Building a forum for Canadian start-ups | C200 Investment Forum

The C200 Investment Forum, being held at the World Congress on Information Technology (WCIT) 2012 in Montreal this October, will place 200 of Canada’s best and brightest start-ups before international investors in an opportunity to show their stuff and vie for funding.

A partnership between WCIT 2012, Export Development Canada and Backbone magazine, 20 to 30 investment firms from around the world will see the tech talent and ideas Canada has to offer. The start-ups included will be in their second round of investment, seeking funds to grow and achieve commercialization. These technology entrepreneurs will represent a cross-section of business and technology sectors.

Participants in the C200 have a ready-to-sell product or service, and a complete business plan and market analysis. “A lot of companies at that stage fail. Either they’re bought or they fail to get the money,” noted Francois Morin, CEO of WCIT 2012.

“So it’s critical that we help them meet with investment firms and have this link with investment firms.”

International investors and portfolio managers at investment firms are being cherry-picked by the C200 organizing committee, including Export Development Canada, the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade and Industry Canada. Entrepreneurs will be selected through a formal review process by Backbone magazine through its Start Me Up! Alpha Exchange Innovation Campaign, and from incubators, accelerators and centres of excellence from across Canada.

The deadline for applicants to the C200, which will take place Oct. 24, 2012 at the Palais des congrès de Montréal, is July 31, 2012.

---

Previous hosts

Often referred to as the “Olympics of the ICT World”, the World Congress on Information Technology (WCIT) has been held every two years since 1978. At each Congress, world-renowned speakers have drawn tens of thousands of participants. 

• 2010 Amsterdam, The Netherlands
• 2008 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
• 2006 Austin, USA
• 2004 Athens, Greece
• 2002 Adelaide, Australia
• 2000 Chinese Taipei
• 1998 Fairfax, USA
• 1996 Bilbao, Spain
• 1994 Yokohama, Japan
• 1992 London, England
• 1990 Washington D.C., USA
• 1988 Paris, France
• 1986 Toronto, Canada
• 1984 Tokyo, Japan
• 1982 Copenhagen, Denmark
• 1980 San Francisco, USA
• 1978 Barcelona, Spain

Also read:
WCIT - Bringing the World to Canada 
Building an Innovation Ecosystem
Alpha Exchange Innovation Campaign