Dozens of East Coast startup attending the Montreal International Startup Festival are hustling hard to find partners, employees and, of course, investors.
Companies like TitanFile, Modest Tree Media, topLog, Interview Rocket and Wicked Ideas took turns holding court in the Atlantic Canada tent, pitching their ideas to the wandering crowd, alongside startups from Ottawa, New York and Toronto. People from other East Coast startups like RUM Analytics, One Lobby, 26ones, AnalyzeRe and Fund Metric, took in the sessions and roamed the scene.
East Coast entrepreneurs – many arriving on one bus – eyed the crowd hungrily, looking for money folks, who were pretty much presumed to be anyone not wearing shorts in the humid Montreal weather. All were ready to pounce with 30-second pitches that roll effortlessly from their tongues, practiced and professional.
Andre LeBlanc, co-founder of Moncton-based FoodTender.com, came to the Festival to find insights and investors. “We came to learn,” said LeBlanc. “We are taking notes.” LeBlanc and his partner Andre Pellerin tested their pitch deck with other startup founders from the East Coast and picked up some useful tips.
Foodtender.com is a marketplace that connects food suppliers, like farmers and brokers, with restaurants. “Most restaurants deal with at least six or seven suppliers. It’s a very inefficient,” said LeBlanc. “Our product makes the process smarter and faster.” The company has quietly developed its platform and is set to begin beta testing it later this month with about 50 customers in New Brunswick and P.E.I.
Newfoundland and Labrador is also represented at the Startup Festival. Chris Gardner, CEO of the Common Ground co-working space in St. John’s, said the startup sector in the province is growing. “We’re building on the momentum that’s already there in the oil and gas sector. We’re putting fuel on the fire,” he said.
Gardner was joined in Montreal by Jason Janes, co-founder of Startup St. John’s. His group is seeing new companies being formed with some already getting funding. “It’s early days but we are doing it our way.”
Darren Piercey, founder and CEO of Fredericton’s CyberPsyc, attended the Startup Festival last year. “I came away from last year’s event really energized. And this year it is great to see so many more people from the East Coast.” His company produces virtual reality software for the treatment of anxiety and phobias. Piercey said the company will soon announce it has received another round of funding.
The Montreal International Startup Festival continues concludes today. The East Coast bus leaves for Fredericton early Saturday morning, carrying home both entrepreneurs and new relationships.
Allan Gates (@AllanGates1) is a co-founder of Bonfire, a marketing and communications firm that works frequently with East Coast startups.
