Antoine Arbour

MyFO raises $3.5M in Seed Funding! MyFO, a Vancouver-based platform for family offices and wealth management professionals, has raised $3.5M in seed funding led by Rhino Ventures. With this new investment, MyFO plans to scale operations, enhance its platform, and grow its team. Led by Simrang Kang and Jonathan Ricci, MyFO is integrated with over 20,000 financial institutions across North America. The platform consolidates data, documents, and stakeholder management, empowering wealth managers to make better decisions for discerning clients. With a focus on privacy and data security, MyFO is addressing one of the biggest pain points for family offices: How can wealth managers efficiently manage vast amounts of sensitive information while maintaining the highest levels of security? If MyFO cracks this challenge, they could set a new standard for privacy-first wealth management in the industry. Do you think privacy and data security will be the defining factors for the future of wealth management platforms? Baljeet Malhotra, Iulian Serban, Daniel Lozano Navas, Quinn Cavanagh Takintope Akinbiyi, Omar Sherif, Souleymane Traore Souleymane Traore Valentin Ky, Youri SARAFIAN, Ramon Sharif, Igor Nesmyanovich 𝐃𝐨𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐣𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐧𝐞𝐲 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐒𝐞𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐒𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐀 𝐟𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 : 👉 https://lnkd.in/e8XyWxcQ #WealthManagement #Fintech #DataSecurity

84

1 Comment

We’re beyond thrilled about this oversubscribed seed round! Our mission is to make family office management simple, streamlined, and stress-free. Exciting things are on the horizon! 🚀 Book a quick MyFO Demo: https://lnkd.in/g3sEe2pP #FamilyOffice #WealthSimplified #WealthManagment #FinTech #WealthManagment #MyFO

24

What If Alternatives Aren’t So Alternative? This is something most private market investors and family offices think about on a regular basis. There is a level of simplicity that has been built into the public markets that makes them accessible to almost everyone. This is not the case in the private markets and if it is simplified then it’s likely that you are the one left holding the bag while everyone else is exiting. That is the feature and where the returns are. That’s why I allow other family offices to participate in my deals at F Partners as sometimes they’re so weird and wonderful that the average investor thinks we’re all crazy. Read The Full Article Here: https://lnkd.in/eeF5DrxX #singlefamilyoffice #familyoffices #familyoffice #privateinvestor #privatemarkets

19

2 Comments

The private markets are so much more forgiving than the public markets They’re two different universes. Private investors could benefit from public experience to better feel the reality of multiples and the importance of profitability. Public investors could benefit from private experience to think longer-term rather than quarter-to-quarter. While technically the public markets live downstream of the private markets, it’s really the public markets that upstream dictate the realities of the private markets. So there’s benefit to having feet in both markets.

87

7 Comments

Just finished reading an insightful analysis by John Rikhtegar at RBCx on the Canadian venture capital landscape over the past decade, focusing on capital exited rather than capital invested. This deep dive sheds light on the challenges and successes of our venture ecosystem and provides valuable lessons for the future. Here are my top 5 takeaways: 1️⃣ Liquidity Volatility Challenges the VC Ecosystem Over 50% of Canada's exit value in the past decade occurred in just 2020 and 2021. This surge pulled fund cycles forward as GPs rushed to redeploy record waves of LP capital. Consequently, 2023 and 2024 have seen some of the lowest levels of capital allocated to Canadian venture in years. 2️⃣ The Dominance of Top 50 Exits A staggering 85% of Canada's aggregate exit value came from only 27% of all exits—the Top 50 largest. Achieving such large exit outcomes remains critical for VC investors aiming to build lasting franchises in Canadian venture. 3️⃣ Exit Success Isn't Just About Size There's a misconception that bigger exits equate to greater success. By evaluating exit capital efficiency (exit value relative to total capital raised), we can better assess the profitability to shareholders. Capital-efficient exits often yield higher returns, regardless of their size. 4️⃣ Canada's Exit Growth Outpaces the U.S. While smaller in scale, Canada's exit value and volume have grown faster than the U.S. over the past decade. Given that the U.S. VC market is 30x larger and more mature, this is a healthy sign for Canada's developing ecosystem. 5️⃣ Managing the Exit Value to Fundraised Ratio is Key To continue building a capital-efficient VC ecosystem, Canada must focus on improving its cumulative exit value to capital fundraised ratio. Shrinking the gap between Canada and the U.S. in this ratio is vital as we anticipate exit activity to rebound in the coming years. This analysis aligns closely with Ripple Ventures' strategy. At Ripple Ventures, we prioritize investing early and staying disciplined on entry valuations, all while focusing on capital efficiency. We believe that supporting capital-efficient startups not only drives better returns but also strengthens the overall ecosystem. It's encouraging to see data supporting this approach, emphasizing the importance of disciplined investing and capital efficiency in achieving successful exits. 📖 Read the full analysis below: #VentureCapital #CanadianVC #RBCx #RippleVentures #CapitalEfficiency #StartupEcosystem

