Bitcoin, mobile payments & eWallet: Why digital payments are red hot for 2016

Paying cash is slowly becoming a fading memory responding to our new reality. Who needs it when your phone can double as your wallet, you can pay your IOUs with the swipe of a finger on a tablet, or when the thought of paying with a digital currency like Bitcoin is actually an option? (...or has Bitcoin failed?) With everyone from your local coffee shop to big banks transforming the way we spend, exchange and track our money, there’s no doubt that digital payments is a seriously hot topic to watch in 2016.

We’ve invited two bright minds from the payments space, Steve McPhee of Square and William Mougayar of Virtual Capital Ventures, to give us insight into what makes them excited within the world of digital payments.

Introducing our speakers:

Steve McPhee - Business Development & Partnerships, Square (@SDMcPhee (http://twitter.com/SDMcPhee))

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Steve McPhee is the head of Business Development and Partnerships at Square Canada -- which is helping Canadian companies run their businesses from anywhere by providing state of the art mobile point-of-sale, online invoicing and inventory management tools. McPhee is no stranger to the startup world, having built Makeover Solutions -- the largest independent beauty information site in North America -- before selling the company to a New York based media company and joining eLUXE a leading fashion e-commerce site as COO.

William Mougayar - General Partner, Virtual Capital Ventures (@wmougayar (http://twitter.com/wmougayar))

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Bitcoin and Blockchains' Potential: Why You Should Care

William Mougayar will explain Bitcoin, cryptocurrency, and blockchain technology and their potential impact on business and society.

William Mougayar is an entrepreneur, investor, blogger and mentor to startups. He is an expert researcher on startup marketing, blockchain technologies, decentralization and peer-to-peer models. William is the author of two new books, The Business Blockchain and Centerless.

William is on the Board of Directors of OB1, the OpenBazaar open source protocol that is pioneering decentralized peer-to-peer commerce, a Board Advisor to the Ethereum Foundation, a member of OMERS Ventures Board of Advisors, an Advisory Board member to the Coin Center, and founder of Startup Management.

Besides having started and raised capital for 3 companies,- Engagio, Eqentia, and CYBERManagement, his career included senior management positions at Hewlett-Packard, AberdeenGroup and Cognizant. He was the founding chairman of CommerceNet Canada, authored 2 books on Internet business (McGraw-Hill and Harvard Business School Press), and consulted to Fortune 500 companies. As a professional speaker, William keynotes at conferences and private events on the impact of the blockchain on business and technology.

William is a graduate of the University of Washington, the University of Western Ontario Ivey School of Business, and attended the University of British Columbia Graduate Commerce School.

SYPA (Stuff You'll Probably Ask):

You: What time do the presentations start?

Us: Doors open at 6:30pm and we begin the talks at 7:00pm. Before and after the talks, there are opportunities for conversations, and the enjoyment of refreshments and hors d'oeuvres.

You: Hors d'oeuvres, you say? Is there dinner?

Us: We always organize food and beverages for everyone, be it sandwiches or hot appetizers. Come hungry.

You: Are guys allowed to come?

Us: Yes. Our group is accessible to all women and men while maintaining a strong support for women in technology.

You: Why the $10 fee?

Us: All monies collected go directly to bringing you a top tier experience with notable speakers each month. Some months we get help with sponsorship and others months we do not, so the small fee balances out over the year and ensures that the events can continue to grow. Food and refreshments are provided each month and vary based on the venue. Your $10 directly goes towards covering the costs of food, drinks, hosting of our web spaces and other costs incurred to run events. We are a non-profit group run by volunteer organizers and we do not make money through this group.

You: Are you taking pictures at the event?

Us: Please note that we may take photographs or videos of the event, including attendees, individually or in groups. These photos or videos may appear in future publications, on our website, social media channels, or other promotions. By participating in the event, attendees consent to have their photograph taken or for any video to be recorded and subsequently shown.