I can’t believe it was back in 2008 that #HoHoTO started. For the past 3 years instead of a Holiday DemoCamp or Festive Founders & Funders, we’ve sponsored and attended HoHoTO. (We’ve even helped document the shenanigans). So why the fuss about a holiday party?
Toronto’s High Tech Holiday Party – #HoHoTO
“Fortune favors the connected entrepreneur.” @jcal7 #trueuniversity via @hnshah
We talk a lot about what is going on in Silicon Valley and how to make Toronto better. We can look to Helsinki, Israel, New York, Boston, Austin, and other places. But we have a strong emerging high tech culture in Toronto (and across Canada, just check out the efforts in Montreal and Vancouver). There is a strong vibrant community in Toronto that actively seeks each other out. Maybe because it’s cold and we like to snuggle, maybe because in dark of winter it’s best not to drink alone. But there are entrepreneurs that are trying to do it in Toronto and they like to get together.
Some rights reserved by smack416 (check out the Flickr Pool for #hohoto)
We have a great community that knows how to have a great time. And with HoHoTO the great time also supports a great cause.
What is HoHoTO?
We often joke about startups being “ramen profitable”, but for many this is not a choice. We are working with HoHoTO and the Daily Bread Food Bank we hope to improve Toronto. HoHoTO is a Holiday party to raise sorely-needed funds for Toronto’s Daily Bread Food Bank. It brings together the hyper-connected tech, marketing, PR, social media and startup communities to raise attention and support around a core idea:
“People in our town are hungry – damnit – and we can make a difference.”
Here is the call to all Toronto startups, you should attend HoHoTO and support the Daily Bread Food Bank. It’s a great way to initial meet and connect with other readers of StartupNorth and give back to those less fortunate in Toronto.
It’s easy to sponsor, it’s easy to attend, it’s easy to donate.
PS this is a call out of our friends to match or beat our sponsorship/donation:
- Rob Lewis (LinkedIn, @robertslewis) at TechVibes – You know you want to beat us at something ;-)
- Erin Bury (LinkedIn, @erinbury) & Sarah Prevette (LinkedIn, @SarahPrevette) at Sprouter – We heard you’re flush with PostMedia cash…
- John Ruffolo (LinkedIn, @ruffoloj) and the team at OMERS Ventures – Really you haven’t sponsored this yet?
- Roger Chabra (LinkedIn, @rogerchabra) at Rho Ventures – I know you’re really a Toronto boy.
- Duncan Hill (LinkedIn, @dunchill) & Robin Axon (LinkedIn, @robinaxon) – Don’t call me the day of the event asking for a ticket…