Sponsors

TiEQuest is made possible by generous contributions from a number of sponsors. TiEQuest 2008 has six different levels of sponsors:

1. Platinum Sponsors (Cash sponsorship of $25,000 or more)
   
   
   
   The John Dobson Foundation: was established to “help educate the public with respect to the free enterprise system and entrepreneurial activities in Canada.” This foundation has supported many and varied community entrepreneurial efforts. John Dobson was the original sponsor of the Association of Collegiate Entrepreneurs, a national student body which advocates entrepreneurial education. He is also a supporter of five major Canadian economic “Think Tanks.” The John Dobson Foundation currently supports entrepreneurial development at sixteen Canadian universities in addition to the enhancement of entrepreneurial education at specific institutions. The John Dobson Foundation has given a gift of $100,000 to be given to the winners of TiEQuest as the $20,000 “Dobson Prize in Entrepreneurship” over five years.
   
   
2. Gold Sponsors (Cash sponsorship between $10,000 and $24,999)
   
   
   
   The Ontario Ministry of Small Business and Entrepreneurship has granted $24,000 for TiEQuest. The ministry will also award the “Ontario Entrepreneurship Trophy” to the winner of TiEQuest. http://www.sbe.gov.on.ca/
   
   
   
   Excalibur Capital Management Inc. is a Toronto based investment fund manager focused on investing in small and micro-cap companies in North America including private placements in public companies. Excalibur also invests in companies that are ready to go public in next few months. http://www.excaliburlp.com/
   
   
   
   Nytric Ltd. is a Mississauga-based innovation-consulting company that brings exciting new product ideas to life. They lead their industry worldwide by offering a complete concept-to-market solution, a unique financial model that makes it affordable, and a proven track record of break-through technological innovation. Companies and individuals from around the world come to Nytric, when they have a concept they know will work, but are having problems getting it to market. Some are further along the product lifecycle and may even have a working prototype, but need Nytric’s expertise to take it forward. Nytric doesn’t have a range of products but a range of solutions to make their products better and a unique business model to get there faster. http://www.nytric.com/
   
   
   
   The Toronto Board of Trade was founded in 1845 by members of Toronto’s business community. The Board of Trade is the champion of a competitive and vibrant Toronto, with a mandate to contribute directly to members' success by acting as a dynamic business catalyst and providing innovative and valuable business tools, and; create opportunities for governments and the business community to work together on issues that are important to our members. The Toronto Board is Canada's largest local chamber of commerce providing over 10,000 members with the tools to build their business success. The Toronto Board of Trade has also agreed to host TiEQuest in 2008. http://www.bot.com/
   
   
3. Silver Sponsors (Cash sponsorship between $5,000 and 9,999)
   
   
   
   Business Development Bank of Canada (BDC) is a financial institution wholly owned by the Government of Canada. Its vision is to make significant contribution to the success of dynamic and innovative entrepreneurship in Canada. BDC provides small and medium sized businesses with flexible financing, affordable consulting services and venture capital. BDC supports the needs of entrepreneurs at every stage of growth. http://www.bdc.ca/
   
   
   
   The Ontario Centres of Excellence (OCE) is the pre-eminent research tocommercialization vehicle in Ontario. OCE takes ideas to income. Created in response to Ontario’s most critical competitive challenges, OCE facilitates economic growth through support for industrially relevant R&D, the opening of new market opportunities and the commercialization of leading edge discovery. OCE builds strong industry and academic relationships. And, we stimulate knowledge transfer through the development of bright minds, moving their skills to the market. www.oce-ontario.org
   
   
4. Bronze Sponsors (Cash sponsorship between $2,500 and $4,999)
   
   
   
   Echologics Engineering Inc. was the winner of TiEQuest 2007 and is proudly sponsoring TiEQuest 2008. Echologics is a leader in the development of acoustic technologies for the detection and location of leaks in fluid delivery pipelines. They develop competitively priced and technologically advanced leak detection systems that are available to a broad spectrum of users. They achieve this via intensive in-house research and partnership with leading R&D organizations. They are also advancing research into non-destructive technologies to allow the estimation of residual wall thickness of water distribution pipes and other pressurized fluid-carrying pipes. http://www.echologics.com/
   
   
   
   Northwater Intellectual Property Fund
   
   Intellectual property (IP) is the fundamental asset of innovation and entrepreneurship in the 21st century - with the potential to generate new wealth opportunities for investors.
   
   Northwater's intellectual property fund draws upon Northwater's core strengths of extensive market research and knowledge, portfolio diversity, and superior risk management to produce a fund that seeks to control risk and volatility while using multiple paths to realize the value of the fund's investments.
   
   The fund is managed by a team with expertise in IP assessment, valuation, management, and enforcement. The fund holds a mix of IP investments, diversified across sector and geography. The fund seeks to provide additional value to its IP investments in several key ways:
   
   * Governance. In a majority of cases, Northwater seeks to influence the business direction and strategy of its portfolio investments through board appointments and through ongoing consultations with directors and management.
   
