Money comes in three basic colors: GREEN, GOLD and RED. Green money comes from patient, equity-oriented investors including private, institutional and even public investors. It is green because it allows companies to grow and prosper without being impeded by repayment obligations. Gold money is as good as gold. It comes from government and quasi-government organizations that are part of the infra-structure support system paid for by our tax dollars. Usually this money is in the form of grants, interest-free loans, and other forms of assistance. Red money comes from debt-oriented lenders. This includes banks, factoring houses, leasing companies, and other lenders. It is red because this is the color lenders see when the debt is not serviced -- and because you should see this as a red warning light!
The following table identifies various money sources (with a Western Canadian focus) and their respective Internet web links. Links to information sites other than the Green, Gold and Red ones are at the end.
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MONEY
LINKS for BC technology companies |
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SOURCE |
LINK |
COMMENTS |
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EQUITY
CAPITAL |
Green money |
Green is for growth |
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Banyan Capital Partners |
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Invests in or buys middle-market companies located primarily
in western |
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BMO Capital Corporation |
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Provides subordinated debt, mezzanine finance, quasi-equity and equity. |
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BC Advantage Funds (VCC) |
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Invests in promising young BC-based technology, life-science and clean-tech companies. |
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BC Angel Forum |
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Introduces emerging technology & non-technology companies to private equity investors. |
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BC Discovery Fund Inc. |
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A venture capital fund that invests in BC’s emerging technology industry. |
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Business Development Bank of |
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Provides Canadian small and medium sized businesses with long-term financing, venture capital, subordinate financing and consulting services. |
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CNQ Stock Exchange |
A stock exchange for trading the equity securities of emerging companies. |
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Discovery Capital Corporation |
A venture capital investor and fund manager specializing in information technology, communications, health and life sciences, and other advanced technologies. |
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ESOP & EVCC Tax Credits -- BC Ministry of Small Business & Revenue |
(Click on “Individuals; then click on “Tax Credits.”) |
Provides employees with a tax credit (up to $2000) for making investments in their employers' business. |
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Fundamental Technologies II Corp. |
Allows investors to participate in a portfolio of actively managed, synergistic investments in emerging technology companies. |
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Greenstone Venture Partners |
A venture capital fund that invests in communications infrastructure, semi-conductors, wireless and enterprise software. |
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GrowthWorks |
Manages regionally based venture capital funds; focus is growth-oriented companies involved in information technology, life sciences and advanced manufacturing. |
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Interface International |
Offers services that focus on raising capital, identifying strategic alliances, recommending mergers and acquisitions, providing transitional management, orchestrating turn-arounds, and facilitating organizational makeovers. |
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Lumira Capital |
Provides financial support and other services to emerging health and life science companies. |
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New Ventures BC Competition |
A competition for anyone with a new technology idea, who wants to turn the idea into a profitable company; first prize in the 2008 competition is $60,000 and the deadline to enter is April 23rd. |
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OVP Venture Partners |
Invests capital in new companies in growing markets – communications, software, digital media, security, semi-conductors, digital biology and nanotechnology. |
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Pacific Century Group Ventures Ltd. |
Invests in start-up companies; focus is oil and gas, information and other technologies. |
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Pangaea Ventures Ltd. |
Invests in early-stage advanced materials and clean technology companies. |
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Pender Fund Capital Management |
Invests in undervalued technology companies. |
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Primaxis Technology Ventures Inc. |
Invests in early stage companies involved in communications, semiconductors, electronics, IT infrastructure, and advanced materials & manufacturing. |
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RBC Venture Partners |
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Invests in companies developing software and other technologies that target mainly the financial services industry. |
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Roynat Capital |
Provides long-term capital and business solutions to high-growth mid-market companies (sales between $5 million and $200 million). |
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TELUS Ventures |
Invests in companies that offer unique technologies and innovative products that will accelerate growth initiatives within TELUS. |
