Access to Capital

Mentorworks has secured over $45M worth of government funding for its clients. In this breakout session, learn about the top provincial and federal government funds that digital media companies should be applying for, get tips on how to complete successful applications, and hear about success stories from funded companies.

• Bernadeen McLeod - President & Founder, Mentor Works Ltd.

The Canadian Digital Media Network (CDMN), a federal Centre of Excellence in Commercialization and Research, is dedicated to establishing Canada as a world leader in digital media (ICT + mobile) by creating and enabling connections and collaboration between entrepreneurs, companies, research institutes, government and intermediary organizations across the country. CDMN helps bring more digital media solutions to market to create more companies, jobs and wealth in Canada.

Together, the Network of over 20 hubs from coast-to-coast provides access to the knowledge, connections, services and support that digital media companies need to successfully innovate and market themselves at home and abroad. CDMN Canada 3.0 is the chance for our Network members to share with a national audience their available products and services, as well as showcase their best and brightest companies.

Awards

2013 is the inaugural year for the CDMN Moonshot Awards, established to recognize Canadian companies that create jobs and wealth for Canada through innovation in digital media (ICT and mobile). This is the inaugural year for the awards, designed to acknowledge leading companies that  contribute to the CDMN Moonshot goal, that anyone can do anything online by 2017.

An expert panel of judges, including Host: CTV Question Period, Correspondent: W5 & Digital News Evangelist, Founder of New Man Media, Kevin Newman; Director at OMERS Ventures, Sid Paquette; Deloitte Canada’s Chief Innovation Officer, Terry Stuart; RocketScope Managing Director and Founder, April Dunford; and, CDMN Managing Director, Dr. Kevin Tuer, will be evaluating the nominees and determining the winners.

The ceremony for the first ever CDMN Moonshot Awards will take place on Tuesday, May 14 at CDMN Canada 3.0 at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre in Toronto, Ontario, where awards will be presented in four categories:

Finalists:

CDMN Digital Media Dynamic Company of the Year

Recognizing the Canadian company demonstrating the greatest increase in productivity through the adoption of digital media; three finalists will be recognized.

• Magnet Forensics Inc. – developer of the Internet Evidence Finder which has allowed the world’s top law enforcement, military and corporate organizations to recover evidence like instant messaging chats, social media artifacts and web history.
•  Vidyard – a platform designed to help organizations embrace digital media as a central resource for all marketing initiatives and transform how businesses drive growth through video.
•  TalentEgg Inc. – an online job board and career resource designed to help students and recent graduates in Canada find meaningful careers with top employers.

CDMN Digital Media Globalizer of the Year

Recognizing the Canadian company demonstrating the greatest increase in international sales, investments or other contributions to the growth of the Canadian digital media industry internationally; three finalists will be recognized.

• Axonify – an employee training process that is transforming the way corporate enterprise trains their employees.
•  Desire2Learn – an education platform helping to transform the way the world learns by helping clients break down barriers to access the highest quality learning experiences.
•  Zighra – an emerging leader in the crowd-sourced mobile authentication space that builds innovative solutions to leverage the mobile technology and crowd-sourced intelligence of consumers to reduce costs associated with fraud in high-risk and high-value transaction environments.

CDMN Digital Media Innovator of the Year

Recognizing the Canadian company demonstrating the greatest degree of innovation through the adoption of digital media; three finalists will be recognized.

•  Miovision Technologies Inc. – creates intelligent solutions to address the challenges facing today’s global transportation networks through its Adaptive Signal Control, which automatically adjusts traffic signals based on real-time demand of vehicles and pedestrians.
•  Voices.com – a website that connects businesses like radio and television stations, advertising agencies and Fortune 500 companies to search for, audition and hire voice actors.
•  Bionik Laboratories Inc. – a state-of-the-art medical technology company that provides advanced healthcare solutions for patients with restricted physical development.

CDMN Digital Media Company of the Year

Recognizing the Canadian company that made the greatest contributions to the growth of the Canadian digital media industry in 2012/2013, selected from entrants to the CDMN Digital Media Innovator, Globalizer and Dynamic award categories.

Finalists are Desire2Learn,Vidyard, Magnet Forensics Inc., Axonify and Miovision.

