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TechStars Founder: 'One Accelerator is Launching Per Day'

Just yesterday, we took a lot at the differences between incubators and accelerators. In the article, we noted that incubators were declining in popularity, while the accelerator space was growing rapidly.

Now, an industry veteran has put some numbers to this trend. David Cohen, the founder of TechStars - one of America's most prominent and longstanding accelerators - told Forbes that about one accelerator launches per day now. Stop and think about that for a moment.

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FlyingFlips Takes Their Threadless + TOMS + FlipFlops Model to Kickstarter

Canadians are killing it on Kickstarter. You've all read the story of Waterloo-born startup Allerta and their Pebble watch. They have now raised over $7 million with 18 days left in their campaign making the $10 million mark not out of question.

That kind of success is certainly not the norm on Kickstarter. Crowd-funding projects tend to be a little more grassroots and much more conservative with regards to financial goals.  Vancouver's FlyingFlips Sandals is a perfect example.

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Canada's Newest Tech Accelerator, JOLT, Joins TechStars Network

Canada's newest technology accelerator, JOLT, announced today that it is now a member of Global Accelerator Network (formerly TechStars network).

Based in Toronto, JOLT is dedicated to building high-growth web and mobile companies that promise to transform the way consumers and enterprises connect, work, and play.

Housed in the MaRS Commons, JOLT will select up to 15 startups annually, providing them with space, seed financing, and mentorship.

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VC-funded Recon Instruments Named 2012 Edison Award Winner

Vancouver's Recon Instruments has been named a 2012 Edison Award Winner for MOD Live, the world’s first and only Heads-up Display (HUD) for alpine goggles. Recon won the Bronze Award in the Photography/Imaging category. Named after Thomas Edison, an Edison Award is one of the highest accolades a company can receive in the name of innovation and business.

In January Recon Instruments raised a $10 million Series A round from a group led by the venture capital firm Vanedge Capital with participation from Kopin Corporation.

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Toronto's Bee Media Acquires Adcentricity

Toronto-based Bee Media has acquired Adcentrcity for an undisclosed sum. Bee Media, previously a personal shopper and location-based deals companny, will leverage its acquistion of Adcentricity, a location-based digital media firm, to complete somewhat of a pivot: the company is "in the process of expanding into an exciting, leading-edge, location-based digital media company that delivers targeted advertising and offers a fully integrated platform and ad network."

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Securing Investment: How to Counter Common Startup Mistakes

As an investor in several Canadian startups, the key to securing financing is about putting the puzzle pieces together for the investment partner. It’s true that Canadian investors are generally more conservative than technology investment firms in Silicon Valley or New York, and that early stage financing may seem limited in relation to our stateside counterparts, but that doesn’t mean Canadian investors don’t exist.

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Klass Capital and HOOPP Partner to Strengthen Canada's Tech Ecosystem with $50 Million Fund

Venture Capital firm Klass Capital today announced a partnership with the Healthcare of Ontario Pension Plan to increase the size of Klass Capital Fund I, LP, which is a Canadian-based venture capital fund focused on enterprise software, information technology and e-commerce companies. Founded by Daniel Klass in 2010, the fund now has $50 million to invest in high-growth Canadian technology companies.  

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HootSuite CEO Puts His Money Where His Tweets are: Ryan Holmes Invests in Chirpify

Late last month, Vancouver's HootSuite closed a financing round with OMERS Ventures, who bought a $20 million ownership stake in Vancouver-based HootSuite via a secondary purchase from the company’s existing shareholders.

The financing pegged HootSuite's valuation at over $200 million. But more important, it helped CEO Ryan Holmes and his co-founders and early investors "de-risk" and refocus on their plans to build HootSuite into a billion dollar company.

Looks like the team isn't sitting on their recent windfall. Rather, they're putting their hard-earned money back to work in the Pacific Northwest ecosystem.

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MaRS Joins Accelerator Trend and Launches JOLT

MaRS today announced the creation of JOLT, a new technology accelerator dedicated to building high-growth web and mobile companies that promise to transform the way consumers and enterprises connect, work and play.

Housed in the MaRS Commons, JOLT will select up to 15 high-potential startups annually, providing them with space, seed financing and mentorship, as well as access to partners and some of the top angel and venture capital investors in the industry.

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