Communitech and the Canadian Digital Media Network signed a letter of intent in February, 2014, with the Global Superangels Forum of India to build stronger business relationships between Canadian and Indian technology companies.
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A passage to India
It's not hard to find entrepreneurs or experts who stress the need for Canadian companies to sell their wares abroad. It's another to get the bulk of small businesses to actually do it.
To help spur that activity, two initiatives between Canada and India have been launched:
- The Bombay Stock Exchange Institute, Toronto-based Ryerson University, and Vancouver-based Simon Fraser University have teamed up to open the first Canadian-led accelerator in India. It’s designed to help build startups by connecting them with mentors and investors.
- Waterloo, Ont.-based innovation hub Communitech and the Canadian Digital Media Network have announced they will work with India-based technology accelerator Global Superangels Forum to create partnerships and a support network between tech companies in the two countries.
Both initiatives were announced by Governor General David Johnston during his recent state visit to India.
Follow the money
Venture capital investment is alive and well in Canada. Venture capital investment is on the decline in Canada. You'll come across both perspectives on any given day.
Canada's Venture Capital & Private Equity Association (CVCA) says venture capital investments increased 31 per cent in Canada in 2013 compared with a year earlier, with total financing of $2-billion. It adds that this is the highest level recorded in seven years.
On the flip side, fundraising activity by Canadian VC firms fell in 2013 relative to 2012.
So, any naysayers out there?
Best foot forward
Former Sex and the City star Sarah Jessica Parker has launched a shoe collection with Manolo Blahnik CEO George Malkemus. She told the Fox Business Small Business Center her stint on the TV show helped fuel the flames of entrepreneurship.
"When I was first asked to produce the Sex and the City TV show and then the movies … What happened is I learned about business down to the minutiae."
The SJP Collection debuts Friday at Nordstrom retailers.
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Sean Stanleigh