National Crowdfunding Association of Canada Holds Sold Out Inaugural Conference

Craig Asano Brad Duguid

The National Crowdfunding Association of Canada (NCFA) held a highly successful, sold out event last week in Toronto.  According to event organizers, over 300 attendees gathered for the inaugural event as industry participants and advocates joined to discuss the future of crowdfunding and new forms of finance.

Catherine MurrayMPP Brad Duguid, Ontario Minister of Economic Development, Employment and Infrastructure, opened the event and signaled his commitment to work with both MaRS and the NCFA to help early stage companies to benefit from the power of crowdfunding.  The conference was MC’ed by BNN News Anchor Cathering Murray which saw participation from many highly respected industry leaders.

Jon Medved, CEO and founder of global investment crowdfunding platform OurCrowd, delivered a “memorable” keynote address. Adam Spence, founder of SVX, shared his perspective regarding his platform’s expansion plans across North America. Microsoft representative, Alec Saunders, shared how crowdfunding was already assisting startups in their hunt for capital as part of their Bizspark program.

Craig Asano, Executive Director of the NCFA, said of the event;

“It’s an incredibly exciting time for NCFA and the crowdfunding industry as a whole.  Collectively, although nascent, we are at a key milestone in the formation of a new dynamic industry and an emerging asset class that is in many ways is equally about human capital as much as it is financial capital.”

“Crowdfunding markets are enablers of economic growth and jobs.  They foster a culture of entrepreneurship and strengthen early stage businesses when they need help the most – they help them get off the ground, find their first customers, and help them accelerate the commercialization of products and services to global markets”, continued Craig.

Jon Medved Scott Dubin Craig AsanoThe NCFA was founded in 2012 and has been a vocal proponent of all forms of crowdfunding since that time. Their mission is to create a vibrant crowdfunding industry across all of the provinces of Canada and to be an active participant in the global movement.

“The inaugural 2015 Canadian Crowdfunding Summit is a first of its kind in Canada and is about bringing the vibrancy of crowdfunding markets to ‘real life’.  It’s about ‘coming together’ as an industry to share and connect with one another, engage in constructive dialogue, progress opportunities and face the challenges”, said Craig.

 

 


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