Our Venture Services Group is looking to add an Executive-in-Residence (EiR) with expertise in mobile, wireless and/or digital media.

What an Executive-in-Residence does

EiRs work one-on-one with early-stage and emerging tech companies in Waterloo Region, offering them the benefit of hard-earned business savvy and connecting them (through our Venture Services Group) to the many operational and technological resources they need to succeed.

This is an opportunity to help passionate entrepreneurs bring their big ideas to fruition (and stop them from making your mistakes), refresh your own networks, and add to the region’s business ecosystem.

Please visit our Venture Services page for more information.

This is a part-time part or full-time position.

About you

You should have CEO-level experience leading a sizable tech company or have founded at least one significant venture. Most of our EiRs have held senior industry roles or have several past ventures on their C.V.. Extensive experience raising capital, P&L responsibility, corporate leadership, etc are nice-to-haves.

The current team consists of Chris Howlett, Dan Mathers, David Strucke, Mark McArdle and Amol Karnick.

If you fit the bill or know someone who does, please contact Dan Mathers.

Posted in Chris Howlett, Dan Mathers, Digital media, Startups, The HUB, Waterloo Region Tech | No Comments »

As manager of Communitech’s Venture Services program I have a front row seat to much of the entrepreneurial activity in Waterloo Region — and I can say that its booming! Even now as summer is starting we’ve seen a flood of new meetings with entrepreneurs looking to build or grow their tech ventures.

In the year that I’ve been managing the program, I’ve met more than 120 entrepreneurs and companies looking to learn about and connect to the support Communitech provides.

Entrepreneurs are not always what you’d expect

I’ve seen promising companies at many different stages of maturity and met with entrepreneurs from many backgrounds, including a 75-year-old serial entrepreneur who told me he’d do it again. Pretty cool eh?

Here are the top three sectors we’re seeing:

1. ICT – tons of mobile and web software
2. CleanTech
3. Life Sciences

Looking for more information about the Venture Services Program? Contact Karen by email.

Posted in Funding, Startups, Waterloo Region Tech | 1 Comment »

Two events that proved to be extremely successful and valuable to our start-up community during last week’s Entrepreneur Week.

The Founders and Funders dinner event is a targeted event run by Communitech, one that is intended to put those who need money in a room with those that have it.  We had over 80 companies and 50 funders meet at La Hacienda Sarria on November 19th to engage in conversation and discuss opportunities.

Strategic Partnering day took place on November 20th and it grew significantly in magnitude this year. We had 10 Strategic Partners participate in the day – RIM, Google, Rogers, Intel, Microsoft, Sybase, Celestica, Open Text, On-Semiconductor and Agfa. The day started with Dan Mathers (Communitech EIR) hosting a Q&A panel with all partners. Valuable insight was shared with the 100+ person audience on “Partnering- Who, What, Where, When and Why”.  Afterward, the “big guys” were lined up to meet with over 26 start-ups to trigger some relationship building and discuss potential future opportunities for collaboration, partnering, etc.  In total, 45 one-on-one meetings took place and the feedback from both sides is extremely positive so far,  indicating that doors that had previously proved challenging to get a foot in have started swinging open.

– Karen

Posted in Communitech Events, Entrepreneur Week, Funding, Startups, Waterloo Region Tech | No Comments »

Are you interested in having one-on-one meetings with big name companies to explore opportunities? As part of Entrepreneur Week, November 16-20, Communitech is hosting Strategic Partnering Day on November 20, which includes an opportunity for local companies to explore collaborative opportunities with the following companies:
 

·         RIM

·         Open Text

·         Google

·         Microsoft

·         Sybase

·         Celestica

·         Agfa

·         Rogers

·         On Semiconductor

·         Intel

If interested, please submit a one page summary of your product/service along with who you would like to meet with and why you think your company would make a good addition to this invitational portfolio to Karen Brown, no later than noon on Monday November 2^nd. Select companies that match what these partners are looking for will be provided with scheduled meetings. Only those selected will be notified.  

For more information, please contact Karen Brown at karen.brown@communitech.ca or by phone at (519) 888-9944 x43.

Entrepreneur Week is North America’s biggest innovation festival dedicated to entrepreneurial spirit. It’s an invigorating week-long festival of events dedicated to celebrating the significant contributions of our greatest community asset – our entrepreneurs! It is about encouraging entrepreneurs to get out there, to boldly imagine a vision and make it come true. Learn more about Entrepreneur Week at www.entrepreneurweek.ca

Posted in Communitech Events, Entrepreneur Week, Startups, Talent, Waterloo Region Tech | No Comments »