Startup Grind Toronto Hosts Jos Schmitt (Aequitas)

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Jos Schmitt, Aequitas

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Jos Schmitt is CEO of the company behind what may be the two most important startups in Canada. In 2015 Aequitas Innovations will be launching both a new Canadian stock exchange, and a centralized platform for private securities focused on capital raising and liquidity for small and mid-sized companies seeking funding.

It is a well-known fact that venture capital in Canada is not working as it should today. Many small and mid-sized Canadian companies are unable to access the capital they need from private sources, leading them to rush into early exit strategies including foreign ownership or listing too early on public markets.

The centralized platform for private securities being developed by Aequitas will address this issue and facilitate new and increased sources of funding, allowing small and mid-sized companies in Canada to raise capital among accredited investors while providing those investors with liquidity through a secondary market to trade exempt securities.

Join Jos as he helps us understand what this means for startups.

Prior to joining Aequitas, Jos set up Brilliant Orange group of companies, served as CEO of the Alpha Group of companies, including the Alpha Exchange; and as EVP Head of the Americas and Global Head of Capital Markets for a global professional services company focused on the financial services industry. During his tenure at this professional services company, he acted as strategic advisor and director of operational and/or technology programs for some of the largest market infrastructure organizations and broker-dealers around the globe. Some of his previous roles include: President and CEO of a European Derivatives Exchange and Clearing House, President and CEO of a pan-European indices Publisher, Chairman of a Derivatives SRO, and Head of Strategy and Business Operations at a European Stock Exchange.

Agenda

6:30 Networking and Food
7:30 Fireside Chat
8:30 Networking

Hosted By Michael Cayley, Toronto Chapter Director

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Hi I'm Michael Cayley, Founder of Cdling (pronounced "seedling") (http://www.cdling.com/desktop/), a platform that builds trust between investors, startups and mentors. I'm also Founder of the Ontario Cross-border Technology Innovation Ecosystem (OCTIE (http://octiestudy.wordpress.com/reviews/)) Study. I've been doing the startup grind my whole career across Canada, the US, in Europe and China over the years. I hope that helps add some value to this conversation!
Email: michael@startupgrind.com

Global Partners

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Local Partners

http://startupgrind.com/media/images/sponsors/39/SGE47weWfEWP8jEBpxV238dSw==/Cdling-Capital-Services-Inc..png (http://www.cdling.com/desktop/) Cdling is ratings agency that builds trust between investors, startups and experts.

http://startupgrind.com/media/images/sponsors/306/SGE47weWfEWP8jEBpxV238dSw==/Wildeboer-Dellelce-.png (http://www.wildlaw.ca/) Decidedly different from what most commonly defines a Bay Street law firm. Investing in the success of your company, the firm will serve as your business advisor throughout the business lifecycle from start-up to industry leader. Wildeboer Dellelce was created by partners who rejected the culture of the mega firm and created a unique, entrepreneurial partner-based culture of innovation. The firm gives entrepreneurs the opportunity to work with lawyers who are passionate about their client’s success and who offer a new definition of what it means to be a legal partner. It all adds up to a firm that takes a long term approach to creating shared success, as start-ups grow to become the tech sector leaders of tomorrow.

http://startupgrind.com/media/images/sponsors/307/SGE47weWfEWP8jEBpxV238dSw==/Shopify.png (http://www.shopify.com/) Shopify is a commerce platform that allows anyone to easily sell online, in-store, and everywhere in between. Preferred by over 90,000 merchants worldwide.

http://startupgrind.com/media/images/sponsors/415/SGE47weWfEWP8jEBpxV238dSw==/Verizon.png (http://www.powerfulanswersaward.com) Honoring its ongoing commitment to innovation and social responsibility, Verizon announced its 2014 Powerful Answers Award. The multi-million dollar global challenge, which debuted last year with much success, encourages innovators, developers and entrepreneurs to create ideas that solve the world’s biggest issues and leverage Verizon’s cutting edge technology to deliver ground-breaking solutions and social good. This year’s categories are: education, healthcare, sustainability, and transportation. Submissions will be accepted through June 30, 2014 at www.powerfulanswersaward.com.

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What is Startup Grind?

Startup Grind is a global startup community designed to educate, inspire, and connect entrepreneurs. We host monthly events in more than 50 cities and 20 countries featuring successful local founders, innovators, educators and investors who share personal stories and lessons learned on the road to building great companies. Our monthly fireside chat interviews, startup mixers and annual conferences provide ample opportunities to connect with amazing startups and the people behind them, tap into a strong support network, form meaningful connections and gain inspiration for the startup journey ahead. For more information visit StartupGrind.com (http://startupgrind.com) or follow us on twitter @StartupGrind (http://twitter.com/StartupGrind).