13

1 Comment

As a founder, have you ever been curious about this whole angel investing thing? This week's findfunding.vc spotlight is on an investor who's an expert in it you simply have to know: Matt Wilson, MBA from Allied Venture Partners. He: 🇨🇦 Is Calgary based 😇 Manages one of Canada's largest angle investor syndicates (now at 1,800+ members!) 🏒 Worked as a professional ice hockey referee, which he says shares remarkable similarities with investing Amongst founders, Matt Wilson, is known for bringing empathy and perspective as a former founder himself. Aside from financial support, his goal is to be the 'right' investor - one that aligns with a founder's vision, shares his network, and provides strategic insights when asked. ✉️ Make sure to pitch him, invest, scout, advise and more at https://linktr.ee/alliedvc For more, check out our funder spotlight card below along with Allied Venture Partners' profile on findfunding.vc (link in comments).

24

6 Comments

Another great #investcanada2024 conference last week. Congrats Canadian Venture Capital & Private Equity Association (CVCA) again and fantastic collaboration with Réseau Capital for curating + delivering such an important ecosystem event that brings together the who’s who in Canadian investing. It’s an interesting macro environment for both founders and emerging VC funds in 2024. The bar for fundraising is higher and the process is more difficult, but it’s an amazing time to build and fund startups. Over the years I’ve been asked what’s made me a successful investor given the number of exits & investor returns delivered. Beyond it being a full-time obsession for decades, one needs to constantly find ways to evolve to founder needs and deliver differentiated value. Earning the right to back and support the best founders is what delivers outsized investor returns. This is easy to say for many investors, but often many fall flat on the everyday execution for different controllable reasons. Reputations are built & lost fast in a more challenging market. Highline Beta's pre-seed VC & venture studio model continues to not only innovate, but also win predominantly because our core investment value is to always “earn the right on the cap table” with the founders that we support. It’s a complete team effort and after 8 years of building out Highline Beta’s foundation let’s us now grow via new vertical venture studios + funds. 🚀

99

3 Comments

🎙️ Assembling Your Dream Team: Building the Foundation for Startup Success 🚀 In this episode of Rocket Fuel, we explore a critical challenge for founders: hiring and retaining top talent. Michael Thibodeau sits down with Farial K, founder and CEO of HRXconnect, to unpack strategies for assembling your dream team and ensuring your early hires set your startup up for success. Farial brings over 10 years of expertise to share practical insights on: • Defining roles and creating alignment in your founding team. 🧩 • Hiring strategies for early-stage startups: specialists vs. generalists. 💼 • Attracting and retaining talent without competing on compensation alone. 🔑 • Avoiding common pitfalls in hiring, onboarding, and scaling your team. 🚀 Whether you’re hiring your first employee or scaling to 15+ people, this episode will give you the tools to build a resilient team while navigating the unique challenges of startup life. 🎧 Check out the full episode for actionable tips on turning your vision into reality. Links below! 👇 YOUTUBE: https://lnkd.in/gARiHR_E SPOTIFY: https://buff.ly/3WasDMW APPLE MUSIC: https://buff.ly/3WasDfU OTHER PLATFORMS: https://buff.ly/3WasCZo Let us know in the comments: What’s the biggest lesson you’ve learned about hiring for your startup? 🤔 #RocketFuel #StartupLife #Hiring #Leadership #DreamTeam

