The deadline to participate in TiEQuest, an annual Toronto-based business venture competition organized by TiE Toronto, is tomorrow, Friday, Jan 30th (register here). With the contest offering over $150,000 in prizes and an opportunity to win up to $1 million of investment from sponsoring venture capital and private equity funds, this is an incredible opportunity for entrepreneurs, especially in Ontario (contest is open to participants across North America). Past winners have also gone on to receive additional funding from various sources.
Contestants of TiEQuest '09 will get an opportunity to present to angel investors, venture capitalists and fund managers on the panel of judges. In addition, the contest will also feature various mentoring workshops on writing a business plan, preparing elevator pitches, among other tips, designed to help the contestants in developing a pragmatic business venture. This is what some of the past winners had to say about TiEQuest:
"After winning in TiEQuest, CertoLabs has raised over $500,000 of funding." – Ameer Taha of CertoLabs Inc. Winner of TiEQuest 2006
"As a result of TiEQuest, Chide.it has formed many strategic partnerships, received invaluable feedback with regards to its business plan and gotten funding. Since TiEQuest, Chide.it has grown 4 to 12 team members and from no revenue to multiple streams of revenue." – Aydin Mirzaee of Chide.it Inc.
"The winning of TiEQuest helped us gain attention from VCs within Canada and the US, and some private equity was (also) offered to us. TiEQuest competition and experience was a tremendous one, and it was instrumental in helping us advance our team, the product and the technology." – Sunny Bhasin of Gradecast, Winner of TiEQuest 2005.
Winner of TiEQuest 2009 will receive the Ontario Entrepreneurship Trophy from the Ministry of Small Business and Consumer Services of Ontario. Apart from the cash prizes, various in-kind services from business, legal and financial firms will be awarded to the winners as well. In addition, a New Entrepreneur Prize of $5000 will be given to the best student team. Visit www.tiequest.org for additional information on the competition's rules, stages and requirements.
TiE, The Indus Entrepreneurs, is the world’s largest not-for-profit network of entrepreneurs and professionals, dedicated to the advancement of... [more]
