Atlantic Angels held their first meeting yesterday, featuring pitches from four companies and a request for feedback in shaping the young group.
Permjot Valia, an investor and the Founder of MentorCamp, hosted the meeting at the Volta startup house, which was attended by about 30 people, including seasoned angel investors and the presenting companies.
“This is an experiment,” Valia told the group. “The success of this meeting will be judged by the feedback we get.”
A group surrounding Valia and Milan Vrekic, the Executive Director of Volta, have formed Atlantic Angels as a group of “founder-friendly” angels that will not charge investors to join nor charge entrepreneurs to pitch to its members.
The companies pitching to the initial meeting were:
- Advolve Media, of Winnipeg, which installs mirrors in public spaces that can be used as an advertising platform. Each mirror – situated, for example, in public washrooms or the showrooms of retail outlets – detects when someone standing is in front of it looking at themselves in the reflection. It then shows a high-definition video advertisement beside the viewer’s image, instantly engaging the viewer. Founders Bryce North and Kris Luienburg said they now have several installations in Winnipeg, and are willing to move the company to a location that offers funding and mentorship.
- Craftistas, of Arkansas, which allows online clients to subscribe to monthly craft packages.
- Toplog, Halifax, which helps network system administrators to use system data to save time and prevent data loss.
- And SiteFlo, formerly Xiplinx, of New Brunswick, which allows manufacturers to use hand-held devices to record and analyze in real time what is happening on the factory floor to improve such compliance activities as inspections.
The Atlantic Angels group has said that by its third meeting it will select a board to oversee the organization. The group will need some structure, including people to marshal members, select companies suitable for pitches and perform other administrative tasks.
