Event category: Plenary

Entrepreneurs create better mousetraps – products and services that outperform. But even if they’re wildly successful, these entrepreneurs are stuck in a cycle of optimization, customization, and (gulp) price cutting. It’s relentless, exhausting, and limiting.

Big brands know something many entrepreneurs don’t: the path to massive mainstream audiences isn’t building better products. It’s building brands.

Investors love sustainable, scalable, de-risked growth. That’s why they love entrepreneurs with solid brands.

You can build a brand investor love while you build your product and set yourself up for a smoother ride to greater success. Join Marc Stoiber, founder of Brands Investors Love and former creative director for brands like Mr. Clean, McDonald’s and Budweiser as he lays out the roadmap.

This panel of experienced lawyers, investment bankers, and serial acquirers will discuss why M&A deals falter and how to avoid common pitfalls. They will share their knowledge on identifying deal-breakers, overcoming obstacles during due diligence, implementing strategies to mitigate risks, and mastering negotiation tactics to secure favourable terms.

In this discussion, we will explore the incredible journey of Surrey, BC-based Safe Software. Recently, the company has been making headlines due to a strategic investment from JMI Equity, a well-known American growth-stage investor known for backing prominent Canadian tech firms. Don Murray, the company’s Co-founder and CEO, will provide insights into the intricacies of this milestone deal and what it means for Safe Software. He will also share the secrets behind the company’s incredible growth, from a project focused on sharing geospatial forestry data to becoming a global leader in data integration solutions, with over 25,000 customers across 121 countries. As the company looks to the future, you will hear first-hand how this investment marks a new chapter for Safe Software.

This session offers a detailed overview of the present economic conditions and their impact on tech M&A. From market dynamics to emerging opportunities. The discussion will cover industry sector differences and market trends that entrepreneurs need to consider to understand how they impact their businesses. The session will also uncover strategic opportunities available in the current M&A environment.

Welcome to the era of Canadian technology companies on the rise! In a landscape where innovation is limitless, two standout players, PureFacts and eSentire, are leading the way. Their recent accomplishments – an impressive $37 million strategic financing round and a remarkable $1 billion valuation – have set the stage for an inspiring journey of growth through strategic acquisitions.

Join PureFacts CEO & Founder, Robert Madej and eSentire’s President & Chief Operating Officer J.Paul Haynes as they sit down with David Rozin, VP & Head of Technology and Innovation Banking at Scotiabank/Roynat, to share insights and strategies on pursuing strategic acquisitions.