The third annual MentorCamp Atlantic will take place at the Delta Halifax next week, linking up eight leading startups with a host of mentors from Atlantic Canada and around the world.
The event is the brainchild of British investor Permjot Valia, who has backed several Atlantic Canadian companies. In 2011, he conceived of a program that would gather eight to 10 startups together with about 30 mentors so the companies’ founders would receive sound advice in a closed setting from a range of experts.
Since the first event in September 2011, MentorCamp has incorporated in Nova Scotia and hosted events in South Africa, Arkansas, Istanbul and around Atlantic Canada. In the next year, it plans to hold MentorCamps in such new locations as North Carolina, Iceland, Bogota and another Canadian province.
Though the mentors often end up investing in the companies in attendance, Valia stresses that the mission is advisory rather than financial.
“I don’t want it to be equated with a place to raise money,” said Valia. “It’s a place where you go to ask for advice in a safe, confidential environment.”
The mentors attending this year include 15 international mentors, more than ever before. The dozen local mentors will include such notables as Gerry Pond of East Valley Ventures, Shawn Carver of Fiddlehead Technologies and Rob Cowan of McInnes Cooper.
The event will feature six Atlantic Canadian companies, as well as two visiting companies: Craftistas, of Arkansas, which allows online clients to subscribe to monthly craft packages; and Advolve Media, of Winnipeg, an online product that enhances advertising. Valia said he brings one or two companies from other part of the world to each MentorCamp to make sure the local companies measure up to their peers abroad.
The Atlantic Canadian companies attending this year are:
- Analyze Re, Halifax, whose software-as-a-service product helps reinsurers assess risk;
- Get Gifted, Charlottetown, which has developed an app that offers subscribers free gifts at local retailers and can be used to attract customers;
- Re-Form Technologies, Charlottetown, which has developed cloud-based software to help architects oversee their projects.
- RUManalytics, Quispamsis, N.B., a software-as-a-service product that accelerates the speed at which browsers call up e-commerce sites so clients aren’t driven away by slow browsing.
- Toplog, Halifax, which helps network system administrators to use system data to save time and prevent data loss.
- And, UpMyGame, Halifax, which believes it has developed the world’s best video tool for sports coaches.
The event will be held at the Delta Halifax on Oct. 21, and is being held in conjunction with the Halifax Pop Explosion. It will include a lunchtime speech by Joe Stump, Venture Partner at Upstart Labs, and Paul Singh, of Paul 500 Startups, which will be open to the public. On Oct. 22, the international mentors will meet one-on-one with clients of some of the MentorCamp sponsors, so the benefits of the event will be spread throughout the community.