4

1 Comment

🔋 #TodayinVC - All of the biggest deal announcements in venture capital - July 2nd, 2024. Sourced from Litquidity's Exec Sum. 💰 Fundraising Announcements: - SmartHR, a cloud-based HR software startup, raised a $140M Series E led by KKR and Ontario Teachers'​ Pension Plan (TC) - Eve Air Mobility, an eVTOL aircraft manufacturer, raised $94M from Embraer, Nidec Conversion and others (PRN) - K Health, an AI primary care platform, raised a $50M round led by Claure Group (BW) - Reusable packing company Vytal raised a $6.6M round led by Emerald Technology Ventures (EU) - Vaire Computing, a startup building energy efficient chips, raised a $4.5M seed round led by 7percent Ventures and Jude Gomila (TC) Congrats to all - what #startups do you have your eyes on? 👀 Follow @Today in VC for daily #venturecapital news! 📆

4

Despite a growing and robust Canadian tech ecosystem, the country has minted fewer than 30 unicorns in the past decade compared to the US's 700. Should Canadian VCs look to invest internationally? If so, what's the optimal approach to accessing global opportunities, navigating financial and cultural differences, and providing meaningful value? Alternatively, should they focus on strengthening the Canadian tech ecosystem? Is the lack of unicorns primarily a cultural, structural, or financial issue, or a combination? Can VCs play a role in addressing these challenges? Happy to participate in the Canadian Venture Capital & Private Equity Association (CVCA) webinar with Mana Hosseini, JD/MBA and Kim Furlong addressing these topics. _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Registration link in the comments #venturecapital #startups #investing #canada

23

6 Comments

Exciting news from Toronto's DMZ! DMZ Ventures just launched a $5M CAD fund to fuel early-stage startups, aiming to make 10 investments a year and bridge critical funding gaps. With a focus on pre-seed and seed-stage companies, this fund is set to back some serious winners! Want to know more? Dive into the details at #BetaKit! 👉 https://ow.ly/MSrR50SoHQp #Startups #Investment #TechNews #Innovation #DMZVentures

3

If you want to see the power follow the money. Dragoneer Investment Group Dragoneer Investment Group, founded in 2012 by Marc Stad, is a San Francisco-based investment firm specializing in technology investments globally across public and private markets. As of 2024, the firm manages approximately $22.6 billion in assets under management (AUM) and employs 83 professionals. Dragoneer's investment strategy focuses on growth-oriented opportunities, partnering with companies with strong potential for expansion and market leadership. The firm's portfolio includes notable investments in Airbnb, Alibaba Group, Atlassian, DoorDash, and Roblox. In the public markets, Dragoneer manages long-only strategy funds that invest in technology companies. For private markets, the firm manages private growth equity funds that provide funding to private technology companies. Dragoneer often employs innovative fundraising methods, such as secondary stock sales or convertible debt notes, to support its investment activities. As of June 30, 2024, Dragoneer's top holdings included Global-E Online Ltd., Atlassian Corporation, Roblox Corporation, Coupang Inc., and PDD Holdings Inc. These investments reflect the firm's focus on high-growth technology companies with significant market potential. By following Dragoneer's investment activities, one can gain insights into emerging trends and influential players within the technology sector, highlighting the firm's role in shaping the industry's landscape.

1

2 Comments

Are you a B2B software startup founder at the very start? Then you have to meet this early-stage investor! This week's findfunding.vc spotlight is on Dominic Lau from Ripple Ventures. He: 🇨🇦 Is Vancouver and Toronto based 🎣 Loves to fish 🎶 Founded the RippleX Fellowship - a platform to help underrepresented founders access mentorship, intros, and the tools to get from idea to revenue to funding Amongst founders, Dominic and his team at Ripple Ventures, including Matt Cohen, are known for being hands-on partners who open valuable networks, navigate challenges together, and assist in closing crucial revenue and funding deals. Make sure to: ✉️ Pitch him at [email protected] 👀 Look into the RippleX Fellowship - they take 10 companies 2x a year through the Founder Fellowship program and also back companies through the Fellow Fund For more, check out our funder spotlight card below along with Ripple Ventures' profile on findfunding.vc (link in comments).

