In just two years, Invest Atlantic has established itself as a leading forum for an outward-looking and cooperative business policy in Atlantic Canada.

Though conference attendance is down across the country, Invest Atlantic in its sophomore year increased paid attendance to 165 and quadrupled its attendance from Newfoundland and Labrador.

Gerry Pond, the Saint John-based chairman of the event, made an impassioned plea for the provinces to work together in attracting investment into information technology and other innovative sectors. He recited his plea for six cities (Saint John, Moncton, Fredericton, Chatham, Moncton, Charlottetown and Halifax – and possibly also Sydney and St. John’s) to work together to increase human and financial capital in the industry. And he said the private sector would have to lead in this pursuit because politicians tend to focus on their local constituencies.

The conference featured speakers from all four provinces, as well as Montreal, Toronto, Calgary and London, U.K.

During the keynote address, Randy Thompson, CEO of the VentureAlberta Angel Forum praised the First Angel Network as one of the few truly active angel networks across Canada. The keynote address was a wonderful discussion on investing, moderated by investor Permjot Valia and featuring Thompson and Michael Blakey, Director of Avonmore Developments of London.

Thompson and Blakey also served as no-nonsense judges in the Pitching Den, driving home the point that they want to be told up front what the company does, what pain it solves and how investors will make money.

Ed Clarke, CEO of St. John’s-based Adfinitum, which owns an ad databank for advertisers, met the criteria better than his opponents and was chosen the leading pitcher, both by the judges and the audience.

Disclaimer: Peter Moreira helped organize Invest Atlantic.