Spring

Last week, we were thrilled to partner with the Ontario Trillium Foundation, Spring, and Thrive Impact Fund to host Catalyzing Capital: An Introduction to Blended Finance. An energetic group of foundations, charities and social finance professionals braved the snow to spend a day learning and collaborating on the future of blended finance in Canada. It was inspiring to connect and think through how blended finance can help tackle social impact financing, and how each player can become more innovative around participating in the blended finance capital structure. “Our Public Sector and Not-for-Profit team within Commercial Banking is actively looking for ways to expand the services we provide and clients we serve in the not-for-profit space across Canada. We are grateful to be at the table and part of the discussion as the Blended Finance market is taking shape in Canada” – Kyle McLean, Market Vice-President, Public Sector and Not-for-Profit Group A special thanks to Tracey Robertson, Keith Ippel, Vivian McCormick and Kristi Fairholm Mader for their partnership and commitment. #CIBCCommercialBanking Adeel Imam, MBA Ify V. O.

📣Last Call for Early Bird Pricing! 🌎 Are you ready to invest in a greener planet? The Foundations in Climate Innovation course is your launchpad to understanding how capital can drive real climate impact. Over one week, you’ll gain the tools to invest capital into solutions that tackle climate change—like clean energy, green tech, and sustainable projects. What you’ll learn: ⭐️ Investment strategies for climate innovation ⭐️ How to assess sustainable startups ⭐️ The mechanics of venture deals & investor decks ⭐️ Real-life deal screening with industry experts 📅 March 17-21 | Virtual 💲 Early Bird: $199 (until Feb. 28), then $299 Whether you’re a first-time investor or looking to deepen your impact, this course is for you! https://lnkd.in/e5vaEnym #innovation #investing #climate #impactinvesting

This live, online series for 4 webinars focuses on investment readiness for women and gender diverse founders. Hosted by Spring Co-CEO & Spring Impact Capital Managing Partner Keith Ippel, these invaluable sessions include: 💪 Building Momentum in Your Round – March 4th Explore strategies that early-stage founders can implement to build and maintain momentum throughout their funding round. From crafting a compelling story to leveraging your network and managing investor relationships, we’ll discuss how to create urgency, capture investor interest, and keep the energy high as you move closer to closing your round. 💰 Negotiation & Getting to a Close – March 11th Negotiation is a key component of securing the right capital for your startup. We’ll discuss practical tactics for navigating the negotiation process with investors and making sure you get to a close that benefits both parties. We’ll cover term sheets, valuation, deal structure, and how to manage investor expectations to ensure a successful close. 👋 Post-Round Engagement – March 18th Once you’ve closed your funding round, the work doesn’t stop. We’ll discuss how to effectively engage with investors post-round. From communication strategies to providing value and building long-term relationships, this session will equip you with the tools to ensure your investors remain engaged and supportive as you grow your startup. 📈 KPIs & Impact Measurement – March 25th Negotiation is key to securing the right capital for your startup. In this session, we’ll focus on practical tactics for navigating the negotiation process with investors and making sure you get to a close that benefits both parties. We’ll cover term sheets, valuation, deal structure, and how to manage investor expectations to ensure a successful close. Webinars take place 9AM PT/12 PM ET each Tuesday in March. To register for these sessions, just sign up for our async “Essentials in Raising Right-Fit Capital” program here https://lnkd.in/g5fZddri and you’ll receive an invite to all 4 sessions. This programming is free of charge for participants thank you to The Women & Nonbinary Impact Network for Venture Capital supported by Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada. #womenfounders #entrepreneurs #raisingcapital #investinwomen

Last week, over 175 people gathered to explore Blended Finance together. What resulted was inspiring, hopeful and forward thinking.