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TSX Group |
Provides access to capital for companies at the early stages of their growth. |
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Introduces early stage investors and mentors to
promising technology ventures (in all advanced technology fields), mainly in |
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Ventures West |
Invests in early-stage technology companies; focus is biotechnology, cleantech and communications. |
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Working Opportunity Fund (GrowthWorks) |
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Invests in BC companies involved in information technology, life sciences, and advanced manufacturing. |
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WUTIF Capital (VCC) Inc. |
Co-invests with angel investors in promising new technology ventures in BC. |
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XITO Capital Corporation |
A venture capital firm that provides specialized investment banking services to leading private and public small capitalization companies. |
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Yaletown Venture Partners |
Invests in early-stage companies in the |
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SUBSIDIES & GRANTS |
(Golden money) |
(As good as gold!) |
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BC Innovation Council |
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A one-stop point of access and support; also provides funding for a range of R&D initiatives. |
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BC Knowledge Development Fund |
Enables public post-secondary institutions, teaching hospitals and affiliated non-profit research agencies to invest in BC’s research infrastructure; priorities are agriculture, alternative energy/power technologies, health/biotechnology, forestry, high tech, indigenous studies and ocean sciences. |
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Funds up to 40 per cent of a research project’s infrastructure costs (e.g. state-of-the-art equipment, buildings, laboratories, and databases); focus is Canadian universities, colleges, research hospitals and non-profit research institutions. |
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Canadian Institutes of Health Research |
Supports the work of health sciences researchers and
trainees in universities, teaching hospitals and research institutes across |
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CANARIE Inc. |
Supports research and implementation of advanced Internet applications. |
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Export support programs |
Canadian Commercial Corporation Export Development |
CCC: gives Canadian businesses access to international opportunities EDC: provides Canadian exporters with financing, insurance and bonding services, as well as foreign market expertise |
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Human Resources and
Social Development |
Offers programs that help prepare individuals for employment. |
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Industry |
CSBF Program encourages financial institutions to make their financing available to small businesses by reimbursing 85% of lender’s losses in event of default |
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National Research
Council’s IRAP Program (BC & |
Helps small and medium-sized Canadian firms build their capability in technology and innovation; offers technical assistance, access to the latest technological advances, expertise, facilities and resources, as well as cost-shared financing of innovative technical projects. |
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Natural Sciences Engineering Research Council (NSERC) |
Helps Canadian companies by jointly funding collaborative R&D projects with university scientists and engineers, as well as by supporting the training of scientists and engineers. |
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Precarn Incorporated |
Funds and coordinates collaborative research conducted by industry, university and government researchers. |
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Scientific Research & Experimental Development (SR & ED) Tax Incentive Program |
(Click on “A to Z index”; then choose letter “S” in “Topics for Business” box.) |
A federal tax incentive program to encourage Canadian
businesses of all sizes and in all sectors to conduct research and
development (R&D) in |
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Western Economic Diversification |
Helps small businesses and new entrepreneurs access the information, skills and resources they need to succeed. |
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DEBT CAPITAL |
(Red
Money) |
(Red
helps – in moderation!) |
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Customers & suppliers |
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These are among the best and easiest financing options. Getting supplier credit and up-front advances from customers can go a long way in addressing cash flow needs. Don’t be shy. Ask! |
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Bank of |
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For business accounts, loans and other types of assistance. |
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Bond Capital |
Offers mezzanine
debt and equity to small and medium-sized enterprises in Western Canada and
the |
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Business Development Bank |
Provides small and medium-sized businesses with flexible financing, affordable consulting services, and venture capital. |
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Canadian Youth Business Foundation |
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Offers start-up mentoring, financing and business resources to young entrepreneurs (18 to 34 years old) with a business idea. |
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Chittenden Commercial Credit |
Focus is commercial asset-based lines of credit ranging from $1 to $20 million. |
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CIBC |
Offers financial products and services for both start-up and established businesses. |
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Export Development |
