The Atlantic Venture Forum this year will include a special panel of East Coast companies that have raised significant capital, reflecting the growth in scaling companies in the region.
The AVF, which will take place in Halifax on June 28 and 29, is often seen as a place where entrepreneurs seeking capital can link up with investors. As in years past, this year’s event will feature pitching sessions for groups of early- and growth-stage companies.
But it will also include a panel of entrepreneurs who have already raised substantial capital,sharing their stories of how they closed their funding deals and worked through their growing pains.
This session is appropriate because it recognizes the growing number of companies in the region that are booking large funding rounds. Already this year, companies such as Resson and Introhive, both based in Fredericton, have announced eight-figure funding rounds, and other companies such as Halifax’s Proposify have raised significant amounts of capital.
The panel will be moderated by Jordan Kyriakidis, the President and CEO of Halifax-based QRA. The company develops software that helps businesses across industries make better design choices and streamline design processes.
The members of the panel include:
- Thomas Rankin, Co-Founder and CEO of Halifax-based Dash Hudson, which provides analytics on enterprise clients’ Instagram campaigns.
- Myrna Gillis, CEO of Liverpool-based Aqualitis, a cannabis production company whose Finleaf Technologies unit has developed technology for using aquaponics to grow pot or other flowering plants. Aqualitis has raised more than $9 million.
- Chris Gardner, President and CEO of Sequence Bio of St. John’s. The company, which raised US$3 million in 2016, is using genomic data from Newfoundland’s founder population to improve drug discovery.
- Kyle Racki, Co-Founder and CEO, of Halifax-based Proposify, which simplifies and enhances the methods of producing proposals. It announced a significant funding round earlier this year.
The AVF will be held next week at the Halifax Marriott Harbourfront. You can register here.