   * Operations. IP portfolio investments have access to Northwater's advisor network of world experts in enterprise and entrepreneurial company management and operations.
   
   * Realizing value. The Fund has a deep network of capital markets contacts, including investment banks, venture investors, hedge funds and Fortune1000 investors, and seeks timely "for value" realizations of its investments. Realizations can take the form of strategic sale, initial public offering, successful licensing or litigation, or receipt of royalty
   streams. http://www.northwatercapital.com/
   
   
   
   Koolatron is a Canadian company that manufactures markets and distributes a wide range of consumer items via a dealer- distributor network, mass merchandisers and direct to consumers through television infomercials and websites. Koolatron products are marketed worldwide with many key retail accounts in Canada, USA and UK. Koolatron offers full range of services in short and long from media management in Canada and USA including warehousing, shipping, and back-end bilingual customer service support. Its clients include Body By Jake, Leigh Valentine, Cable shopping Network, LandRider, to name a few. http://www.koolatron.com/
   
   
   
   Royal Bank of Canada is Canada's largest bank as measured by assets and market capitalization and one of North America's leading diversified financial services companies. It provides personal and commercial banking, wealth management services, insurance, corporate and investment banking and transaction processing services on a global basis. Royal Bank’s corporate support team enables business growth with expert professional advice and state of the art processes and technology. It employs approximately 69,000 people who serve more than 14 million personal, business and public sector clients throughout offices in North America and some 30 countries around the world. http://www.rbc.com/
   
   
   
   GrowthWorks is a recognized leader in the Canadian venture capital industry, specializing in the management and growth of regionally based venture capital funds. GrowthWorks has combined assets under management of more than $800 million. GrowthWorks managed funds invest in small and medium-sized Canadian businesses with high growth potential that need equity financing to achieve success. http://www.growthworks.ca/
   
   
   
   MetraTrade has built a reputation as a reliable source for industrial users of metals, engineering goods, machinery, equipment, plastics, chemicals and pharmaceuticals with twenty year track record in international business. Managed by experienced industrial professionals, with an efficient and competent order processing and execution system, MetraTrade has a long association with leading producing mills the world over. Quality supplies, competitive prices, committed deliveries and prompt after sales attention are the hallmark of their services. MetraTrade offers mill as well as stock deliveries. The equipment division helps clients to choose the right machinery, and undertakes installation, commissioning, training of personnel and long term financial and commercial tie-ups. http://www.metratrade.net/
   
   
5. Funding Sponsors
   
   Amcan is an investment holding company with investment in a number of sectors. Amcan has committed to fund $25,000 to the winners as an interest-free perpetual loan to help take their project to the next stage.
   
   
6. Investing Sponsors
   
   
   
   Roynat Capital is a member of the Scotiabank Group and is Canada's leading merchant bank specializing in innovative long-term capital and business solutions for mid-sized companies: high growth firms with sales between $5 million and $200 million...but looking for more. Roynat Capital works with clients to help grow their business, to finance and execute mergers, acquisitions and divestitures, to restructure debt and equity capital or to arrange strategic partnerships. Roynat Capital’s broad industry knowledge and network of offices across Canada and the United States are important reasons why it is able to bring meaningful assistance to entrepreneurs and business owners planning long term growth. http://www.roynat.com/
   
   
   
   Trellis Capital Corporation provides growth capital to proprietary technology companies in the Industrial, Manufacturing, Alternative Energy and IT Infrastructure sectors. This includes companies that have developed unique materials for use in a variety of applications. These companies must derive their competitive advantage through the development, or unique utilization of technology in the products or services they sell. Trellis invests between $0.5-$2MM in the form of customized equity capital and works as a partner in enhancing value to the business. Trellis has access to larger amounts if the opportunity so necessitates. http://www.trelliscapital.com/
   
   
   
   ReichmannHauer Capital Partners provides short to medium term capital to meet the immediate needs and with a deep, trust-based relationship and the capacity to provide future rounds of capital if needed. Each firm that becomes a portfolio company of RHCP gains the visibility and credibility of the branded capital of RHCP. http://www.rhcapitalpartners.com/
   
   
   
   Business Development Bank of Canada (BDC) is a financial institution wholly owned by the Government of Canada. Its vision is to make significant contribution to the success of dynamic and innovative entrepreneurship in Canada. BDC provides small and medium sized businesses with flexible financing, affordable consulting services and venture capital. BDC supports the needs of entrepreneurs at every stage of growth. http://www.bdc.ca/
   
   
   
   Northwater Intellectual Property Fund
   
   Intellectual property (IP) is the fundamental asset of innovation and entrepreneurship in the 21st century - with the potential to generate new wealth opportunities for investors.
   