Provides Canadian exporters with financing, insurance and bonding services, as well as foreign market expertise. |
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The Interface Financial Group |
Provides affordable funding for small business through a version of factoring known as "invoice discounting." |
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Northstar Trade Finance Inc. |
Supports Canadian exporters by offering financing to credit-worthy buyers of eligible Canadian goods and services. |
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Pyx Financial Group Inc. |
Provides funds and
manages accounts receivables for companies in |
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Royal Bank of |
Offers numerous services and financing options to businesses. |
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Roynat Capital |
A source of long-term capital and business solutions for high-growth, mid-market firms with sales between $5 million and $200 million. |
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Tallinn Capital Corp. (formerly North Point Capital Corp.) |
A source of corporate financing. |
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TD Bank Financial Group |
Offers a full range of financial products and services. |
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Vancity Capital |
Provides growth capital to fast-growing small-to-medium-sized businesses based in BC. |
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Western Economic
Diversification |
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Supports a network of community-based organizations that offer business information and/or small loans, or that assist with access to small-business financing. |
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Women’s Enterprise Centre |
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Helps women start and grow businesses in BC. |
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OTHER
INFORMATION |
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A good source of
information on |
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AngelBlog |
Site devoted to the development of best practices for angel investors and entrepreneurs, so their interaction can be profitable, fair and enjoyable. |
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BC Ministry of Economic Development |
For information on starting a small business in BC, plus reports, industry reviews, web links, news, etc. |
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Represents most of |
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Canadian Financing Forum |
Matches North American corporate and VC investors with serious entrepreneurs looking to build world-class technology companies. |
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Community of Science (COS) |
Provides information critical to scientific research and other projects across all disciplines – re funding opportunities, other research activities, publications, patents, new positions and more. |
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eBusiness Connection (eBC) |
Offers e-business information and services to help BC businesses remain competitive in an online market. |
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High Technology in |
A gateway to web sites that provide support, information, advice and other assistance to BC investors, entrepreneurs, technology-based companies and science, technology and engineering students. |
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Industry |
A source of business support services, re financing, innovation, research, science, technology, commercialization, intellectual property, trade, investment, economic and market research/statistics, etc. |
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National Angel Organization |
The national
voice of Angel investors, dedicated to promoting best practices and public
policy advocacy, in relation to innovation and early-stage capital formation
in |
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National Venture Capital Association ( |
A trade association
that represents the |
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New Ventures BC Competition |
A competition for anyone with a new technology idea, who wants to turn the idea into a profitable company; first prize in the 2008 competition is $60,000 and the deadline to enter is April 23rd. |
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Facilitates the creation of university-industry R&D partnerships and the commercialization of SFU-based research. |
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Small Business BC |
Connects small companies and entrepreneurs to BC business resources and websites |
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Stock exchanges |
TSX Group ( NASDAQ – www.nasdaq.com OTC Bulletin Board – www.otcbb.com |
Stock exchanges allow the public to invest in companies; listing rules and criteria vary; best to find a “sponsoring” broker or underwriter. |
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Thomson Financial |
An information source on Canadian venture capital and private equity markets. |
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T-Net |
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Provides information and business services to technology companies, industry suppliers and individuals in the BC technology industry, which helps them achieve their full potential. |
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(University-Industry Liaison Office) |
Facilitates the exchange of knowledge between UBC, its five affiliated hospitals, industry and the wider community. |
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Connects advanced technology entrepreneurs and companies to networking opportunities, industry associations, business resources, technology transfer opportunities, S&T links, government resources, etc. |
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Did we leave you out? No matter what color your money is, you should be on the list. To get added, send an email (see below).
Copyright 1997 - 2008 by Michael C. Volker
Email: mike@volker.org - Comments and
suggestions will be appreciated!
Last updated: March 18 2008