Kelowna, British Columbia, Jan. 30, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- KELOWNA—Accelerate Okanagan is thrilled to announce that Arlene Dickinson, star of Dragons’ Den, will headline as the keynote speaker at the second annual OKGN Angel Summit Finale. On March 12 at the Innovation Centre in Kelowna, the final 6 participating companies will pitch to 35 investors for a chance at a $150K investment. It’s Dragons’ Den meets American Idol (sorry, no Seacrest).
While the investors deliberate after the pitches, Dickinson will take to the stage and speak candidly about her entrepreneurial journey and reveal her success formula for starting and growing a business. Dickinson, a legend in the Canadian business world, is the General Partner of District Ventures Capital, a fund focused on helping market, fund and grow entrepreneurs and entrepreneurial companies in the food and health space.
Accelerate Okanagan’s Summit Finale is the culmination of a 10-week program that seeks to train entrepreneurs and new angel investors in the Okanagan and improve access to capital for growing businesses. The 35 participating investors have already evaluated and refined the list from 45 participating companies to the top 24. These 24 companies participated in the quarterfinals last week, where they delivered a 3-minute pitch followed by a 3-minute Q & A.
Keep an eye on Accelerate Okanagan’s blog for updates on the investor’s progress as they narrow down the list of companies to the final 6 that will participate in the Finale and get a chance a $150K investment.
About the OKGN Angel Summit
The OKGN Angel Summit is an investor-led program facilitated by Accelerate Okanagan. The program is designed to expose accredited investors to the world of angel investing through a guided, hands-on process where a fund is raised, deals are screened, and an actual investment in a company is made. Participating companies will go through a 10-week series of structured investor meetings including company reviews, founder pitches and due diligence. Culminating in a public pitch event where the finalists make their last pitch, and the winner is awarded the investment fund.
About Arlene
Arlene Dickinson is the General Partner of District Ventures Capital, a venture capital fund focused on helping market, fund and grow entrepreneurs and their companies, in the food and health space. She is a three-time best-selling author and accomplished public speaker. Dickinson is widely recognized for her role as a Dragon/Venture Capitalist for over 12 seasons on the multi-award-winning television series, Dragons Den.
Ms. Dickinson’s leadership has been recognized many times, including Canada’s Most Powerful Women Top 100 Hall of Fame, the Pinnacle Award for Entrepreneurial Excellence, as well as PROFIT and Chatelaine’s Top 100 Women Business Owners. She is a Marketing Hall of Legends inductee and a proud recipient of the Queen Elizabeth Diamond Jubilee Award. Dickinson has served for many years as an Honourary Captain in the Royal Canadian Navy.
About Accelerate Okanagan
Accelerate Okanagan’s (AO) mission is to give entrepreneurs the mentorship, connections, and community they need to build technology-driven ventures. This is accomplished by leading the development and growth of a strong entrepreneurial, creative, vibrant and engaged technology community and by helping companies accelerate the commercialization of their technology products and services. The end goal is to help businesses grow and create high paying knowledge-based jobs and positive economic and social benefit to the region. To find out more, visit: www.accelerateokanagan.com or www.okgntech.com
Quotes:
Brea Lake, Accelerate Okanagan CEO
“Accessing growth capital, securing investment, and generating revenue are issues that entrepreneurs face across the board. For this reason, Accelerate Okanagan is committed to supporting the development of an Okanagan-centric investor base. Over the next 5 years we will be strategically collaborating and building a network capable of unlocking the capital needed to support founders & companies of all types and at every stage of growth.”
Thuy Tran, Accelerate Okanagan Programs Manager
“There is so much investment potential right here in our own community,” says Tran. “The OKGN Angel Summit is a chance for us to connect companies, who are innovating and building the future, with investors passionate about making a difference. That’s how we start changing the world.”
Thuy Tran, Accelerate Okanagan Programs Manager
“There is so much value for companies in just going through the process. Even if you don’t leave with the big cheque, you are still winning. Over the 10 weeks leading up to the finale, you will gain knowledge around the capital raising process, expand your network, received valuable feedback, and build quality relationships with investors.”
Drew Shaw, Accelerate Okanagan Mentor and OKGN Angel Summit Lead Investor
“The Angel Summit is a huge economic benefit to the whole community because it connects entrepreneurs to the capital they need to be successful. In addition to the 150K fund that is created, there are many side deals and investments that happen as a result of the 10-week process.”
Resources:
Media kit: https://www.accelerateokanagan.com/media/
Finale tickets: https://okgnangelsummit2020.eventbrite.ca
Top 24: https://www.accelerateokanagan.com/community/blog/blog/okgn-angel-summit-2020-meet-top-24/
Program details: https://OKGNangelsummit.com