   Northwater's intellectual property fund draws upon Northwater's core strengths of extensive market research and knowledge, portfolio diversity, and superior risk management to produce a fund that seeks to control risk and volatility while using multiple paths to realize the value of the fund's investments.
   
   The fund is managed by a team with expertise in IP assessment, valuation, management, and enforcement. The fund holds a mix of IP investments, diversified across sector and geography. The fund seeks to provide additional value to its IP investments in several key ways:
   
   * Governance. In a majority of cases, Northwater seeks to influence the business direction and strategy of its portfolio investments through board appointments and through ongoing consultations with directors and management.
   
   * Operations. IP portfolio investments have access to Northwater's advisor network of world experts in enterprise and entrepreneurial company management and operations.
   
   * Realizing value. The Fund has a deep network of capital markets contacts, including investment banks, venture investors, hedge funds and Fortune1000 investors, and seeks timely "for value" realizations of its investments. Realizations can take the form of strategic sale, initial public offering, successful licensing or litigation, or receipt of royalty streams. http://www.northwatercapital.com/
   
   
   
   Fairhaven Capital Partners was formed by the Managing Directors of TD Capital Ventures, which they founded in 2001. The Managing Directors' market knowledge coupled with relevant operating and entrepreneurial experiences have attracted entrepreneurs to seek funding from Fairhaven Capital. They are proud of our investments in early stage companies, which are leaders in consumer, enterprise and information security markets. lp.fairhavencapital.com
   
   
   
   Summerhill Venture Partners is a VC firm managing $175 million with offices in Toronto, Ottawa and Boston. Summerhill Venture Partners has built a track record of investing in and developing some of most successful companies in the areas of communications, digital media and information technology. Summerhill Venture Partners is affiliated with the Bell Canada group of companies. http://www.summerhillvp.com/
   
     iNovia Capital manages seed and early stage venture capital funds,
    with a focus on helping entrepreneurs and innovators build successful
    companies in the sectors of information technology, life sciences and
    cleantech. iNovia Capital's value-added approach to early stage
    investing provides portfolio companies with capital, unique access to
    intellectual property from its partner academic institutions and an
    extensive network of industry partners, advisors and sector-specific
    co-investors. www.inoviacapital.com
   
7. In-Kind Sponsors 
   
   
   
   MaRS Discovery District (http://www.marsdd.com/) is a not-for-profit corporation founded to improve commercial outcomes from science and technology. MaRS fosters collaboration between the communities of science, business and capital. MaRS Venture Group assists start-up team and growth companies in translating research and innovation into commercial success, helping them create value. The MaRS Venture Group is offering $25,000 worth of package to TiEQuest winners. The package includes: (a) Advisory Services, (b) Market Intelligence through partnership with premium providers and (c) Conference facilities in MaRS Collaboration Centre for 10 business days in a six-month period.
   
   
   
   Cameron MacKendrick LLP is an internationally recognized firm focusing on Canadian IP law. “New, useful and inventive” are the three criteria for patentable inventions and qualities that they believe describe their firm. It was newly founded on June 1, 2007; it provides timely and effective IP services and finds creative solutions for their clients. http://www.cameronmackendrick.com/
   
   
   
   Pluris Advisory Inc. is a Toronto based boutique technology-focused strategic corporate finance firm. Pluris Advisory also assists companies undertake strategic and tactical programs to position themselves for success in today's marketplace. http://www.plurisadvisory.com/
   
   
   
   NW Patent Funding Corporation partners with patent owners to provide the expertise and capital to turn patents into revenue producing assets. Where there is suspected patent infringement, NW Patent Funding develops and manages an appropriate enforcement program and funds all the costs associated with patent licensing and patent litigation. NW Patent Funding is an affiliate of Northwater Capital Management Inc. http://www.nwpatentfunding.com/
   
   
   
   Minden Gross LLP is a well respected mid-size law firm specializing in business and personal law. Minden Gross LLP acts in partnership with clients to achieve creative and effective solutions to their business needs, and works continually to enhance client service, cost effectiveness and overall knowledge of business trends. http://www.mggg.com/
   
   
   
   Surje & Company is a management consulting firm founded on the belief that the commonly used approaches to solving problems and reaching goals are no longer sufficient. Companies that rely on what has worked in the past are finding such attempts to be less efective now and uncertain they will work at all in the future. Surje has evolved the consulting framework used for many years to meet the demands now facing companies. our clients benefit from a process that relies on collected wisdom, design theory, diversity, integrative models and continuous evolution and improvement. http://www.surjecompany.com/
   
   
   
   The University of Toronto's Joseph L. Rotman School of Management has set out to redesign business education for the 21st century and become one of the world's top tier business schools. Located in the heart of Toronto -- North America's third-largest financial centre and one of the world's most culturally diverse cities -- the School is developing an innovative curriculum built around Integrative Thinking™ and Business Design™