All Canadian companies were welcome to apply; self-nominations welcomed. Finalists will gain entry to CDMN Canada 3.0 2013 to attend the awards ceremony at an unpublished discounted rate. By submitting a nomination, the nominee agrees to let CDMN use the nominee’s company name in marketing and promotional material for the CDMN Moonshot Awards and CDMN Canada 3.0.

Moderator:

• Gavin McGarry - President, Jumpwire Media

Confirmed participants:

• Mike McCauley - Product Manager, Google

• Michael Litt - Co-founder and CEO, Vidyard

• Stephen Lake - Co-founder and CEO, Thalmic Labs

You’ve read about their stories on Mashable, TechCrunch, BusinessWeek… these young entrepreneurs have enjoyed tremendous success with their disruptive technologies – garnering up to millions of dollars in funding using traditional and non-traditional methods, and, in one case, getting acquired by Google. These dynamic innovators have more than their success in common – they are all graduates of the Y Combinator accelerator program, one of the most competitive programs in North America, if not the world. The other tie that binds them together is that they returned to Canada to grow their businesses, when many other Canucks did not venture back North after their stint in the Valley. Why did they return? What is it about the Canadian marketplace and the true north worker ethic that keeps these companies here? In this sure-to-be lively discussion, we’ll discuss the realities – warts and all – of successfully applying for and subsequently completing a Y Combinator stint, as well as what competitive advantages Canada has for starting and growing successful long-term technology ventures like these ones.

Lights, Camera, Economic Action: Building Human Capital to Fuel Screen-based Industry Growth

If innovation is the driving force of the digital economy, talent is its currency. In its 25^th year, the Canadian Film Centre (CFC) continues to play a critical role in the development of Canada’s top screen-based industry talent. What’s more, as found in a 2012 Nordicity report, the CFC’s alumni are creating new companies, products and content which generate measurable growth and economic activity in the sector.  But how can Canada maintain and grow its ability to nurture and retain top screen-based industry talent and how can we anticipate future skills, talent and performance needs of the sector?

Join CFC representatives, alumni and Nordicity for a discussion on the role of the CFC in the ecology of the screen based sector in Canada, highlights of its economic impacts and key performance indicators as well as a dynamic discussion on the role of the CFC and what the screen-industry  needs in order to keep producing (and retaining) top talent.

Discussion threads may include:

• What is the vision of Canada’s screen-based sector? What is the strategy? How well are we doing?
• What kind of talent is propelling screen-based industry today in Canada to meet that vision?
• What is the impact on the economy that flows from the CFC graduates?
• What broadcasters, entertainment companies, and governments now see in the CFC?
• What kind of model for the future is the CFC story?

Featuring:

• Ana Serrano - Chief Digital Officer, CFC

• Peter Lyman - Senior Partner, Nordicity

• Julie Whelan - Senior Consultant, Nordicity

• Jonas Diamond - CEO, iThentic and Executive Producer, Smiley Guy Studios

• Christina Jennings - CEO, Shaftesbury

• Mitchell Moffit - From a young age, Mitchell was fascinated by the chance to understand and experience life through its many facets. Whether it was music, art, sport, travel or academics, he wanted to do it all. But it wasn’t until high school that his love for science really began. The opportunity to qualitatively understand the things that [...]

This panel will feature Robert Simon, Sr. Managing Partner of the BDC Venture Capital IT Fund along with Paul Rochester, CEO of recently acquired Layer7 Technologies of Vancouver, discussing the evolution of the company; from the initial challenges, successful growth and ultimate exit through an acquisition by CA Computer Associates. A fascinating case study of a venture capital backed company funded from inception by BDC Venture Capital.

• Robert Simon - Senior Managing Partner, IT Fund, BDC Venture Capital

• Paul Rochester - CEO, Layer7 Technologies

• Michael Serbinis - Chief Executive Officer, Kobo

Club Penguin: A Canadian Success Story

• Lane Merrifield - Co-founder of Club Penguin

The Canada Media Fund presents a showcase of innovative Canadian productions that combine content and technology to redefine viewer interactivity. This selection of projects confirms how television is an ideal medium to lead the way toward heightened levels of engagement and foster new relationships with the audience.

• Stéphane Cardin - Vice-President, Industry and Public Affairs, Canada Media Fund

• Lane Merrifield - Co-founder of Club Penguin

Following his keynote address, Club Penguin co-founder Lane Merrifield answers attendee questions on the breakout stage on the tradeshow floor.