Attention all FemTem entrepreneurs with solutions for women's health - this opportunity is for you! https://lnkd.in/ggTs8vQh

Blended finance as an approach to invest with purpose is building momentum in Canada. Yesterday, as a prelude to the 2025 Blended Finance Summit, a room full of asset owners, allocators, and investors came together in Toronto to start, or continue, their blended finance journey. It was an energizing afternoon, including a global panel with Seb Elsworth MBE of Access - The Foundation for Social Investment, Irene Gannitsos of Vancity Community Foundation, Wendy Cooper of Dragonfly Ventures, and Matthias Pries of World Education Services WES Foundation led by Wayne Miranda of Definity Foundation. I want to give heartfelt gratitude to Kyle McLean and the entire team at CIBC for hosting the event and allowing this convening to happen. Thank you to Kristi Fairholm Mader of Thrive Impact Fund, Vivian McCormick of Spring, and Tracey Robertson for your passion and vision to continue to support the growth of the blended finance movement. #blendedfinance #impactinvesting #investingwithpurpose #canada

It's Blended Finance week this week at Spring! For the past few years, we have had the privilege to be part of conversations on the future of impact finance in Canada, asking the hard questions: What does it take to get more capital flowing into impactful projects? How can finance be shaped to be more at the service of innovation and impact rather than the opposite? As the team (Caroline von Hirschberg, Vivian McCormick and Keith Ippel) is about to host the second edition of the Blended Finance Summit in Toronto tomorrow with our partners Ontario Trillium Foundation Tracey Robertson and Thrive Impact Fund Kristi Fairholm Mader at MaRS Discovery District I wanted to share some great resources for those who won't be able to be in the room this year: 💡A great article written by Spring co-CEO Keith Ippel "Unlocking Impact: A Strategic Guide to Blended Finance, a must ready if you are keen to understand wat the conversation is about: https://lnkd.in/gr5YFJAD ➡️ This webinar featuring trailblazers in the space Ilse Treurnicht from TwinRiver Capital and Jed Emerson is also a must watch if you want to understand how Blended Finance works in practice and how you can get involved: https://lnkd.in/gMW7Qwvw Last but not least. Join our the Blended Finance newsletter and get the latest updates on events in-person and virtual and join this community. https://lnkd.in/gFtgngUm 🙋🏻♀️ Because we all have a role to play here. Sharing a fun photo from last years' edition. I look forward to seeing photos from this year! #blendedfinance #alternativereturns #community #impactinvesting #investing

The Black Entrepreneurship Knowledge Hub and the Black Advisory Hub are hosting the first ever Black Entrepreneurship & Research Symposium under the theme “Empowering Black Entrepreneurs: Bridging Research, Policy, and Practice.” The symposium conversation will be based on the outcomes of BEKH's co-generated research report on 1,191 Black Businesses in Western Canada titled "Empowering Black Entrepreneurship: A Research Report of Comprehensive Analysis of Challenges, Opportunities, and Policy Recommendations for Western Canada" and BAH’s activities to build capacity and support the development and financing of Black entrepreneurial businesses over the last year since its launch in Vancouver. The symposium will take place on February 28, 2025, at Innovation UBC, Robson Square, from 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM. Learn more and register at https://lu.ma/v39t60hx #yvr #Blackentrepreneurs #Blackfounders

Calling all impact fund-curious accredited investors! We’re collaborating with Rally Assets to provide a free learning opportunity to explore how you can integrate impact into your fund investment strategy. Foundation in Impact Fund Investing is designed to equip you with the essential tools, frameworks and confidence to dive into fund investing while you connect with a community of like-minded investors. In this comprehensive, easy-to-follow course, you’ll gain a solid understanding of fund investing basics and how to leverage your investments for both financial return and social impact. We’ll break down complex financial concepts into clear, actionable insights, making it easier than ever to start building a portfolio that aligns with your values. You'll also have access to office hours with Lawson Lundell LLP to round out your learning experience. Foundations takes place April 1 – May 20 on Tuesdays at 12pm PT/3pm ET for 90 minute sessions. Registration closes March 26th or as soon as all spots are taken, so register now to avoid disappointment https://lnkd.in/gHTtbRGt #impact #impactinvesting #investwithimpact #investing

What does it actually mean to say you're an "impact investor?" How do impact investors behave differently than traditional investors in the private equity market? Here in Canada there has been limited empirical research about the decision-making behaviors of impact investors - until now. Our Graham Day of Spring Impact Capital collaborated with Professor Basma Majerbi, Richard M., Impact United and the University of Victoria Peter B. Gustavson School of Business to address this gap, exploring the motivations, priorities and decision-making processes of impact investors. They will share what they discovered in their "Inside the Mind of Impact Investors: Behavioural Insights and Decision Dynamics" webinar on February 27th. Learn more and hold your spot right here: https://lnkd.in/gJXNCHAp #impactinvesting #investing #impact