadshow/pitch environment/funding brunches. The environment I'm thinking about is a lot less formal, less suits, more big MJ style hair and beer. A way to socialize it all, to do the networking side without the forced pitching and the money always getting in the way...

I think mccon has the right idea; I read the idea and thought of a gathering of people who are serious about what they do and willing to put money behind that. I think this is distinct from a gathering from advertising purposes.

Was this supposed to be online of real life?

* "or" not "of"

Kevin: this would be 'real life'. In meatspace. In the flesh... and other metaphors for the really real world.

very thrown lines thrown here by commenters..and i agree with CharonV