Thursday, May 30, 2013, 6 to 9:30 p.m., Toronto Board of Trade, 77 Adelaide St W, Toronto, ON M5X 1C1
Whether you’re a budding entrepreneur looking to get your company’s name out there in the start-up space or an investor on the lookout for new opportunities, join us at the Ivey Venture Forum to be held in Toronto on Thursday, May 30, 2013.
The Ivey Venture Forum, historically the Ivey Alumni Association -Toronto’s (IAAT) biggest and most successful event, brings together entrepreneurs and investors for an engaging and interactive discussion. Five entrepreneurs will pitch their companies to a panel of judges and audience of investors. Unlike Dragons’ Den though, the audience in attendance as well as followers on Twitter will have the opportunity to ask questions to the contestants. The winning entrepreneur will be announced at the end of the event.
The Ivey Venture Forum will feature the following esteemed participants:
Judges:
Colleen McMorrow
John Ruffolo
Ilse Treurnicht
A. Traviss Corry
Sean Stanleigh
Colleen McMorrow, Canadian Leader, Entrepreneurial Services and National Director, Entrepreneur Of The Year Program, Ernst & Young LLP
Colleen a native of Montreal, joined Ernst & Young in 1978 and became a partner in 1988. She is an audit partner serving Canadian and U.S. public and private entrepreneurial clients in a number of industry sectors, primarily in the knowledge-based industries. Colleen has a bachelor of commerce and a graduate diploma in accounting from Concordia University, and earned her CA designation in 1980. She was distinguished as an FCA in 2000.
At Ernst & Young, Colleen is the Canadian Entrepreneurial Services Markets Leader as well as the Canadian National and Ontario Director of the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Program. She represents Canada on the America’s Strategic Growth Markets. Colleen was the first women to be appointed as an Office managing partner at EY and was the first women appointed to the Canadian partnership board.
She finds the time to give back to her community – she is a member of the board of Wellspring, past director of The Conference of Independent Schools of Ontario, past chair of St. Mildred’s-Lightbourn School and a founding director and treasurer of the Dancer Transition Resource Centre.
Colleen is actively engaged with the Ernst & Young’s entrepreneurial alliance partners-The Next36, StartUp Canada, and the Creative Disruption Lab at the Rotman School of Management, University of Toronto.
John Ruffolo, Chief Executive Officer, OMERS Ventures
Mr. Ruffolo is the Chief Executive Officer of OMERS Ventures, the venture arm of OMERS. OMERS Ventures invests in companies in the Technology, Media, and Telecommunications sectors. In addition, he is also the Senior Managing Director, Knowledge Investing with OMERS Strategic Investments.
Prior to joining OMERS Ventures, Mr. Ruffolo was a Partner at Deloitte, as well as the Global Thought Leader, the Global Tax Leader and the Canadian Industry Leader for Deloitte’s Technology, Media and Telecommunications (TMT) practice. He was also a member of the firm’s Tax and TMT Global Leadership teams and a member of Deloitte’s Board of Directors.
Mr. Ruffolo has over two decades of experience advising public and private companies around the world. Mr. Ruffolo has been recognized as one of the country’s leading clean-tech advisors. In addition, he has worked closely with a number of North America’s leading venture capital and private equity firms and has advised many of the companies in which they invest.
Mr. Ruffolo serves as Chair of the Canadian Venture Capital and Private Equity Association’s Government Relations Committee and is a member of its Executive Committee. He serves on the Board of Communitech. Mr. Ruffolo is on the board of the David Suzuki Foundation and serves as Chair of the David Suzuki Foundation Friends of Ontario. Mr. Ruffolo is also Chair of the Corporate Advisory Committee for the Art Gallery of Ontario. He is a member of the Toronto chapter of the Young Presidents Organization.