25

6 Comments

The Canadian Venture Capital & Private Equity Association (CVCA) Q3/24 numbers were recently released showing that VC investment reached $2.65 CAD during the quarter. However, those numbers are heavily skewed to the recent Clio - Cloud-Based Legal Technology $1.24B CAD Series F round and Cohere $687 CAD Series D round. John and I dig into the overly rosy report on this week's episode of Tank Talks, dropping every Thursday. Stay up-to-date on all episodes at - tanktalks.substack.com

15

Join us on October 9th for our Venture Clienting Breakfast co-hosted with Doors3 | Web3.0 Consulting ! ☕ What is Venture Clienting? 💡 → Venture clienting is a model where companies become early customers of “mature” startups, rather than investing in or acquiring them. → By purchasing and using the startups' products or services, established companies gain access to cutting-edge solutions that address their current business challenges. Why are we organizing this Venture Clienting Breakfast? 🤔 → At Doors3 | Web3.0 Consulting, the team has been a trusted partner in accelerating growth and creating value by leveraging the digital revolution for corporates such as Yves Saint Laurent Beauty, Orange, FDJ - La Française des Jeux, Paris Saint-Germain, Credit Suisse, and more. → At PyratzLabs, since 2021, we’ve been accelerating and building strong corporates relations within our portfolio Jockiz, Billy, DEFIT, Bubblemaps, InterCellar Wine & Spirits, Kinetix, and others. With over 1000 deals reviewed per year, PyratzLabs has an extensive market overview of start-ups products, their comparables and maturity, which makes us the perfect advisors to find & quantify your problems but also to source the adequate solutions. We are: → Unbiased: We work only for the corporate, not for the startups → Cost Killers: We only tackle problem that cost more than 1m€, or we reimburse you ! → Problem Solvers: We don’t monitor what could disrupt the corporates in 5 years, we help them solve the business issues of today whether it’s related to their core business or just their daily operations. During the breakfast on 📆 October 9th, we will provide a comprehensive introduction to the Venture Clienting Model, alongside with concrete exemples from business units of leading corporations in various industries. 👉 Few last spots left for this private event, book your place here: https://lnkd.in/eK7_Wa_5 #startups #ventureclienting #startupventure #corporates #events Bilal EL ALAMY Houda Leroy Peiyao Qiu Karen Jouve Guillaume Moret-Bailly Ludovic Dietrich

22

1 Comment

🚀 Attention aspiring female entrepreneurs: La Visionnaire Business Idea Competition is closing soon! 🚀 Calling all visionary female entrepreneurs! ⏰ The deadline for submitting your innovative business ideas is fast approaching. Make sure to submit your entry by Monday June 3 evening to be part of this exciting opportunity. This competition is your chance to: 🌟 Showcase your groundbreaking business concept 🌟 Receive valuable feedback from industry experts 🌟 Network with like-minded entrepreneurs and potential investors 🌟 Win incredible prizes and support to help bring your idea to life Don't miss out on this chance to take your entrepreneurial journey to the next level. Submit your application now and seize this opportunity to shine! 💡 📅 Competition Deadline: June 3, 2024 @23:59 🙌 Winner Announced: June 7, 2024 🎯 More Info and Link to Participate: https://lnkd.in/eDCkFyxa For any questions or additional information, feel free to reach out. We can't wait to see your innovative ideas! #Entrepreneurship #WomenInBusiness #LaVisionnaireConference #DiversityAndInclusion #StartupSuccess #Innovation #DiversityInBusiness #WomenEntrepreneurs #WomenSupportingWomen #FemaleEntrepreneurs #WomenLeaders #WomenFounders #BecomeAnEntrepreneur #FlexibleCareer #CareerWithPurpose #WomenManagers #LaVisionnaire

2

Hopper cut 30-40% of its team in the last year to restructure around the success of its b2b products. So I took a quick look back at the history of the Canadian Fintech unicorn. And what I found is that Hopper is a pivoting machine. Here’s the story… In 2007 ex-Expedia Group employees launched Hopper, a travel content site. It was basically an aggregator of travel blogs. In 2014 Hopper published a piece on "the best time to book cheap flights". The article drove 100x more traffic than the previous four years combined. Based on that surge they decided to pivot. In 2015 Hopper got into travel booking and cut 50% of their team. They launched a consumer app that notified travelers of the best times to book their trips. In 2021 Hopper launched b2b “travel fintech” products like flight insurance, price freezing, and price drop guarantee that were embedded into third parties like Air Canada, Uber, KAYAK, & Capital One. Today, Hopper’s b2b business represents ⅔ of its revenue 🤯 Pivoting as a startup is expected. But pivoting while doing over $700m in revenue is remarkable. Love this story! -- Want more? Subscribe to the Canadian Fintech Newsletter in the comments below 👇

