GetGifted, the Charlottetown startup that helps merchants to attract customers, closed a $400,000 tranche of equity financing on Thursday, which it hopes will be the first close in a round totaling $1 million.

The company plans to use the angel financing to help build out its sales team throughout Atlantic Canada, especially in Halifax, and to launch GetGifted in Toronto and Boston later in the year.

“We’ve got 10 investors and eight of them are from Atlantic Canada, with two from Toronto,” said Founder and CEO Gillian McCrae in an interview Friday. “We’re at the $400,000 mark and we’re

Ellen Farrell was known for teaching and researching entrepreneurship at Halifax’s Saint Mary’s University long before it was fashionable. But the associate professor in management can still be thrilled and surprised: Her nomination for a brand new mentorship award has touched her, and the information being revealed by a unique study of the provincial government’s venture capital activities is

Our survey analysis and Bonfire Communications’ tremendous infographic attracted a lot of attention yesterday. So I thought I’d pass on some of it.

We reported yesterday that our survey and research had shown that the startup craze in Atlantic Canada created 3,000 direct jobs, and that the companies’ staff levels were rising by more than 40 percent annually.

The National Post today published a great story on the survey by Quentin Casey, and the Chronicle-Herald devoted the full front of its business section yesterday to the survey. I really liked the headline the Herald editors placed

Startups are becoming a force in the Atlantic Canadian economy, creating about 3,000 direct jobs and increasing employment by about 40 per cent annually.

Those are the main findings of a survey of Atlantic Canadian startups — defined as locally owned companies commercializing propriety technology for the global market — conducted in January and February by Entrevestor. The results are

As part of the Entrevestor Intelligence report launched today, we were truly fortunate to work with Bonfire Communications of Saint John on this tremendous infographic.

Artist Lise Hansen was given the task of converting data on the Atlantic Canadian startup community into a striking visual display, and she  more than rose to the challenge. Her design shows the growth of the startup segment

I’d like to thank all of you who tweeted or emailed you congratulations on being recognized by Startup Canada on Wednesday. And I’d like to send out my congratulations to the other winners – just to be named with these people is great honour.

Yesterday, Startup Canada announced the regional winners of the Startup Canada Awards, and I was truly flattered to receive the nod as Media Person of the Year in the Atlantic Region. I don’t know who nominated me, but I owe thanks and a beer to whoever it is.

I have not responded to all the tweets but let me use this e-podium to say thanks to all

We’re less than a week away from the start of Innovation Week in St. John’s, and I’m really excited to be joining and participating in the events in Newfoundland and Labrador. I’m even hosting one.

StartupNL, which is organizing the city’s first innovation week, announced yesterday that I will host a seminar on Tuesday on messaging and communications for startups. I believe the ability to communicate is part of the founder’s skill set that is too often overlooked, and I hope to help people improve their messaging.

The week of events begins Monday with a fireside chat at Common Ground at

The New Brunswick Innovation Foundation issued the following press release yesterday:

 FREDERICTON, N.B.—The New Brunswick Innovation Foundation (NBIF) today announced $900,000 in funding to support 34 undergraduate and 73 graduate student research assistants at the province’s universities. The funding was awarded in partnership with the New Brunswick Department of Post-Secondary Education, Training & Labour (PETL).

Working with one of the Foundation’s funded applied researchers, each student will earn wages while they learn valuable experience in the lab.

“To build an

Halifax medical device company ABK Biomedical is raising about $1 million in equity financing to help get its product on the European market in about a year. While it’s secured about half the total from the First Angel Network, or FAN, it’s also working with the local investment group to engage with other angel networks in Canada and the U.S.

ABK is the developer of OccluRad — tiny bio-compatible glass beads used to treat uterine fibroids, or benign tumours, in a woman’s uterus. The product improves efficiency and safety when treating women for the affliction. The company hopes to have

On May 12, you can help to shape the direction of one of the most important components of the East Coast startup ecosystem – Mentorship.

That evening, at the Kingswood golf club in Fredericton, Entrevestor will host a dinner at which we will discuss ways to improve two essential ingredients in our community. New Brunswick Innovation Foundation Calvin Milbury will lead a discussion on mentorship, and East Valley Ventures Chairman Gerry Pond will take the podium for a chat about early adopters.  People from throughout the Maritimes have already signed up to come and join these discussions,