Dr. Ilse Treurnicht, CEO, MaRS Discovery District
Ilse Treurnicht is the CEO of MaRS Discovery District, a leading innovation centre located in Toronto. She oversees both the development and operations of the MaRS Centre and its broad suite of entrepreneurship and innovation programs. Ilse has worked closely with the leadership of Toronto’s academic institutions and teaching hospitals to create MaRS Innovation, an integrated commercialization platform for 14 Toronto Institutions and served as the interim Managing Director for a year following its formal launch in early 2008.
Ilse joined MaRS in early 2005 from her role as President & CEO of Primaxis Technology Ventures, a start-up stage venture capital fund focused on the advanced technologies sector. Prior to Primaxis, Ilse was an entrepreneur with senior management roles in a number of emerging technology companies. She is an active member of Canada’s innovation community and has served on the boards of private companies, industry associations and research organizations. She has also been a member of several government advisory panels.
Ilse holds a DPhil in chemistry from Oxford University, which she attended as a Rhodes scholar. She has twice been honoured with the prestigious Canada’s Most Powerful Women: Top 100™Award—the first time in 2009 and again in 2011.
A. Traviss Corry, Co-founder/Managing Director, INcubes
Since the birth of Internet commerce, Traviss has helped hundreds of Internet businesses develop and raise venture capital, from startup to acquisition, from seed to IPO, as well as having directed digital media campaigns as high-level as a candidate for Prime Minister of Canada. With deep experience in web, app, software development, investor relations, & a Swiss business degree, Traviss’ technical ability combines with competitive business instincts. He brings an innovator’s advantage to the startups he mentors and guides, hands-on through INcubes curriculum to graduation on Demo Day.
Sean Stanleigh, Editor, The Globe and Mail
Sean Stanleigh is the editor of The Globe and Mail’s Report on Small Business, a destination for readers who want information and compelling stories about Canada’s growing entrepreneurial community. He recently co-founded The Entrepreneurship Society, a networking group for high-growth business owners. Sean is a Canadian Youth Business Foundation mentor, a member of the JOLT Network at MaRS, and an adviser to One Million Acts of Innovation, Startup Canada, America Means Business, and Social Media Week Toronto.
Moderator:
Billy Hennessey, Managing Partner, RoyalPark
Billy Hennessey owns two distinct, Toronto-area businesses: RoyalPak and Oxford Beach. RoyalPak manufactures and packages a range of cleaning products at a 17,000-square-foot facility. By day, Oxford Beach runs experiential marketing campaigns to help clients reach their target audiences. By night, it creates, promotes and executes events for young professionals. Billy was named one of 20 winners of the 2012 FuEL Awards, celebrating Canada’s best young entrepreneurs. He has also been nominated for Toronto Event Producer of the Year. Billy has an HBA from Ivey Business School.
Guest Speaker
Kirk Simpson
Co-founder and CEO, Wave Accounting
The man with the plan. Kirk started Wave Accounting after 13 years in digital media. He’s also the guy with “and another thing” on the tip of his tongue: always brainstorming new ways to make the tools work for small business owners. Kirk has headed up business development, advertising sales and has built tech teams for some of Canada’s largest media brands, corporations and financial institutions. Wave is his third start-up. With the time he’ll save using Wave for his own accounting, he plans to go sailing. The Ivey Venture Forum is open to all entrepreneurs, both Ivey alumni and non-alumni. Apply by March 31, 2013 for your chance to be one of the five finalists pitching at the Forum. For more information on the application process, join our Facebook page www.facebook.com/iveyventureforum
Be where investors and entrepreneurs will be on May 30th! Register today! Registration includes access to the event and passed canapes.
Registration Fees
- $25: IAAT Supporter Member* ($28.25 with HST)
- $35: Ivey Alumni and Students ($39.55 with HST)
- $45: Non-alumni ($50.85 with HST)
*Ivey Alumni in the Greater Toronto Area are able to become Supporter members and receive discounts on all IAAT events. To find out more about IAAT Supporter program, please visit http://iveynetwork.ca/toronto/supporterprogram/