Mentor Speed Dating this week in Vancouver

Vancouver’s technology scene is thriving! But who among us has the time to stop and find that special someone? With all the challenges of working on a technology startup, it’s hard to find Mr.-or-Mrs. Right (now?)!

The Bootup Entrepreneurial Society is looking to help.

Not sure where to find that advisor you’ve been seeking? Mentor Speed Dating may be just the event you’re looking for. If you are a startup-phase company with a problem you need help solving, clear up some space on your calendar for two hours on the morning of Wednesday, February 10th. Bootup is looking to help connect thirty local companies with interested mentors.

The format for the event will follow the speed dating model — after giving a brief introduction to the attendees, each mentor will hear from the companies.

The goal of Mentor Speed Dating is to set follow-up ‘dates’ between mentors and companies.

Companies should expect to come to Mentor Speed Dating prepared with a one-minute summary of the company, founders, and product. Additionally, companies should have a good grasp of the areas where the mentors can help them — legal, fundraising, technology, business development, sales, accounting, etc.; advice particular to a specific problem. Or two!

Mentor Speed Dating is NOT a Q&A session or a venture capital pitch forum! Our goal is to focus on the meetings as a means to stimulate the local startup ecosystem.

Here’s how you can get involved: visit mentors.bootup.ca and fill out a brief profile, and then show up the morning of February 10th.

There is limited spots for companies so they will be offered on a first come first serve basis.

The event will be hosted by the law offices of Clark Wilson LLP at 800-885 West Georgia Street Vancouver, BC.  Clark Wilson has graciously offered complimentary coffee, tea and juice for the event.

2010 Bootup company shares good fortune

Recently Compass Engine was announced as one of the companies accepted into the Bootup Labs January cohort.  We felt incredibly privileged and thought a good way to celebrate would be to share our good fortune with the people of Vancouver.  To that end we created the one day only Compass Engine FOOD DRIVE. 

From the Food Drive site:

At Compass Engine we believe in making the world a better place than we found it.

To that end we have decided to raise $1000 for the Vancouver Foodbank on Tuesday December 22nd. 

On that day McElroy (Compass Engine CEO) is driving around with his wife and daughter.  We are going to go from one person/business/organization to the next.  We are going to raise money from each of those people and ask them to recommend the next stop on the route.

We sincerely believe that a HUGE majority of this city would (and will) happily give money to the foodbank.  The reason they don’t is it’s to hard.  And by to hard we mean filling out a form on a website or walking to the mailbox half a block away.  We as people are not cruel… we are just lazy.  And that’s OK. Compass Engine is coming door to door.  We are solving the lazy by coming to your desk at work.  You get to do the fun part- make the world a better place with a little bit of your money and we do all the boring work- getting from A to B. 

So on Tuesday December 22nd follow us on Twitter (@CompassEngine) or email McElroy at m.flavelle@compassengine.com or even phone us.  (778.898.4221)  However you do it, get a hold of us and tell us what  you think.  Can you donate?  Can you recommend somebody else to donate?  Maybe you just have some words of encouragement.  Whatever the story, we would LOVE to hear from you.

Innovation Camp in Vancouver

An exciting new workshop called Innovation Camp is coming to Vancouver in October! Expand your creativity and innovation skills by participating in engaging activities designed to inspire your inner entrepreneur, without the boring lectures. Participants practice invaluable skills such as identifying opportunities, learning from failure, resourcefulness, collaborating with a team and adapting to changing environments. You will connect with brilliant people and work together to build on great ideas and find innovative solutions to real world challenges. Unleash your entrepreneurial spirit!

At Innovation Camp you will:

  • learn techniques to view problems from fresh perspectives in order to identify opportunities
  • apply those techniques in entrepreneurial situations and reflected on what was learned in the process
  • receive clear, concise feedback on your ability to work as part of a team
  • analyze and learn from failures in your own and others lives
  • laugh and have fun!

Price: $75.00 CAD (for all 4 days)

Location: the beautiful Kontent Creative offices, 55 Water St, Vancouver, Canada

Workshop Dates and Times:

  • October 13, Tuesday, 6:30pm – 9:30pm
  • October 15, Thursday, 6:30pm – 9:30pm
  • October 17, Saturday, 10:00am – 6:00pm
  • October 19, Monday, 6:30pm – 8:30pm

(Each day builds on the activities of the prior, 16 hours total)

Register now or check out InnovationCamp.org for more details.

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