194

7 Comments

🚀 Calling All Aspiring Female Entrepreneurs! 🚀 Our mission is to empower women of all backgrounds to have a meaningful and flexible career, so please share this with anyone who might benefit from it! 🙏 We're thrilled to announce our 🌟 La Visionnaire Business Idea Competition 🌟 where creativity meets opportunity! 💫 Are you a woman with a visionary idea and the drive to turn it into reality? If so, you’re in the right place. This competition is your gateway to not only advancing your entrepreneurial journey but also gaining invaluable resources that will propel your business forward. 📅 Competition Deadline: June 3, 2024 @23:59 🙌 Winner Announced: June 7, 2024 📍Link to Participate: https://lnkd.in/eDCkFyxa 🏆 Prize: Tailored Support Package for you to start your business including: - a FREE ticket to the upcoming La Visionnaire Conference in London on June 28 to get inspired by successful female entrepreneurs and gain practical insights on mindset, marketing & personal brand, pitching & fundraising — an event dedicated to empowering women and fostering diversity in the business world. - а private coaching session with an executive coach - a private fundraising & strategy session with a venture capital investor - 12-month membership at La Visionnaire Women’s Club to connect with like-minded women and access networking opportunities with industry experts and investors 💥Why You Should Enter: Empowerment: Elevate your business idea with tailored support and advice from industry experts. Visibility: Opportunity to present your idea in front of our audience and gain feedback from successful entrepreneurs. Networking: Connect with like-minded women who are reshaping the business landscape. 🎯 How to Participate: Fill in the form https://lnkd.in/eDCkFyxa ☑️ Judging Criteria: Innovation: How does your idea stand out from the rest? Impact: What potential does your idea have to make a difference? Feasibility: How well can you execute this idea with the resources available? Don't miss this chance to turn your vision into reality and join a vibrant community of women making waves in entrepreneurship. Whether you're just starting out or looking to expand, we want to hear from you! ✅ To enter, submit your idea by June 3, 2024 23:59 at https://lnkd.in/eDCkFyxa Let’s make change happen together. We can’t wait to see your brilliant ideas! #BusinessCompetition #WomenInBusiness #Entrepreneurship #Innovation #DiversityInBusiness #WomenEntrepreneurs #WomenSupportingWomen #FemaleEntrepreneurs #WomenLeaders #WomenFounders #BecomeAnEntrepreneur #FlexibleCareer #CareerWithPurpose #WomenManagers

5

If you are a #Canadian #startup frustrated by the lack of #investment opportunities and wondering if #SiliconValley is worth the trip ... I wanted to share a few notable comments from #startups that recently participated in our CELS - Canadian Entrepreneurs in Life Science Showcase. To the companies that participated, I won't drop the F bomb and risk being banned from LinkedIn 😆 but feel free to chime in and share, in your own words, why you think your peers need to take a leap ✈️ and visit #SiliconValley. It's really close to 🇨🇦 but in so many ways, a 🌏 apart. ✍️ "A lot of the people we met with will be relevant in the future. CELS made the introduction. We now have to build the relationship." 💰 "Everyone we met with had a friend or a contact that is relevant to us, even if they were not in our space, so basically everyone we met with was relevant!!" 🚀 "The biggest take away was the different mentality. Risk taking is seen positively here! Innovation is seen as a value driver. Investors want to see the BIG idea!" 🎙 "The Showcase format allowed us to have meaningful conversations. There was lots of time for real networking. Everyone asked, 'what is your ask?'. That was so refreshing!" ⏰ "It's just more sophisticated here. Time to market is faster in the US. We didn't have to spend our time explaining the tech and it felt like conversations got progressively better". So the next opportunity to leverage Connection Silicon Valley to build your network here is May 14th to 16th - open to #FemaleFounders. Don't let fear stop you. If you are looking for global capital, #SiliconValley is where you need to be to build the right connections. Register here - https://bit.ly/48SDuzF Or DM me to chat!

74

9 Comments