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Even doctors are feeling squeezed by soaring lease rates in the Vancouver area
As commercial property values and lease rates across Greater Vancouver continue to soar, mom-and-pop restaurants and small boutiques aren’t the only ones feeling squeezed. Family doctors say they are struggling to keep their offices open, with some already pushed out. Story
Allen Lau: The government needs to favour homegrown tech companies over foreign firms
Fifteen years ago, I worked at a company facing a crossroads. We needed to decide if we were building a product company or selling a service. While mulling our options, an investor shared a piece of information that has stuck with me to this day, shaping how I think about the entire tech landscape in Canada. All things being equal – such as revenue, number of employees – the value of a product company that owns intellectual property (IP) is four times that of a similar service company. Generally speaking, an investor will value a service-based company at one to two times its revenue, while product-based companies are valued at four to 10 times. Story
Angel investors help small businesses take wing
When the team behind Mosaic Manufacturing Ltd. sought out angel investors in 2015, they had little more than a good idea and a prototype – which, says co-founder Chris Labelle, would work "sometimes, for a little while.” Story
Caisse set to book huge gain if IPO of Montreal software firm Lightspeed flies
A successful initial public offering by Montreal software firm Lightspeed POS Inc. could deliver a nine-figure gain for the Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec, its largest shareholder. Story
WHAT WE’RE READING ELSEWHERE
Startup maestro dupes Alabama town through network of lies
Looking back, there are so many reasons Kyle Sandler was able to separate so many people from so much of their money. Sandler rolled into this old railroad crossroads at a time when Opelika, — and nearly every other city in America — was trying to bounce back from the Great Recession. Opelika’s downtown, dating to the late 1800s, was dotted with vacant buildings. The city of 30,000 people needed a boost. National Post/Associated Press
Jason Kenney announces immigration plan to attract entrepreneurs to rural Alberta
Jason Kenney says a United Conservative government would launch an immigration plan that attracts newcomer entrepreneurs to rural Alberta in order to get “the best bang for the buck” on who settles in the province. Fort McMurray Today
Why Mojio keeps announcing its Series B funding
Mojio has announced, yet again, its Series B funding round. Early yesterday, the connected car startup announced the close of an oversubscribed Series B funding round of more than $52 million CAD ($40 million USD). Mojio stated in the release that the round included strategic investment from Assurant, Bosch, and T-Mobile. Betakit
Big banks shun B.C. cannabis-sector entrepreneurs
It is more than four months since Canada legalized recreational cannabis but entrepreneurs acting within the law in that sector continue to face hurdles and discrimination when looking for a financial institution. Business in Vancouver
Locals mourn loss of beloved West End small business
A West End store that was once at the heart of the neighbourhood has collapsed under the weight of skyrocketing property taxes in Vancouver. The Chocolate Mousse Kitchenware store, owned and operated for 32 years by sisters Karen and Jane Tennant, closed its doors for the last time this week. CBC
Sarah Efron