Early-Stage Financing for Tech Companies

B.C. Technology Legend Haig Farris Speaks from Experience

Important Reminder to all VEF Attendees:
VEF Presentations Now Starting at 6:00 p.m. precisely

Just a reminder to all that the VEF's new format from last year involves kicking off the event with the presentations - now going first at 6:00 p.m. (the bar will be open at 5:30 for some pre-event networking) - followed by our networking session beginning afterward at around 7:00 pm. The presentations will include our usual entrepreneurial guest speakers, of course, who will follow our new 100-second lightning talks that will kick off each month's event. This format change has been designed to provide attendees with time after the presentations to chat in an unhurried fashion with their colleagues and the presenters about ideas raised in the talks.

This light dinner/networking event should be of interest to business entrepreneurs in every industry, and will provide a unique forum for networking with members of the technology community, including some of our top local VCs and entrepreneurs.

The event will be held on Tuesday, September 16 at the VEF's new location at the Vancity Theatre at 1181 Seymour Street (at Davie). Doors open at 5:30 p.m., with the panel discussion beginning precisely at 6:00 p.m., followed by networking at 7:00 p.m. (please note format change). Pre-registration is highly recommended at www.vef.org. Admission is free for members, $35 for non-members.

Speakers:

Haig Farris, President, Fractal Capital Corporation. Since 1990, Haig Farris has been the President of Fractal Capital Corporation, a private venture capital company financing high-technology start-ups and resource service technology companies. Prior to that, he practised law with Farris and Company. In 1968, along with two co-founders and partners, he started the Ventures West Management group of venture capital funds, today the largest venture capital pool in Western Canada. From 1993 to 2003, he held an adjunct professorship at the University of British Columbia, teaching a course on entrepreneurship and the financing/managing of high-technology companies to graduate engineering, science and MBA students. Mr. Farris serves on numerous boards in the science and technology industry. He is a past Chair of the Science Council of B.C. and a member of the founding Board of Directors for Science World. At UBC, Mr. Farris has held positions as president of the UBC Alumni Association and Chairman of the President's Committee for the UBC Library, along with membership on various advisory committees. Mr. Farris has also served on many community boards, including the Vancouver Opera, the Vancouver Playhouse, the Vancouver Foundation and the Waterfront Theatre. He is a frequent conference speaker and author of numerous articles on the topics of science awareness, venture investing, and the management of high-technology companies. In 1989, Mr. Farris was awarded with the Commemorative Medal of Canada in recognition of his service to the community and in 1993, Science World declared him a "Friend of Science World." Mr. Farris was named a Pioneer of Innovation by the Vancouver Board of Trade and was also awarded the Bill Thompson Career Achievement Award by the B.C. Technology Industry Association in 2001. In 2002, he received the Blythes Eagle award for community service from the UBC Alumni Association, and in 2003 he was awarded the Commemorative Medal for the Golden Jubilee of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II for service to his fellow citizens, the community and to the Canadian Crown. Mr. Farris holds a bachelor of arts from the University of British Columbia (1960), a law degree from the University of Pennsylvania Law School (1963) and an honourary Doctor of Laws Degree from UBC (1997).

Dick Hardt, Founder & CEO, Sxip Identity. A pioneer in the internet sector and open-source software community, Dick has been active in software development for more than two decades. Prior to founding Sxip Identity, Dick founded ActiveState in 1997. Under his leadership as CEO, ActiveState became a leader in open-source programming languages and anti-spam software and was acquired by U.K.-based software company Sophos in 2003.

When:

2008-09-16 5:30 PM - 8:30 PM

Host Company:

VEF - Vancouver Enterprise Forum

More Info:

http:www.vef.org

iCal:

Early-Stage Financing for Tech Companies iCal file

Company:

VEF - Vancouver Enterprise Forum

Website:

http://www.vef.org

Location:

Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada

The Vancouver Enterprise Forum (VEF) mission is to advance technology entrepreneurship through networking forums that educate and motivate. The Vancouver Enterprise Forum (VEF) is the premier networking forum for technology entrepreneurs and holds eight events each year – usually on the fourth Tuesday of the month. These events provide attendees with an opportunity to network and learn. The evening involves a... more