Chris Arsenault (LinkedIn, AngelList, @chrisarsenault) sent me a message yesterday about writing about the CVCA conference. And I was looking at the conference trying to figure out why as an entrepreneur that I might want to attend this event. It is “the premiere networking and professional development event for Canada’s venture capital and private equity industry”. Well I don’t work in venture capital or the private equity industry, and the professional development I can get that at Ladies Learning Code or Udemy or O’Reilly. So why should I care? Maybe a “free Blackberry Playbook” would get me to pay for the registration. Disclosure: RIM is a sponsor of StartupNorth, though we don’t have any free Playbooks.
Then it struck me.
My goodness, this is an incredible opportunity for Canadian entrepreneurs. If you plan this correctly, you can connect with investors, other founders, folks form NYC, Boston, the Bay area. While the specific sessions at CVCA aren’t necessarily my cup of tea, you could sit in the lobby at the Fairmont Queen Elizabeth and meet every investor in one shot.
CVCA attendees will have a “free Blackberry Playbook” . Just like LinkedIn, I’d be building an HTML5 optimized version of my application and making sure as hell it works like gold on a Playbook (which has a great implementation of WebKit browser). You could call the Fairmont and set up an espresso stand and give away coffee to everyone that demos your application. Hell if nothing else a big sign with “Free Latte” for all of the hung over CVCA attendees and have a student running to a local coffee shop for fulfillment. Great opportunity to get out and hustle.
On top of all of this you get to see some brilliant demos at Founder Fuel. This is going to be a killer event, and you could make it a very interesting opportunity to get in front of potential investors, partners and folks from outside Canada for relatively little cost.
Is that called a Trifecta?
I’ll be there at the 3 events, and was just in Montreal visiting Notman House and the FounderFuel companies I met were really really impressive. Did I say really twice? That’s 3 times now, in line with the Trifecta concept.
Spoken like a true Entrepreneur Mr. Crow. It only took you a few minutes, an opportunity presented itself (my email about CVCA), you saw the different angles to leverage/benefit form the events, and you “jumped” on it like a hunter on its prey. Really good summary of ideas and perspective above. I’m looking fwd to seeing/meeting the few entrepreneurs who will actually go out and take advantage of having the largest group of investors ever in one location in Canada (expecting 100 angels, VCs and investors @ AccelerateMTL; and over 600 VC, PE & LPs at CVCA Conference).
And like a true hustler $189 roundtrip airfare from YTZ-YUL http://www.fly.com/Deal/?Id=ACNF050112&utm_source=tzoo&utm_medium=nfCA&utm_campaign=ACNF050112
Or Porter directly http://www.travelzoo.com/ca/flights/-75-up-Porter-Summer-Fares-Slashed-by-50–1228378/ Use promo code BID50
Now to find a hotel…
Are you sure about those fares David? I clicked on it and they send you to Air Canada where it ends up being $500+ with taxes. I booked my trip a month ago for an advertised “low” of $64 one way, but it ended being $250 when you add all the freggin taxes, in typical Air Canada misleading fashion.
For hotels, try hotels.com, I just booked Chez Swann for $113+tx
You definitely want to be in Montreal for those three events. Every VC with money to invest will be in town.