Partnership fosters Investment in innovation in the Kootenays | Columbia Valley, Cranbrook, East Kootenay, Elk Valley, Kimberley, Ktunaxa Nation – E-Know.ca
Investment Readiness Training is coming to the Kootenays in March to support the growth of local start-ups and stimulate economic development.
Kootenay Association for Science & Technology (KAST) is providing programming to local tech entrepreneurs and businesses in the Kootenays by partnering with Spring Activator and Volition to run an Investment Readiness Training program from March through May of this year.
Impact investing emphasizes a measurable, beneficial social or environmental impact alongside a financial return.
This training will be a nine-week program facilitated by Spring Activator and Volition, preparing Kootenays entrepreneurs and start-ups to be investment-ready. Participating entrepreneurs will gain unique insights into the mindset of investors, learn the fundamentals of seeking investment capital and develop their own pitch presentation.
Each session will be a hybrid event, allowing participants to attend in person at the Nelson Innovation Centre or via Zoom Conference.
From this program, participants will: • Develop their funding literacy, including learning the basics of capital raising, finding the ideal investor and completing the supporting paperwork.
Develop their pitch presentation by learning how to engage with a clear, concise and compelling story-based pitch & presentation.
Establish their approach to revenue generation in support of fundraising.
Learn how to prepare for a detailed investor review of their company.
Learn how to close the investment deal.
We invite all Kootenay region tech entrepreneurs and start-ups who are ready to or already are, raising funds from investors to apply for this program.
KAST is accepting applications from now through to Midnight on Monday, February 28.
“KAST is excited to partner with Spring Activator and Volition in bringing the Investment Readiness Training program to our Kootenay Region tech entrepreneurs and startups. Raising funds for your business can be challenging, which is why we are bringing you the experts to support every stage of your company’s growth,”said Melanie Fontaine, Executive Director of Kootenay Association for Science and Technology.
“Spring Activator is incredibly excited to be working with technology startups in the Kootenays region alongside our friends and partners at KAST and Volition. The Investment Readiness Training program is a great opportunity for founders to gain access to a supportive community, identify what their path to investment and growth could look like, and prepare fundraising materials. Our teams are looking forward to providing coaching, expert advice, and tangible examples and steps to take your business to the next level,” stated Kristen Perry, Impact Investing Program Manager at Spring Activator.
“We are very excited to be joining forces again with our friends and partners at Spring and KAST in their mission to empower entrepreneurs in the Kootenays region. Helping tech start-ups to be able to identify funding opportunities, be confidently investment-ready, with a polished pitch and presentation, the Investment Readiness Training program is a fantastic opportunity to grow” added Melanie Ewan and Paul Brassard, Managing Partners of Volition.
TORONTO – Canada’s main stock index was down more than 200 points in late-morning trading, weighed down by losses in the technology, base metal and energy sectors, while U.S. stock markets also fell.
The S&P/TSX composite index was down 239.24 points at 22,749.04.
In New York, the Dow Jones industrial average was down 312.36 points at 40,443.39. The S&P 500 index was down 80.94 points at 5,422.47, while the Nasdaq composite was down 380.17 points at 16,747.49.
The Canadian dollar traded for 73.80 cents US compared with 74.00 cents US on Thursday.
The October crude oil contract was down US$1.07 at US$68.08 per barrel and the October natural gas contract was up less than a penny at US$2.26 per mmBTU.
The December gold contract was down US$2.10 at US$2,541.00 an ounce and the December copper contract was down four cents at US$4.10 a pound.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 6, 2024.
TORONTO – Canada’s main stock index was up more than 150 points in late-morning trading, helped by strength in technology, financial and energy stocks, while U.S. stock markets also pushed higher.
The S&P/TSX composite index was up 171.41 points at 23,298.39.
In New York, the Dow Jones industrial average was up 278.37 points at 41,369.79. The S&P 500 index was up 38.17 points at 5,630.35, while the Nasdaq composite was up 177.15 points at 17,733.18.
The Canadian dollar traded for 74.19 cents US compared with 74.23 cents US on Wednesday.
The October crude oil contract was up US$1.75 at US$76.27 per barrel and the October natural gas contract was up less than a penny at US$2.10 per mmBTU.
The December gold contract was up US$18.70 at US$2,556.50 an ounce and the December copper contract was down less than a penny at US$4.22 a pound.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 29, 2024.
The crypto market has recently experienced a significant downturn, mirroring broader risk asset sell-offs. Over the past week, Bitcoin’s price dropped by 24%, reaching $53,000, while Ethereum plummeted nearly a third to $2,340. Major altcoins also suffered, with Cardano down 27.7%, Solana 36.2%, Dogecoin 34.6%, XRP 23.1%, Shiba Inu 30.1%, and BNB 25.7%.
The severe downturn in the crypto market appears to be part of a broader flight to safety, triggered by disappointing economic data. A worse-than-expected unemployment report on Friday marked the beginning of a technical recession, as defined by the Sahm Rule. This rule identifies a recession when the three-month average unemployment rate rises by at least half a percentage point from its lowest point in the past year.
Friday’s figures met this threshold, signaling an abrupt economic downshift. Consequently, investors sought safer assets, leading to declines in major stock indices: the S&P 500 dropped 2%, the Nasdaq 2.5%, and the Dow 1.5%. This trend continued into Monday with further sell-offs overseas.
The crypto market’s rapid decline raises questions about its role as either a speculative asset or a hedge against inflation and recession. Despite hopes that crypto could act as a risk hedge, the recent crash suggests it remains a speculative investment.
Since the downturn, the crypto market has seen its largest three-day sell-off in nearly a year, losing over $500 billion in market value. According to CoinGlass data, this bloodbath wiped out more than $1 billion in leveraged positions within the last 24 hours, including $365 million in Bitcoin and $348 million in Ether.
Khushboo Khullar of Lightning Ventures, speaking to Bloomberg, argued that the crypto sell-off is part of a broader liquidity panic as traders rush to cover margin calls. Khullar views this as a temporary sell-off, presenting a potential buying opportunity.
Josh Gilbert, an eToro market analyst, supports Khullar’s perspective, suggesting that the expected Federal Reserve rate cuts could benefit crypto assets. “Crypto assets have sold off, but many investors will see an opportunity. We see Federal Reserve rate cuts, which are now likely to come sharper than expected, as hugely positive for crypto assets,” Gilbert told Coindesk.
Despite the recent volatility, crypto continues to make strides toward mainstream acceptance. Notably, Morgan Stanley will allow its advisors to offer Bitcoin ETFs starting Wednesday. This follows more than half a year after the introduction of the first Bitcoin ETF. The investment bank will enable over 15,000 of its financial advisors to sell BlackRock’s IBIT and Fidelity’s FBTC. This move is seen as a significant step toward the “mainstreamization” of crypto, given the lengthy regulatory and company processes in major investment banks.
The recent crypto market downturn highlights its volatility and the broader economic concerns affecting all risk assets. While some analysts see the current situation as a temporary sell-off and a buying opportunity, others caution against the speculative nature of crypto. As the market evolves, its role as a mainstream alternative asset continues to grow, marked by increasing institutional acceptance and new investment opportunities.
