Ottawa's Venture and Technology Summit Set to Attract Silicon Valley Investors to Canada’s Capital
Ottawa’s technology community will be presenting 18 high growth business opportunities to Silicon Valley and North American investors at October’s Ottawa Venture and Technology Summit (OVTS). Ottawa has historically garnered the lion’s share of US investment in Canada based on: the quality of deal opportunities in its emerging sectors; its rich R&D and innovation framework; and local technology know-how.
Ottawa, Canada (PRWEB) September 26, 2006 -- Ottawa’s technology community will be presenting 18 high growth business opportunities to Silicon Valley and North American investors at October’s Ottawa Venture and Technology Summit (OVTS). Ottawa has historically garnered the lion’s share of US investment in Canada based on: the quality of deal opportunities in its emerging sectors; its rich R&D and innovation framework; and local technology know-how.
The OVTS, one of North America’s premier events for the technology and venture capital community, has a history of featuring Ottawa's top investment opportunities, with 50 per cent of all deals done in Ottawa over the past two years having been awarded to OVTS alumni. The three-day program features an opportunity for the 18 selected companies to pitch a compelling business case to a large audience of Canadian and US venture capitalists, angels and corporate investors.
Tim Miller, Vice President and General Manager of Financial Markets at The 451 Group, who was a keynote speaker at the conference last year, said, ”I was impressed by the vitality and openness of the Ottawa technology community and with the quality of the networking opportunities at the conference itself."
The conference has proven to be a huge draw for both local and foreign investors, who have come to Canada’s capital for the past 10 years to participate in the annual event. Over 250 investors, entrepreneurs and intermediaries are expected to attend this year including IBM, IDC, Motorola Ventures, NVCA and Panaroma Capital from Silicon Valley. In the past two years alone, 13 Silicon Valley-based investors have invested in OVTS alumni companies in deals totaling US$295 million. These include the recent SiGe US $19.5 million, BelAir Networks US $20 million and US $54 million Meriton Networks deals.
"Ottawa's entrepreneurs continue to bring high quality investment opportunities to the table. The caliber of this year's pitching companies is testament to our region’s ability and demonstrates the diversification of our technology sector,” said Jeffrey Dale, President and CEO of OCRI, Ottawa’s economic development agency presenting the conference. “The international audience at the OVTS is set to be impressed with the quality of investment opportunities available."
Ottawa technology icon, Terry Matthews, the Chairman of Mitel, March Networks and Wesley Clover, will open this year's Summit with a keynote presentation, and later Paul Kedrosky, Executive Director of the William J. von Liebig Center, a technology finance and venture capital online authority, will share his thoughts on ‘Off the Map Investing’. A highlight of this year’s program includes an interactive panel of industry leaders from Silicon Valley, who will provide insight into the trends and forward thinking in the Valley. Moderated by Tim Miller of The 451 Group, the confirmed panelists are Stephane Dupont, Executive VP, NVCA, Christine Brent, IBM, and Chris Albinson, Managing Director, Panorama Capital.
The companies selected to pitch their business case are:
- AgaPharm
- Avoca Semiconductor
- Embotics Corp
- Energate Inc.
- i2 Learning
- Jacobi Systems Corp
- Jennerex Biotherapeutics
- Liquid Computing
- Moda Solutions
- TenXc Wireless Inc.
- TinyView Wireless
- TireStamp Inc.
- Trigence Corp
- TrueContext Corp
- Tvidia Corp
- VOIPshield Systems Inc.
- Zeligsoft Inc.
- Zip.ca
All are Ottawa based, privately held corporations.
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BACKGROUND:
A detailed agenda can be found at http://www.ottawavts.com/2006/program.html.
Date: October 10th – 12th
Time: October 10th: 10:30 a.m. – 8:30 p.m. (Golf Tournament and Investor Reception)
October 11th: 7:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.
October 12th: 7:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Location:
Hilton Lac Leamy
3 boulevard du Casino
Gatineau, Quebec, J8Y 6X4
Phone: (819) 790-6444
About OCRI:
OCRI (Ottawa Centre for Research and Innovation), the city's economic development corporation, is leading the way for Ottawa. ORI is the rallying point to bring business, education and research together to create the winning economic conditions that allow Ottawa's technology companies to thrive locally and compete globally. At OCRI we promote sustainable economic development to maintain our high quality of life. For more information on OCRI visit our website at www.ocri.ca and for more information on the Ottawa Region please visit www.ottawaregion.com.
For information contact:
Alecia O'Brien
Manager, Marketing and Communications
OCRI
BH Tel: (613) 828-6274 x.256
Cell: (613) 884-1979
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